Aria lawsuit? Strat

[Jadguitar]

So I am thinking about trading for 1977 aria strat looks exactly like a strat. Problem is, I can't play it cuz it's being shipped. Has anyone played one or similar guitars and how are they. Thanks a lot

[Old Cane]

Seems like I remember these being pretty fair guitars. I mean, are we talking $200 or $2000? It's all relative.

[Wally]

Each neck is its own animal. IMHO, one can't judge any guitar except by taking note of the particulars of that certain guitar. The neck makes it all happen...or not. There is only one company from whom I have never seen a bad neck, and I still look down every PRS that I get in hand just to make sure what is going on with that particular gutiar.
For my money, I would rather buy a MIM Strat Standard. IF one wanted a used Made in ASia strat, the best ones were made in Japan by
Fender Japan in the '80's.

[Jadguitar]

Well The guitar id be trading it or selling it for like 400

[J. Hayes]

I don't know about the Aria strats but I have an old Schecter Mercury Strat which I like better than both of my Fender Strats, one of which is a Clapton "Blackie" model. My Schecter is candy apple red with a maple neck and fretboard and the headstock is shaped exactly like a Fender guitar so it might be a "lawsuit" model itself. It's like the one Mark Knopfler used to play with the three mini toggle switches instead of the five way toggle. Good luck on the new guitar............JH in Va.

[SamClemons]

Looks like an alright deal. $400.00 is probably every bit of what it is worth, but I like vintage Japanese stuff.

[Old Cane]

That's probably more than I'd pay but it really depends on the guitar. Then again if I was trading away one I didn't ever play then it's almost like free. The few naturals I've had all turned out to be 12 pounders so maybe I'm just a little gunshy.

[Ringo]

I had a 70s Aria 335 copy that I liked better than the real later 70s Gibson 335s, I wish I had kept that guitar!

A local music store used to sell Aria and Electra guitars new in the 70s, as I recall they were very well made guitars and priced right too. You don't see the MIJ ones too much but every one I've ever picked up was a decent axe.

As far as weight , a lot of the 70s Fender Strats were boat anchors too, they still sound good , I had a natural mid 70s Strat that weighed more than my Les Paul does!

I think you got a nice guitar, let us know what you think after you get it and spend some time with it.

[Shockwarrior]

I have two Aria Pro II currently.

There is a ton of Vintage Aria, Aria Pro II on ebay.
Better quality back then than the cheap low end guitars you get today. Even better if it says Matsumoku on it.

Just make sure its got an original body I've not seen a clear finish Aria was known for using stains. This guitar by now should be showing pitting on its metal parts.

You would probably find it hard to come by some good examples of the exact model he has. If it is from 1977 I would be asking where he got that info from as it looks newer to me.

It won't be a lawsuit guitar unless there was an actual lawsuit.
If its great condition for the age then $400 is reasonable but remember you could pick up a new MIM strat for that a few months ago.

[sneakyjapan]

The old Aria strats I`ve seen resembled my old Grecos very closely...I thought they may have been made by the same people. My Grecos are superb guitars, and I own 2 old Arias...a LP Leopard and a TS-800...both great. I have seen a few Matsumoku made guitars and they were not very impressive...even had one...for less than an hour before I shipped it back to the shop I got it from on line, it was bad...but I know lots of folks love their Mats guitars...the ones I`ve seen must have been low ends.
I have no trouble buying old Arias...but I`d like to see the logo type on the headstock...it changed at some point.
Watch Yahoo Japan for a while, you will see natural finish strats show up, they don`t seem rare...and they appear to be sen wood as well, just like my Grecos.

[sneakyjapan]

theres a nice one at the Ishibashi U-Box site on page 29 for quite a bit less...maybe you could offer a lower amount.