Aria AC-8

I bought this guitar in 1982 because I needed a guitar to audition at music school. It was a workhorse. It is Japanese made with spruce top and mahogany (laminate) sides and back. Open tuners stay where you put them and turn easily when you want them to, not when you dont. Neck has no truss rod. Concert size body is easy to hold. Nice shape to the back. Bridge goes straight across without any compensation for the b string. (This is good for leftys like me who can only find right handed guitars).

Deep sound, not very bright. You'll have to play well below the sound hole to get really bright sounds You'll also need good nails if your playing classical style. I think it sounds much better with a pick. It has recently decided to buzz when I play deeep notes. This could be frets rattling around. There are gaps around the frets, but they've always been there.

Action is getting worse with age. Its still very playable, but I can see that the neck is bowing. It played great when it was new, and that's all I wanted. I've worn a hole in the top due to use with a pick, but it is a right handed guitar being played by a lefty, and i show no mercy.

If you buy one for live playing don't plan on playnig it all night, I wouldn't want to. This isn't an easy guitar to play for extended amounts of time. But is you want a prqactice guitar, get it. Mine has lasted a long time and is still a great guitar for a student.

I dont think there is any, but I never tried to call.

I've been playing 32 years. This guitar got me into music school, but it never got me laid (as far as I know).

Mid to late 70's concert size classical acoustic guitar made in Nagoya, Japan. It has what I believe to be a solid cedar top (because of the darker sound); back & sides made of a mahogany laminate. The tuners are average, not particularly expensive but they do a satisfactory job. Plastic saddle and nut.

The measure of any classical guitar's features boils down to its construction. This guitar is put together well. Despite its age, the action is still very good. The nut slots needed some more filing, but many guitars require that, even instruments 10x the price.

It is great for strumming chords as well as playing single note passages. Although, for playing classical pieces primarily I would rate it below the Japanese Takamine guitars (128, 132, etc). They seem to have a little more focus and crispness. But this is a highly subjective valuation. The difference is minimal. Strong bass, longer than average sustain, it has a deep sound. Its best use (& the way I use it) is for folk, pop, and blues music. Strummed chords sound clear and don't compress into mush... a complaint I have with a lot of nylon-string guitars. My only complaint of this guitar is the complaint I have of 99.9% of all Japanese acoustics: because the back and sides aren't solid wood, the Aria isn't very lively or resonant. The sound is very good, but it lacks the vibrancy of my favorite acoustic (made entirely of solid woods).

Typical quality of Aria Japan, excellent. Comparable to a contemporary Guild classical I owned that cost twice as much. The Guild even had some sloppy gluework whereas the Aria does not.

Compared to other classical guitars it is very solid. The glossy finish is durable and the construction is strong. It has lasted 20+ years and I expect it to last 20+ more.

Nonexistent. This model hasn't been made since '81. It's the price you pay for buying vintage & near-vintage gear. That's fine with me though.

This guitar is a great value. There are very few instruments of comparable quality available for under $200. If you're looking for a decent classical & don't have the budget for a high-end Japanese or Spanish guitar (I don't either) a 60's/70's Aria is a splendid option.