Aria Pro II Cardinal Series CS-250 Padouk Red 1980 MIJ Electric Guitar

In good condition for its age

No case

Aria Pro II Cardinal Series CS-250 electric guitar in Padouk Red finish. Made in the Mastsumoku plant in Japan in 1980, this guitar is part of a well-regarded era in the Japanese production of guitars, with many brands having instruments manufactured by the Matsumoku company due to their excellent build quality. This was largely thanks to the combined use of CNC machines and skilled labour to complete the instruments. Guitars of this era are quite easily recognised by their similar appearance and 3-pc Maple necks. Other brands produced by Matsumoku include Westone & Westbury. 

This instrument features a bolt-on construction comprising an Ash body, 3-piece Maple neck and 22 fret Rosewood fingerboard. Chrome hardware is fitted including a hardtail string-through-body bridge and sealed tuning machines. A pair of Aria Pro II Protomatic IV humbucking pickups are installed, and are wired to some rather innovative controls. These consist of a 3-way toggle switch, independent volume controls, mini toggle phase reverse switch and independent tone controls which sweep between humbucking and single-coil sounds between 5-10, and act as a conventional tone control between 0-5. 

The Maple neck plays very well, with a profile which might be described as a moderately-sized ‘D’ shape which offers a smooth and responsive playing experience across the register. The slightly flattened area to the centre of the rear encourages ergonomic thumb positioning up and down the neck and ensures fast fretting and easy reach in any position. The Rosewood of the fretboard is pleasant under the fingers, and with its 10″ radius is practical for both chordal and melodic playing styles. The dual cutaways enhance access to the upper register, whilst the smooth bevelled lines of the body are comfortable in the arms. 

The pair of Aria Pro II Protomatic IV humbucking pickups deliver thick and full bodied tones, well suited to rock and metal genres. The bridge is bright and fairly hot, and cuts easily through the mix to deliver a snarling drive sound on your riffs and rhythm parts. The neck is of course rounder and produces a smooth buttery sound for lead lines and solos. The onboard controls are quite extensive, with the tone controls offering a range of sounds between humbuckers and single-coils, as well as a traditional tone control. This makes the instrument really quite versatile. With the addition of the phase reverse mini toggle, this guitar can cover a lot of sonic ground. 

Brand- Aria Pro II

Model- Cardinal Series CS-250

Finish- Padouk Red

Year- 1980

Made In- Japan

Body- Ash

Neck- Maple

Fingerboard- Rosewood

Fingerboard Radius- 10″ (Measured)

Frets- 22

Scale Length- 25.5″

Nut Width- 1.7″

Pickups- 2x Aria Pro II Protomatic IV Humbuckers

Controls- 3-Way Toggle Switch, Neck Volume, Neck Coil Cut/Tone Pot, Bridge Volume, Bridge Coil Cut/Tone Pot, Bridge Pickup Phase Reverse Mini-Toggle