Archtop Jazz Guitar ARIA Pro II - Aria FA-77 w Johnny Smith Style Humbucker Demo

[alfacosmic]

...sorry my friend but I´m no shop or dealer - just a collector and player.

If you´re in the US Dana B. Goods is the US distributor for Aria. They have many of the FA series in stock. Greetings Alfred

[TOPoublon]

Dear Don Alfredo,

Due to this video I bought the Aria FA77N. I was looking for an affordable jazguitar with an authentic sound. Your video inspired me to go for an Aria guitar. Trough the Dutch import agency I could buy my guitar about 1 year and a half ago at the Guitarloung in the Hague. Thx Theo.

[alfacosmic]

@TOPoublon Theo - congratulations on your FA77 and thanks for your nice words - Regards, Alfred

[shecky308]

Hi can you locate me a ARIA fa-70 jazz guitar in chery sunburst? Let me know,thanks.Normal headstock.

[shecky308]

Hi can you locate me a ARIA fa-70 jazz guitar in chery sunburst? Let me know,thanks.Normal headstock.

[Oeso012]

less than one minute of music !!! A lot of words !!!

[alfacosmic]

@Oeso012 ...come on - I was asked to explain the instrument in detail - who said that every youtube clip has to be music? .. this one is text - ok?! Thanks anyhow... Regards

[newislandguitar]

an amazing instrument!!! seems very versatile.

[alfacosmic]

@newislandguitar ...thanks my friend - yes it´s real fun playin this nice piece of art - Greetings

[alfacosmic]

@newislandguitar - right my friend, by the way it is on sale since I have to reduce my collection ;>( to many guitars - to less space - hahaha greetings Alfred

[dbgoods]

Great video. Thanks for posting it. Dana B. Goods is the US distributor for Aria. We have many of the FA series in stock, including the wonderful FA-77 you are playing in this video.

[polishbroadcast]

Thank you so much for posting this Don. This is the only example i can find of the sound with a description. Were you happy with the acoustic tone and how did it hold up to any other "high-end" acoustic archtops you have played?

[alfacosmic]

@polishbroadcast ..thanks for your comment - well the acoustic tone is the best and loudest of all my other guitars like the Gibson ES-175, Epi Broadway and Regent but I couldn´t compare it to real "acoustic" high end Jazz archtops - sorry.

Also the solid spruce top has not fully developed it´s tonal structure yet. Hope this helped a little - greetings to you my friend - Don

look also at: chlewinski.de to fin more info ;>)

[alfacosmic]

@polishbroadcast ..thanks for your comment - well the acoustic tone is the best and loudest of all my other guitars like the Gibson ES-175, Epi Broadway and Regent but I couldn´t compare it to real "acoustic" high end Jazz archtops - sorry.

Also the solid spruce top has not fully developed it´s tonal structure yet. Hope this helped a little - greetings to you my friend - Don

look also at: chlewinski.de to find more info ;>)

[fraterlucifer888]

cool,,,I play a pick made by brossard made out of fossilised mastodon ivory,very nice gtr your have there

[alfacosmic]

@fraterlucifer888 Thanks man - welcome and greetings from Germany,

Don Alfredo

[jhop5150]

JAZZ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!­!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jhop5150]

Whoa, a pick made of stone?

[alfacosmic]

@jhop5150 - hi there - yes it´sa pick made of Achat which is semi-precious-stone - sounds fat and smoth with a nice blob and very warm - greetings, Alfred

[ReporterXis]

man, u talk to much... :(

[alfacosmic]

@ReporterXis - well this post was intended as technical description of this guitar and not as a music-video and made on request of some guys here - sorry that you didn´t like it...

[innocentoctave]

This is a 6:34 video with about 30 seconds of actual playing - if you want to hear what the instrument sounds like don't waste your time

[alfacosmic]

@innocentoctave wo ist denn Problem mein Freund - das ist eine technische Beschreibung eines Instruments mit ein, zwei kurzen Klangbeispielen?! Du kannst es gerne besser machen und ein eigenes Video Deiner FA-77 posten. Ich bin sehr gespannt - komm, lass es uns alle doch mal hören - beste Grüße, alfa_cosmic ;>)

[kingofskateop]

It sounds very similar to my electric acoustic Yamaha CPX 900...

[alfacosmic]

Yes, you might achive similar sounds with the Yamaha with normal strings - if you heading towards Jazz with flatwound strings the Aria might be more "authentic" - Greetings, Alfred

[diz52nd]

Thanks for the great introduction to this guitar!

[alfacosmic]

Thanks, that´s very kind ;>)

[nomorejournos]

this is what life is all about, love of beauty, love of sound, and playing music

[alfacosmic]

...right - playing music ;>)

[booradleymtl]

Yes they are available in N.A. They have one in Montreal, Canada.

Diplomate Music. Been there for at least a year. 950$ Canadian. I would have bought it but WHY didnt they put a cutaway???

[alfacosmic]

I think they wanted to make it as a traditional model - it might be that this is the reason why it´s hard to sell - but I love my FA-77 anyhow - cool player ;>)

[booradleymtl]

I agree. Actually the nicest guitar I have tried at that price point. Glad you like it :)

[brouillettejazz]

@booradleymtl I bought it at diplomat too bad for you, I got it finally for 800$ and i can't beleave it. I was looking for a good archtop in mtl , i was ready to pay 300$ and i found this miracle. I dont care about the cuttaway ,acoustically, it's sound better without.

[TheMafiaStyler]

achso hmm aber trotzdem vielen dank

[TheMafiaStyler]

hab ma ne frage in google wen man miniatur jazz guitar eingibt komtm sone in mini format auch spielbar ich bin selber jazz gitarist und such ne mini jazz guitar für mein sohn sorry wegen den name ist mein bruders name;P würde mich freuen wen ich was über die mini gitarre erfahren kann schöner sound die gitarre hier

[alfacosmic]

Hallo - tut mir leid mit Minigitarren habe ich gar keine Erfahrung - nur mit Miní-Humbuckern - sorry, Grüße

[alfacosmic]

Vielen Dank Philipp - Jawohl, MIni-Humbucker sind ein ganz besonderes Gewächs - Ich beschäftige mich mit diesen kleinen Biestern. Gerade in der Halsposition können sie unglaublich "sweet" klingen - Beste Grüße, Alfred

[alfacosmic]

...yes, you´re right - great fun to play it - feels so smooth ;>)

Greetings from Germany

Don Alfredo

[BaileysMariner]

I got to play an old Aria Pro II over the weekend, beautiful guitar. Very similar to my own Ibanez Artcore but an even bigger, shinier sound. According to my friend that owned it, it wasn't in good condition either so it must be a real joy when it's new.

[MarkandRobbie]

Wow arnt you a lucky puppy tripping over this axe . I have a proii pe60 , TA and a clasical all Jap made . I will take them to the grave Thanks Shiro Aria .

[alfacosmic]

...yes, thanks Mr. Arai

[pubrusse]

hello Alfred,

I'm back from hollydays ,

you don't receive my last answer i think , yes i'm interesting by this guitar .

You know it's very difficult to have a left hand jazz box.

Could you now put a another video because i would like heard in electrique version your guitar ,

bye and thanks , stephane

[alfacosmic]

Hi Stephane - I´m still away from Home right now - hope to be back early october - I´ll try my best then - Greetings Alfred

[gretscher]

No problem Alfred, I appreciate your video that you did post. I am glad I saw this video because I never knew that Aria made a non-cutaway like that. The tone of the guitar is very nice and your playing is great too. Much appreciated that you posted it. Thanks.

[alfacosmic]

...you´ re welcome - thanks for your friendly words - go ahead - ;>)

kindest regards - Alfred

[pubrusse]

Hello Don Alfredo,

I would like inverse the aria because i'm a left hand player.

Can you tell me if the dam of the top is a X or parallele ?

You can make a another video to show more the electric sound just plug in your fender ?

Thank you

for your future answer, Stéphane

[alfacosmic]

Sorry Stéphane - can´t make any videos at the moment since I´m away from home for a couple of month - the top bracing is parallel - Greetings Alfred

PS ...is the guitar really (I mean really) available or just an ad on the ínternet? Were are you from? France?

[gretscher]

Thanks for posting the demo. I had an FA-71 which is the cutaway version. Did not know that they had a non-cutaway. I sold it and regret selling it.

Could you play the song Tequila from the Champs on it? Both unplugged and plugged and post a video. Just curious how it would sound on it. Thanks much.

[alfacosmic]

Sorry gretscher - can´t make any videos at the moment since I´m away from home for a couple of month - greetings Alfred

[pubrusse]

Hello Don Alfredo ,

Very nice jazz box and probably my future?

You can have with this guitar a jazz electric sound like a L5 or es 175 ? very smooth and deep ? or it's more acoustic sound with the floating pickup? do you think that it's necessary to put a humbucking like a p57 on the top ? or the floating is good for all ? thanks stéphane

[alfacosmic]

Stéphane, ES-175 and L5 are different more versatile. They have 2 pups FA-77 neck only. 175 is less accoustic and more electric - very good for many stiles (think of Steve Howe to Joe Pass). L5 is darker and mellow - good for Jazz-Blues. The FA-77 covers most of the 175 and L5 sounds of the neck pickup plus some accoustic wooden earthy sounds, but it lacks the bridge - check out with a dealer but don´t even think of makin a hole in the top of the FA-77 for a classic 57 - no way ;>)

[paintingglass]

can you please write down of the name of the german organ factory you used their speaker ....varsi... versi ...vese? does the german company build this custom speaker? thanks

[alfacosmic]

Hi paintingglass, the two speakers I use in my custom made mahogany cabinet are Belgium made OEM 12" broadband speakers with 100W each and 8 Ohms. They were made in the 80s or early 90s for the German organ manufacturer "Wersi" . The type is 100/M8. I found them on ebay - they are realy nice with a crisp and smooth tone - good for Jazz and average clean playing - Greetings Alfred

[alfacosmic]

...hey the speakers are on German ebay right now:

290342722823

check it out...

Greetings

Alfred

[eatme765wes]

i own an Aria Fa 71, great Jazz guitar for the price

[alfacosmic]

...yes my friend - I´ ve the feeling that ARIA is a bit underestimated (especially the hollow bodies) - very nice playing and looking guitars at a reasonable price - Greetings from Germany - Don Alfred

[weskoki]

How do you know top is solid?

[alfacosmic]

Hi weskoki, the grain structure is absolutely the same on both sides of top (inside and outside) - this applies only to solid tops - laminatedtops have a different texture on either side - Thanks and peace -Don Alfredo

[littleloverboy]

nice guitar, i am thinking of buying a german arch top guitar off ebay germany in the future.

greetings from australia!