Help identifying old Aria guitar...

jhucx! · Post by **jhucx!** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 3:02 pm

Anybody familiar with old Japanese guitars have info on this Aria double cut model?

I've searched high and low and can't find another one like this...it's not a pro II so I assume it was early 70s? Also I can't find any Matsumoku made instrument with that type of headstock. It kinda looks Ibanezish but can't say for certain.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:49 pm

I dunno. it looks badass though.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Fri Aug 31, 2012 11:53 pm

Mages wrote:I dunno. it looks badass though.

jhucx! · Post by **jhucx!** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 4:40 pm

Thats what I was thinking...guy selling it wants 700 bones which seems high to me. But the fact that I can't find another one like it anywhere makes me wonder if it might be worth it...

Gabriel · Post by **Gabriel** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:08 pm

My friend has one exactly like that. Weighs an absolute tonne, the pickups were a bit bland but it was a solid guitar.

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:12 pm

$700 seems somewhat steep to me, though it is lovely.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:12 pm

Seems high, but old Arias are Matsumoko-made so it's probably really, really good.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 5:47 pm

My buddy Kelly had an Aria pro II back in the late 70's early 80's. As I recall it was well made, but can't recall how it played. Here's an Aria LP version on ebay with the vine enlay in the fret board:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Aria-Pr ... 2ec02bf552

jhucx! · Post by **jhucx!** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 6:43 pm

Gabriel wrote:My friend has one exactly like that. Weighs an absolute tonne, the pickups were a bit bland but it was a solid guitar.

Interesting...any other info on it in terms of when it was made?

mixtape · Post by **mixtape** » Tue Sep 04, 2012 7:35 pm

Maybe it's just the binding, but the neck on that thing looks MASSIVE. My fretting hand hurts just looking at it. It's a beauty, though.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:04 am

PE 145

http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariapro ... 3.jpg.html

jhucx! · Post by **jhucx!** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 12:01 pm

Nice thanks! only difference here is the lack of "Pro II" on the headstock.

The folks over at the Matsumoku forums think it could have been made right before the Pro II line was launched.

MrJamesBrown · Post by **MrJamesBrown** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 1:41 pm

I've got a Matsumoko-made Aria Pro II Knight Warrior. Solid guitar, but sounded kinda "dead"- the clean sound was pretty bland. Used to love the neck though. Pic: