This is for my 13 year old son - these guitars were recommended.
NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
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mrredpants900
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NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
I bought an ARIA PRO II RS model and wondering if anyone can provide me anything more specific based on serial number (5730745)
This is for my 13 year old son - these guitars were recommended.
This is for my 13 year old son - these guitars were recommended.
Last edited by mrredpants900 on Tue 05 Nov 2019 01:29 PM, edited 3 times in total.
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Corsair
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Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
I'm not 100% sure, but I think it's a Knight Warrior - pics of the headstock would help, eh! Is that bridge a Kahler?
It still has its' correct knobs, so that's a plus- those things go missing so often it's not funny and they were a proprietary item, so impossible to find now!!
Looks very nice...
It still has its' correct knobs, so that's a plus- those things go missing so often it's not funny and they were a proprietary item, so impossible to find now!!
Looks very nice...
Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
Welcome MrRedpants.
Its a 1985 model and could possibly be a Wildcat? http://matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/c ... 2_cat.html
It looks to be original though I don't recall this color. I really dig it.
Does the tone knob pull up? If so, it puts both pickups in single coil mode.
Be careful, the knobs get loose and you may reach down for single mode and the knob goes flying. Ask me how I know...
I believe this has MMK45 pickups. If you're ever inclined, you can lift up the pickguard and they should be stamped on the bottom. They rock!
These are really solid, well balanced machines. I own 3.
Love to see more pics.
Its a 1985 model and could possibly be a Wildcat? http://matsumoku.org/models/ariaproii/c ... 2_cat.html
It looks to be original though I don't recall this color. I really dig it.
Does the tone knob pull up? If so, it puts both pickups in single coil mode.
Be careful, the knobs get loose and you may reach down for single mode and the knob goes flying. Ask me how I know...
I believe this has MMK45 pickups. If you're ever inclined, you can lift up the pickguard and they should be stamped on the bottom. They rock!
These are really solid, well balanced machines. I own 3.
Love to see more pics.
Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday
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mrredpants900
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Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
Wow Thanks guys for all the replies!
I'm adding more pics to the original post.
Wildcat seems most likely based on the 4 pickups - but none I'm seeing (yet) came in Blue. In 86 catalog is when I'm seeing references to candy blue color (CB) on wildcat, road warrier, etc.
I'm adding more pics to the original post.
Wildcat seems most likely based on the 4 pickups - but none I'm seeing (yet) came in Blue. In 86 catalog is when I'm seeing references to candy blue color (CB) on wildcat, road warrier, etc.
Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
Yeah, you never know when they started offering blue. All we know is it was sometime after the '85 catalog came out and before the '86 models came out. 
Is your son just starting or has he been playing a bit?
Is your son just starting or has he been playing a bit?
Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday
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mrredpants900
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Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
He's been playing for a little while on a junk Amazon starter guitar, so this will be a good step up.Jorg wrote:Yeah, you never know when they started offering blue. All we know is it was sometime after the '85 catalog came out and before the '86 models came out.
Is your son just starting or has he been playing a bit?
I'm still awaiting shipment confirmation on the purchase (this was an ebay grab) for $200
Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
That's a great guitar at a great price! I don't believe you'll be disappointed. 
Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday
Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
Just curious if you've received it yet and if so, what ya think?
Quality service since 3:00 last Tuesday
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mrredpants900
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Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
YES! He loves it. Here are some more pictures
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4HmWD2dn12aFS1h26
A couple questions:
1. Tuning it - when and how does he use the tuning lock and fine tuners?
2. Someone told him the pickups should be level with each other (you see the front one is say down and rear one is way up). Thoughts?
Thanks for the follow up!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/4HmWD2dn12aFS1h26
A couple questions:
1. Tuning it - when and how does he use the tuning lock and fine tuners?
2. Someone told him the pickups should be level with each other (you see the front one is say down and rear one is way up). Thoughts?
Thanks for the follow up!
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Corsair
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- Joined: Wed 05 Jul 2006 03:40 PM
- Location: Mount Hunter, NSW, Australia.
Re: NOOB Question - Help with my purchase
Good to hear that he likes it!! 
Tuning is a little more time consuming that with a non string locking guitar; here's how I go about it..
... 1. Take note of where the bridge plate is sitting in relation to surface of the body of the guitar - I have mine sitting about 2mm lower at the back edge than the front.
2. Remove the old strings by unwinding them, after undoing the locking plates on the stringlock - never just cut them with sidecutters or the like! If you have a whaletail on the trem, then you may need to put something on the surface to protect it from potential damage - a bit of cardboard etc.
3. Clean and tidy up the areas you normally can't get to easily, and oil the fretboard.
4. Put all of the new strings on, noting that they go on the same way the old ones come off!
5. Quietly bring all of the strings up to pitch, give or take. and then stretch them by pulling one at a time upwards quite firmly, then re-tune. At this stage you realise that you've not set the fine tuners in their optimum position for re-stringing and you do so -
- by setting them so that 90% of their travel is to sharpen flat strings. Stretch and re-tune until you have a stable state of tune then check and reset the intonation if it needs it.
6. When you're happy that you've got a stable tune, then put the the locking plates on the stringlock and nip them up - DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN. Re check the tuning and adjust if necessary on the fine tuners.
7. You may find that it wobbles away too much for your liking, in which case you're going to have to shag about with the spring tension in the back, by adding springs or winding the spring claw in a bit, all of which requires re-adjustment at the top of the guitar.
Pickup height in relation to the strings is a tricky one - there is a formula somewhere that I've seen, but by and large, the closer to the strings, the higher the guitar output. BUT. Too close to the strings and there'll be electromagnetic damping of the strings by the pickup magnets which is undesirable because the strings can't vibrate freely. Fiddle about with the height adjusting screws on the pickups and let your ears do the selection!!
Tuning is a little more time consuming that with a non string locking guitar; here's how I go about it..
... 1. Take note of where the bridge plate is sitting in relation to surface of the body of the guitar - I have mine sitting about 2mm lower at the back edge than the front.
2. Remove the old strings by unwinding them, after undoing the locking plates on the stringlock - never just cut them with sidecutters or the like! If you have a whaletail on the trem, then you may need to put something on the surface to protect it from potential damage - a bit of cardboard etc.
3. Clean and tidy up the areas you normally can't get to easily, and oil the fretboard.
4. Put all of the new strings on, noting that they go on the same way the old ones come off!
5. Quietly bring all of the strings up to pitch, give or take. and then stretch them by pulling one at a time upwards quite firmly, then re-tune. At this stage you realise that you've not set the fine tuners in their optimum position for re-stringing and you do so -
- by setting them so that 90% of their travel is to sharpen flat strings. Stretch and re-tune until you have a stable state of tune then check and reset the intonation if it needs it.6. When you're happy that you've got a stable tune, then put the the locking plates on the stringlock and nip them up - DO NOT OVERTIGHTEN. Re check the tuning and adjust if necessary on the fine tuners.
7. You may find that it wobbles away too much for your liking, in which case you're going to have to shag about with the spring tension in the back, by adding springs or winding the spring claw in a bit, all of which requires re-adjustment at the top of the guitar.
Pickup height in relation to the strings is a tricky one - there is a formula somewhere that I've seen, but by and large, the closer to the strings, the higher the guitar output. BUT. Too close to the strings and there'll be electromagnetic damping of the strings by the pickup magnets which is undesirable because the strings can't vibrate freely. Fiddle about with the height adjusting screws on the pickups and let your ears do the selection!!