The Guitar Gallery Forums - The Guitar Legacy of Matsumoku

Q&A, discussion, and information for the labels covered by The Guitar Gallery (Specifically and exclusively guitars made by Matsumoku up to 1987)
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PostPosted: Sat 03 Sep 2022 10:38 PM 
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Virtuoso
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Location: St. Catharines, Ontario Canada
Came across this Kijiji ad not far from me and thought I might pick it up for a cheap and cheerful project.*
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/st-catharines/aria-pro-ii-les-paul-custom/1629310556

I don't know the AriaProII line well at all and couldn't find this model in the online cats so I dunno what this is exactly.

The main difference seems to be that this is a bolt-on neck instead a of set neck. And I'm guessing either an entry level version or perhaps an older build carry over (pre-1980 even though the serial says 1980)??

It looks to be in good condition and missing only the original pups.
Any info from the learned folks here is welcome.
Ta ever so. :D

* Needs his head read for considering this for two reasons:
1) Wife will batter him senseless!
2) He's going in for gall bladder surgery Sept 29

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PostPosted: Sun 04 Sep 2022 01:49 AM 
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My guess would be mid to late 70s PE-110 as it is the closest or some variant of. If the neck plate says "Steel Adjustable Neck" (or in some cases "Steel Reinforced Neck") the serial likely has no bearing on date or sequence of manufacture. Keep in mind specs were in flux during that period so they may have changed from year to year or run to run. Most of the catalogs have "Specifications subject to change without notice" at the bottom usually on the last page.

Looks to be worth $200 easily.

http://www.matsumoku.org/cm_models/2021 ... e-catalog/

http://www.matsumoku.org/cm_models/2021 ... ler-slick/


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PostPosted: Sun 04 Sep 2022 10:27 AM 
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Thanks Neal. Yeah, it's a bit of an odd one alright.
It leans towards the latter day PE110 because of the bolt on neck, but the burst finish and binding is closer to the the PE-120 (except of course for the tree of life neck inlay).

As you say, I guess we chalk it up to Mats' famous disclaimer, "specifications subject to change without notice". I agree, I think it's likely a late 70's holdover model.

Hmm, just noticed it's missing the pick guard.
As for picking it up, I'm very tempted. It would be my second Mats AProII and number 40 overall in the collection. And I really don't have any room for it, but. . .

It's a disease I tells ya! :toopid:

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Last edited by Barry on Sun 04 Sep 2022 10:43 AM, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: Sun 04 Sep 2022 10:29 AM 
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There is no cure for GAS, only temporary relief in the form of acquisitions. :D


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PostPosted: Sun 04 Sep 2022 10:39 AM 
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:rofl: Ain't it the truth?!

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PostPosted: Sun 04 Sep 2022 05:10 PM 
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Luckily, its way too far for me... :rofl:

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PostPosted: Sat 17 Sep 2022 01:25 PM 
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Well folks, I dilly'd then I dally'd over getting this.
And that turned out to be good because, surprise, the seller dropped the price from CAD$200 to $100!!

So, I started looking around for a reasonable set of pups 'cuz I didn't have anything really suitable in the junk drawer.

Would you believe it? I found a set of covered pups on Kijiji, taken from an AProII guitar (model not specified)! Price: CAD$35. (Located in Toronto though, about 1-1/2 hr drive, hmmm).
But oh joy! Oh rapture!

The next day I returned to the guitar listing and . . .gone!! Merde!

I didn't grab it when I should have because The Bank of Barry was running low and I was hoping the listing would remain until the end of the month.
No such luck. :cry:

I could have had a really nice AProll for less than $150! A lost opportunity.
Merde again.

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PostPosted: Sat 17 Sep 2022 01:41 PM 
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Been there done that. I keep a little $$$ back just for situations like this. I let a few pass me by that I kicked myself in the ass over.

Better luck next time!


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PostPosted: Sat 17 Sep 2022 03:19 PM 
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Yeah, thanks.
I shouldn't complain really (but I will anyway :P ).

This would have rounded out my collection to an even 40 (not counting an Ovation Citation project that I did a couple of years back and am holding for my son, if and when he gets around to picking it up :roll:)

I haven't had too much luck in finding any reasonably priced AProII's locally and this would have made only number 3 (and one of those is MIK) So that made losing this one doubly annoying.

No one to blame but myself. *sigh* :bawl:

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