Just seen on FB and wondered what we know. I am sure I have read on here in the past that Alembic supplied some pickups and electronics for an Aria Poll bass. 

We sure did!

Quote from: mica on August 19, 2026, 11:45:52 AMWe sure did!

Mica, I'm the owner of that bass. Are you aware of Alembic and Aria Pro II ever collaborating on the actual construction of instruments in this era? It's a 1988 IGB-CST-5RS model number, Serial No. 88002 15

No building collaboration - just supplied the pickups and electronics and had good conversations with Shiro Arai, who was very kind and generous.

Quote from: jazzyvee on August 19, 2026, 11:30:00 AMJust seen on FB and wondered what we know. I am sure I have read on here in the past that Alembic supplied some pickups and electronics for an Aria Poll bass.

Thanks for posting jazzyvee! That's my bass!

Did Alembic supply the PU and electronics for the Aria Pro II Rev Sound RS-850?  It's the most Series I like guitar I've ever encountered!

Bill, tgo

Those IGB's were the follow-on to the SB Aria's.  Rudy Sarzo had SB Arias in his Whitesnake days that were retrofitted with AXY's and the accompanying circuitry, Aria sold a few and you see them occasionally.  The SB's would later have notable users with Metallica's Cliff Burton and Duran's John Taylor.


Two pickup SB with factory electronics.

Quote from: lbpesq on August 19, 2026, 01:38:15 PMDid Alembic supply the PU and electronics for the Aria Pro II Rev Sound RS-850?  It's the most Series I like guitar I've ever encountered!

Nope - just the Rudy Sarzo model basses. 

@mica, any idea who the manufacturer of the Aria Pro II IGB-CST-5RS instruments (from the first post) you guys supplied pickups and electronics for might have been? The reason I ask is I'd love to try and decode mine's Serial number and possibly how many of these were actually made.

Also, what is the recommended pickup height or range for the 2AXY5-6/AE-1"X1 pickups installed in my bass?

Thank you so much, Mica. Your help has been invaluable in helping me solve the mysteries of this instrument!

Quote from: Balok on August 19, 2026, 12:16:51 PM... That's my bass!

Welcome to the club Mike!

I asked one of the AIs and its response was:

"By 1988, Aria Pro II was transitioning much of its primary manufacturing away from the legendary Matsumoku plant (which closed down in 1987). Premium, neck-through, and specialized high-end models like the Integra Custom (CST) lines continued production in Japan via partner facilities like Tokai or Terada, while mid-to-lower tier lines moved to Korea. This specific 5-string model is a top-tier Japanese instrument from the first generation of the Integra series."

Quote from: Balok on August 20, 2026, 08:11:23 AMAlso, what is the recommended pickup height or range for the 2AXY5-6/AE-1"X1 pickups installed in my bass?

We don't really have a specific recommended height. On a single preamp system like this with 2 volume controls, you can set the pickups to any height where the comfort or tone is best for your taste/style. The pickups may be at different volumes when you max the controls.

If you want the pickups to be at about the same volume with both controls maxed, then set the neck pickup low and the bridge pickup high.

You can change to a volume/pan arrangement with 2 preamps, then you can set the height where you want it without regard to output, since you can change that with the preamp trimpot for each pickup separately. 

In any event, the closer to the strings, the less noise there will be. 

Thank you for getting that information, Dave - very interesting!

A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped me with this instrument! I've always wanted an Alembic, and if I ever win a big lottery, look for my order, lol. If you guys will help a nobody like me with questions about an insignificant instrument in the whole scheme of things, I can only imagine that your support is unsurpassed.

Quote from: Balok on Yesterday at 11:39:42 AMA HUGE thank you to everyone who helped me with this instrument! I've always wanted an Alembic, and if I ever win a big lottery, look for my order, lol. If you guys will help a nobody like me with questions about an insignificant instrument in the whole scheme of things, I can only imagine that your support is unsurpassed.

Welcome to the Alembic Club. I think you'll find nobody here is a nobody, and generally speaking, a good many of us are geeks for anything Alembic-related. 

If I could offer just one piece of help... I notice your pickups are mounted incorrectly. Here is a thread from the FAQ section to set you straight. 

https://club.alembicguitars.com/information-related-to-all-instruments/pickup-height/

That's kinda' dangerous... those 'ears' can crack very easily if pressure is applied to them with regular foam spacer underneath. 

Again, welcome. Hang around and post some more pics. Rudy Sarzo himself was here a while back. 

Bill, the rare  Aria RS850 neck thru guitar (and I think they also made an even more rare RS1000 guitar) were not quite Alembic copies. They were similar in that they used Aria made complicated active electronics using 2 batteries and had hum canceling properties, but had a more organic, less hi-fi sound, that was also very pleasing to the ear.  

There seems to be little info on them and are difficult to work on if something goes wrong though.