Aria Pro II info?

chris77

I need some help regarding a Aria Pro II les paul custom that I just bought. Its an old and worn thing with missing strings and knobs, aged hardware and dirt everywhere - so naturally I just love it! Its mij and the serial no is 057740. Cant find anything on the aria site, but would love to know more about her. Anybody know anything about these?

AlanRatcliffe

I know the Aria stuff very well - I even collected the 80's through neck models at one point. Post pics and I'll see if I know it.

chris77

Thanks Alan. I am Welkom untill Friday, so no camera.☹Mind you come to think of it, I do have my laptop here, so I will see if I can manage something with my cellphone and bluetooth tonight. Thanks!

singemonkey

Looking forward to seeing it.

chris77

I finally managed to upload some pics. Quite a mission it was...but here we go.

head stock front
the blue bit was part of the string, covered in thread.

headstock back
really nice looking machine heads

control knobs.
one was missing but the remaining ones are crap. I think the little switch might be a coil-split?

toggle switch
broken of clean.

pups.
really nice worn look. i love it

cleans up nicely.

some mr muscle grime estroyer, pledge lemon, two new (equally crap) volume knobs and some new strings later.

AlanRatcliffe

PE series IIRC. Give me a few minutes...

AlanRatcliffe

OK Can't find a pic, but I'm pretty sure it's a '86/'87 PE Custom.

Here's the Deluxe KV (Kahler Vibrato) model from the same years:

http://www.matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/pe/ptype/pe-dlx-kv/pe-dx-kv.html

Does it have the same heel?

chris77

I wish! That thing is gorgeous! No, mine has a bolt on neck - so I dont really expect it to have any real value or to sound like a gibson. (Or a tokai ?) The pic I took with my cellphone of the neck plate is all glare from the flash. All it says though is - Adjustable Stainless Steel, made in japan, 057740.

chris77

O ja, and it has a strat style body contour on the back. Hope it helps.

AlanRatcliffe

I still think it's a PE-Custom. The cutaways say it's definitely a PE model and the truss cover says custom. It's one of the models that Matsumoku.org has no info or pics on.

If you want more than that, go to the aria forum at http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/index.php and ask there.

chris77

Thanks Alan. Naah, more or less how old she is and what model/series is good enough for me. I am just really curious about it, and info on the net is scarce. I bought her at a pawn shop here in Welkom for next to nothing and she looked really beat up at face value, but its clear that somebody played her plenty back in the day. Considering what I paid and the way pawn shops operate, the seller (hopefully not the same person who played it) got maybe 200 - 400 bucks for her. Hardly seems fair hey.

guitarboy2828

Slap in some toneriders in there, give it a good clean.. I reckon you got yourself a beaut of an axe! ?

Breeze

OMG, that's exactly the same as my first electric guitar ever. about 12 years ago I found an old busted up Aria Pro II (LP) Custom in a pawn shop and grabbed it for next to nothing. It came with an old carpeted Samick 10 watt amp. The truth is it just looked busted up but after some TLC it looked amazing, sounded great and served me well for many years. I can't give you any info on the guitar but I can tell you that 1.)You'll never regret getting it and 2.)You've brought back some very fond memories.