please help me ID this lap steel !

[Jonathan Kehew]

Hi all. I recently came across a used lap steel with a strange brand. It appears to be "Arin." (No, it's not Aria.) It's a canary yellow Stringmaster copy with 6 strings and telescoping legs. White pickup covers and an ashtray over the bridge.

Any ideas ?

[Brad Bechtel]

I've never heard of that brand before. Got pictures?

[Don Kona Woods]

I had an Aria steel guitar once and it was definitely a Japanese Fender copycat.

I have a "memory trace" - Arin steel guitars were still made by Aria guitars.

Remember it is only a "trace"

Aloha,
Don

[Jonathan Kehew]

Hi all,
I will try to post pix of this lap steel asap.
As I mentioned it is a canary yellow 6-string with telescoping legs, white p.u. covers and an ashtray over the bridge.
From a distance it looks identical to the Fender Stringmaster pictured on p.249 of Lap Steel Guitar by Andy Volk. It has the same shape, tuners, and inlays but is only 6 strings, has white p.u. covers instead of black and the color is less attractive !
The decal seems to read, "Arin" and I'm trying to find out where it came from and what it's worth.
Thanks,
Jonathan

[David Slack]

Does it look like this? I have one just like you described. Someone took off the logo before I got it but you can still make out where it was and it clearly says "Aria". Mine is missing the pickup covers and chrome bridge cover. I have no idea how old it is (anyone want to guess?) but it is a japanese copy of a Stringmaster. Not a bad steel but not a real Stringmaster by a long shot. Want to sell me your ashtray bridge cover?

[Don Kona Woods]

Dave,

My guitar looked exactly the same and was the same color with the same case and same color. It was a Diamond Aria, which was a Fender copycat, made in Japan.

I bought my Aria in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1965 and it was second-hand. I bought it for $75. I do not know when it was produced.

Aloha,
Don

[David Slack]

Wow. I didn't know it was that old. Hard to believe it was second hand already in 1965.

Thanks,
David