The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #1

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    I was looking for information about this guitar, but couldn't find exact descriptions. I found a few reviews, which were very positive, but if anyone here has personal experiences with this kind of guitar, share it here, please!

    I found information only about the sunburst guitars, I don't know if those have the same parts/wood as this one in the video.



    thanks

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    The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
     
  3. #2

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    Doesn't Jim Mullen use one of those?

  4. #3

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    I think this is the FA-700.

    The FA-70 looks more like an Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor, and even more like an Aria Herb Ellis (PE-175).


    Aria Pro II FA-70-dosed831-img318x462-1474533682qotsha4985-jpg

    To me the FA-700 is much more desirable and once in a while there is one for sale here in Japan for around 450/500 bucks.
    And each time i have to fight g.a.s.

    This one below was 500 bucks...

    Samick made !

    Aria Pro II FA-70-05-316230810_l-jpg

    Aria Pro II FA-70-sub_05-3162308108_l-jpg

    Aria Pro II FA-70-sub_05-3162308101_l-jpg

  5. #4

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    plasticpigeon: Jim uses Aria FA-71 regarding to videos I saw. The 71 has only one neck pickup, not two like this, but thanks for the input!

    xuoham: This would be very nice if it is really an FA-700, the guy, who sells said its an FA-70 so I refer to him. I put a link here, You guys can check the pics of the seller.

    The good part is that the guy, who sells is a classmate of me in the jazz high school, so I already talked to him to take it there, I arrive there tomorrow, and gonna check in the professional high school studios, and I think I am going to take her :-)

    ps edit: the guys told me that in terms of its size it is a Gibson L5 copy, so not smaller like the Epi Joe PAss

  6. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by mrblues
    xuoham: This would be very nice if it is really an FA-700, the guy, who sells said its an FA-70 so I refer to him. I put a link here, You guys can check the pics of the seller.
    Sorry for the confusion, obviously there are two FA70 or more exactly it looks that the shape (cutaway, headstock) changed on the way outside Japan.



    There is indeed an FA70 "Johnny Smith".


  7. #6

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    no problem bro

    I am happy that you tried to help me, thats what counts!

    Among the two videos you sent here, the bottom one is an L5 copy but there are 3 differences between the guitars. The color, which is sunburst in the video you submitted, and is brighter in the one I sent. The distance of the pickups, which are some kind of byrdland-ish in the guitar I want to buy, and is far more L5-ish in your video, and the tailpiece, which is Epi Joe PAss Emperor-like in your video (with those "hookings" on it), and more puritan on the guitar I showed on the pics and in the video.

    There is a book on the web whcih contains Aria Pro II models, but pictures are missing a lot of times, so...

    ...I still cant identify this axe...

  8. #7

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    Yeah there's the old FA70 16"
    some have a copy of an L5 tailpiece
    Some curly tp
    Two HB pickups
    (Looks a bit like the herb Ellis pe175)
    -----
    And then there's the newer Fa70 like yours
    Jim Mullen plays the floating pu version of this( Fa71)

    All nice guitars potentially ....

    I'd like an FA Broadway myself , very pretty

  9. #8

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    Thanks guys!

    I bought this axe, and can say thats definately a very good guitar! Its really an Aria Pro II FA70, despite the fact that I couldnt find anything about that, the label inside the guitar tells the model name. It is an L5 copy, beautiful, and gorgeous. The frets are in 95% condition which I cant tell in case of many used guitars. The neck is straight like PAt MEtheny's way to Berklee, there are only 2 flaws, 1 is easily remediable, I cant even recognize the other one. The neck is more comfortable than the one on my 90's Sheraton, which I never thought I am going to think...

    There is one little problem with the tone controls, when the switch is in the middle position, the volume cuts off at 3 or 4. Because I am going to use the neck pickup in 90% this doesnt disturb me at the moment, but I am thinking about changing the tone and volume controls later.

    The factory pickup is also a bit not my taste, I am thinking about changing it with a Gibson 57 Classic to get the Wes tone. There are Daddario roundwonds on it now, so maybe if I change the strings for flatwounds, I can get a better sound. Gonna check it soon.

    I also got a hard shell case with the guitar, its so big, I could hardly put it into my car lol. When I put the axe into the case, there is a 20-25 cm long empty part over the head of the guitar. Its like I am taking a double bass inside .

  10. #9

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    Congratulations !

    I bet it's a nice guitar, and getting one with almost no fret wear is always a huge plus !

  11. #10

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    Funny, I actually ran into one today and was curious about it. Didn’t know what to think about it at first with the L5 tailpiece and the narrow headstock but it had an interesting shape around the cutout. I want to say they were asking around ¥700. I might have to go back again and check it out. Congrats on your purchase.!

  12. #11

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    Thanks guys!

    I already foudn a good setup on my old japanese Roland Cube 60, so I enjoy the sound now! Except when I switch to the middle on the pickup selector. Then the sound is getting snotty, nasal I cant find better words. I must change the pots, knobs I hope that will help. Besides that, its a keeper...

  13. #12

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    Here is a picture of my Aria Pro II FA70, Korean. I have more pictures of different views if anyone would like to see. To be truthful, I'm not really a jazz player, but I bought this to try it out. It plays nicely, and sounds good, but I'm more of a strat/les paul player!! Sorry!!

    I find playing this a bit difficult because of the depth of the guitar, maybe it's more of a sitting down player. Think it may have to go!!

    Aria Pro II FA-70-20171006_131716-jpg

  14. #13

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    I used to have one of those too. It is an excellent guitar. Mine played wonderfully, sounded great, and had the L5 style tailpiece to boot!

  15. #14

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    Tle lower bout in that guitar is 16 3/4 and the depth is 3 3/4. Very nice guitar. Now I don´t play that often because I favor thinner guitars due to bad back.

  16. #15
    hey guys, I'm thinking about buying one of these guitars, but i've noticed from y'all's posts vs. this one I see for sale, there are some differences. Listed as "Used Aria Pro FA-70"

    Two things that look a little fishy. The headstock/logo look different from most of these videos im seeing. The logo looks unnaturally bad lol. And the tailpiece seems a little less fancy than the ones you guys have posted. Just wondering if anyone is well versed in these guitars and could clear this up for me. I really really want an L5 but could never afford it. So i'm very interested in this guitar, if this one is legit. Thanks.
    Attached Images Attached Images Aria Pro II FA-70-screen-shot-2020-06-07-12-49-51-am-png Aria Pro II FA-70-screen-shot-2020-06-07-12-49-59-am-png 

  17. #16

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    Professorcaveman, seems legit to me. That’s just the way present day Aria’s look (check google ;-)

    I don’t know how they compare to the older ones or where they are made. If I look at their website (Aria Guitars) it seems that only their platinum collection is made in Japan. Although their japanese website (http://www.ariaguitars.com/jp/items/...guitars/fa-ta/) still shows FA and TA models. Don’t know if those are still made in Japan?

  18. #17

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    Professorcaveman-

    I think I'm looking at the same guitar, on a big retailer's website. Not going to buy it (would have to sell something first), but was interested in this version of the FA and found this thread.

    If it's the same guitar, look at the picture of the back of the headstock. The S03... serial number looks like it was made by Samick, and the little label seems to say made in Korea. Maybe the S03 means 2003, but I'm not sure on that. It appears that this has a 3-piece neck, which I've always liked on the earlier Japanese Matsumoku-made Arias.

    Aria Pro II FA-70-canvas-png

    The price I see is pretty good, especially since this might be better quality than a newer Chinese Aria. Only way to find out is to buy it.

    -Steve W.

  19. #18

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    The FA70 is basically a Gibson 16" L5 style guitar with super 400 style plastic inlays and, depending on the era, one of three headstocks. The first copied the Gibson open book style headstock until around 1980 when Gibson sued Ibanez for copywrite infringement for doing the same. To avoid this fate Aria changed to their "Arrowhead" style headstock on all Gibson style copies. In the late eighties or early nineties they changed again to a headstock that was similar to Washburn and continue to do so. At this time they also changed the tailpiece to a cheap wire type Ala the Epiphone Joe Pass and several other Korean and Chinese Hollowbodies.
    The FA70 has the same body dimensions as an L5 (Ht. X Wd X Depth) which is definately not the same as a Joe Pass which is shallower.
    The differences between a Fa70 and a PE70 (Herb Ellis Model) are as follows:

    FA70 PE70
    Place of manufacture: Taiwan Japan/Matsumoku Factory
    Headstock: As explained Gibsonesque
    Inlay: Plastic Abalone

    The herb ellis was also available with either ! or 2 Pickups. the pickups on both Fa70 and the PE70 seem to be the same high quality humbuckers.

    The FA71 guitar is a newer entry to the Aria line. It is a copy of The Epiphone Emperor Regent and D'anjelico EXL-1 with a 17" lower bout, a 3' thick body, a solid carved maple top, a floating pickup, and controls mounted to the pickguard. The result is basically an electrified acoustic jazzbox