ARIA HOLLOW BODY ELECTRIC GUITARS (THINLINE - 1970s)

One of the earliest Aria thinline electrics was the model 781 introduced in 1968, it was an ES-335 style thinline hollow bodied electric. The early 1970s saw the expansion of the thinline range as Aria introduced various hollow bodied electric guitars and basses typically made by Matsumoku. These models had a four digit model number starting with 5 - models ending with a "T" had a Bigsby style tremolo tailpiece. By 1977 only the 5502 thinline guitar and 5520 bass were featured in the Aria catalog. In 1976/1977 Aria Pro-II branded thinlines were introduced - the models were prefaced with "ES" and included the ES-700, ES-800 and later the ES-500.

Aria 5002T (Barney Kessel)

The Aria 5002T was a double Florentine cutaway thinline hollow bodied electric - with a design based on the Gibson Barney Kessel signature model. Apart from the cutaways it was very similar to the Aria 5102T model. The 5002T had a bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with block inlays, tune-o-matic style rocker bridge (with Teflon covered rollers) and vibrato tail-piece (with wood-insert).

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Aria 5102G

The Aria 5102G was a thinline ES-335 style hollow bodied electric. Available in sunburst or cherry it was similar to the 5102T - but had a trapeze tailpiece, gold hardware and covered humbucking pickups. It also had a bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with block inlays, tune-o-matic style style bridge. It had a maple laminate body (almost hollow except for a 3/4" square solid block underneath the bridge),

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Aria 5102T

Introduced around 1970, the Aria 5102T was a thinline ES-335 style hollow bodied electric. Available in sunburst, cherry or green finish (but green finish was only available in 1970-1971). It had a bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with block inlays, tune-o-matic style rocker bridge (with Teflon covered rollers). vibrato tail-piece (with wood-insert). It had a maple laminate body (almost hollow except for a 3/4" square solid block underneath the bridge), The 1971 5102T was advertised with exposed coil two humbuckers - in 1974 the pickups appear to be two P-90 style units.

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Aria 5112

The Aria 5112 was the 12 string version of the ES-335 style Aria 5102T. This was the only 12-string in the Aria thinline range at the time. It also had different fingerboard inlays to the other thinline 6-strings, with offset dot position markers.

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Aria 5202 (Trini Lopez)

The Aria 5202 had a design based on the Gibson Trini Lopez signature model. It was similar to the 5102T model except it had diamond shaped soundholes, 6-in-a-row headstock and a trapeze tailpiece. Available in sumburst or cherry finish, it had a bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fingerboard with block inlays and tune-o-matic style rocker bridge (with Teflon covered rollers).

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Aria 5502

Introduced around 1970 the Aria 5502T was a top-quality thinline ES-335 style hollow bodied electric. Available in red finish. It had an unusual bolt-on adjustable neck joint, with two screws and a small neck plate - from the look of it seems likely that there is a mortice and tenon joint and these screws lock it in place. It had a 24.75 inches scale length, ebony fingerboard, gold plated hardware, roller-bridge with trapeze tail-piece

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Aria 718

Introduced around 1969, the Aria 718 was a thinline ES-335 style hollow bodied electric. This model was possibly identical to and was replaced by the Aria 5102T that appeared in 1970.

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Specifications:

ModelImageDimensionsFinish colorsFinish effectsMade inBindingNumber of stringsScale length
Aria 5002T (Barney Kessel)
1970 to 1973
41.5 × 15.75 × 2 in
Three tone sunburst, red finishsunburst finishJapanbody binding, neck binding6 strings25.5 inches scale-length
Aria 5102G
1970 to 1975
41.5 × 15.75 × 2 in
Three tone sunburst, red finishsunburst finishJapanbody binding, neck binding6 strings25.5 inches scale-length
Aria 5102T
1970 to 1975
41.5 × 15.75 × 2 in
Three tone sunburst, green finish, red finishsunburst finishJapanbody binding, neck binding6 strings25.5 inches scale-length
Aria 5112
1970 to 1974
41.5 × 15.75 × 2 in
Three tone sunburst, red finishsunburst finishJapanbody binding, neck binding12 strings25.5 inches scale-length
Aria 5202 (Trini Lopez)
1970 to 1973
41.5 × 15.75 × 2 in
Three tone sunburst, red finishsunburst finishJapanbody binding, neck binding6 strings25.5 inches scale-length
Aria 5502
1970 to 1975
41.5 × 15.75 × 1.75 in
red finish-Japanbody binding, neck binding6 strings24.75 inches scale-length
Aria 718
1969 to 1970
41.5 × 15.75 × 2 in
Three tone sunburstsunburst finishJapanbody binding, neck binding6 strings25.5 inches scale-length
ModelControls materialControls shapeNumber of control knobsPickup selector controlsTone controlsVolume controls
Aria 5002T (Barney Kessel)
1970 to 1973
black controlstop hat controls4 control knobs3-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
Aria 5102G
1970 to 1975
black controlstop hat controls4 control knobs3-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
Aria 5102T
1970 to 1975
black controlstop hat controls4 control knobs3-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
Aria 5112
1970 to 1974
black controlstop hat controls4 control knobs3-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
Aria 5202 (Trini Lopez)
1970 to 1973
black controlstop hat controls4 control knobs3-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
Aria 5502
1970 to 1975
black controlstop hat controls4 control knobs3-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
Aria 718
1969 to 1970
black controlstop hat controls4 control knobs3-way selector switch2 tone controls2 volume controls
ModelPickups configuration
Aria 5002T (Barney Kessel)
1970 to 1973
2 humbucker pickups
Aria 5102G
1970 to 1975
2 humbucker pickups
Aria 5102T
1970 to 1975
2 humbucker pickups, 2 soapbar pickups
Aria 5112
1970 to 1974
2 humbucker pickups
Aria 5202 (Trini Lopez)
1970 to 1973
2 humbucker pickups
Aria 5502
1970 to 1975
2 humbucker pickups
Aria 718
1969 to 1970
2 humbucker pickups
ModelBridgeHardware colorTailpiece
Aria 5002T (Barney Kessel)
1970 to 1973
tune-o-matic bridgechrome hardwareVibrato tailpiece
Aria 5102G
1970 to 1975
tune-o-matic bridgegold hardwaretrapeze tailpiece
Aria 5102T
1970 to 1975
tune-o-matic bridgechrome hardwareVibrato tailpiece
Aria 5112
1970 to 1974
tune-o-matic bridgechrome hardwaretrapeze tailpiece
Aria 5202 (Trini Lopez)
1970 to 1973
tune-o-matic bridgechrome hardwaretrapeze tailpiece
Aria 5502
1970 to 1975
tune-o-matic bridgegold-plated hardwaretrapeze tailpiece
Aria 718
1969 to 1970
tune-o-matic bridgechrome hardwareVibrato tailpiece
ModelFingerboard inlay materialFingerboard materialFingerboard position markers
Aria 5002T (Barney Kessel)
1970 to 1973
pearloid fingerboard inlaysrosewood fingerboardblock fingerboard position markers
Aria 5102G
1970 to 1975
pearloid fingerboard inlaysrosewood fingerboardblock fingerboard position markers
Aria 5102T
1970 to 1975
pearloid fingerboard inlaysrosewood fingerboardblock fingerboard position markers
Aria 5112
1970 to 1974
pearloid fingerboard inlaysrosewood fingerboardoffset dot fingerboard position markers
Aria 5202 (Trini Lopez)
1970 to 1973
pearloid fingerboard inlaysrosewood fingerboardblock fingerboard position markers
Aria 5502
1970 to 1975
pearloid fingerboard inlaysebony fingerboardblock fingerboard position markers
Aria 718
1969 to 1970
pearloid fingerboard inlaysrosewood fingerboardblock fingerboard position markers
ModelHollow bodyPickguard materialSoundholeBody style
Aria 5002T (Barney Kessel)
1970 to 1973
hollow bodyblack pickguard2 f-holes-
Aria 5102G
1970 to 1975
hollow bodyblack pickguard2 f-holesES-335 style
Aria 5102T
1970 to 1975
hollow bodyblack pickguard2 f-holesES-335 style
Aria 5112
1970 to 1974
hollow bodyblack pickguard2 f-holesES-335 style
Aria 5202 (Trini Lopez)
1970 to 1973
hollow bodyblack pickguard2 f-holes, diamond shaped soundholeES-335 style
Aria 5502
1970 to 1975
hollow bodyblack pickguard2 f-holesES-335 style
Aria 718
1969 to 1970
hollow bodyblack pickguard2 f-holesES-335 style
ModelNeck jointNeck materialNumber of fretsTuner layoutNeck width
Aria 5002T (Barney Kessel)
1970 to 1973
bolt on neckmaple neck21 fretthree-each-side-
Aria 5102G
1970 to 1975
bolt on neckmaple neck21 fretthree-each-side-
Aria 5102T
1970 to 1975
bolt on neckmaple neck21 fretthree-each-side1.69 inches wide at nut
Aria 5112
1970 to 1974
bolt on neckmaple neck21 fretsix-per-side tuners-
Aria 5202 (Trini Lopez)
1970 to 1973
bolt on neckmaple neck21 fretsix-in-a-row tuners-
Aria 5502
1970 to 1975
bolt on neckmaple neck21 fretthree-each-side-
Aria 718
1969 to 1970
bolt on neckmaple neck21 fretthree-each-side-