Need help identifying an Aria ES 175 copy

[johnnyl]

Found this one for sale locally:

The seller says it's a '70-'74 2302 model, but I honestly think that's just because he did a quick research and found this page:
http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/hollow/ful/full.html

... In my opinion it looks closer to a later AE-700 for example:
http://www.matsumoku.org/models/aria/catalogs/mach1/aria_mach_i_catalog_pg3.jpg.html

What do you think? Any help appreciated! :wink:

 

[Beppe60]

Hi,
I have looked just today a photo of this guitar that was mine for a lot of years (between 1983 to 2006!) I bought this guitar used in the 1983 but his first owner told me that is of the 1976. Was perfect with a good action (with D'addario chrome. 012 flatwound strings) I remember well some very very small scratch, the pickguard is lightly moved but when I sold the guitar all was perfect! I sold it with a laminated wood case with red inside! HB are the first letters of the Italian importer (Hans Bauer), bye and enjoy this great guitar!

 

[Voidoid56]

No Aria expert by any means, but the name change to Aria Pro II happened in 1975, so it's prior to that. There's a pitfall with early 70's Arias as well, instruments sold on the domestic market followed the Japanese model no = price in JPY convention while four-digit Ibanez-style numbers were used for export guitars. Sometimes they're very similar or exactly the same. Might be the case here?

 

[Beppe60]

Hi,

 

[Beppe60]

Hi,
I have sold these guitar in the year 2006 for only (I have done a big mistake to sell it for only €250! ), I haven't the original case but a made in Italy case, I have bought this guitar like second hand in a shop and was without case.
Bye