ashtray

The Arai company has used different logos on their instruments over the years. AriaProII was used on their electrics from the 70s-90s. Early ones from 70s-mid80s were made in Japan at Masumoku (I always spell that wrong) factory and are considered high quality. Higher than current Epiphones for sure. Some real good finds out there as while many people know about them, they're still mostly not highly collected so you can grab them for a bargain. Back in the 80s you could steal these 70s guitars for $100 bc there was no want for them and no Internet to spread the word of the quality. Now if you buy an 80's model, it could be 30 years old. Condition will be only as good as it was cared for over those 30 years. I'm a fan - my 3rd guitar back in 1990 was an Urchin. (still have it). Was my #1 for over a decade. I've owned half a dozen AriaProII's over the years. Good stuff, but bc of the age, best to play one in person when deciding to buy one - unless you can set up guitars. They set up well in my experience. Just make sure it's a made in Japan model.

I thought the video was really good. Egotistical? Yeah, a bit. But if someone asks me to explain my #1 guitar, how it came to be, and why it's my #1, it would come off the same way. And yeah, for JM fans, those songs are well known. If you're talking about your guitar and you say you recorded these songs with it, then it makes perfect sense. And while on topic - think if you met Jimmy Page in the 70s, and he was holding his double neck Gibson. OMG, Jimmy Page! OMG - is that the Stairway guitar?!! Can I touch it?!! Yeah - its like that. The black Strat people see him playing all the time and associate with him. They also credit the guitar for the tone as much as the player. I think it's a cool story. And wow, he instantly nails those tones on his album. It's a signature sound - its subtle, but it's there. When he was on the wrong pickup, it didn't sound like the record. Flips the 5 way and BAM. He also nicely explains how playing one guitar for so much time you really get to feel all the nuances that all you to bend like you want to, etc. I know what he means - I can play great on my main axe, but struggle on another one - especially if it's a different string tension or radius or scale length. He admits to not being so great he can just pick up any guitar and play like he does.

I used to like my DRRI, now it never gets touched. I "replaced" it with a '67 blackface Bandmaster (head & modern 2x12 cab) - blows the DRRI out of the water. I did the Weber upgrade on the DRRI and it really transformed the low end response. The Bandmaster while lacking reverb has the most warm lush vibrato! In comparison the DRRI is very choppy. They're not even close. The tone is much warmer on the Bandmaster too, and probably due to the 40 watts and 2x12 closed back cab, it's so much fuller there's no comparison. The Bandmaster also seems to compress the notes a lot, softens them up. There's a good clip on YouTube that really highlights this. I don't gig the Bandmaster though. I would gig the DRRI bc it's perfect size and in a band setting much of your tone nuances get lost. I've heard some great guitarists use a DRRI at gigs and the amp has been no slouch.

Sounds amazing!!! The problem with amps on stage is everyone is cranking them up. They bleed into FOH and become unmixable. You get into volume wars on stage. Small stage, 4x12 cab pointed at the back of your legs, blasting out the audience... Not a good scene. Less equipment to set up is great too. As for some people who have to hear themselves through a guitar cab, not a PA cab - guess how nearly everyone in the audience is hearing your tone? Through the PA speakers. I love this idea - and the only thing I might change if you can't get your tone through a DI is to buy an isolation box instead. (enclosed speaker box with mic inside, no sound projects out from the box). Theres some AMAZING digital amps out there now that sound just as good as the real thing too.

It took me 4 months to FIND a Fender DRRI to buy for a reasonable price, in excellent condition. (paid $700, including cover and footswitch), used. That was over a year ago. Trying to sell it now, and where $650 should be a nice deal for someone, I listed it for $575 and still only got one bite, and that person ended up backing out. I've gotten a couple decent deals in the past year, but whenever I've gone to sell something it's crickets. Heck, I haven't even been getting scam offers! Nigeria must be running out of fake money too. And +1,000,000 on shipping. Was able to ship a guitar in a gigbag, small box, for $35. Last hardcase I shipped was $65! Oh, I shipped a set of suspension springs off my car - in a small box. Cost? $45! What??? I was giving them away for free and only charged the guy $15 to cover shipping. Would have been $30 richer had I just thrown them in the trash.

I had a totally awesome transaction with ashtray. :thu: Great communication, very speedy transaction, and would be happy to deal with him again. Thanks! And ditto back to sxyryan!

Good transactions with: MichaelSaulnier GCLA Puckman