Aria Pro Cardinal Custom CS-400 question.

[zeegler]

I was at a music store looking at guitars when I noticed this old Aria Pro II sitting alone in a corner. I was intrigued, tried it out, and it is truly a great guitar. Nice, comfy neck, well built, and the sustain on this thing is better than my Weddington!!!! I am definitely going to buy it. The question is, what should I pay for it?

It's a set-neck, 2 hums, 2 volume, 2 tone, coil splitter, phase switch, 3-way selector, looks like tobacco burst in near mint condition with a small chip on the bottom at the back about 4mm in diameter. The pick-ups look like seymour duncans, but without taking them out, I can't tell for sure.

Anyone have a guess what this thing is worth?

[Accept2]

Re: Aria Pro Cardinal Custom CS-400 question.

You should be able to get it for $200 - 300. Watch it though, alot of the older Arias have special proprietary hardware, and if certain parts need to be replaced, you'll be SOL. Unless this sucker is one of the later ones with standard style bridges.............

[guitarforceone]

Re: Aria Pro Cardinal Custom CS-400 question.

Aria Pro II made some really bad-ass guitars. I have one of the 1970's Les Paul Goldtop copies, and it is pretty much dead-on accurate. Set neck, trapezoid inlays, great action and sounds really killer too. I'd buy one of these over the real thing any day, because it's so close, and you can get them for a fraction of the price.
Dana <~~~

[zeegler]

Re: Aria Pro Cardinal Custom CS-400 question.

Well, they were asking $385 Canadian, but I negotiated, and they are willing to sell for $325 cash, tax included. That's approx $210 U.S.

Here is a picture of an identical guitar
http://www.jcguitars.com/ariacard1.JPG

Yes it has an unusual bridge, but if I ever need parts, I know that graphtech makes them, or I can just switch it for a tun-o-matic.

[ December 21, 2002, 08:19 AM: Message edited by: zeegler ]

[Accept2]

Re: Aria Pro Cardinal Custom CS-400 question.

$325 CDN is decent. Thats about what they go for up here. If they said Epiphone on the headstock they would sell for alot more, but these things are way better than Epi........

Dana, they are a good value, but dont get any ideas that they are as good as the real thing.........Only a Heritage is exactly like a Gibson.......

[Jimi D]

Re: Aria Pro Cardinal Custom CS-400 question.

Originally posted by Accept2:
Only a Heritage is exactly like a Gibson.......

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">um... nope... Different body shape (esp. around the lower cutaway) and different hardware (esp. pickups) means different guitar... and I've never played a Heritage H150 that didn't weigh in at well over 9 lbs. - I know there are lots of heavy Les Pauls (Norlin era in particular) but neither of mine weighs more than 8 lbs., so it's possible to build 'em light... I love my Heritage "Triple Nickle" semi tho' [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img]