Aria Pro II Leopard

This is a copy of a '59 Les Paul Stamdard made by Matsumoku in Japan in 1981. It has a pancake maple/mahogany/mahogany body. Maple cap is 3-piece. The neck is maple. Rosewood fingerboard with inlays. Fully bound body and neck, gorgeous cherry burst finish. Nickel plated hardware. Two humbuckers, neck 8.3k ohms, bridge 11.5k. Long neck tenon. Basically everything you'd expect from a Les Paul.

Aria Pro ll inlay on the headstock with a transfer "Leopard Model" in gold.

The Leopard was, I believe, a Japan-market instrument. This particular guitar would appear to be either an LS-600 or LS-700, which were the model names they were exported under.

Excellent. Unamped the sustain is wonderful and quite bright--possibly from the maple neck. However it is still full with plenty of bass. Amped, the bridge pup has a good bit of midrange boost but not overly so and the neck has plenty of colour and does not go muddy even when driven hard. The pups are very sweet but quite powerful and well balanced. No need to change these. Some Leopards had DiMarzio pups; I don't know what make these are, because I have not pulled them, but they are very good and seem sweeter that the DM's I've tried before-- but that could just be down to the age. No probs on the sound.

Excellent. This is a Matsumoku guitar, and their reputation was well-deserved. Pick it up, it feels just right. Great action, great neck, impeccable build. In direct side-by-side comparison with a vintage Gibson LP Standard, the only things I notice are that the Gibson inlay material is a little better-looking, and the lacquer is thicker on the Leopard. However, on an electric, this does not have a bad effect on the tone and if anything should make it a little brighter. Inside the pot cover, the standard of wiring kicks Gibson's ass. Really. This is what soldering is actually supposed to look like, not as if a mechanical chicken had been in there. Kluson-type tuners branded Aria Pro ll which actually still work!

This is already 27 years old and has been used hard, but has stood up to the passage of time with absolutely no issues, no cracks, no delamination, no corrosion. I have no doubt at all that it will outlast me.

No idea.

Brilliant. This is just as good as a Gibson Les Paul and in some ways better. I presently own 3 Gibson Les Pauls and a Gibson SG and frankly this is up there with the best. It is really quite amazing, and a bit of a shock considering the relative prices. The attention to detail really stands out and the instrument just oozes quality. Compared directly to a vintage Gibson Les Paul, the feel is a little different, mainly due to the lacquer, and nothing has ever improved on the sound of real vintage PAFs, but the Leopard is not outclassed, just an honourable second. Compared to an '80's or a modern Gibson LP, frankly, you just would not know and the sound is definitely sweeter and more subtle. It's just a great shame that Matsumoku closed and this quality has been lost. As for value-- you'd pay 5x or more what this cost for an equivalent-age Gibson LP, and this would keep up with it all the way home.

Let's be under no illusions-- the quality of these Japan-made guitars is as high as or higher than a quality American guitar. There is simply NO COMPARISON with contemporary Korean or Chinese guitars, which are cheap starter instruments built down to a price. Over the years I've had well over sixty guitars-- probably nearer the hundred now-- and the Matsumoku instruments from Japan really stand out.

There are regularly Leopards up for grabs on eBay, particularly from dealers in Japan, and my advice is to buy 'em. Amazing instruments.