Members chimi Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 So i'm close to pulling the trigger on an aria II guitar. It's a superstrat with a humbucker and 2 single coils. Got a pointy headstock too. I've never really heard much about these guitars. What is the quality like? Are they hit or miss or all pretty much crap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members WoodenDuckMaker Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 oasis likes em Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kujozilla Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I know I want MOAR!!!!! I love these damn things. If it is from the 70's or early 80's GET IT. Matsomuko made em and he was a bad ass individual. Seriously though how much are they asking. These are budget guitars with expensive guitar abilities. Here is my baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HanSolo Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I can't speak for the newer Arias, but I have this '71 Conrad which is an Aria with a different headstock badge. It is a really nice guitar does a pretty good Jag and Mustang impression. It plays and feels feels as good as my MIM Strats. Considering it is 40 years old and plays so well says a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chimi Posted June 15, 2010 Author Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I'm waiting to get the serial number for it to check it out but just going by the looks it looks amazing. It has this really cool red and black paint job, kind of like a black cherry type thing, a maple fretboard with a pointy headstock, and a floyd type bridge. I've been seriously gassing for a superstrat lately and this ought to do the trick. Also did i mention if i end up getting it, it will be for around $70 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Surfdude Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I have played the newer ones in the stores. Not really impressed. Used to own a 1980's model strat style. Very impressed with it. Regret selling it. Here it is. The only picture I have of it. Surfy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aclarke Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 Matsomuko made em and he was a bad ass individual. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Angry Tele Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 they make $3000 Arias and POS cheap ones too. Depends which one you get I suppose. The Wilson Bros Mosrite/Jazzmasters are supposed to be sweet. Cool pic: Arai, Les Paul, and Leo Fender Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members CoqBelliqueux Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 They're no Aria Giovanni. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zenbu Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 As a generalization...some are great but they made a lot of low end stuff as well, really comes down to the model. I have an old Thor Sound...TS-800 neck through thats great as is my LP type Leopard but I gotta say I have seen tons that simply were not worth buying. You can find pages of them on Yahoo Japan on any given day...they ain`t rare. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 Yep. I'd second that. I have 3 old matsumoku arias and they are all very very good guitars. My strat rivals any mexican strat that I've ever played and the neck is easily american level. Too much poly though...on all their old guitars..(that I've played of course). I have the TS-600 neck through like zenbu's 800 but with cheaper pickups. Very nice guitar. And I have a bass that is neck through and nicely made too. You can look here for older matsumoku model numbers and names... http://www.matsumoku.org/guitars.html For 70 bucks I'm sure what ever it is will be decent..but I think there was an era after matsumoku stopped making them, that they became pretty crappy. But then I've seen a lot of new models that appear to be made in Japan that look like a bit of a return to form and even higher. Try and get a model name and number and maybe some pics and we will know better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Les Paul Lover Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 Yeap, as said by everybody, tread cautiously. Better try before to buy or getting exact model description & serial number and find out exactly what it is. They did loads of low end stuff and loads of high end stuff until 85/87 like, and then just churned low end stuff until more recently when they upped the quality again. Most things made in japan in 70/80s would probably be worth scoring for $70. (though not all) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members diceman1000 Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 i know right:lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members www777 Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I have played on aria acoustic guitars and they are not bad. but still would not buy one for myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members A_Gitarman Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I have an Aria 'Diamond Jet Axe' that was my first 'decent' electric... apparently, they are a bit uncommon as I've never seen another. That being said, mine became something of an art project a few years after I got it & was later gutted and retired to the wall above my office window: Much of the aria stuff was decent. But, like any older guitar, you really need to check it out thoroughly to make sure that everything is in order. As Les Paul Lover said, there's a lot of junk mixed in with the 'good' ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Citizen Cain Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 Areola Guitar? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members imbuedblue Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 I have a late 1970s Aria Pro II PE-175 Herb Ellis signature model. I've had a few jazzers tell me that it plays better than their vintage Gibson L5s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 67mike Posted June 15, 2010 Members Share Posted June 15, 2010 So i'm close to pulling the trigger on an aria II guitar. It's a superstrat with a humbucker and 2 single coils. Got a pointy headstock too. I've never really heard much about these guitars. What is the quality like? Are they hit or miss or all pretty much crap? I HATED them in the 80's and HATE them just as much now! Never understood why people like them?????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mav64 Posted June 17, 2010 Members Share Posted June 17, 2010 I learned to play on an 80's Aria Pro II and have absolutely nothing bad to say about it at all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members C.Twang Posted December 20, 2020 Members Share Posted December 20, 2020 I have an Aria Les Paul sun burst open book headstock. I think it is a early 1970's model 5522 serial number 1047123. The age and serial number indicate made in 1971. Please can anyone help by confirming my findings? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members badpenguin Posted December 25, 2020 Members Share Posted December 25, 2020 On 12/20/2020 at 8:41 AM, C.Twang said: I have an Aria Les Paul sun burst open book headstock. I think it is a early 1970's model 5522 serial number 1047123. The age and serial number indicate made in 1971. Please can anyone help by confirming my findings? Pictures please. Early 70's did NOT have serial numbers. After 73 or so, serial numbers started with a 1, so it's at the earliest it's a 73. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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