Early 1970's Aria 5120 Hollowbody Bass

[stevethebassist]

I have a pretty sick Aria 5120 Hollowbody Bass that I use with Rotosound nylon taped strings. I think it is really cool and I just wanted to share it. The tail piece is not original but I have the original one.

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr30 ... 1240183604

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr30 ... 1240183627

http://i494.photobucket.com/albums/rr30 ... 1240183643

[VintAxe]

So, are you getting an upright sound out of it or does it have more bite than that?

[stevethebassist]

Both, it is amazing. It has a really full upright sound along with a nice electric sound when I use the bridge pickup.

[The Hollowbody Man]

You may have just answered a huge question for me! I have a near-identical bass—same color, finish, twin cutouts, f-holes, bindings, size, headstock and damn near everything.

Save for the pickguard—mine doesn't have one, and the branding. Mine is of course branded a “Kent” and I was wondering who made it.

(On edit) A couple of other differences—mine has the pearlized inlays on the fretboard, an older-looking bridge and chromed pick-ups—but other than that, it looks identical and I have been trying to find the provenance of this monster for years.

Teisco, Guyatone, Hagstrom or Kawai.

I'm now narrowing this thing down to an early 70's Kawai?

(Won it on a bet while in college in the early 80s) Will post pics soon.

[Bassassin]

If your bass is the same as Steve's then it's a Matsumoku.

http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/ho ... /semi.html

Jon.

[The Hollowbody Man]

As so many of the Japanese companies used a seemingly common supply chain, this could well be a Matsumoku-built jobbie, but the pearl-block inlays on the neck don't quite jibe with Matsu's style on the basses. It smacks more of the Teisco/Kawai Kents. Although, the neck is shimmed at the base with cardboard, and is missing a screw on the back plate, so maybe it's had a neck swap for an older Kent's.

It's the same dimensions as Steve's with the same finish and everything. (One extra thing, the PUs are coated chrome with the black screw frame as the older Kents) She's gonna be a project of mine this summer.

I'll get pics up later today. It's quite beautiful.

[The Hollowbody Man]

Here are a few snaps of the mystery (Teisco? Tesico/Kawai? Guyatone? Matsumoku?) Kent I'm getting fixed up (At Last!)

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://me.com/yusufsoul7#100008/Kent-20 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black

http://gallery.me.com/yusufsoul7#100008 ... olor=black