Aria Diamond 5120

I got this 335 looking guitar at a resale shop some 25 years ago. No name or model on the thing, and the pick guard was missing. Red sunburst with black sides, smooth red/black neck, double cut-away rounded horns, pearl plastic on the headstock, and matching piece for the 3-way selector. Vibrato tailpiece unit was stuck, but I fixed it. Swapped out the old pick-ups (which I still have) for some Ibanez humbuckers, and added phase switches to it. Created a black pickguard for it and named it Isabel. Floating bridge, 2 pick-up, 2 volume, 2 tone, yellowing binding, 21 frets. I think you know it better than I did.

Because I kept fooling around with this thing, I had to become a guitar instructor. I've had Isabel longer than all my other guitars, and her sound is different from all the rest. I get incredible low-end feedback when I turn her up. If she's been out of tune for a while, I have to tune her a couple times, but then she's fine. The electronic work I did gave her a variety of sounds. Can't tell you what she sounded like 25 years ago.

When I got her she was in pieces. I do have the action pretty low on her, and I cleaned up the frets. Condition was pretty good considering, as she's just as pretty (or prettier) as the day I got her.

I've used her as my main teaching guitar for years, and I've played her on stage. Her action isn't as low as my other guitars, and her sound has less bite, so I would use her more for rhythm or certain other songs. The finish is tough, so I wouldn't worry about wearing it out. The selector switch refuses to completely clean up.

Obviously old, and I only discovered her origins today. Wish the Aria website archives were better. Pics would be nice.

Here's the funny part. I'm a drummer, mainly. I have 7 or 8 guitars, and I rotate through 4 of them for my classes. I have a Washburn WI 66 PROQ, an EKO 12 string, an Orpheum archtop, my Atomic Frog (home-made Strat copy), a couple junk guitars, and I just got an Aria Pro II XR series which is how I ended up here tonight. I love this thinline electric, and she's been through a lot with me. None of the thinlines I see at the music stores can touch her. I only wish she was easier to get into tune.

ES-335 body shape, super thin neck (width wise), 2 vol 2 tone in an odd configuration (The Bridge VOL is where the neck TONE usually is and vise virsa), 3 way blade switch, P-90 type pickups, Roller bridge, cheap bigsby type vibrato, Exellent sunburst finish on top, back, sides, neck, Rosewood fretboard, Block mother of pearl inlays, Creme Pearloid Pickguard, with matching switch plate, pickup rings, and headstock. I believe i got the "higher end" model since most that i see are either black or tortise shell material with no headstock vaneer, so far mine is the only one i have seen with all the parts except the vibrato end cap thing. this model also has 4 ply creme bindings

Well the sound is pretty good, i love the neck pickup it makes me thing of playing jazz... the flatwounds probibly help a bit, but the bridge to me is like a bad tele pickup, it has inital attack and all but just sounds thin, combined the pickups sound good, just kinda sounds like adding some trebel to the neck pickup. i have not messed with the hight adjustment but it might yeald some better tones.

when i inhareted it from my great grandfather, so i can assume its pretty old, i couldnt play it for about 5 years or so because the action was all off, so i took it to a luthier and they fixed that for me, the finish is phenominal and flawless, the neck is too thin for my fat fingers.

I have only used it for jazz gigs, and well frankly i didnt need a backup, nor did i think to bring one.

N/A

I have been playing for 7 years and well i like it. I want to buy another since i do not feel comfortable modding my great grandfathers guitar for obvious reasons. But i would like to get another possibly with tortise shell and get some tortise shell charlie christian pickups in it... that would be sweet. Heck i would even put a rosewood bridge and a benedetto type tailpiece on it. Its my only hollow body that what i like about it, and it of course has sentimental value.

Price Paid: US $149

Features:
In 1975 my wife of the time had to sell her Martin flat top, we needed the money. She shopped and shopped for a replacement and settled on an Aria. Since then, I've only experienced good things from this manufacturer. When I happened upon this one with the price tag mentioned above in 1991, I became a more happy man. This bass is a Japanese-made copy of the very famous Gibson arch top bass. Mine is black with a black pick-guard and white trim. There are two volumes, two tone controls & three way switch. Had a tremolo bar, but I could find no utility for this and removed it. It stays in tune for months at a time. Made between 1970~1974 according to Aria's archive site. The white trim has yellowed some. I continue to consider this to be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen : - )

I use this bass mainly as a diversion while waiting for webpages to donwload. It sits right next to my computer and I love to just hold it. Since it's hollow, it's certainly loud enough without amplfication as a practice piece and companion. I somtimes play it thraough a single 15" Gibson Atlas. It is not uh... twangy.

The action is fast, there are no buzz areas. I broke the nut below the G string (that was fun to say : - 0 and repaired it with some white epoxy. The electronics are not of utmost quality, but the sound is quite good anyway. I have had to repair broken wiring and it's an intersting puzzle to get parts in and out of the pickup holes. The Bass is over 30 years old and is still well put together. Flat neck, stays in tune forever and a joy to hold. Mine has no flaw other than a small chip near the three-way. Shines up real nice.

The finish is obviously durable, but I consider the instument a bit on the delicate side. My buddy broke his Vox at a gig and I had this Aria in the car and lent it to him to finish the show. He loved it. That's the only time it's been out in the real world since I've owned it. I guess it could be considered pretty Relable/Durable - although it is a musical instument, not a baseball bat.

Way past any warranty... the company has a good website http://www.ariausa.com/

Like I said above, I really like this bass guitar. Although I'm only a bedroom tinkerer, I've played since I was 12 and I'm (freaking) 54 now. If it were to be stolen or run over by a car or somehow gone, I'd certainly look for another one.

Japanese 335 copy in sunburst with two volumes, two tone controls & three way switch. Has lightweight wammy bar set up but stays in tune just fine. Two pickups which sound best when set low in the hollow body to give it a jazz box or blues sound.

The pickups sound best when set low in the hollow body to give it a jazz box or blues sound. It also gives the most variety of sounds when set up that way. Much better sounds than current 335 clones like tursers or epis.

No flaws in the finish and that's saying something on a thirty year old guitar. Action is adjustable and can be as low as you lie without fret buzz.

Like I said, its 30 & still looks & sounds great!

Aria is still around, although I've never has to contact them.

If lost or stolen, I'd look for another one!

Aria Diamond looks like Gibson ES335 mine was made in Japan sometime
in the late sixties,sunburst finish, 3 pick ups(older than dirt kinda square single coil humbucker style)white plastic covers with black centers, tortoise pick guard and 5way switch cover,has oem trem/tail piece with the super long wammy bar, rosewood fret board is orig.All in all I bought it in a pawnshop in Houston Tx 15 yrs ago and still plays after bouncing around in a big rig coast to coast for 13 yrs.
Not to bad for the $140.00 I gave the guy wanted $250.00

Real good sound through my Marshall G30R CD amp with or with the dunlop crybaby plugged in still has just a little static in the switches though (age I guess)But she still plays the Blues and Jazz and evan clisic rock or a little country once in a while.
I like her as much as My 2 stratts,my washburb,and my fender 210 flat top.

Other than I changed the orig machineheads (cause I broke a couple)I set My bridge and all three pick ups to my needs and sound, slapped on a set of fender #10's and she plays just how I like it.as for looks what's to be expected She's an old lady the white outline on the body is cracked and yellowed from age, the bridge used to move a little but a little contact cement solved that quickley enough.

Live playing? Well it lived in the big truck with me and the Fender 210 Flat Top over the road for 13 years, I can depend on Her when I need to everything is still in place solid and working, And if I needed to use Her alnight without backup I Firmly believe She'ld answer the call and go the distance with Me anytime.

Made in 67-71 no customer support, no warranty, so if I brake Her I fix Her.(What warranty we don't need no stinkin warranty)

I'm 42 been playin since I was about 13-14,I asked enough to know I wanted to buy Her and take on the road, If stolen? (They had better hide on the moon so I can't find em,Lost? I hope I never do.What do I love about Her?She just gets better with age, What do I hate? Nothing.Favorite feature Her sound and ease of playing.Compare? I own 2 Stratts, A Washburn Solid Body, A Framus Bass, A Fender 210 Flattop and My Aria Diamond There Is No Comparison I Love Them All and play them all about the same amount. Mine Make Me Happy and that's what I like the most.

5102 "T" THis one's probably early seventies, Japanese with "Steel Adjustable Neck" with 21 frets - fakey pearloid inlays ending @ 17 fret. Its a hollow body with a rather nice one-piece top (spruce?) and back. Nice sunburst finish-front, back, and sides. Binding front and back sides, up the neck and around the headstock. Neck is maple w/ rosewood fretboard. Pretty nice copy of an ES-335 - but Bolt-On! Pretty poor bridge, rosewood with a metal retainer for the plastic bridge pieces, will slide around if you push on it - just fake those weird green pads beneath. Two P-90 copies with ugly black covers. Funky ShizzBy vibrato bridge...Came no case -flawless, like-new off of the 'Bay...

I have jammed this one up once for several hours with a four piece band since I got it one month ago. Not bad in a band setting. It's definately NOT bright sounding. It sounds like a Jazz Box as it looks. Meaty Tho. The PU switch is bad on mine, I only get the neck, so maybe that's part of it. Not noisy, will take a good amout of gain without feedback. Not overly versatile, but not intended to be. Much more body to the sound owing to the hollow body, might get lost in the mix with an overly enhusiastic drummer or thumping bass player.

This is a Vintage guitar and as such came with very crusty strings. Put light D'Addarios on it and it played like a champ despite the neck having too much relief (straight but back from the body). No buzzes but high action on the uppermost frets. Probably still the factory set-up some thirty years after ot was purchased. All in all not bad.

Would go easy on this antique. HArdware and finish are pretty sketchy, but I didn't buy it to romp and spill beer all over it, it's a "collectors item?" in the way that it is in such fine shape for its years. It'll take a weekly jam session, not a two year world tour.

N/A - It is Ancient.

Been playing ten years, only american for the first five. This ia an excellent example of an old asian-made guitar that is excellent for the price. Will whup the hell out of a Turser, Raven, or any other new computer-controlled fabrication piece coming out of the orient these days. Grab one if you can find one!

Japanese copy of Gibson ES-330, probably made in the mid 70's. Laminated top with sunburst finish. Standard two volume and two tone controls with 3 way switch. Pickups are black plastic covered P90's. Bolt on maple neck with rosewood fretboard. It originally had a cheap and nasty Bigsby copy tremelo system which would not stay in tune, so this has been replaced with a more stable trapezium tailpiece. The tuners are a bit crude and they may be replaced one day. I am also considering replacing the pickups with chrome covered dog ears as on the original. Apart from the appearance of the pickups, this is a nice looking instrument.

I bought this guitar in the late 70's because all my heroes played semi-accoustics, Chuck Berry, Dave Edmunds, Eddie Cochran. I wanted one but could not afford anything better, but in the time I've had it I have come to love it. Without the amplifier there are fret buzzes and it has a banjo type plink to it, but its ideal for bedroom practice. Through the amp, Fender Twin, it has a much rounder sound than my other instrument which is a Strat Plus Deluxe. It can be made to sound very British sixties pop.

This was bought second hand and at the time the setup was probably ok. In the time I've had it it has been dismantled and re-assembled several times and had many minor set adjustments. Its a very nice guitar to play - comfortable is the best way to describe it. Being a semi its very light, and the neck will drop if unsupported.

Only took it to a gig once and the body took a minor scratch so I will not do it again. The underside of the pickups are corroded and the wiring insulation is breaking up. The pots crackle slightly and the jack connector has been replaced. You have to be a gynacologist to be able to do this. It is due for a major overall.

Never tried to deal with the company.

This has been my main practise guitar for 20 Years. Also have EPI EJ200 and recently turned semi professional, hence the Strat and Twin.I have thought about parting with the Aria several times but always back off at the last minute. I suppose I have had it too long now, It is like an old friend and the one I pick up at home when I have a spare moment. I have tried the Epiphone Casino, Sheratons, and a Gibson 335 in the dealers and they did not sound any better or feel better to play than mine. Could be the 20 years of familiarity. If it were lost or stolen I would find it difficult to replace as it is not a current model. I do not like the current TA range or the Union Jack colour schemes. I might one day save up eneough to by the real thing.