Aria 550 vintage classical guitar Japan bone nut and saddle amazing tone, player & new set-up
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Listed:7 years ago
Views:117
Saves:4
BRIGHTON, United Kingdom
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Vintage Aria classical guitar made in the Matsumoku factory Japan
Pre-1974 before serial number dating
Low serial 00023
U.S/CAN postage takes around 5 working days, please allow me 2 working days to pack and post.
The guitar will be posted in a new guitar bag and very well packed.
Please see my feedback for guitars sold, you are in good hands.
I'm very knowledgable and passionate about what I do. I'm not a store, i'm a person, a classical guitar player and enthusiast for quality vintage instruments.
The top almost looks like a mahogany species, I've has old cedar top Arias from the same period with the same label with almost identical build and headstock but this is obviously an earlier example looking at the serial.
Binding is curly maple showing grain & nice to see the curly maple middle strut under the label, high quality tone woods and veneers would have been used, I've had later late 70s Arias with plastic binding which isn't so nice, or is a niggle for me anyway.
Set hand shaped bone nut, perfect fit and hand shaped ox-bone saddle as well. I have tested as bone as I had to lower for the set up which is just lovely on this, coming in at 3.5mm at the 12th so I can fly up and down the fretboard.
The guitar has a sweet tone and nice projection as well with no buzz and clear singing trebles. Nicely intoned up and beyond 12th, clear harmonics and good sustain.
I fitted high quality Pre-Arte EJ45s which just sound great so the set up is brand new and just settled in with a few hours of playing and I can't put this guitar down, I just don't have the room to keep all my great players.
Frets are all very good, no dimples or sharp frets, lovely smooth neck, I have polished all the frets and stripped, cleaned hydrated and treated with lemon oil.
Secure Bridge without any signs of lifting which is nice to see, flat soundboard, no bellying, or sinking..neck is strait with minimal neck relief so this really does tick all the boxes, Tuners are original and I have serviced then, no cracks in the pegs or barrels.
No cracks or splits in the soundboard and I have inspected the back and sides sides in great detail - sometimes you get hidden hairline cracks.
The guitar plays beautifully and sounds fantastic, superb tone and very flexible as well as I was leaning towards bossa nova and classical as well as jazz chords, classical and cross- over folk fingerpicking - where as some guitars are more geared for folk without classical potencial for example .
This is a real musicians guitar with a lot of scope. This will dance circles around any solid top guitar at twice this price as not a lot of attention is paid anymore to craft, it's all sheen and stock plastic parts with no real Artisan element to the craft.
Nice intricate moziac marquetry rosette, they print them these days like stickers so it's nice to see some handmade detail, looks neat inside as well at the binding, bracing etc
You can see some fretboard finger-wear mainly on the first 3 frets but you can't feel this when playing, I like seeing guitars that have been played in for years and enjoyed, it's real history. Always odd when a 70s guitar turns up looking pristine, someone didn't like it another to play the damn thing or wasn't inspired.
I have played classical and folk guitar for over 20 years and she's a joy to play and I have a lot of experience in set-ups as a classical guitar technician.
I always look to find the right balance or tone, playabilty, projection and the balance is right with this model so i'm very impressed with this guitar.
The only downside is plenty or scratches and little dinks the binding has a lot of little micro dinks as maple is quite soft but no areas of lifting or very deep scratches.
I have tried my best to show the scratches as the pics came out cosmetically flattering, so this ones not for condition buffs, but if you like a guitar with a lot of history that looks more raw than layers of factory sheen! then this is an old soul to consider and she really sings and punches well above the price point so is a great investment instrument to make real music with. I'll fix all my types tomorrow (Wednesday)
Pre-1974 before serial number dating
Low serial 00023
U.S/CAN postage takes around 5 working days, please allow me 2 working days to pack and post.
The guitar will be posted in a new guitar bag and very well packed.
Please see my feedback for guitars sold, you are in good hands.
I'm very knowledgable and passionate about what I do. I'm not a store, i'm a person, a classical guitar player and enthusiast for quality vintage instruments.
The top almost looks like a mahogany species, I've has old cedar top Arias from the same period with the same label with almost identical build and headstock but this is obviously an earlier example looking at the serial.
Binding is curly maple showing grain & nice to see the curly maple middle strut under the label, high quality tone woods and veneers would have been used, I've had later late 70s Arias with plastic binding which isn't so nice, or is a niggle for me anyway.
Set hand shaped bone nut, perfect fit and hand shaped ox-bone saddle as well. I have tested as bone as I had to lower for the set up which is just lovely on this, coming in at 3.5mm at the 12th so I can fly up and down the fretboard.
The guitar has a sweet tone and nice projection as well with no buzz and clear singing trebles. Nicely intoned up and beyond 12th, clear harmonics and good sustain.
I fitted high quality Pre-Arte EJ45s which just sound great so the set up is brand new and just settled in with a few hours of playing and I can't put this guitar down, I just don't have the room to keep all my great players.
Frets are all very good, no dimples or sharp frets, lovely smooth neck, I have polished all the frets and stripped, cleaned hydrated and treated with lemon oil.
Secure Bridge without any signs of lifting which is nice to see, flat soundboard, no bellying, or sinking..neck is strait with minimal neck relief so this really does tick all the boxes, Tuners are original and I have serviced then, no cracks in the pegs or barrels.
No cracks or splits in the soundboard and I have inspected the back and sides sides in great detail - sometimes you get hidden hairline cracks.
The guitar plays beautifully and sounds fantastic, superb tone and very flexible as well as I was leaning towards bossa nova and classical as well as jazz chords, classical and cross- over folk fingerpicking - where as some guitars are more geared for folk without classical potencial for example .
This is a real musicians guitar with a lot of scope. This will dance circles around any solid top guitar at twice this price as not a lot of attention is paid anymore to craft, it's all sheen and stock plastic parts with no real Artisan element to the craft.
Nice intricate moziac marquetry rosette, they print them these days like stickers so it's nice to see some handmade detail, looks neat inside as well at the binding, bracing etc
You can see some fretboard finger-wear mainly on the first 3 frets but you can't feel this when playing, I like seeing guitars that have been played in for years and enjoyed, it's real history. Always odd when a 70s guitar turns up looking pristine, someone didn't like it another to play the damn thing or wasn't inspired.
I have played classical and folk guitar for over 20 years and she's a joy to play and I have a lot of experience in set-ups as a classical guitar technician.
I always look to find the right balance or tone, playabilty, projection and the balance is right with this model so i'm very impressed with this guitar.
The only downside is plenty or scratches and little dinks the binding has a lot of little micro dinks as maple is quite soft but no areas of lifting or very deep scratches.
I have tried my best to show the scratches as the pics came out cosmetically flattering, so this ones not for condition buffs, but if you like a guitar with a lot of history that looks more raw than layers of factory sheen! then this is an old soul to consider and she really sings and punches well above the price point so is a great investment instrument to make real music with. I'll fix all my types tomorrow (Wednesday)
| Listed | 7 years ago |
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| Condition | Good (Used) Good condition items function properly but may exhibit some wear and tear.Learn more |
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