Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Mike Oldfield plays a lot of his own bass parts, and I’ve always liked the sounds he gets. But I never knew what he was using on more recent recordings until I stumbled onto the website

tubular.net

It says that he sometimes uses an Aria Pro II SB-1000 or a Roland G-88 (I think without the synth pickup). Can anyone recommend a brand that currently produces a neck-through bass with a single humbucking pickup in the P position, like the old Arias? It would be nice to find something about equal to a 4003 in terms of quality. In the meantime I’m seeing if I can get there soloing the bridge pickup on my 4004Cii.


Thanks,
bluewhale

All I can think of at the moment would be a Carvin bass.

Aria still make the SB1000.

antipodean wrote:Aria still make the SB1000.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I've since learned that the originals from the '80s are highly regarded. The new reissues don't seem to be available through U.S. dealers, but sellers located in Japan offer them on eBay for around 2500 USD right now.

What gets me is that I could have bought an Aria Pro II SB-1000 for $300 back in the mid '80s but a friend of mine bought it, instead! I sometimes wonder if he still has it and would sell it to me for what he paid for it.

bluewhale wrote:

antipodean wrote:Aria still make the SB1000.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention. I've since learned that the originals from the '80s are highly regarded. The new reissues don't seem to be available through U.S. dealers, but sellers located in Japan offer them on eBay for around 2500 USD right now.

I've seen excellent second-hand ones listed for less than USD 900 shipped to the USA (before any applicable duty or sales tax)! Ishibashi has a blonde one from '83....

Edit: Ishibashi are more than happy to ship worldwide and have an English-speaking sales team.

Edit 2: the street price in Tokyo for the reissues is less than USD 1,500. Those ebay sellers are taking liberties....