Ok how about this one?

[kota]

The headstock badge and inside label (as I was told by the original owner) had been taken off before he bought it new. I've seen a few Japanese guitars from this era with similar pickups and headstocks such as Lyle,Univox and Commadore to name a few. This one has a very thin neck at the nut and a slanted neck pocket so the neck comes back toward your left had. I love this thing and it is absolutly pristine except for the missing ID's. Any Ideas?

[kota]

Oops, I forgot to mention that I changed the original bridge out with an old Guild bridge I had. The original, even without the adjusters, left the strings too high to be comfortable to play.

[Michael Ambrose]

I've got those pickups on an Aria Diamonds and that tremolo on what I think (going on the pickups of THAT guitar) is a Kawai... if that helps...

[Mgeek]

[kota]

[Spud1950]

Cant say for sure what it was originally branded as,but it's definitely one of the many variations of an Aria Diamond,made at the Matsumoku factory. Here's one,two pickup model,branded as a Conrad,one of the many brands besides Aria that it was sold under.Matter of fact,from the closeup of the headstock on this one and the mounting nails left on yours,it looks to me that the Conrad badge would fit just right. Maybe that's what it was branded as.






Here's another, pretty much the same except that the horns are pointed rather then rounded.





Another variation.



Edit - Here's one from the Vintaxe collection. Very similar to yours except it has two pickups.Also branded as a Conrad.

[kota]

Thanks Spud, the Conrad sure looks like it. Interrestingly I also have a Conrad that looks alot like the Barney Kessel style in the 3rd pic. The logo is scripted under the finish on a Gibson style headstock though. I can see why it's so hard to pin down the manufacturers on some of these guitars.