The new guitargavel.com website is on the street!
Guitar Gavel is accepting submissions for the next vintage and rare guitar auction to begin March 17th. There are NO commission fees for the first 25 sellers. If you have a friend who’s looking to thin the herd please let them know about guitargavel.com.
Beginning as a classical guitarist in his teens Shiro Arai opened the Arai Company in 1956, first to import classical guitars and sheet music. That was followed by importing American electrics and amplifiers.
The name changed to Aria in 1958 when the company started exporting classical guitars to southeast Asia.
In the 1960s Japanese consumers followed a similar “world” trajectory demanding electric guitars.
Thank you Beatles!
Therefore, Aria contracted with manufacturer Matsumoku Industrial to build electric guitars for their brand.
Matsumoku started as a family cabinet making business. However, the company pivoted and has a storied history in the guitar business as a contract manufacturer for Greco, Ibanez, Hondo, and Yamaha to name a few.
So in 1963 Aria released their first electric guitars in Japan and soon began exporting to the U.S. Most of the body shapes were American inspired designs.
In 1975 Aria came out with the Aria Pro II custom shop series of guitars and basses exhibiting their first original designs.
With pretty good timing in 1982 Aria introduced a few metal guitars, similar to other companies that were gaining traction with pointier Gibson renditions: the ZZ, XX and U. I’m not sure what the U was, but my goodness it’s definitely original.
The ZZ’s are still rather affordable and can be found for less than half the price of an early 80s Ibanez Destroyer. That said, the “Blood Series” paint jobs may command a higher price :-).
They lasted until 1987 as Aria’s attention turned more toward super strats.
1982 Aria Pro II ZZ Deluxe specs: Alder body, Maple neck, Rosewood fretboard (catalog listing), Aria promatic-V humbuckers, One master volume and tone control, Three-way switch.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend! “See you” Monday!
Best, -David