FrankE2Yoo

The Ari Pro II Guitars - The Matsumoku Factory The Ari Pro II Guitars from ‘75 to mid ‘80’s were built in the Matsumoku Factory in Japan. The Matsumoku Company were the General Motors of Guitars. Just like GM they made a guitar in every price range and quality level from a Chevy to a Cadillac. They made guitars for Ibanez, Aria Pro II, Yamaha, Epiphone, Washburn, Kramer Westone, Vantage, Greco, Frontier, Skylark and others. Their low end guitars were a good bang for the buck and played better than most cheap guitars of that era. On the other hand, their high-end guitars were some of best guitars ever made. Many of these guitars are 5 piece maple-walnut neck-thru with Ash bodies. They play like butter. Most all were 24 fret with coil taps and out of phase switches. Many had 6 way tone switches and features such as 1 or 2 active power boosts or active EQ pre amps. With this combination you had a guitar that could get an acoustical tone as well as the heavy metal blaster sounds with distortion. Their hardware, pots, switches, bridges and pick-ups were not the greatest in older models but by the time the RS Series came out they were much improved and some used Dimarzio pickups. Because the price of many of these high-end models was only slightly lower than the cost of some top US brands they were often overlooked and did not sell well in America. In the ’70’s and ‘80’s people in the US had never heard of the Matsumoku Company or knew anything about their build quality. Why get a Japanese off-brand when for a few hundred dollars more you could get a Gibson or Fender? Aria Pros II high-end models The high-end Aria Pros II models are awesome guitars and arguably better guitars than many top US brands including Gibson and Fender. It has only been in the last few years that the high-end Matsumoku Factory built guitars have become highly sought after by collectors due to their special features, 5 piece neck-thru body design, ebony fretboards and top build quality. High-End Collectables worthy of checking out: The TS-600 “Thor” and the RS-X70 and RS-X80 models (X80 had fancy inlay and nicer neck) are 2 exceptional neck-thru rock guitars that can also grab acoustical tones with no problem. Finger picking or sheading is no problem with these babies. These are in your face guitars that can still be bought for a fair price (TS is cheaper). The TS-600 “Thor” has 24 frets, ebony fretboard, a 5 piece neck-thru bodies, coil taps, out of phase switches, 6 way tone switches and 1 active power boosts pre amp. The RS Series X70 and X80 are the later model that slowly phased out the TS series, slightly different body shape. These guitars have much better hardware. They had 24 frets, ebony fretboard, a 5 piece neck-thru bodies, coil taps, out of phase switches, Dimarzio pickups and 2 active power boosts pre amps. The RS-800-12 model is a 12 string electric with 24 frets, ebony fretboard, a 5 piece neck-thru bodies, coil taps and out of phase switches and the highly sensitive hum-free design MH-I Humbucker pickups that were used on the SH Models. The SH-800 and SH-1000 (1000 had 2 active EQ pre amps) is the most unusual model they made. Much can be said about this guitar. It was designed at the Matsumoku Factory by top Luther Nobuaki Hayashi (H.Noble). This guitar seemed to sell well in the US. The SH model (also called FS model) is a 22 fret, ebony fretboard, 5 piece neck-thru “Hollow Body” guitar. It may be the only neck-thru hollow body guitar ever made. It is a very complex design. Each side of the body, top and back, is a solid piece of wood that is split down the middle into a 2 piece chamber-structure. The insides of the 2 pieces (on each side of the neck) are carved out and sandwiched back together making the top and back of the guitar solid pieces of hollowed out wood blocks. Unlike most hollow bodies, it is not light. This is a very heavy guitar. With the 2 active EQ pre amps it can deliver many sounds and tones. It has warm tones like a Gibson 335 or ‘60’s Gretsch hollow bodies, but has sustain that only a neck-thru body guitar can deliver. With the EQ switch in the 1st position and pickup switch in the middle position you can get an acoustical guitar sound that is great for finger picking. The EQ adjusts each string to the same volume level. Also note that this is one of the most beautiful guitars ever built. It is gorgeous. It is a work of art. The bodies were available in 4 different wood stains over the years, natural stain (N), light oak stain (O), walnut stain (WA) or a very dark stain (AR). These guitars are almost too pretty to play. The flame in the Ash wood body, MOP tuners, the highly sensitive hum-free design “MH-I Humbucker” pickups, custom made Noble Bridge, and build quality are all amazing. The back covers are matching wood. They even have pearloid inlay inside the S-Holes. Everything about this guitar is top of the line. These guitars play great, sound great and are very collectable. The first year models in 1978 were sold as “FS” models. It was a one year only model and somewhat different from the later models. These models, the FS-750 and FS-1000 had 24 fret necks, Humbuckers, but not the highly sensitive MH-I Humbucker pickups and the 1000 model only had one S-Hole cutout in the top half. They also had a different volume/switch control layout and some had painted bodies. Also note that in Europe these guitars were often sold as a “FS” models rather than “SH” models. There is no information as to why this occurred. I have seen both FS-1000 and SH-1000 that appear to be the same guitars and same year. To really confuse things in the late ‘80’s they made a Strat-Style model FS-1000’s. In the US most of these guitars seemed to be sold as SH models. The production run was from 1978 to 1981. Although the SH models are quite often for sale there is very little information available about these unique guitars. The PE-R80 though it is not a neck-thru, it is a great Les Paul Copy with humbuckers, coil taps, maple top and back, built in heel-less cutaway maple neck, Gold Hardware, matching wood covers on back. Aria Pro II Downside Although the high-end Aria Pro II models such as the TS, RS, SH and others were great guitars they had their downside. Their hardware was never great. Some of their Bridges and Pots were terrible. Some bridges were made of pot metal. The TS model came with at least 4 different types of bridges that are different sizes with different holes placements. Trying to find a replacement bridge for a TS model is next impossible. They are no reproduction or replacement parts anywhere. Aria Pro II also made many cheap guitars and out right copies (clones) of other guitar brands. This was their downfall. They copied the Gibson 335, Les Paul, Flying V, Explorer, the Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster, the Rickenbacker’s, the BC Rich’s and many other heavy hitters of the day. Each model came in many different price ranges from bolt on necks, jointed necks, to neck-thru. They made many low-end, bolt on neck guitars with cheap pots, switches, bridges, pick-ups etc. When it came to coping other brands, they would rip off the Rabbi and piss on the Pope to make a quick buck. They had no shame. Although some of the high-end clones such as the PE-R80 Les Paul copy were very good guitars the cheaper models sold far better. They flooded the market with low-end models. This gave them a “knock-off” reputation that they have never lived down to this day. Even though they made some great models, with outstanding features, they are often remembered as a Company of “Cheap Copies.” They sold many cheap guitars but far less high-end, more expensive, models. History tends to remember the quality of a guitar not the price. Because so few high-end guitars were sold in the US you don’t see them or hear as much about them. In the ‘80s they continued clone and copy anything, even pickups. The Aria Pro II MK 1300 and 1600 were copies of a BC Rich “Mockingbird.” Although not a bad guitar, it could not come close to the workmanship and quality of a handmade guitar by Bernie Rico. BC Rich Guitars in the mid ’70’s to mid ‘80’s were custom handmade guitars. They used the best woods in the world like Koa and Curly Maple, coupled with the most expensive hardware and pickups available on the market. Aria Pro II should have never went down that road. The Urchin U100 was another attempt to compete with the BC Rich “Bich.” Although the guitars shape was radically different, the switch layout was the same. It was still somewhat a copy of a “Bich” and clearly aimed at the BC Rich market. The Urchin U100 was to be their “flagship” model, with the most elaborate electronic features, as well as becoming their highest priced guitar. It quickly gained the reputation of just another BC Rich knock-off and they did not sell well. They also flooded the market with low-end, bolt on neck, cheap priced Urchin models (U60, U70, and Deluxe). Many people have never heard of the U100 and very few people have seen or played one. Over the years the Urchin U100 has proven to be pretty good guitar. They are quite rare and highly collectable today’s market.