Huge thanks to Bob for sharing photos & video of his 80's shredder! Be sure to check out his channel RJ's Cave / @rjscave SHOW YOUR SUPPORT * BUY A SHIRT! pinetopjackson...
I wish I knew more about these japanese/korean companies I'm always thrilled to come across these vintage guitars because at this point they've been on earth longer than me. It seems that one point in time you could get a mid-high quality instrument for an affordable price.
Hi I own one of these guitars had at least 25 years; same bridge problem that has been replaced. The guitar is in really good condition and still has the original made in Korea sticker on the back of the headstock. Hope this solves the mystery.
Korean Samick, 100%. The script, pickups, neckplate, body shape, basically everything about this guitar says it's a Samick, including the broken trem. You gotta remember, when Samick bought out the Matsumoku brands they also got a lot of leftover parts, including trems, as well as patents. I think your buddy is just blinded by wishful thinking, though to be fair the Korean models were still solid overall if hit or miss compared to the Japanese.
Aria Guitars were made in Japan until 1988 when they then stopped being made in Japan and strictly became Korean made. Samick did the same thing only a bit earlier and only had a few series models made in Japan.
had upgraded mine with 2 hotrails on the singles but i still retain the original humbucker and yeah this vintage beast can matched with Ibanez superstrats & Jackson . will treasure my mad axe for the rest of my life.
Mine is same model but from 1988 and was the last line made in Japan, serial number has the year on it though, Arias from 88 and earlier were still Japanese made and then went to Korea
Very nicely done .you handle the uncertainties of this guitar well. I'm going to have to do some re researching on my original findings. Korea, sammick... not too shabby. that's why you're the best.👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👍🤘👏👍🤘👏👍😀
I have one of these I bought brand new in 1987. Serial number is 7103760, it's got the ACT/2x tremolo. It's never been played and is still in it's original Aria box, as I got an acoustic the same month and went down the acoustic route for my guitar career. It has a little gold sticker on the back saying 'Made in Korea'. Would I sell it? Probably not. It's probably only worth a few hundred, so it will stay in it's box for another 40 years.
Hello 👋 thank you for the great video, still haven’t understood about serial number. At mine Aria pro ii serial 7120104 If I understand correctly it made in Korea 1981?
Good video! Do ypu know whether some Korean Aria pro II was made from plywood? I have an early Korean MA series, basswood. Serial starts with W (World factory). And what is MA vs Magnus titling? Tks!!
I feel I need to share. I own the same guitar with the same bridge with broken trem slot. SN 7042074. As I am reading these I was in the process of researching a replacement bridge/bridge block as part of a conversion project. I am the original owner and it was my first guitar, paired with a long gone Gorilla TC35. Back in the 90s I traded the guitar to a friend for a turntable mixer. The friend was having a moving party, moving out of state. I found the guitar in the corner of the basement mechanical room dusty, abandoned, and seriously in need of help. I told him I would buy it back on the spot, and he told me to take it home (Thanks, Josh!). I have had it for now another 20 years and was planning to make a homemade pickguard and super strat it a bit. Now you guys have me reconsidering just a complete restoration and upgrade. Should I put on a pickguard (drill holes in the finish) or restore as close to original as possible? Also any advice for a bridge and trem bar as close to the otiginal?
Hey man, thanks for sharing the story! I remember those Gorilla amps, they were terrible in the most awesome way! Personally, I wouldn't add a pickguard. I used to take the pickguard off my guitars... unless it was a Strat-type where the pickups are mounted to the pickguard. As far as the bridge, I'll ask RJ what he's using
@chris coon Hi chris. For me as the owner of the guitar in the video this was about keeping the guitar original if I could. there are no suppiers for the block of this bridge so the course of action would have been a custom block for the trem or putting a block of wood in the cavity to keep the trem still to keep it original. the other choice was to find a trem with 74mm string post spacing like a floyd rose. I found schaller makes a non floyd style trem that fits and used that. there's no need to install a pickguard on a guitar that never had one so I wouldn't recomend doing that. if you're not going to keep it 100% original i'd definitly super strat it with new pickups. my advice would be to minimize making new holes and keep the original parts with it as part of the story. these are good guitars. if they aren't from japan there's no market interest in them so mod away just don'tgo about it randomly. plan it out. good luck
@@RJsCave Thanks for the advice and bridge recommendation. I love the neck of this guitar and the fretwork is better than most under $1,000 guitars I have played.
@@chriscoon836 It is well built.. and heavy, at least mine is. i'll be super strat-ing mine eventually as well so i'd love to hear how your project goes.
Hi I have one these in left hand it still has the original made in Korea sticker in it, I too changed the bridge as the tremolo had broken away . Hope this helps🙂
I have an 1989 CT series. Tgers no serial number. I know it's Korean and the crappy TRS 101 has completely fallen apart. Was always curious what Tremolo with fit as a replacement
Matsumoku dissolved in 1987, so any Aria Pro II prior to that would've been made in Japan. Value is subjective...this one I'd say is worth $200-$300...older Japanese models are more desirable.
