Aria Pro II Strikin' Sound -1979 (CAN)

[Barry]

I've always thought about getting a "Strat" because, well...I don't really have a genuine one or even a proper clone in my geetar collection, and it would add some balance to the current tonal range.

I have a couple of "Fat Strat" (H-S-S) Westone Spectrum models, a Westone Genesis (also H-S-S) both with coil cut switching, but a Westone Concord II (S-S-S) is the closest I get to that "quacky" thing. Ya know?

It's not an urgent desire or anything, just a nice to have, and I still look without buying.

Well, today up pops this little gem, and a model I've not heard of before:
https://www.kijiji.ca/v-guitar/mississa ... 1701363387

It looks like a decent clone and I kinda dig it....but not the price!
CAD$1,000!

[Jorg]

Good luck finding one of those at a decent price. I watch for them all the time but...
I got rid of all my strats a while back but then needed one so I found a brand new vintera series loaded body. I bought a new honest fender replacement neck (roasted maple) with 12" radius and 22 jumbo frets as well as a new dark blue case. Its really pretty cool and I paid right about what they're asking for this AP2.
Now, had I seen something like this at the time...

[Barry]

At this point I don't feel the urge to "build" a Strat but it sounds like what you did is a good way to go.

What also caught my eye was the 7.25" radius.
I have a Squier Tele Custom II with that radius and I have discovered more and more that I prefer it in many ways to the more modern flatter radii. Since I do more chording than leads I find it's much more comfortable, especially as the arthritis creeps ever more into the finger joints.

[Jorg]

Ah yes, the A word.

[Barry]

And its evil twin, Tinnitus!

[Crusty]

+1 on the A word as well as Tinnitus. It takes at least 15 minutes before my fingers start doing what I tell them to do when I play. The only finger on either hand that hasn't seemed to succumb to it is the middle one. They still work just fine.

I can't stand dead silence. The hissing in my head is deafening. I have a fan running to sleep at night.

[Barry]

All my fingers and thumbs are compromised except the ring finger on my left hand. It's the only one that can still fully bend and is completely straight! It's a bugger to try and drop the pinky where it belongs in the chord.

Not quite in "Keef's" territory but they're all a bit warped and the joints noticeably swollen and stiff.

Strange that the tinnitus didn't manifest itself until some considerable time after my playing days and a few excruciatingly painful concerts. It started as a low rumble like some machinery running in a basement or another room somewhere.

I went nuts trying to find out what was causing the noise, walking about the place turning everything I could find "off" and asking my wife, "What the hell is that noise?" She of course replied, " I don't know what you're talking about."

Of course, now I have a full on symphony of sounds to accompany the low rumble.

[Crusty]

I went nuts trying to find out what was causing the noise, walking about the place turning everything I could find "off" and asking my wife, "What the hell is that noise?" She of course replied, " I don't know what you're talking about."

When my tinnitus first started it was a long time ago after running sound for a number of years but has never gotten much worse. At first I thought a water pipe wase leaking, now it sounds like a squirrel cage blower.

Of course, now I have a full on symphony of sounds to accompany the low rumble.

I know it sucks but that analogy.

It's a whole symphony around here with four dogs and two cats but that's not in my head and a squirt bottle filled with water usually takes care of that.

[Barry]

It's bloody annoying.
I can distract myself most of the time but every so often I start to go a bit loony in the quiet moments when I hear the high pitched Cicada-like noise on top of the low rumble/motor-boating.

What's ironic is that I have lost most of my high frequency range making conversation and singing difficult at times, and radio and tv listening a chore, not to mention geetar playin'. But I hear the darn tinnitus just fine!

I've had cats most of my adult life but they've all passed on now. I miss them terribly. My wife decided she wanted "a dog". We now have 2 dogs! They're great to have around especially the Cockapoo but the Schnauzer is a barker! He also is the recipient of a squirt gun!

[Wutz]

My tinnitus is thanks to a drummer, who thought it's fun to beat his crash when my ears are closest to it. This happened while we were setting up (not even sound check or actually playing)... whatever he thought he's doing. Anyway, his crash was exactly 1800 Hz... since 30 years I don't hear anything at this frequency anymore.

Back to topic... if you buy a 70s Strat copy from Aria it's very likely that they have a 7.25 radius. If you get lucky, there might be some with 9.5 (but I haven't seen any yet).

Also be aware that the hardware isn't compatible with anything sold new today. Typically the very odd string spacing is mirrored on the slightly smaller pickups and a very narrow bridge.