Arai Trading & Gibson Japan

🔺 Gibson ad copy for relaunched Les Paul models (Guitar Player magazine, Oct. 1969). 

The copy era in Japan was launched soon after, and the Matsumoku factory and Arai Trading embarked on more than a decade’s worth of Gibson copies, and of course Fender, Rickenbacker, and others. In 1970, the Matsumoku factory began making Epiphone electric models, confirming the initial business ties to Gibson [4, 23, 24]. In 1976, Japanese Aria Pro II advertising shows a Gibson logo in the footer associated with Arai Trading contact info. A 1976 Epiphone ad also shows combined logos. This suggests that a Gibson Japan agent and distributor relationship had been established. One reference suggests this may have already occurred earlier in the '70s, which seems plausible because of the concurrent Matsumoku based Epiphone production [4, 33, 43]. In 1977, more Japanese Aria Pro II advertising shows the same Gibson agent connection, and coincidentally or ironically both years of advertising show different Gibson copies, plus Fender copies. Also in 1977, a Japanese Gibson ad for a Gibson Les Paul Pro Deluxe has an Aria logo and contact info as agent, in the footer [43, 51].

🔺 1976 (top row) Aria Pro II and Epiphone, and ’77 (second row) Aria Pro II Japanese advertising. Gibson and Epiphone logos are seen in the Aria and Matsumoku corporate footer info.

🔺 1977 Gibson Japan ad with Aria contact info in the footer.

Aria Pro II Japanese catalogs in 1976 and ’77 [32, 33] noted that magnets used in the 'U.S.A. Ceramic' pickup were American made. A German magazine article in 1977 also states the magnets and coils used in the LS-700 Les Paul copy, also ‘U.S.A. Ceramic’, came from the same supplier as Gibson [78]. This is notwithstanding the fact Gibson was using alnico, not ceramic, in humbuckers. This alleged US/Gibson sourcing is not fully confirmed however, and it might just be hyperbole. Nonetheless, it is circumstantially plausible because of the Arai Trading agent status as of these dates. Trade publication reporting identifies Arai Trading as Gibson Japan distributor as of 1977 [82]. At this time, Arai Trading is also noted to be the Japan distributor for Guild guitars, and Ernie Ball and D'Addario strings, amongst a variety of other brands and products.

Shiro Arai confirms as of 1978 that Arai Trading was the established agent for Gibson Japan [4, 10]. Also in the Spring of 1978, Aria Pro II Japanese advertising includes a contest promotion for Gibson pickups and strings [43]. This is the first instance of Gibson OEM integration with Aria Pro II guitars, albeit indirectly through a contest.

🔺 1978 Japanese Aria Pro II advertising for Ishibashi Music that includes Gibson product promotion; partial translation: “1st Prize: Gibson L.P. CST Gold (1 set) - 10 people / 6th Prize: Gibson Strings 750XL or 740L (1 set) - 2,000 people”. Exactly what Gibson pickups were being offered is not clear but likely sets of the well known T-Top humbuckers, with CST meaning Custom and Gold being the cover plated finish.

In 1979 and ‘80, Gibson OEM P-90 pickups, named ‘Laid Back’, were used in the Aria Pro II LS-600P copy of the Les Paul Pro Deluxe [35, 36].

🔺 Laid Back pickups with December 1978 date stamp.

🔺 1979 and '80 Aria Pro II catalogs showing the LS-600P with Gibson Laid Back pickups; partial text translations: “P.U. Laid Back single coil x 2” / “The Laid Back pickup reproduces a sweet, supple, and mature sound.” / "Laid Back pickups x 2”.

Gibson Japan ads in 1979, and subsequently in '81 and '83, all show Arai Trading address and contact info in the footer, but don’t specifically contain Arai/Aria logos [51].

🔺 1979, ‘81 and ’83, Gibson Japan ad copies with Aria contact info in the footer. Translated address text beside/under Gibson logos reads: “Nippon Gibson Co., Ltd., 12-2 Kandacho, Chikusa-ku, Nagoya (inside Arai Building)”, which is the original and current address for Arai Trading.

🔺 Arai Trading offices in the 1980s [60].

Around 1981, Kanda Shokai approached both Matsumoku and Fujigen to discuss manufacturing the Fender Japan line, but Matsumoku declined because the Gibson Japan relationship was already established with Arai Trading [4]. The year 1981 was also officially the last year that Gibson copies appeared in Aria Pro II catalogs [37]. Despite the legal wranglings between Norlin and Elger (the U.S. distributor for Hoshino Gakki/Ibanez) regarding Gibson copies, there is no known copy model animosity with Arai Trading at any point, either in Japan or internationally. Gibson’s positive relationship with Arai Trading also seems to be reinforced by the identified OEM pickup use, which carried on even after copy models were dropped in 1981.  

In 1981, the reintroduced new versions of Gibson PAF OEM pickups were used in the LS-1800VP Les Paul Standard copy. This model was the most expensive and certainly one of the rarest LP copies, only appearing in Aria Pro II’s final Gibson copy era year [37].

🔺 1981 Japanese catalog excerpt showing the LS-1800VP; partial text translation: “The pickups are the finest you could ask for, Gibson's Pat. Appl. For™. The difference in sound is clearly evident.”

🔺 Date stamped 1981 Gibson PAF from an LS-1800VP, and a wax potted version found in a 1986 RS Warrior Shara. Wax potting is to be confirmed if original.

In 1983, an issue of PickUp, an Arai Trading advertising newsletter brochure, includes a Gibson support endorsement about guitar identification [43].

🔺 PickUp No. 9, Dec. 1983; partial text translation: “Warning to Gibson Kids!! …Identifying a "genuine" one is easy. Look at the back of the headpiece; if there's a sticker, you can rest assured. …Guitars without these have not been registered with a serial number (which indicates the year of manufacture) or inspected by Gibson Japan Co., Ltd.”

In 1986, mention of Gibson PAF OEM pickups shows up again in catalogs, in the rare RS Warrior Shara (artist model for Shinichiro Ishihara, aka Shara, of the Japanese band Earthshaker) [41]. Japanese advertising also shows this model with Gibson PAFs.  Also in 1986, two versions of the Aria Pro II Japanese catalogs note use of Gibson Dirty Fingers OEM pickups in the RS Road Warrior – DF, but examples have yet to be confirmed [41].

🔺 Left - 1986 Japanese catalog excerpt showing the RS Warrior Shara; partial text translation: “A combination of GIBSON PAF and single coil P.U.” Right - 1986 Japanese catalog excerpt showing the RS Road Warrior – DF; partial text translation: “Equipped with Gibson DIRTY FINGERS." 

Finally, one version of the 1986 Japanese Aria Pro II catalogs contains Gibson LP and Epiphone Casino models and Gibson accessories, thus anchoring the Gibson Japan agent status for a run of the past ten or more years [41].

🔺 1986 Japanese Aria Pro II catalog excerpts with Gibson LPs, Gibson accessories shown mixed with Aria Pro II accessories, and Gibson Dirty Fingers and Gibson PAF pickups. Bottom line in both pickup pictures translates as: "Aria has received special permission from Gibson to use pickups in its guitars."