Aria Pro II PE 180 (L5/400 Type)

[rmpmcdermott]

What a gorgeous guitar! I have a PE-175 Herb Ellis and I adore it. Can only imagine the PE-180 is just as wonderful.

[Phil59]

What a gorgeous guitar! I have a PE-175 Herb Ellis and I adore it. Can only imagine the PE-180 is just as wonderful.

What are the basic differences between the two? How do they compare in playability and tone?

[wintermoon]

The 180 is a 17" wide 25.5" scale length laminate body while the 175 is 16" wide and 24.75 scale length, like a Gibson ES-175

[rmpmcdermott]

What are the basic differences between the two? How do they compare in playability and tone?

There are people in this thread who could answer that better than I could. For what it’s worth, the PE-175 was Aria Pro’s version of the ES-175, generally speaking (though it’s not a direct copy).

Herb Ellis had a signature PE-175 model with them when he stopped playing his Gibson in the late 70s. That’s the one that I have.

[frankhond]

This model seems to get respect on this forum, and one just popped up for sale near me. But the headstocks seem to vary on these - I have seen pictures of a more pointy one with blocky letters, as well as a more traditional looking design with thin, ornate letters and a dual triangle. There seem to be some other variations on those themes.

Is there any significance to this, other than cosmetics?

[lawson-stone]

It’s almost entirely cosmetics. The PE180 is an L5ces body shape with a Super 400 neck. Think of the Gibson Super V. That featured a larger headstock than the L5. Most are Matsumoku made and marketed under several brands like Aria, Greco, etc. even the Aria models vary, some with the split parallelogram headstock inlay and others with “PRO II” vertically inlaid. I think they are all still basically the same instrument.


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[frankhond]

Thanks guys! I’ll look at a PE180 today that has the double triangle headstock. We’ll see, I think it’s currently advertised at a way too high price. Unfortunately the pickups have been swapped for Gibson P90’s in humbucker format, so I won’t be able to hear its original sound. The original pu’s still exist, so I would have to have them reinstalled... but in this case, would it be best to reinstall the originals or some other PAF that is better?

[lawson-stone]

Thanks guys! I’ll look at a PE180 today that has the double triangle headstock. We’ll see, I think it’s currently advertised at a way too high price. Unfortunately the pickups have been swapped for Gibson P90’s in humbucker format, so I won’t be able to hear its original sound. The original pu’s still exist, so I would have to have them reinstalled... but in this case, would it be best to reinstall the originals or some other PAF that is better?

The original pickups are extremely good. I would put them back in and try them out. Excellent, thick and beautiful sound.


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[frankhond]

Ok... I would go for it, but this particular guitar wasn't for me. Some "old guitar issues" that may be basically harmless but would need attention sooner or later - most notably the frets were polished down so the fretboard felt almost fretless, a refret will be necessary soon. And the guitar was just so substantial in every way that I got all intimidated... Oh well. Next time.

[Greentone]

Here's a more recent gig where I used my '78 Matsumoku.

[Hub]

Hi,
Can someone describe the sound? Does it sound like a L5 ? more like an 175?
thank's for your advices

[entresz]

Hi,
Can someone describe the sound? Does it sound like a L5 ? more like an 175?
thank's for your advices

To my ears they sound a lot more like something like an ES-350 or a Tal Farlow.

My Epi Emperor F - a PE-180 with Epi style appointments, has the feel and basic voice I'd associate with an electric L-5 - but it has the shorter sustain and slightly more 'direct' response to dynamics that I'd associate with a laminated guitar. I find carved top guitars tend to 'bloom', where as laminated ones tend to be more immediate. That's my take on it.

[wintermoon]

To my ears they sound a lot more like something like an ES-350 or a Tal Farlow.

My Epi Emperor F - a PE-180 with Epi style appointments, has the feel and basic voice I'd associate with an electric L-5 - but it has the shorter sustain and slightly more 'direct' response to dynamics that I'd associate with a laminated guitar. I find carved top guitars tend to 'bloom', where as laminated ones tend to be more immediate. That's my take on it.

Yep, exactly

[Hub]

thank's

[lawson-stone]

Hi,
Can someone describe the sound? Does it sound like a L5 ? more like an 175?
thank's for your advices

Here is a side-by-side comparison I did with a Gibson L5ces, an Epiphone Elitist Broadway, and an Aria Pro II PE180. I initially posted them "blind" to let folks guess which was which, which they couldn't! Here is the "revealed" version.

For fun, here's the "blind" clip switching among the 3 guitars repeatedly:

[littleknicky]

Reading through this thread gives lots of positive thoughts on the japanese Aria pro iis. Anyone have a bad experience to perhaps balance the perspective?

Have a most-probably 1980 Pe180bs (don't know what the Bs stands for) that I'm very much considering. Unfortunately, I live in a archtop-dry area and will have to have it shipped. Aside from binding rot and funky green pickups, are there any other common issues with these guitars i should be worried about?

Around 1500-1600 USD, a price that seems consistent with those seen earlier in this thread.

[citizenk74]

Reading through this thread gives lots of positive thoughts on the japanese Aria pro iis. Anyone have a bad experience to perhaps balance the perspective?

Have a most-probably 1980 Pe180bs (don't know what the Bs stands for) that I'm very much considering. Unfortunately, I live in a archtop-dry area and will have to have it shipped. Aside from binding rot and funky green pickups, are there any other common issues with these guitars i should be worried about?

Around 1500-1600 USD, a price that seems consistent with those seen earlier in this thread.

[lawson-stone]

Reading through this thread gives lots of positive thoughts on the japanese Aria pro iis. Anyone have a bad experience to perhaps balance the perspective?

Have a most-probably 1980 Pe180bs (don't know what the Bs stands for) that I'm very much considering. Unfortunately, I live in a archtop-dry area and will have to have it shipped. Aside from binding rot and funky green pickups, are there any other common issues with these guitars i should be worried about?

Around 1500-1600 USD, a price that seems consistent with those seen earlier in this thread.

If the guitar is not damaged, is well maintained, and the binding/pickguard rot hasn't reached a bad stage, as players these guitars are really hard to beat for the money. Mine has some celluloid cancer, as it were, and I had the green on the pickups (removed most of it) but I do love to play that guitar. It comes off the stand literally every day. I don't even play my L5ces as much.

[Greentone]

I'm with Lawson. I play my version of the PE180 almost daily.

[Archie]

Reading through this thread gives lots of positive thoughts on the japanese Aria pro iis. Anyone have a bad experience to perhaps balance the perspective?

Have a most-probably 1980 Pe180bs (don't know what the Bs stands for) that I'm very much considering. Unfortunately, I live in a archtop-dry area and will have to have it shipped. Aside from binding rot and funky green pickups, are there any other common issues with these guitars i should be worried about?

Around 1500-1600 USD, a price that seems consistent with those seen earlier in this thread.

The PE-180 is essentially indestructible. It's built like a tank. Around $1000-1500 seems fair.

P.s There is a Robert Conti about but the guy wants silly money baring in mind the condition. The binding has totally rotten.


Aria MIJ Vintage 1979 Archtop Guitar Pro II PE-190 Sunburst Floating J Smith p/u | eBay

[littleknicky]

Thanks for the responses! Well, now I hope no one chimes in with bad things to say - I just pulled the trigger and it should arrive next week!
Was given a tip by a fellow board member here on the forum that a shop had this one!
From the pictures, everything looks in place with no obvious damage. I'll be sure to make a NGD post when (if) it arrives in one piece.

[Archie]

Looks good, don't often see them with that headstock.

[Greentone]

That's a nice one .

[DMgolf66]

Thanks for the responses! Well, now I hope no one chimes in with bad things to say - I just pulled the trigger and it should arrive next week!
Was given a tip by a fellow board member here on the forum that a shop had this one!
From the pictures, everything looks in place with no obvious damage. I'll be sure to make a NGD post when (if) it arrives in one piece.

How was the price of I may ask?

[littleknicky]

Right around 1500 USD. But in Scandinavia, prices are a little higher here...