Acquired this on Friday from a gentleman who lived a few blocks away. There is not much info online about this Made in Japan guitar. The only reference to the six-string model dates the production years between 1980-1992.
The serial number gave no hint to its age.
The model number however gives a pretty good idea that it was a low-end design. Aria, I have discovered through website dedicated to Aria catalogs (here, too), numbered their models based on their price. For example, this LW-12 probably sold for ¥12 000 in 1982, making it the lowest of the economy instruments.
In my effort to date the guitar, I began to look at the head stock. It is cut in a manner similar to many Aria Pro II electric head stocks and also sports text much like what appeared on some of its electric guitars. It reads:
"Hand Finished by Craftsmen. Built from
Selected Materials giving Fine Tonal Qualities
that will Mature as the Timber Ages."
With that info in hand, I felt pretty sure the guitar came from the Matsumoku factory. But I was no closer to dating the guitar. UNTIL, I noticed a series of numbers stamped on the bracing, "820111." With such a clear numbering, I can safely guess the guitar was made in 1982, in January, and it was the eleventh one made of this model in that month. It seems like a minor detail but I like my guitars old and this one is nearly 33 years old.
It sounds pretty nice too.
For the basics on the guitar, see below
Number of strings: 6 strings
Body: back material walnut. sides material walnut
Body style: dreadnought-size body
Top material: cedar body top
Pickguard material: tortoiseshell
Neck: joins body at 14th fret
Neck joint: set neck
Neck material: mahogany
Peghead (headstock): veneer headstock
Fingerboard inlay material: pearl fingerboard inlay material
Fingerboard material: rosewood fingerboard
Bridge: maple
