Ariel guitar....have you ever heard of it?
 

Hi there. I recently remembered that my Dad has an acoustic guitar, one he hasn't played in years....decades. I asked about it, and this is what he told me (he lives 2000 miles away so I can't just go over and take a look myself):
It cost about $500, purchased about 1978. Ariel model 70, "looks like any other guitar" and it is all wood.... He said it's rosewood. Dad didn't play it very long...he was just a beginner who never kept up with it. I tried googling "Ariel acoustic guitar" and "Ariel 70" and other variations but came up with nothing. Have any of you ever heard of it before? Any ideas where I might look?

You'positive it's not an AriA instead of an Ariel right?

Um.... not sure. Since I can't look at it myself. But I can have them double check. I believe they said it was made in Japan....????

Actually, no, that was me thinking it was Japan. I did find one site via google that suggested Ariels were somehow related to Yamaha and were made in Japan, but not sure. Not enuf info.

I thought (apparently incorrectly) that Ariel was Aria's economy line.

Possibly a fylde
 

Is this it?
http://www.fyldeguitars.com/ariel.html

Possible, but it's unlikely Roger was making the Ariel in Japan back then! ;-) In Lancashire, England yes. But what we need is a pic!

I don't think it's the classical "Ariel".... I'm guessing it is an Aria. My curiosity is getting the best of me on this, especially since I can't go open the case and look for myself.

I am in the process of buying another 'hard-to-find' guitar, A Wechter Traditional Elite (built in 2000) and so now the bug for researching these under-the-radar guitars has bitten me big time! :D

If/when I learn more on this guitar from its owner, I'll share what I find out!

I was gifted an Ariel guitar a couple of months ago in so-so condition. Beat up neck and missing bridge saddle. It also had steel strings and it's a classical guitar. The label says Ariel Model TG006R by Takamine: So the little that I've been able to find out is that it is of course a 1970's nylon-stringed classical guitar. The “R” stands for rosewood. This a rosewood version, made in Japan by the great guitar makers Matsumoto, Hattori Hanzo's brother in law. I've sanded the neck, restained it in natural to enhance the natural mahogany wood and I bought a new Graph Tech Tusq saddle. I'm going to refinish the neck in nitrocellulose in a couple of weeks. I will also be adding some nice new 18:1 gear ratio tuners. It should play very well I think.