Aria Pro II Leopard

Here is my 1981 aria Pro II Leopard Tabaccoburst.

It's difficult to find some informations about these Leopard series, but I think it should be a LP600 or higher model.
It has binding over the frets, Dimarzio PAF PUs, long neck tenon...

This guitar appear to be a very good one, good old vintage tone, 58' neck is excellent, very confortable !
A true player guitar, really...

http://www.guitarsjapan.com/1980_Aria_Pro_II_LP600_1960s_Les_Paul_Standard.html

from wiki but for a good easy intro........"aria pro ll".........

The company was formed in Japan in 1953 by Shiro Arai as Arai and Company. They began retailing acoustic guitars in 1960, although the company didn't actually start manufacturing their own until 1964. Aria arranged for Matsumoku, the musical instrument maker, to build the guitars for them under contract. Arai and Matsumoku started building acoustic guitars in 1964, and then electric guitars in 1966, using Arai, Aria, Aria Diamond, Diamond, and much less frequently, Arita brand names. The Aria brandname was changed to Aria Pro II in late 1975, though this has been used mostly (but not exclusively) for electric guitars and basses. All guitars were made in Japan until 1988, when production of less expensive models (Magna MAB/MAC and Integra IGB series) was switched to Korea. In the mid-1990s a few models (including the Fender Stratocaster-inspired Fullerton series guitars and the Steve Bailey 6-string fretless signature bass) were made in the United States. Guitar designer and Audio engineer, Ronnie Parker started his career with Aria in 1985 when they were located in the City of Industry California. Aria Pro II did some copies of famous American guitars like the Fender Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul though it also did its own style of guitars. In the 70s and early 80s the company came into its own in the United States with a series of high end professional instruments. The company had many professional endorsements such as Herb Ellis, Mike Biggs, Neal Schon, Rod Stewart Band, Jerry Reed, and many more. The guitars were distributed at this point by Tillman Distributors in Charlotte NC. With the input from various artists and from the founders of Tillman Distributors, Joe Tillman, Dean Tillman and Jerry Tillman, the Aria Pro II guitars made a real mark in the industry during that time. Many of the models are still sought after by collectors and players alike. Many consider Aria guitars to be very value orientated, with very good pricing. Aria, it seems, has a full line up of guitars, ranging from the beginner STG 004 all the way through to professional players

Thanks, but I know the Aria Pro guitars story...
What I like to find, is a catalogue from 1980/1981 with the Leopard models inside...
I've seen many Aria Pro II Les Paul by surfing on the web to determinate what grade mine should be.

Mine is the same model as this one except the colour (the same grade maybe ???).

Unfortunatly, mine is not totally original. Tuning pegs, switch and pickguard/bracket have been changed.

le juge said:

Thanks, but I know the Aria Pro guitars story...
What I like to find, is a catalogue from 1980/1981 with the Leopard models inside...
I've seen many Aria Pro II Les Paul by surfing on the web to determinate what grade mine should be.

Mine is the same model as this one except the colour (the same grade maybe ???).

Unfortunatly, mine is not totally original. Tuning pegs, switch and pickguard/bracket have been changed.

Click to expand...

Have a peek here:

http://www.matsumoku.org/models/models.html

eah..they're gonna love you over at Matsumoku.org

marcusnieman said:

le juge said:

Thanks, but I know the Aria Pro guitars story...
What I like to find, is a catalogue from 1980/1981 with the Leopard models inside...
I've seen many Aria Pro II Les Paul by surfing on the web to determinate what grade mine should be.

Mine is the same model as this one except the colour (the same grade maybe ???).

Unfortunatly, mine is not totally original. Tuning pegs, switch and pickguard/bracket have been changed.

Click to expand...

Have a peek here:

http://www.matsumoku.org/models/models.html

Click to expand...

I've seen this website for a long time, but there's not the information I'm looking for.

they have many aria past catalogs here including the 1981 .........

http://www.vintaxe.com/menu_catalogs_electric.htm

is it maybe ls600 in violin finish? coz there were only 2 les paul std models
left in 1981 and another was only ls400 w/o usa pickup. this ls600 model
must had been popular coz it had 2 versions one w/humbucker and
one w/p-90.......maybe many colors available too. so maybe its a 1981
ls600 violin finish your gtr is.......good luck w/your research!





8)

This guitar is a tabaccoburst finish, not a violin one.
I've seen there was a LS800 model also.
A LS600 model of 1980 has a 3 pieces top, but specification had changed during 1980.

1) 2 piece solid maple top (no veneer)
2) 1 piece mahogony non-chambered back
3) original unpotted dimarzio's (probably the slightly hot pafs)
3) thin binding in cut-out area showing maple cap
4) serial # 1xxxxx = 1981
5) gibby style pick up pockets
6) fret edge binding

these tell me it's probably a ls-900.

should have come with "aria pro ll" marked kluson style double ring tuners. these are not on your guitar because they were pretty crappy. i would also dump those "dimarzios" and get a real pair of dimarzios, you will be stunned by the change. no photos of the control pocket, but if the original pots are working good leave them, they are quality. if it still has the original green caps those are pretty nice too, kind of warm with a quality pair of pu's. aria did no favors with the fret edge binding, there always seems to be gaps between the fret and binding that snag the e string. good guitars, but when sorted they are excellent.

It's a two piece body, I really think it's a LS-600 model, I have seen another one on Yahoo Japan, the owner was sure of the model.

I have DiMarzio PAF with braided wire on a 1978 Greco EG-900 and they sound very closer to the Aria's PU. I love their warm tone.

that's cool bro, ls-600 it is. see if you can find any photos of a marked ls-600 with a 2 piece solid top much less a 1 piece back.

The leopard LS-800 model of 1981 is a flame top. I've seen it in an Aria Pro II catalogue from 1981.
So, mine is a LS-600.

then what is the ls900 or ls1000?? knot tops?? hey btw, i would love to buy your ls600.

PAF-MAN said:

then what is the ls900 or ls1000?? knot tops?? hey btw, i would love to buy your ls600.

Click to expand...

There are no Leopard LS-900 or LS-1000 mentionned in the 1981 catalogue.

i would use the aria catalogue as a rough guide, nothing more. the only higher model than yours would be a flame top.

Hi PAF-MAN.

Like this one.

ARIA pro II LS-800 Leopard mij 1981 (belongs to my buddy Oli. THANX)

love it!! are there other photos posted elsewhere? if this one is like his with a real flame top then i would say this is the "holy grail" of the aria lp line.

The more I look at them, the more I like the tobacco bursts.

Waoooo, I want the same one, very nice LS-800 model ! :roll: