Who is making the JV guitar? Many companies offered the different brands for Japanese market. Well, of course, the guitar industries have been doing the business. 2 user reviews on Aria Pro II Pro II TA-50. See other review for major caractristiques Channel 22 frets, bridge type tune-o-matic, stop bar tailpiece type.
Made in Japan in 1977-78, top: Spruce, back & sides: bookmatched rosewood. I'm not sure if the back & sides are solid or 3 ply. Very well crafted guitar, appears to be a copy of a Gallagher (made in Wartrace, Tn.)played by Doc Watson (go here for Gallagher info.I like my guitar quite a bit, they were made in extremely limited numbers (mine is a PW-50-L) and are a great guitar at a ridiculously low price. I am also looking for more info, so if you know anything else.Thanks,T. Hey Brother.Your guitar date depends on three things:1.) The headstock design:If the guitar has ARIA PRO II on the headstock written clear as day. Look at the Post above He Actually Emails Someone Selling Their Guitar, and Tells them What they Should Ask For it So He can Buy it!!!!
Beware of Any Price Guides Written By Someone Who Wants To Buy!!!! $300.00 For Pw-100??? What Are You An Online Pawnshop.
Oh Your 40 year old Guitar has some Cracks and Non Original Case, Why i Could Take it off your hands For Say $100 Bucks!! Its only Good For Parts Now!!! Get tha F%^% outta Here!!! He's like a Walking Tour Guide of these Guitars, Covets Them, Dreams About them, Gets a Hard on When he Finds Them. Then Says how Cheap they are, and You should not ask Too Much for one!!! He's one of those annal, It has to have its original Case and Paperwork and Original Hardware Bill of Sale Etc.
Who tha Hell Keeps all that for a Japanese Knockoff Guitar Made 40 Years Ago?? Oh I Cant Give you That for Pw -40 it does not have its Original Shit Japanese Tuners I Can only Give You $200.00, Then He Buys it thinking, I've Just got a $600.00 Guitar For $200.00 OH YEA!!!! And By the Way, They are Not Solid Brazilian Backs and Sides, I Do Not Care What the Brochure Says SUNSHINE they Are Laminate! Just bought a nice 9+ condition Aria Pro II PW 40 from an ebay seller. He had given up on prior ebay 'buy it now' offerings at $725, $699, $625 before he messaged me that he was reducing to $369. Beautiful and fine, ($369.00 plus ship) as of July 2016.
Mine's 1976 with the 'Gallagher style A' and floral headstock logo with vertical 'Pro II'. DEFINITELY has laminated back, as the grain pattern is strong on outside; while the inside, also rosewood, has nothing similar about the grain pattern. Many on the forums want/wish that their Arias were 'better than Martin' of the day.blah blah blah. Sorry, ever heard this one?'
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You get what you pay for'. The PW-80, which listed at $699 in 1976 was a huge jump in price from the 40 and 50; both around $399. Claims of solid back and sides on the PW-80 and the PW-100 (extremely rare!) may have merit given the large MSRP price jump.
Just bought a pretty much unplayed Aria PW-35 (cloned Gibson Dove) in a clean old chipboard case for $225 plus shipping off of ebay. Am looking forward to getting it. I noted that a similar one had sold on a previous Reverb list, at $495 without any case, and, horror of horrors, no original owners purchase receipt and warranty registration. The sacrifices we must make. BTW, I am the poster of the earlier comment on PW-40, which I just resold-with hardshell case- for a hair under $600, also on ebay.
It was a great big sound, especially fine on bass with.053 light E. I brought this guitar in 1980 and owned it ever since. I'm trying to determine if it's solid or laminated. The top appears to be solid spruce but the sides, back and neck may be Rosewood, Mahogany, etc. I can find nothing but anecdotal information and have only seen one that was sold. I was told when I bought it that it was a copy of a Martin but was no longer in production due to a lawsuit. I later bought a Martin Hard Shell case that fits the guitar perfectly.
I see you provide info for a PW15 and 20 but nothing re: 1980 or PW19? Is this a limited edition oddball? Or possibly a test version of a PW20? The Aria Pro II logo is in fancy script mother of pearl across the top of the head stock.
I'm trying to decide if I should keep it or sell. Due to hand surgery I will probably not play it much (never did anyhow) as I have a 1952 Gibson hollow body electric that is my guitar of choice.Any info would be appreciated.Thank You.
Here is a bit of information I found while searching for information about my Aria (Ariana) A570 Classical Guitar, which you Aria owners may find beneficial.By the way, I still don't the actual age of mine.In the mid 70's, serial numbers began to be used. At least for Aria guitars, made by Matsumoku, the serial number contains the year of manufacture in the first 2 digits, thus a guitar from 1979 would have a serial number, such as 79####. The manufacturing of Aria guitars were subcontracted out to Matsumoku from 1964 to 1986. Rumor has it, although I can't find confirmation, that the Indonesian factory was thought to be to be an Indonesian 'slave' factory).If anyone has information on the age of the A570, I'd appreciate it.My A570 sounds better than my Yahama C70.Related Instruments. My son gave me a fantastic looking old acoustic guitar that he found at a yard sale.
It has no name on it and only has the numbers 50.8 18 in black on the block in the sound hole. No one has been able to tell me what this guitar brand is as that number on the block is the only markings. I first thought, as did a lot of other people, that it was an old Gibson as it has the 'open book headstock.' It has an adjustable bridge.
The original tuners have been replaced. The binding and markings look like an old Gibson. But one detail kept throwing the Gibson people, and me, off. This guitar has double dots at the 5th fret as well as the normal 12th fret. I have poured over images online for many hours.
I finally found an old Aria with the open book headstock, copied after Gibson. That led me to look over images of old Arias. Just tonight I found two online with the double dots at the 5th frets. All that leads to this question, does anyone have any idea what year or model would have been assembled with the block marked as 50.8 18? For those who have been researching the Aria serial number puzzle this may add to the conundrum.
While trawling the internet I came across an Aria with the same serial number as mine. I bought my guitar new from a music shop between 1970 to 1972, it may be older as it could have been displayed in the window for some length of time before I purchased it, with a serial number 147 and model number A-880. The one I found on the internet with the same 147 serial number does not show the model number clearly on the photograph.
If anyone is interested I will email the photographs. I just acquired a Mdl. # 00144 and if yours is anything like mine its well worth fixing. Use only a reputable luthier(for the bridge to'fall' off typically means that it got heated to 150 degrees F. Or more which is the melting point of horse hide glue which all quality guitar bridges are held on with)and if you're lucky no strands of top woodsound board came with it. If bits of grain did tear off with it, the ultimate way of restoring it is to replace themno voids because you want 100% contact of bridge to topwith grain strands on the bottom of your bridge you might be able to stick it right back where it was because this is the source of the guitar's tone) as these instruments deserve it. Best of luck to you.