Alvarez Acoustics

Who's got them? I have a minty Alvarez Regent 5212

+1 Alvarez marketed as "Midnight Special" with really nice inlays....Artist #5019

i'm in....
it's definitely a keeper !

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb37/maestrovert/AlvarezPD-80SCfromDadresized-1.jpg

Question of the day :)

does playing a guitar without inlays add to the challenge? I find myself messing up chords with a capo on heh , gasing for a guitar without inlays.

My first acoustic, 30 years ago, was a Model 5022 (the cheap one). I still have it, but it needs a little repair work so I'm not playing it these days.

My first acoustic, 30 years ago, was a Model 5022 (the cheap one). I still have it, but it needs a little repair work so I'm not playing it these days.

Fix it up :grin:

Yeah, I need to get a little TiteBond in there. Get'er good as new (or, old, or sumthin'). :lol:

I tell you this guitar I have was a rummage sale find for 35 bucks and it was like new except the neck needed adjusting and the saddle was cracked so it needed replaceing. Twenty bucks later I was on my way and this guitar sounds awsome and plays very well with the action really nice. I have played other acoustics that were a lot more expensive then this guitar that do not sound half as good.

Question of the day :)

does playing a guitar without inlays add to the challenge? I find myself messing up chords with a capo on heh , gasing for a guitar without inlays.


Play a guitar long enough you should be able to do it perfect with your eyes closed.

here's my '77 Alvarez Yairi, it was the first guitar I ever bought and I still love the thing. what a beautiful sound!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b282/beerts/guitars1.jpg

I traded a Yamaha acoustic and a Ibanez electric ( that I wasn't playing) for a Alvarez Rd30sn drednaught many years ago. It's essentially a laminated D18 clone. It was my first good guitar and it got me back into playing. The action was good then and it still is today. I've probably got too much invested in the thing with upgraded saddle and pins plus a UST pick up and hard case but the guitar has never let me down.

Ed

I recently bought one of these:
http://guitarstop.com/Alvarez/guitars/RF300.gif (http://guitarstop.com/Alvarez/RF300.htm)
and I'm blown away by what I got for $250. I've usually been unimpressed by mahogany tops, but this one is very full and loud with a lovely richness. It played like a dream right out of the shop, and I just couldn't resist. I was also happy to buy a guitar from the small mom n' pop shop where I bought my Tele 14 years ago.

Hey all. three Alvarez acoustics here. Great guitars that don't break the bank. See them on this page.

http://s163.photobucket.com/albums/t301/reddak98/Alvarez/

My dad's played them for years and I finally got my first one a couple of years back. It's a Yari, and was still <1000. It sounds great. I totally recommend Alvarez to anyone looking for a lot more guitar than the price would imply.

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee328/mudbean/Guitars/DY-74noflashsmall.jpg

1980 Yairi DY74. T'was my only guitar for a long time, has been all over the country with me.

mud

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee328/mudbean/Guitars/DY-74noflashsmall.jpg

1980 Yairi DY74. T'was my only guitar for a long time, has been all over the country with me.

mud


beautiful...

I don't know if many of you know this but Alvarez sell guitars that are stamped "Almost Perfect", which are seconds and much cheaper. When I worked in a music store our hobby was, when a new one came in, setting around trying to find what was wrong with it. We almost never could! I own one of them and it is excellent!

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee328/mudbean/Guitars/DY-74noflashsmall.jpg

1980 Yairi DY74. T'was my only guitar for a long time, has been all over the country with me.

mud

Those are cool! I lusted after one about 1980 and did not have the getus....

nice one señor frijole de lodo!

Thanks, guys!

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee328/mudbean/Guitars/P3130888.jpg

It was 1980 ... I was looking to upgrade from my starter Ibanez ... I really wanted one of the new Artwoods, with the wooden pickguard, but they were hard to find and pricey. Second choice was a 1970-ish Martin D-18, but they looked so plain.

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee328/mudbean/Guitars/AlvarezDY-74neckdetail2.jpg

The salesguy at Ithaca Guitar Works, where I used to hang out, watching Dave Torn wander in and sit down to make weird noises on Strats, showed me the DY74 one day ... it had the wooden pickguard like the Ibanez Artwoods I was infatuated with, and alot more bling than the D-18. It also felt good in my unlearned hand, and sounded great.

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee328/mudbean/Guitars/DY-74backinlay1.jpg

It was also only $500 ... the others I was looking at were in the $700+ range ... I got a little loan at the local hippy credit union and took the plunge ... I've been very happy with the old girl.

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee328/mudbean/Guitars/AlvarezDY-74neckdetail4.jpg

mud

'83 Yairi DY48. I've had it since '88 and it's sounding sweeter as time goes on. I'll never give this one up.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v669/waldorfsalad/Guitars/AlvarezYairi6string_50.jpg

funny, I happen to have a question about an Alvarez. It's probably more of a general electronics question, but anyway...

It's a '90 acoustic/electric. It sounds great on it's own, but the input jack is fried. The original input jack is plastic and has 6 terminals on it. I've never seen anything like that before. the replacement that I have is just a regular 3 terminal stereo input jack.

problem is, there are 4 wires leading out to the input jack. I have the exposed wire on the ground terminal and the black wire (hot) on the tip terminal. then there are two more wires (red and black). I soldered them together and it works and sounds fine, but i know that this isn't in stereo.

how should I wire this to a stereo jack (three terminals) when there are four wires?

My Alverez MIJ 5021 12-string

http://i718.photobucket.com/albums/ww183/telechamp/Alverez12-StringPB.jpg

'74 5055 model J-200 clone
'89 DY75DCB Lexington (Yairi)

Love love love 'em!

So i just got my second alvarez today. It's a Regent 5212 model. I don't know how old it is but it has a different style "A" on the headstock and it says "Regent" underneath the "A". The serial number is SL8608347. I would assume it's an 86 model but i found out the first two numbers in the SN don't always mean that. It sounds beautiful. Just installed a bone nut and saddle and some new martin strings. Oh yeah, and i paid 20 bucks for it. I also have an AD222C model alvarez. I love em

I got a guitar from a sale too. But it cost me $47... it was in good condition. But I broke 2 strings later on and still have not gotten round to fixing them. :/

I think my Alvarez is an RD series model. It was about $300.00 new and it is probably one of the best acoustics I've played. I have compared it some expensive Martin's and I still think the Alvarez is a better choice.

Alvarez guitars are awesome..
I've owned many different brands (sure, some were cheap and some weren't so cheap), and played on countless others, and my Professional Series Dreadnought whomps most acoustic guitars I've played. It's not American made, but then again it was a reasonable priced solid Spruce top, solid rosewood back guitar.
My old man plays on a Solid top Regent series dreadnought that for $200 sounds amazing. And he doesn't feel bad about beating his around a little either.
People can talk all day about other brands being the best bang for the buck, or the best value, but I honest to God believe that honor goes to Alvarez. I've told people that and they try to pull the "yeah, play a Martin, Taylor, etc. and then come talk to me" card. Yeah guys, I've played them, too. For one or two thousand more dollars.. yeah, I suppose they're as good as my Alvarez :)

Heads up for anyone interested: for the next two hours, Amazon's Gold Box Special is the AJ417 Artist Series for $250. http://www.amazon.com/gp/goldbox/ref=xs_gb_dtl_rtn_L_MI#

(Never played the guitar, so I can't vouch for it.)

Got this '77 5022 from my mom when I started learning how to play in middle school. It's been all over the country with me. It's never leaving my hands. Hopefully my son takes an interest in guitar so that he can get it from me some day.

Here it is on the right with a few past guitars from about 4 years ago.

http://jeff.jeeps-offroad.com/misc/Guitar/guitars.JPG

Any Alvarez classicals among us? My wife bought me one for my birthday the first year we were married (1973).

She paid right at $100 for it, as I recall. That doesn't sound like much today, but it was for a couple of newlyweds. We paid less in monthly rent for a two bedroom house with hardwood floors and a fenced in back yard. According to the Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website (http://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm), $100 in 1973 would have had the same buying power as $488.03 in 2010.

I loved that old guitar.

I've owned a couple yairi's. Very nice guitars.

Alvarez Regent 5222 - circa late 1970's
Korean made all mahogany dreadnought, paid $150 used at Unga Bunga Music in Paducah, KY.
It was missing the pickguard, strung lefty, and had a crack in the plastic bridge saddle.
I put in a bone nut and bridge saddle, restrung it righty with Earthwoods, and left off the pickguard.

Everyone who plays it remarks at its well balanced tone, very good for fingerstyle picking. The neck is the most comfortable large soft vee shape that I've ever played.

RD20SC

http://i423.photobucket.com/albums/pp312/LPS-MAN/AlvarezFront.jpg

I have two Alvarez'. One's slightly broken but not beyond repair (it appears to be about the same model that mudbean posted pics of) and the other is my main acoustic. I love them both...

I have an Alvarez dreadnaught that I inherited from my brother. Not sure what model is is, but it was not a terribly expensive one. It plays very nicely and has a great, clean and clear tone. My only criticism is that is seems rather low in volume compared to most other dreadnaughts. Otherwise, a very nice guitar. Alvarez guitars are great values.

I've wanted one of the gorgeous JSC jumbo maple cutaways for years but always seem to find an electric I want more... :( someday!

My 5014 on the right Japanese made 1975
http://i407.photobucket.com/albums/pp158/donnie55/My%20Gear%20as%20of%201-23-10/guitarsrac.jpg

Here is a picture:
http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/544/medium/AlvarezRegent5222.jpg

Alvarez Regent 5222 - circa late 1970's
Korean made all mahogany dreadnought, paid $150 used at Unga Bunga Music in Paducah, KY.
It was missing the pickguard, strung lefty, and had a crack in the plastic bridge saddle.
I put in a bone nut and bridge saddle, restrung it righty with Earthwoods, and left off the pickguard.

Everyone who plays it remarks at its well balanced tone, very good for fingerstyle picking. The neck is the most comfortable large soft vee shape that I've ever played.

I've got a 2001 Yairi WY-1. It was my first "nice" guitar - and while I've rotated electrics, amps, and effects pedals over the years, I've always just had the one Alvarez acoustic. I don't think there's a better playing neck on any guitar I've ever held EVER!

My first acoustic was an Alvarez 5088CBK, and it has served me well over the years. Was a gift in 1995, and since it has sentimental value I won't part with it (and also since I've seen them online for under $100, not worth selling). I found a pic online of the same model, which you can see below. The rosette on mine is coming unglued--it's basically a sort of hard plastic. There's also a buzzing from what I think is a loose brace. So the guitar needs some work, but I haven't decided it it's really worth it.

http://www.tdpri.com/telephoto/data/544/alvarez_5088CBK.jpg

My "accpoustic" is an Alvarez-Yari CY128CE.....classical style with a cutaway and accoustic/electric syle piickup inside...I love this guitar!
named Ku'ulei after my late wife

I have a Regent 5212 I have had for years and will have for many more. Some would call it cheap but I like the way it feels and sounds.

here's my '77 Alvarez Yairi, it was the first guitar I ever bought and I still love the thing. what a beautiful sound!
http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b282/beerts/guitars1.jpg

Yairis are friggin awesome. Steel string and classical, both are great.

I have a Regent 5212 I have had for years and will have for many more. Some would call it cheap but I like the way it feels and sounds.

+1! I have the same as you plus an RD8 that sounds even better. Great guitars!

I have an '84 Anniversary model that was my main acoustic for almost twenty years, until I "retired" it in favor of a cheap Martin (honest, one of the low-end laminate ones) that I bought so I could stop taking my favorite acoustic into smoky bars (I have retired a couple of my got-em-when-I-was-young guitars and made them studio-only instruments, because I'd hate for anything to happen to them). The Martin has recently bit the dust though, so I may have to risk taking the Alvarez back out into the clubs...

I've got an almost-20-year-old 5020N and a two-year-old MD80/12 (12-string). Love
'em both: mellow and full-frequency range. :) -E

My "accpoustic" is an Alvarez-Yari CY128CE.....classical style with a cutaway and accoustic/electric syle piickup inside...I love this guitar!
named Ku'ulei after my late wife


Now that's a beauty! :mrgreen: I asked more than a year ago about in Alvarez classicals amongst us, and this delivers in spades.

Well I just put a downpayment on an Alvarez. It is the AD60CKU model, and has a cool dao wood veneer. I really couldn't pass it up at $199. Has a nice 600T MKII electronic system. I have always liked Alvarez, and though it is not a Yaira or too fancy, it is a nice grab and go for me. I have a 98 Taylor all Koa, K20C but I just hate risking bumping it all the time with the daily grind I do with my guitars, so for now I can play this sweet Alvarez and keep my Taylor in the case until I feel like it. I still owe a bill on it, but look forward to see how my new $200 acoustic compares to my $3000 one.
Should be interesting. You guys have some really cool Alvarez guitars, thanks for posting pics. I will put one up when I get it soon enough.

My first "playable" guitar was an Alvarez 5014 I got on sale for $99 after Christmas 1970. Those were the days when Japanese guitar makers were copying American brands (Martin, Gibson), and doing a remarkably good job of it. I've had a chance to compare a Martin from that era with the Alvarez, and it's amazing how close they came.

Got my Yairi DY-45 at a garage sale for $100 and have played it about 30 years. I got my money's worth. I did have to buy a case and later had a pickup installed. The action is great on the thing and I can't see buying another acoustic, although I have GAS for a lot of them!

Well I just put a downpayment on an Alvarez. It is the AD60CKU model, and has a cool dao wood veneer. I really couldn't pass it up at $199. Has a nice 600T MKII electronic system. I have always liked Alvarez, and though it is not a Yaira or too fancy, it is a nice grab and go for me. I have a 98 Taylor all Koa, K20C but I just hate risking bumping it all the time with the daily grind I do with my guitars, so for now I can play this sweet Alvarez and keep my Taylor in the case until I feel like it. I still owe a bill on it, but look forward to see how my new $200 acoustic compares to my $3000 one.
Should be interesting. You guys have some really cool Alvarez guitars, thanks for posting pics. I will put one up when I get it soon enough.



I have that same model. I love it. I play it at weddings, church, festivals, open mics, etc. It sounds and plays great. I've been tempted to trade it or sell it, but when I compare it to the new thing I'm looking at, I always think my Alvarez sounds better.

http://www.guitar-museum.com/uploads/guitar/58/180189195309-1.jpg