Meet the Aria Pro II 615-MK2: A Nashville Classic with Japanese Soul

There's something sitting on our sofa today that deserves a proper introduction. The Aria Pro II 615-MK2 in Transparent Blue is one of those electric guitars that stops you in your tracks — a flame-top, Nashville-style electric that blends Japanese technology with one of the most iconic guitar designs in history. Here's everything you need to know about it.

The Nashville Design: Where It All Began

The guitar style commonly referred to as the "Nashville" is rooted in the Telecaster — arguably the most influential solid-body electric guitar ever made. Designed by Leo Fender and first produced in 1950 as the Broadcaster (later renamed the Telecaster in 1951), it was the world's first commercially successful solid-body electric guitar. Its simplicity was revolutionary: a single-cutaway slab body, a bolt-on maple neck, and a straightforward two-pickup configuration that produced a bright, cutting tone unlike anything that had come before.

The Telecaster became the backbone of country music in Nashville, Tennessee — hence the "Nashville" nickname that has since been applied to guitars of this style. Session musicians and studio players loved its clarity, sustain, and reliability. From the honky-tonk studios of Music Row to the stages of the Grand Ole Opry, the Tele-style guitar became synonymous with the Nashville sound. Over the decades it crossed into rock, blues, and indie music, cementing its place as one of the most versatile and enduring guitar designs ever conceived.

The Nashville configuration typically refers to a Telecaster fitted with three single-coil pickups — borrowing the middle pickup from a Stratocaster — giving players even more tonal variety. The 615-MK2 takes this spirit and elevates it with premium appointments that Leo Fender himself might have admired.

About Aria Pro II: A Legacy of Japanese Excellence

Aria Pro II is a brand with deep roots and a remarkable history. The Aria company was founded in 1956 in Nagoya, Japan, by Shiro Arai, initially as an importer and distributor of classical guitars. Through the 1960s, Arai & Co. began manufacturing its own instruments, and by the early 1970s the Aria Pro II sub-brand was established to represent the company's premium electric guitar range.

The timing was significant. Japan's guitar manufacturing industry was undergoing a transformation in the 1970s, with factories producing instruments of increasingly high quality — often rivalling, and in some cases surpassing, their American counterparts. Aria Pro II was at the forefront of this movement. The brand gained international recognition for producing exceptional copies of classic American designs, but quickly developed its own identity with original models that attracted serious players worldwide.

Through the late 1970s and 1980s, Aria Pro II guitars were played by notable artists including John Taylor of Duran Duran, who famously used Aria basses, and a host of rock and session musicians who valued the brand's quality-to-value ratio. The company's PE (Professional Edition) series, SB bass range, and various original designs became collector's items in their own right.

Today, Aria Pro II continues to produce guitars that honour that heritage — combining traditional craftsmanship with modern specifications. The 615 series is a prime example: a respectful nod to the Nashville Telecaster tradition, built with the attention to detail that Aria lutherie is renowned for.

The Aria Pro II 615-MK2: What Makes It Special

The 615-MK2 is the second generation of Aria's 615 Nashville series, and it's a significant step forward. The most immediately striking feature is the figured flame maple top in Transparent Blue — a finish that lets the natural wood grain breathe through a vivid, jewel-like colour. It's the kind of top you'd expect on a guitar costing considerably more.

Key specifications include:

• Body: Basswood body with a stunning flame maple top
• Neck: Maple neck with a roasted maple fingerboard — roasting the wood improves stability, reduces moisture absorption, and gives the neck a warm, caramel tone that looks and feels exceptional
• Pickups: Three single-coil pickups in classic Nashville Telecaster configuration, delivering that characteristic bright, twangy tone with excellent note definition
• Hardware: Chrome hardware throughout, including a traditional Telecaster-style bridge with individual saddles for precise intonation
• Pickguard: White three-ply pickguard — a classic aesthetic touch that contrasts beautifully with the blue finish
• Controls: Master volume and master tone, keeping things simple and player-focused

The roasted maple neck is a particularly noteworthy feature at this price point. Roasting (or "torrification") is a process that heat-treats the wood to replicate the natural ageing process, resulting in a neck that is more dimensionally stable, resistant to humidity changes, and tonally richer. It's a premium touch that speaks to Aria's commitment to quality.

How Does It Sound?

True to its Nashville heritage, the 615-MK2 delivers that classic Telecaster voice — bright and articulate in the bridge position, with a glassy, bell-like quality in the neck. The single-coil pickups respond beautifully to picking dynamics, rewarding a light touch with warmth and digging in with a satisfying bite. It's equally at home fingerpicking country licks, strumming indie chords, or cutting through a band mix with a lead line.

The roasted maple fingerboard adds a subtle warmth to the overall tone, smoothing out some of the sharper high-end frequencies you might find on a standard maple board — a welcome refinement that makes the guitar versatile across genres.

Who Is It For?

The Aria Pro II 615-MK2 is an ideal choice for players who want a serious, giggable guitar with genuine heritage behind it. Whether you're a country player looking for authentic Nashville twang, a rock guitarist who wants the clarity and cut of a single-coil instrument, or simply someone who appreciates a beautifully made guitar that punches well above its weight, the 615-MK2 delivers.

It's also a compelling option for players who are curious about Japanese guitar design — a tradition that has produced some of the finest instruments of the last five decades, and one that Aria Pro II has been central to since the very beginning.

Come in and see it for yourself — browse our full range of Guitars & Accessories online or visit us in store.