1970s Aria (Matsumoku) Hollowbody Electric Bass Guitar

This cool old short scale (30") hollowbody bass was more than likely built by Matsumoku in Japan. They were responsible for the brand's "Diamond" models which include basses exactly like this instrument save that their "horns" are the soft, 330-looking things rather than sharp cutaways.

The owner of this instrument really wanted it to play so we didn't skip over anything. It's now playing spot-on, feels sturdy and reliable, and is sturdy and reliable.

My guy Ancel gave the neck a refret with medium-heft stainless wire and installed some brand-new, silky-smooth, Gotoh tuners to replace the junky, factory-fit ones. I also helped him install a 1/2" dowel that connects the neckblock and endblock to make the whole instrument much more functional and rigid. I also replaced a bad jack as well. Ancel then did final setup work.

It reminds me a lot of a Mosrite Celebrity bass that I owned for a while -- with good, clean, burly mids and a thumpy sound when only in the neck position.