Members badpenguin Posted September 14, 2018 Members Share Posted September 14, 2018 Hey all, whilst coming home from the beach, my wife and I stopped at a few of the local pawn shops. Nothing much to report other then the obligatory Squiers and over priced Epiphones. But at the last one, I found this. A 1977 Aria Pro II PE125! ONE piece mahogany back, 2 piece solid German carved maple cap, maple neck and fretboard, and some semi ok Epiphone Korean made humbuckers. it's a keeper to say the least. Matches well with my PE 130! [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"small","data-attachmentid":32342967}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"small","data-attachmentid":32342968}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"small","data-attachmentid":32342966}[/ATTACH] [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"small","data-attachmentid":32342969}[/ATTACH] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted September 15, 2018 Members Share Posted September 15, 2018 Looks outstanding. Love the carve on the top. Congrats! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted September 15, 2018 Members Share Posted September 15, 2018 woah, what a find, since i found my lefty all maple '75 gibson les paul custom i somehow dig oddball looking les paul type of guitars, think gibson marauder aso.. yours is really a beauty...do you always have so much spare money with you when you are going to the beach? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catscurlyear Posted September 15, 2018 Members Share Posted September 15, 2018 i remember seeing all those types of copy`s back when they came out and thinking nah they look too quirky ,but they look very appealing today and it`s as a tribute to itself, the fact that it is still here says alot . nice find Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WRGKMC Posted September 15, 2018 Members Share Posted September 15, 2018 Reminds me of the Univox guitars that came out in the late 70's. I have an Aria Acoustic guitar which I bought in a pawn shop years ago. The build quality want bad but its seen batter days. If this one had a bolt on neck I'd say pass, but with a set neck you shouldn't have any issues getting a good sound out of it. Maybe some decent hardware, tuners. Have to be sure they'd fit. Some of those older clones used oddball sized hardware to avoid patent lawsuits. I'd definitely put a good bone nut cut with a tapered cutaway to reduce string drag, optimize tuning and allow strings to return back to pitch quickly after bending strings. [ATTACH=JSON]{"data-align":"none","data-size":"full","title":"1.0%20gibson%20les%20paul%20cut%20replacement%20bone%20nut.jpg","data-attachmentid":32343176}[/ATTACH] Cant see the fret work very well but it looks like you have allot of meat left. Frets worn flat or uneven is typically the biggest issue with used guitars. If it plays well and stays in tune that's the most important thing of all followed by good electronics and how it looks. The Epiphone pickups aren't bad PAF's. I had them on my Epiphone and they produce a remarkably unnotable Gibson tone adding no additional coloration or drive. Great for getting the best sound out of an instrument while adding or removing anything. If the sound is off you should be able to use them as a baseline on where you want to go with the sound. Not sure what you paid for that one. Back when it was made used generics like that often sold in the $150 ~ $250 Range with the set necks being in the higher range. Given the number of imports now they sell for whatever someone is willing to pay. Looks solid in any case, good luck with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chordite Posted September 15, 2018 Members Share Posted September 15, 2018 I like that it shows you can be eye catchingly different without being radical. It always pays to to drop in to pawn shops and auction houses. 'Lucky' is usually preceded by lots of footwork Photography related I just read a post from a girl who picked up a vintage working Ilford Advocate camera at a boot (trunk?) sale for peanuts Those early 35mm gems run well into the hundreds http://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/objects/co8085300/ilford-advocate-camera-series-ii-35mm-camera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeepEnd Posted September 16, 2018 Members Share Posted September 16, 2018 Looks outstanding. Love the carve on the top. Congrats! ^ +1. The maple fretboard is cool too. Never seen another guitar quite like it. Congratulations and Happy New (Used) Guitar Day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted September 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted September 21, 2018 Thank you one and all! A few words here to address what's been said, and what's been done. WRGKMC: Thank you for your insights, but I have been doing this for 35 years or so, so all you said, would be best suited for a newbie. Hopefully they will see this post, and have their answers when buying a used guitar. I believe your insight in buying vintage Japanese guitars may be a bit out dated. Most, if not all, sell for considerably more then their original list price. Shocking, I know, but the last one I paid the equivalent to 600 for, and don't regret a penny. This one, was a LOT less then that. T_E_L_E my friend, nope. Normally don't have that kind of cash when doing the beach thing, But there is layaway, and Paypal for impulse/buy it NOW or lose out moments like that. As for the inevitable pickup swap: The Epiphones, like I said were serviceable, but I don't do no stinkin serviceable! Went with an 83 uncle Matt MMK45 in the neck, (Arguably, one of the best Japanese humbuckers available.) and a 92 Ibanez V2 re-issue for the bridge. Eventually though, it will get a Lawrence XL500 in the bridge. (Like all guitars should have! ) Changed out the neck tone pot to a Cor-Tek 500K D pot, since I happen to use my tone control, and when it only starts to work at 3, I change them. Again eventually, the bridge tone pot will be changed. And yes, I will install a bone nut, WHEN the temperature drops to below 85 during the day! My garage, where I cut bone, gets about to 100 or so degrees during these "wonderful" Florida summer days. Even with the first day of Autumn approaching it's been in the mid 90's. And to set up the AC, run it for 8 hours or so, and do my work, isn't worth the expense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted September 21, 2018 Members Share Posted September 21, 2018 this thing is hawt... so tell what did you pay for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted September 21, 2018 Author Members Share Posted September 21, 2018 I am almost ashamed to say.... 250 USD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil O'Keefe Posted September 21, 2018 Share Posted September 21, 2018 Wow, that's a great deal - congratulations! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Danocoustic Posted September 23, 2018 Members Share Posted September 23, 2018 Cool guitar, cool story, cool score! Let's hear it for odd, quirky guitars, buying them cheap, fixing/modding them to our own taste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members t_e_l_e Posted September 24, 2018 Members Share Posted September 24, 2018 if i wouldn't be a lefty i would be jealous.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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