Aria (guitar company)

Aria is a Japanese manufacturer of acoustic and electric guitars and basses.

History

[http://www.ariaguitars.com The company] was formed in Japan in 1953 by Shiro Arai as Arai and Company. They began retailing acoustic guitars in 1960, although the company didn't actually start manufacturing their own until 1964. Aria arranged for Matsumoku, the musical instrument maker, to build the guitars for them under contract. Arai and Matsumoku started building acoustic guitars in 1964, and then electric guitars in 1966, using Arai, Aria, Aria Diamond, Diamond, and much less frequently, Arita brand names. The Aria brandname was changed to Aria Pro II in late 1975, though this has been used mostly (but not exclusively) for electric guitars and basses. All guitars were made in Japan until 1988, when production of less expensive models (Magna MAB/MAC and Integra IGB series) was switched to Korea. In the mid-1990s a few models (including the Fender Stratocaster-inspired Fullerton series guitars and the Steve Bailey 6-string fretless signature bass) were made in the United States. Fact|date=November 2007

Guitars

Aria Pro II did some copies of famous American guitars like the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul though it also did its own style of guitars. In the 70s and early 80s the company came into its own in the United States with a series of high end professional instruments. The company had many professional endorsements such as Herb Ellis, Mike Biggs, Neal Schon, Rod Stewart Band, Jerry Reed, and many more. Fact|date=November 2007 The guitars were distributed at this point by Tillman Distributors in Charlotte NC. With the input from various artists and from the founders of Tillman Distributors, Joe Tillman, Dean Tillman and Jerry Tillman, the Aria Pro II guitars made a real mark in the industry during that time. Fact|date=November 2007 Many of the models are still sought after by collectors and players alike. Fact|date=November 2007 Many consider Aria guitars to be very value orientated, with very good pricing. Aria, it seems, has a full line up of guitars, ranging from the beginner STG 004 all the way through to professional players

Models

LP-650 (Les Paul Copy) EX-750N (Explorer Copy) RG-680 (Rickenbacker Copy) "Masterpiece" (Les Paul Copy) PE-1500 Prototype Limited Edition smoothed out center curve head, script Aria, block PRO II PE110 (Les Paul Copy) PE115 (Les Paul Copy) PE125 (Les Paul Copy) PE130 (Les Paul Copy) PE135 PE145 PE150 (Les Paul junior Copy) PE160 (Stratocaster Copy) all script logo LC-750 (Les Paul Copy) LC-500 (Les Paul Copy) LS-700 (Les Paul Copy) LS-430 (Les Paul Copy) SG-600 (SG copy) ST-600 N (Stratocaster Copy) ST-600 S (Stratocaster Copy) LC-550 (Les Paul Copy) LS-500 (Les Paul Copy) LS-450 (Les Paul Copy) SL-420 (SG Copy) ST-400 (Stratocaster Copy) TE-500N (Telecaster Thin Line Copy) L-1000 (Gibson L-5 CES copy) EA-650 (ES-175 Copy) ES-800 (ES-355 Copy) ES-750 (ES-345 Copy) ES-250 (ES-335 Copy) EA-200 (ES-335 Copy) PE185 (Ep* Howard Roberts) Model No. 1944 Double-neck (12/6) Model No. 1954 Double-neck (4/6) Model No. 1672 Aria L6-S copy (Les Paul Copy)

1976-77 1976-77 1976-77 1976-? 1977-79 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78 1977-78

References

External links

1. [http://www.ariaguitars.com Aria Guitars Website]