player opinions
Aria PE-DLX
Name: Matthew
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Model Year: 2001
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Price Paid: $350
Performance
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The guitar has very nice action, a great feel, and very nice tone. I was very impressed with most of its playability. I didn’t love the neck profile, but it was very close to a current Gibson Les Paul. I prefer the 70’s profile. I found it kind of hard to play in that, the Poly finished neck was slow. I really can’t complain too much, it was cheap, I didn’t end up keeping the guitar though, so I think that is telling.
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Performance Rating: 8
Sound Quality
This is where I didn’t love the guitar. I never loved the sound. I felt it had OK tone for the money, and pretty decent hardware too. But I didn’t like the sound of the pickups. To be honest, with some little work here and there, I feel that the guitar could be made a really good guitar. I was very impressed with its value, and felt that in many ways it was better than the Les Pauls I had played.
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Sound Quality Rating: 4
Construction
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Construction is where this guitar gets a big plus and a big minus. The Mahogany is of very good quality, better than most cheap Korean Gibson copies. Its very pretty to look at, and should have great tone. The top was relatively thick, not quite Gibson thick, but pretty close. I was given a number once, but I don’t recall anymore. For the money, you get a gorgeous piece of maple. Mine was finished with a piece of quilted maple I thought was really really attractive, easily AAA. I disliked the finish. It had some imperfections, was sort of sticky, and slowed my hand on the neck. If I kept this guitar, I would have sanded the neck and refinished it. The tuners weren’t great either, not bad, but I would have changed those. It didn’t hold a tune for more than an hour of playing, or so. I found the finish on the fretboard to be a bit rough and imperfect in places. The frets were poorly finished, with sharp edges, and a raw finish. The Nut was cut wrong, and probably needed replacing.
Basically, all of those things are typical of Korean guitars, and are not that big a deal. The quality of the woods and assembly are two things you can’t affordably change. Having the neck refinished, the tuners replaced, and the pickups upgraded could all be done for pretty cheap, and you would have a guitar that probably would best a Les Paul in a lot of ways. My problem is that, you still only have a guitar worth 350 dollars, where as a Les Paul, though a lot more money, will maintain that value in the long run. That was my main reason for not keeping it.
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Construction Rating: 7
Name: SlyB
Band: Play for fun
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Model Year: 2004
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Price Paid: $400 CDN
Performance
Excellent for my needs. I’ll keep it forever for sure. Sound like you want when it is time with two good Humbuckers. Good for practice and gigs, no problem. Cost me half price (400) Canadian + tax naturaly. Black and gold harware look really GREAT. Small hands no problem, easy and fun to play. For the price, you can’t ask for better. Very light and well balance too.
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Performance Rating: 10
Sound Quality
Pickups are good enough to play any kind of music with good effects (OK, I play for fun only). I play trough a BOSS ME-10 multi effects and two amps in stereo (Ibanez Tone Blaster and Crate GX65.) It’s a good setup to try, believe me. I’ve tried both amps separetely too and she sound great. The Aria Pro II PE-DLX does it’s job: Sound awesome. Price vs. Quality hard to beat.
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Sound Quality Rating: 10
Construction
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On the first look, you know it’s very well made. Made to have fun and play without trouble.
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Construction Rating: 10
Name: Dan
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Band: none yet
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Model Year: 2004
Price Paid: $416
Performance
It is very easy to use. It is a smaller guitar too, and I love playing mine. It is easy to do almost anything with this guitar.
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Performance Rating: 10
Sound Quality
The pickups and tone sound great. It makes me feel special when I am playing.
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Sound Quality Rating: 10
Construction
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It is solid. It works fine and I have had no problems with it yet!
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Construction Rating: 10
Name: Daniel Davis
Band: (coming soon)
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Model Year: Late 80's?
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Price Paid: Inherited
Performance
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Very easy to play, I have lowered the action on mine and raised the bridge pick up ever so slightly! Has a nice bit of weight behind it too! The only problem being, its a pain to clean, having the pick up just away from the bridge, where you cant quite fit a cloth and finger down to get the dust off.
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Performance Rating: 9
Sound Quality
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Amazing for what I play, not so great when people have tried to play metal on it, but my style usually covers Punk and/or Ska and the Chili Peppers (A class of their own!) and it sounds exceptional!
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Sound Quality Rating: 10
Construction
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It is very sturdy and so far I haven’t been able to dent it! Considering it gets knocked around a bit, it has stayed in good nick. All the electrics seemed well installed on inspection, and the pickups are pretty darn good!
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Construction Rating: 10
Name: John
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Model Year: 2001
Price Paid: £350
Performance
Very easy to play — very nice fretboard, neck etc. Body is very comfortable.
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Performance Rating: 10
Sound Quality
Pickups are a little tiny bit cold (not very cold, but compared to the real Seymour Duncan JB Jr.’s the Duncan Designed Pickups are based on, they could be warmer) However, they are still great pickups, very clear. Round, full, and a nice degree of warmth, although not as much as the SD JB Jr.’s.
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Sound Quality Rating: 10
Construction
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Nice. 18 months old, still looks like new. The high E string is picking up a little fret buzz, but nothing major. This is a joy to play, look at, and own. Also, very good wood — three part body on a sub £700 guitar? Nice.
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Construction Rating: 10
Name: Sly
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Model Year: 2001
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Price Paid: $500
Performance
I have played a Strat for a while and I think the Aria is much better. The look is similar to the Les Paul. Great guitar for the price.
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Performance Rating: 10
Sound Quality
Sound is similar to a Les Paul. The tone and volume adjustment are working very well.
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Sound Quality Rating: 10
Construction
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Excellent construction. It’s a low price investment. I think in 20 years you will still have a great guitar.
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Construction Rating: 10
Name: Diablo30
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Model Year: 2001
Price Paid: IEP £479
Performance
Like a Les Paul, but BETTER! Lighter, contoured, and nicer looking. AND EASIER TO PLAY!
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Performance Rating: 10
Sound Quality
Very nice, clean, clear and crisp. Very full sounding. Kills on distortion!
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Sound Quality Rating: 10
Construction
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Absolutely wonderful. No matter what you play, please check one of these out, they’re fantastic. 1,000,000 times better than Epiphone, and at the same price. The p/ups are fantastic.
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Construction Rating: 10
links
Average Ratings
- Performance: 9.6
- Sound Quality: 9.2
- Construction: 9.6
Ratings Key
- 10: Excellent
- 0: Useless
Company
- Aria