donb720
Joined: Nov 09, 2008
Posts: 11
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Posted on Oct 03 2009 01:23 PM
My first post here though I watch with great interest.
Hadn't seen any posts about this Aria model DM-380 so this is FYI.
I've always liked the low-slung dragster look of a Mosrite so I ordered one of these on a whim. (they retail at $289).
I was pleasantly surprised. Nice guitar. Good workmanship. Lovely neck with decent fretwork. This is my first P90 guitar so I really can't compare the pickups to anything else. They sound fine to me with a nice juicy bridge and neck combined tone.
Tuners are a little suspect but we'll see how they break in. The nut might need some work as well.
You can Google the specs. I'd guess it at a smidge over 8 lbs. Strat stlye tremolo so it's not as subtle as a Jazzmaster/Jaguar or a Bigsby.
This post is just to let you you know that there is another kid on that particular (Mosrite) block and at least one person is satisfied with his purchase.
Disclaimer: I'm not a connoisseur and am basically a basement plunker these days. I'd be interested to see what someone with more refined experience has to say.
By the way - My first real band was an instrumental surf band in the early 60s. You have revitalized my interest. The players today and the music in general are light years better than they ever were way back then. Congratulations to you all.
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donb720
Joined: Nov 09, 2008
Posts: 11
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Posted on Oct 03 2009 02:13 PM
I just re-read my own post. I think I gave short shrift to the great players of the day. Sorry.
There are just so many more really fine players in this style than ever.
But this forum is about gear, not gushing. I'll just watch and listen some more.
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scotstandard
Joined: Nov 09, 2008
Posts: 1140
Davenport Iowa
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Posted on Oct 03 2009 06:00 PM
Looks pretty cool for the money
wish it didnt have the strat trem and the strat back plate.
If they would have just gone the extra mile.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002AMVC4E
— Give me reverb or give me death!
facebook.com/onenightstandards
https://www.youtube.com/scotstandard
scotstandard@yahoo.com
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tonetti
Joined: Aug 20, 2008
Posts: 654
California
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Posted on Oct 03 2009 07:10 PM
For the money, I would say it looks good, and if it plays well even better, but there are too many differences to suggest it be placed on the "mosrite block" What makes a Mosrite a Mosrite are the pickups, which are not p-90's, the unique Mosely or Vibramute tremolo and bridge system, as well as the the slim neck , and speed frets, all of which this guitar seems to lack. Sure it has the shape of a Mosrite, and it is a damn fine looking guitar, especially for the price, but it has many more strat like features than Mosrite features.
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MrBill
Joined: Sep 29, 2009
Posts: 80
Bucks County, Penna., USA
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Posted on Oct 04 2009 11:07 AM
Hello Donb720,
Neat guitar at a affordable price
Here's a link to a teaser vid.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe4qv33Scm8
Red and Sunburst is all that I have seen for sale
but they're also available in
Lavender
White
Surf Green
Black
Pink.
Maybe Sandy Claws will bring me one. 
Cheers.
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donb720
Joined: Nov 09, 2008
Posts: 11
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Posted on Oct 04 2009 01:45 PM
MrBill:
Yeah, I saw that vid and decided to take the plunge despite it. Just somebody banging out chords and then some distortion. Could have been any guitar.
I called the ebay store I eventually bought from and had them play a few things in different pickup positions.
In theory there are lots of cool colors available, in practice it's only sunburst or red right now I think.
I got the sunburst. It would be my choice out of all those colors anyway.
I'm still getting to know this guitar but I haven't come across any 'gotchas' that would cause buyer's remorse yet.
tonetti:
Yeah, I probably should have said Mosrite-looking copy. It's been 40 years since I played a Mosrite.
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Richard
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1674
Georgia
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Posted on Oct 04 2009 05:17 PM
I'm guessing that if they had gone the extra mile to make it more "Mosrite-ish" in ways besides just the body shape, it wouldn't be under $300. No other company's Mosrite pseudo-copies are that inexpensive.
— The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31
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Haole-Jim
Joined: Jul 29, 2009
Posts: 97
central coast USA metro Chicago
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Posted on Nov 29 2009 02:55 AM
Congrats donb and best of fortune with the new guitar. Unless you really crave a real Mosrite and are willing to shop for one you like and then part with the gruesome level of coin required, something nice and Moserite-ish may do it for you.
'Bought a Dillion VMD-75 about 4 years ago and had it pro set up and leveled and all that jive and it is a nice Mosrite-looking-ish guitar, as well. But it will not fool anyone...least of all this picker.
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soulgolem
Joined: Dec 27, 2009
Posts: 6
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Posted on Dec 27 2009 03:22 PM
Hi, does anybody know what the nut width is on that model (ARIA) ?
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Icetech
Joined: Dec 16, 2006
Posts: 892
Macomb Mich
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Posted on Dec 27 2009 08:38 PM
For under 300 that thing looks damn cool.. i personally HATE the strat style trem/bridge setup:( and a knockoff bigsby can't cost much more.. my dano has one that works great and was only $159 for the whole thing..
— I wanna play just like him when i grow up...
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MrBill
Joined: Sep 29, 2009
Posts: 80
Bucks County, Penna., USA
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Posted on Dec 30 2009 12:03 PM
Hello Soulgolem,
The nut witdth is 1.65,
about the same as many strats.
I didn't buy one yet, maybe when I
get flush again.
Cheers.
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Richard
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 1674
Georgia
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Posted on Dec 30 2009 07:31 PM
Doesn't that look exactly like the Wilson Bros VM-65?
— The Mystery Men?
El Capitan and The Reluctant Sadists
SSS Agent #31
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soulgolem
Joined: Dec 27, 2009
Posts: 6
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Posted on Dec 31 2009 03:01 PM
Thanks for the spec MrBill.
It isn't exactly like the wilson bros model, theirs has a slightly different pickguard and the pick ups are not as far appart having a 22nd fret that the Aria doesn't have. They are both very much alike though.
I went and ordered an Aria from music123 just yesterday, I'm hoping the neck pickup being closer to the neck compared to the wilson bro model or any other copies I've seen will give me more of a strat neck pickup feel.
I specifically asked for their most lightweight in stock because I have severe back problems and want to "use" this guitar so I'm hopping they kept their word when they said they would. Though the UPS tracking says 12.3 pounds (shipping weight) I'm hoping there's a lot of packaging involved.
If anyone can shed any light on this it'd be swell, how do they pack their stuff ? Anything under 7.5 lbs is just fine.
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MrBill
Joined: Sep 29, 2009
Posts: 80
Bucks County, Penna., USA
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Posted on Dec 31 2009 10:38 PM
Hello Soulgolem,
The Aria body is a bit on the thin side so it's a
lightweight compared to my 11lb lester.
You'll like it I'm sure.
Pickups are not wound hot so it's a great strummer.
What color did you get?
Remember we all like photo's.
Cheers.
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donb720
Joined: Nov 09, 2008
Posts: 11
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Posted on Jan 02 2010 11:27 AM
After having played this thing for a few months now, I'm still really pleased with this purchase. I don't post much and this was the only "look what I found" that I've posted in any forum.
I like the fact that it covers a few musical bases. The P90s are clean enough for familiar surf tones but have just enough guts to overdrive if you want to. I own Strats, Teles, Jazzmasters and humbucker guitars and the Aria can kinda cover all those sounds.
I confess. I haven't even screwed in the tremolo bar. Just grabbing and wiggling the bridge produces an pitch bend that's really close to the subtle effect that Jazzmasters have. This is a big plus for me as bars just get in my way. None of my strats can do the same thing. It was a pleasant surprise. I suspect that there would be problems returning to pitch with more aggressive bar manhandling. Can't support that statement though. Never tried it. I'm factoring in a nut and tuners that are on the cheap side.
If I played this out I'd replace the tuners. And maybe have a look at the nut.
This guitar is not a featherweight. I'd guess it at 8 lbs or maybe a bit over. Not a boat anchor either.
I'd prefer a more rounded neck radius, but the neck is fine as is. The frets haven't sprouted over the winter. If I was really picky I'd smooth the fret ends.
Over the years I've picked up and hung on to some fine instruments but I could get by with just this one if I needed to.
We're in the golden age of guitar, amp and effect building right now and there are a lot of choices. And the Aria DM-380 is a very good choice for a low budget, pretty well built, good sounding, cool looking versatile guitar.
I still think it's not bad at all.
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soulgolem
Joined: Dec 27, 2009
Posts: 6
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Posted on Jan 05 2010 10:32 PM
Got my DM-380 in the mail today.
It's a wonderful guitar tonaly, but everything needs an adjustment, the bridge rattles like crazy, seems something's not right with it, a small crack between the bridge and the bridge pickup, not sure how deep it gets, hard to keep it in tune, will need a new nut and a strat type bridge for that and I intent to do all this.
One thing though, the headstock is rather small, I don't like the proportions, can't really do anything about it, larger tuning buttons maybe.
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soulgolem
Joined: Dec 27, 2009
Posts: 6
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Posted on Jan 07 2010 04:52 AM
Oh crap, the studs spacing on the strat style floating trem is 2.5 inches instead of the usual 2.2 inches... can't swap it for a better one, what a nightmare, this bridge rattles like crazy, any suggestions ??????
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rkaiser
Joined: Mar 30, 2010
Posts: 15
Montana
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Posted on May 03 2011 04:23 PM
Wow, hope no one minds me reviving those old thread! I too have a Aria DM 380. I got it on sale for $240 about a year ago. It has taken some work to get it playable - mostly the fact that the string height at the nut was way too high. After replacing it with a gibson style graph tech nut with a few mm sanded off the bottom it plays very well and stays in tune (and tunes) much better now. I did go crazy and rewire it with CTS pots and used some sheilding paint on the body cavities while I had it apart. I do wish it had a Jazzmaster style trem though. As for bridge upgrades I put in some graph tech saddles for a import Strat and a GFS import Strat block. No rattles or buzzing with this set up. Im thinking of sellign this off and getting a CP Jazzy though 
As for Jazzmaster style trem, looks like Aria has released a Jazzmaster style guitar Retro-1532Aria Retro-1532
— surf guitar noob
Last edited: May 03, 2011 16:24:48
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zzero
Joined: Jul 09, 2010
Posts: 1153
Lillian Alabama
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Posted on May 04 2011 05:33 PM
nice little guitar for $280! more stratty than mosrite and a few seem to need a bit of work but great bang for the buck!!may have to pick one up in surf green!
— Enjoying the surf,sun and sand!!
Last edited: May 08, 2011 01:41:20
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rkaiser
Joined: Mar 30, 2010
Posts: 15
Montana
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Posted on May 04 2011 07:53 PM
Mine played well with the nut lowered and a decent set up. The neck has a larger radius (14" I think) which has taken a bit of getting used to with barre cords. I'm still very much a beginner and have a hard enough time with them anyway For the price and a little work I think it's a good guitar and the P-90s sound great! My only complaint is the funky spaced bridge mounts but thankfully it uses normal import strat upgrades aside from the bridge plate.
— surf guitar noob
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