NVCGD

ICBM

New vintage classical guitar day

or

New very cheap guitar day





Bought this yesterday... an Aria A548 classical, made in Japan around 1980. In almost mint condition - you'd never guess it was thirty-six years old. It's all-ply, so nothing special by classical standards, but it sounds as much like a proper classical as my ham-fisted playing needs, and like all old Arias I know of it has a slightly slimmer neck than most other similar guitars - which is perfect for me, I normally find classicals a struggle.

They're not worth much, but I got it for £60 including an old Japanese dreadnought case which doesn't fit it properly (I'll find a better one at some point) and a hideous but oddly cool 1970s Gibson floral-pattern strap which was in it, which will be going on my Dove .

ICBM

I forgot to mention… it smells exactly the same as the first classical guitar I had when I was 17 .

CHRISB50

I must say, it looks very clean for an almost 40 (ish) year old guitar. 

Enjoy.

ICBM

CHRISB50 said:

I must say, it looks very clean for an almost 40 (ish) year old guitar.

Apparently the chap who owned it bought it to learn to play, but never did and it went under the bed. He got it out to try again a few months ago, still found it was not for him, so decided to sell it. A little sad, but I've given it a good home now .

There's one light scrape/dent in the front - not easily visible unless it catches the light - and the machineheads and frets are slightly tarnished, but other than that it's basically as new.

For a 'cheap' all-ply guitar, it's actually very nicely made - the fingerboard and bridge are real rosewood (not always the case on cheapos) and the standard of machining and fitting on all the parts is top-notch, very crisp edges and clean finishing - clearly a low-end model from a good factory and not the other way round.

Sassafras

Looks brand new.