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Joe Vanilla,
I love mine. I also play Gibson and Heritage archtops. My PE is in no way embarrassed with the company it keeps.
Great amp in your thumbnail, by the way.
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01-26-2015 04:27 PM
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Here is 1977? aria pro ? catalog.
I think it's almost the same as Ibanez or Greco L5 type guitar.
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I used to have one. Nice guitar. Good price.
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I'll buy it if you don't! I am just getting turned on to the Aria Pro II's (Matsumoku guitrs, iirc) of the 70's and early 80's.
-C
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OK, but is it laminate or solid?
I had a really nice 17" Aria copy of a Johnny Smith. Looked great. Sounded like every other laminate copy from Korea.
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Mine was laminate.
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i own a 1983 Aria Herb Ellis and it's easily on the level of a Gibson 175 in terms of quality, in fact probably better.
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I find the guitar to be very cool, very nicely made, the neck is huge but somehow comfortable. It is however very dead sounding acoustical and really comes into its own amplified. Its heavier and slightly duller than the Ibanez 2460 which is heavy and dull acoustically. Bothe guars are laminate so that will explain that. The PE-180 is though heavily braced but at least they aren't kerfed right ;-)
So if you are happy to have a pretty heavy, laminated slight dull acoustically well made beautiful vintage Archtop then you should be more than happy. I prefer the super 70's too in the ibanez than the pickups Matsumuko was using. His are a little harsher.
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Since you're already talking' about Aria, I want to ask if there are any signs, by which I can tell wether a guitar was made in Korea or in Japan? There are two similar looking Arias on Ebay Germany. Both claim that they are from Japan.
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The Aria in the picture is from korea.
There's generally an easy way to tell. The Koreans use wood for the fingerboard, that usually resembles vomit brown (depends what you eat I guess). They also just look cheaper in general.
Someone always tries that con with the korean HE. I've seen it 3 times now.
Another really good way to tell is the pick up selector switch. If it looks like a Les Paul one (no black rubber surround) then It's not Japanes. Another trick is to spot the Gibson styled adjustable scratch plate pin but that only works on Fugi Gen as Maty used the cheaper bent metal variety shown in the pick.
In the future you got any doubts, just message me, I can tell you. Secondly I have an Aria HE PRO II coming up for sale, but since I know who you are now, I doubt you can afford it
Last edited by Archie; 02-16-2016 at 07:41 PM.
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The 180 and 190 are both very serious guitars. The 180 was originally designed to sell for Y300,000 in Japan in 1977. That was about $1,000 back then in US Dollars. You could've almost purchased a Super-V for that, at that point. (Not in Japan, though.)
The point is, the Matsumoku instruments were professional-grade guitars in the Japanese market in the late-70s/early-80s.
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Guitar starts at around :50.
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I've always liked that Robert Conti clip. 2b's guitar is the "Robert Conti" model. However, Conti wisely played the PE-180 at the festival--it was more feedback resistant at that volume level than the PE-190 would have been. I believe the 190 was solid topped and it has a DeArmond Rhythm Chief. It is a HECK of a guitar. I am seriously jonesin' to buy 2b's, which is for sale on Reverb. (I just need to decide what to sell, first...always a problem.)
My 180 sounds like Conti's, but I don't quite have his sustained chops, I'm afraid. The 180 is a great jazz/swing/blues guitar. The 190 Robert Conti model is more refined, rare, and in the Johnny Smith/Artist Award category of guitars. That huge headstock, though, just adds tone, IMO.
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You know GT, if I had half a brain I'd keep that PE190. I spent money dialing it in better than it was when I acquired it. And they're a tough find in its condition. Since I've returned to the audio hi-fi game once again, I've slowly but surely liquidated most of my archtops - the PE190 and the Heritage Super Eagle single routed HB are two of the last four to go.
Originally Posted by Greentone
I'm not saying this because I own it, but if I was a player who could only afford to own one guitar, I'd have no problem owning that PE190. It's truly a gem of an archtop that I could live with for a very long time. I actually preferred it to the Ibanez 2460 dual HB with the Super 70's that I previously owned.
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Aw...I have a gig tonight. I was going to take my Strat. Nope! I'm going to use my PE-180. The Conti clip did the trick.
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The gig I'm working currently is in a theater. Here's a shot from out in the house of me on stage performing. There is a pretty bright spot on me, so the lighting makes it tough to really see the PE-180 well. It sounded good through the tweed deluxe. I used a Deluxe that I made 13 years ago. It's just a straight ahead 5e3 with no modifications. I use no reverb or other effects in the theater--none needed.
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With the last bit of "fun money" in my account from a recent land sale, I decided to satisfy my "L5ces" itch. But of course, I don't have even half of what an L5ces would cost, and I'd be scared to death to even own a guitar that expensive... so after much research and inquiry, I have welcomed into the family this 1977 "Made in Japan" Aria Pro II PE180. So far it seems a wonderfully well made guitar. The only blemishes were that the gassing out of the pickguard put a green crud on the pickups, which otherwise sound quite nice. I've been carefully cleaning the pickups, but may end up replacing them. The other blem is a little flaking in the cutaway (last picture). I have the pickguard off until I can get new hardware to mount it, replacing the old green-crudded hardware.
The frets are incredible for their lack of wear, and the neck is perfect for me. I'm impressed with this instrument and look forward to playing it. I'm told by everyone who has one that despite owning finer, more expensive instruments, they find themselves reaching for this one.
I doubt I'll prefer it to my Gibson Herb Ellis, the reigning head over my household of arch tops, but I think this one might become the wise old grandfather.
And with the pickguard put back on:
Last edited by lawson-stone; 05-03-2016 at 03:55 PM.
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That is indeed a beautiful instrument - the shading is exceptionally nice - and if, as I suspect, it sounds as good as it looks, you've got another fine guitar in your hands with which to make a joyful noise. Congratulations, and play them all in good health!
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B-E-U-tiful! Those MIJ Aria are jewels.
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exact same one I use on my weekly Friday night gig.
I wouldn't replace those pickups, they sound pretty darn good as is.
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Congratulations, what a great instrument. I don't have a guitar of this size, but I like the idea of a big body (if you know what I mean) and if I came across one like this I'd be tempted!
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My 180 is a hella good guitar. You are in for a serious treat.
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Lovely. How much does it weigh? (Someone once told me they can be a bit on the heavy side...)
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A beauty, congratulations!
These have laminated tops? Or solid (pressed)?
She's screaming to have the Road Song played on her.......
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It's a chunky and substantial 8 pounds 7 ounces! Contrast my 1959 VOS ES 175 at 6 pounds 7 ounces! Originally Posted by Nils
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