Help Me ID this Mystery Aria Pro II?

[lawson-stone]

While we're on the topic of my Aria Pro II FA70 (likely) I have a question and a puzzle to add to the mix.

One, where is the serial number on these guitars? I can find nothing inside or out, and wonder if there is some secret to finding the SN. If not, is there a particular significance to the absence of a serial number?

Second, hunting the SN, I took off the truss rod cover and found the back to be marked. I thought it a mere scribble, but really, who doodles on the back of a truss rod cover?

Here's the mysterious marking...

[pingu]

I used to see JM in a band called Morrisey Mullen. He was a Tele player then but still with the thumb

Check this out...

He explains his technique,

Back to the Aria. It looks like a Japanese made Aria headstock but my memory is somewhat dodgy.

3.30 in SOLO !
sorry for double post

[Dave70]

While we're on the topic of my Aria Pro II FA70 (likely) I have a question and a puzzle to add to the mix.

One, where is the serial number on these guitars? I can find nothing inside or out, and wonder if there is some secret to finding the SN. If not, is there a particular significance to the absence of a serial number?

Second, hunting the SN, I took off the truss rod cover and found the back to be marked. I thought it a mere scribble, but really, who doodles on the back of a truss rod cover?

Here's the mysterious marking...

Was this guitar for sale online? I swear I've seen that truss rod cover with that mark before, and it was from a pic on the web. Can't remember if it was on reverb or what...

[lawson-stone]

Was this guitar for sale online? I swear I've seen that truss rod cover with that mark before, and it was from a pic on the web. Can't remember if it was on reverb or what...

It was bought on Reverb.com

[Dave70]

Ah ok that's where I must have seen it.

[NicoNada]

Hi there

I've been in possession of this Aria pro II quite some time.
Can someone help me identify it? Of course there isn't any serial number.

It is quite similar to the one on the catalog page (FA STD) (see pictures).
However the logo on the headstock is missing on mine.

I also checked the neck-pickup: no mark on the underside.
I also checked the small plate covering the trossrod: no mark on the underside (it's black).

The guitar fells quite premium to me. And its weight is 3.2 kg (7 pounds).
The tuning knobs bear the aria pro II lettering.

Any idea?

Thanks in advance for hints and help!

Kind regards
Nicoals

[citizenk74]

[wintermoon]

It's what you think, an FA STD.
Aria would sometimes change the headstock inlay and even shape on the same model.

[Litterick]

Why do they call all their guitars Aria Pro II?

Has anybody ever seen an Aria Pro I, by any chance?

[arielcee]

Why do they call all their guitars Aria Pro II?

Has anybody ever seen an Aria Pro I, by any chance?

Well it started out as the Shiro Arai company and also Aria, Aria Diamond, Diamond, etc. Doesn't really answer your question...
I think it may have just been their electric line. Others know much more though.

There are a million badges for the various Japanese companies and I salute anyone who knows what's what.

[NicoNada]

But is there a way to find out more?
The catalog page is from 1989, but it's obviously no the exact same guitar.

And do you happen to know whether they were build in Japan or South Korea (is there even any difference?)
On the downside of the metal bridge it says made in japan, so at least the bridges seems to be from Japan.

Thanks again,
kind regards
Nicolas

[Jx30510]

I used to own the exact same one NicoNada.
I never figured out if it was from Japan or not. While it had the grommet switch, and 2 piece metal pickguard mounting system (very good quality), the rest of the guitar was not up to what I usually see in MIJ archtops from the 80's, Ibanez most of.
I found the neck felt kind of cheap, very lightly built, plasticky.
And the guitar did sound plasticky, brittle, and was for some reason a little fight to play.
It was playable, and you could achieve a jazz sound, but nothing in the league of any MIJ archtop I played.
Which makes me really doubt it's made in Japan, in spite of certain details that could lend to think it is
I gave it to a friend, after modifying it into a sort of acoustic archtop for campfire jams.
I think the Aria Pro 2 EA 650 is a whole other story, a much higher level instrument.