There’s nothing like a guitar with a pedigree, and you couldn’t ask for much more than the one attached to this Aria Pro II Prototype! A thoroughbred all the way, its family lines include an underrated brand, a legendary manufacturer, and a legendary guitar designer.

The brand is Aria, which almost always takes a back seat to better-known Japanese guitars of the 1960s through the ’80s such as Teisco, Guyatone, Electra, Westone, and Ibanez.

Aria was founded by classical guitarist Shiro Arai in 1953, mainly as an importer/distributor. In ’64, Aria began making classical guitars, which Arai tried to bring to the U.S. Unfortunately, the wood he used was not properly seasoned and couldn’t withstand the changes in climate. Early guitars were called Arai, but the brand soon became Aria and in ’66, Aria began selling electric solid- and hollowbody guitars branded Aria, Aria Diamond, and Diamond. In ’68 or ’69, Aria was one of the first to make Les Paul copies, spawning the early-’70s copy era. By ’76, though, Japanese manufacturers knew copying was going to be challenged and began to prepare for change. Aria’s answer was the Prototype PE Series, which debuted in ’77.

The Aria Pro II Prototypes were built in the Matsumoku factory in Matsumoto City. Before World War II, Matsumoku was a family-owned woodworking company that built traditional cabinets and shrines. Following the war, the Singer Corporation opened a sewing machine subsidiary in Japan and began contracting cabinets from Matsumoku, becoming a part-owner in ’51. Matsumoku also produced audio and television cabinets. In the mid ’50s, Matsumoku expanded into acoustic guitar and violin making, setting itself apart by focusing on better quality than much of its competition. In the early ’60s, Matsumoku increased its presence as an instrument manufacturer. In addition to supplying parts to other manufacturers, brands produced at the shop include Epiphone, Univox, Westbury, Electra, Skylark (J.C. Penney), Memphis, Vantage, Westminster, Cutler, Lyle, Fell, Washburn, and its own (later St. Louis Music’s) Westone.

Some (if not most) of Aria’s ’60s electric guitars were built by Matsumoku, a relationship that would continue into the ’80s, at least for Aria’s better models. These included the Aria Pro II Prototypes.

Frankly, Matsumoku’s guitars from the ’60s and early ’70s were good, but categorically superior to some other Japanese makers. Circa 1975, that began to change when Matsumoku was joined by a young designer named Nobuaki Hayashi. It was from Hayashi’s arrival that Aria began using the Aria Pro II brand. Whether or not Hayashi was directly involved, it’s from about this time that Matsumoku began employing numerical carving machines to build guitars, almost at the same time Peavey was implementing that technology for its T-60 guitar and T-40 bass. The superlative guitars that emanated from Matsumoku after Hayashi’s arrival are legend, but for our purposes, his classic designs included the Aria Pro II Prototype PE series.

Many of the guitars Hayashi designed for Aria are often attributed to his pseudonym on the instrument – H. Noble – including the Prototypes. This designation was usually on a label on the front or back of the headstock.

The first Aria Pro II Prototypes were called the Masterpiece PE-1500 and PE-1000 and debuted in ’77, essentially as prototypes of most of the Prototype models! These were well-received and followed by a proliferation of the Prototype line; in ’78 came the PE-800, 600, 500, and 400. In ’81, the original Prototypes were supplanted by the PE-R80 (transparent finish) and PE-R60 (opaque colors).

There’s not much words can do to romance a guitar like this 1981 PE-R80; simply use your eyes!

A clear interpretation of the Les Paul, it has a lot in common with other contemporary interpretations like the Ibanez Performer and the Electra Endorser, but it is clearly more over-the-top than those guitars. The top is carved and contoured, almost certainly with a carving machine, as is the back. The body is maple, while the neck is mahogany glued in with a heelless neck like that popularized by Bernie Rico’s B.C. Rich guitars. Notice that the areas around the control knobs are countersunk – an elegant touch. This Prototype is powered by two Alnico-magnet Protomatic V humbuckers controlled by two Volumes and two Tones, with three-way, coil tap, and phase-reverse switch. The pickups have more than adequate crunch and the neck is a joy to play. As on most Matsumoku-made guitars, the serial number is year-encoded as either YXXXXXX or YYXXXXX. This is number 1103652.

This PE-R80 lasted until 1987, but was joined by several more generations beginning in ’84 with names like Deluxe, Supra, Standard, Custom, and Image; reportedly, there was a Neil Schon-endorsed version.

In ’87, Singer took over full ownership of the Matsumoku factory, and musical instruments were not part of its plan. Guitars were gone by ’89. In any case, exchange rates had made Japanese guitars increasingly expensive, and Americans were unwilling to pay a premium. This marked the definitive shift to Korean manufacturers, though some guitars continued to be made in Japan. In 1991/’92, Aria produced a fancy limited-edition 25th Anniversary version. A PE Exotic reissue line appeared circa 2009.

How plentiful these guitars are is unknown, but they rarely come up for sale. Many think Japanese guitars were produced in the millions, but the reality is that significant quantities didn’t arrive until the early ’80s, just before they were priced out of the market.

Nobuaki Hayashi departed Matsumoku in 1987 and started the Atlantsia guitar company, which built increasingly exotic guitars and continues to this day. Alas, they are not available in the U.S. Nevertheless, you can get some idea when you pick up one of these thoroughbreds!

This feature was originally published in the January ’14 issue.

This article originally appeared in VG’s August 2024 issue. All copyrights are by the author and Vintage Guitar magazine. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.