NAMM 2026: Aria Guitars has announced a commemorative signature bass for the late Cliff Burton to mark 40 years since his passing.
The instrument, a reissue of the Aria Pro II Cliff Burton – which launched in 2013 with the approval of his family and Metallica – “honors Cliff Burton’s groundbreaking tone and legacy.” But isn’t purely sentimental, with Aria saying it has been “created for a new generation of players.”
Metallica’s golden-era bassist was a pivotal songwriting force in the band’s early successes, with tracks like (Anesthesia) – Pulling Teeth quickly embedding themselves into the instrument’s folklore. And while his death in 1986, aged just 24, cut the musician’s life tragically short, the impact of his work still lives on.
Though Burton’s talents never earned him a signature guitar in his lifetime, the 2013 release saw his go-to bass and unsung brand celebrating his legacy, with that recipe now revived and refreshed 13 years later.
Currently, details about the bass are scarce. It remains to be seen whether the same alder body, seven-piece maple/walnut through neck, and 24-fret rosewood fingerboard recipe has been altered. The 2013 model also rocked a solid brass tailpiece with 24K gold-plated saddles and a single Aria MB-V passive pickup.
It will be interesting to see how much of this has been tweaked to cater to modern bass rigs. Judging by the image Aria has posted on Instagram, it certainly looks to be a faithful recreation of the instrument that Burton made so iconic and lusted-over. It doesn’t look any less gold-plated either. Fancy.
Thankfully, with its unveiling set to take place at NAMM 2026, the wait won’t be long, at least.
Other Cliff Burto-themed posthumous releases have included a reissue of his Morley fuzz wah and a limited-edition beer, which raised money for the late Metallica bassist's scholarship foundation to support young musicians.
