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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 Post subject: New member introduction
PostPosted: Fri 18 Dec 2015 09:53 AM 
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Power Chorder

Joined: Fri 18 Dec 2015 09:30 AM
Posts: 12
Hello all,

It took me a while to finally navigate the anti-spam protections and get a registration email to work so I am hopeful now that I am "in" it's smooth sailing.

I tend to be a very "vocal" forum member when I join so I'll probably post a lot. I am extremely active on The Acoustic Guitar Forum, which is the world's largest with about 50,000 users.

I started playing guitar by learning on my older brothers' two different Epiphone acoustics. I saved up and bought my first ever guitar, which was an Aria SW-8. That was around 1980, but I am foggy on exactly when. I thought it was 1980 but I remember having it in the back seat of a car I didn't buy until 1982, so I am a little unclear on the exact year.

I had moved on to electric and a few years later I traded it in for an amp.

Three-and-a-half decades later, I got back into guitar playing and took up vintage guitar restoration as a hobby, building a pretty well equipped workshop.

I began a sentimental search to add an Aria SW-8 to my small "stable" of guitars. In that pursuit I learned a lot about this obscure model and was amazed to learn that it was a sold cedar top over a solid wood mahogany body. I did ultimately find one which needed restoration. I'll post extensively about my findings and my restoration project, including a picture library I have.

I also spent a bit of time researching Aria availability and will share what information (or misinformation) I have in future posts.

I have a very sentimental attachment to these guitars. I also have come to the conclusion that sprinkled throughout their mass-production history are absolute treasures of wonderful guitars such as the firebranded guitars, the solid wood SW-8's etc. I also am convinced that there was some magic in their design. I am primarily a Taylor player, and also own one Gibson and one Martin but this Aria's neck is the most comfortable, solid, ergonomically perfect neck I've ever held. There is a lot of mass-produced cheap "junk" though, so I found it to be an interesting treasure-hunt. I also learned a lot about Aria's lack of information and hope to add my little bit here, while learning a lot more about them.

I do very much (and my main reason for joining) hope to find/buy another SW-8 as the one I had was mint condition when sold and the one I restored is not nearly mint condition.

_________________
A "Taylor guy" with an Aria SW-8


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PostPosted: Fri 18 Dec 2015 08:39 PM 
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Virtuoso
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Joined: Sun 15 Jan 2006 04:52 PM
Posts: 2209
Location: Absolute Stupidity, Missouri
Glad you finally managed to join us! Welcome!

Sorry for all the hoops you had to jump through. Spammers are the scum of the earth. We get plenty still now but were simply flooded before.

Post some pics of your sweetheart!

I'll move this thread to the Aria forum.


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