Alvarez AF30 any owners here? [Archive]

Chiogtr4x

April 18th, 2012, 11:16 AM

I owned an AD 60 SCE a few years back ( Mahogany-body dread w/ cutaway and nice pickup) it was a very nicely put together instrument and very nice value $369 (w/o case) It is a very nice player and sounded great plugged in- My two criticisms (and I'm being picky here, but I gig a lot and have my two cents...) :

* This may not apply to your model

1- Not having markers on the fingerboard (I know there are dots on the side of the neck) is a real pain in the ass (if you play all over the neck) in low light (bars!) conditions

2- The actual acoustic tone of the guitar was fine and articulate- not really a lot of volume or depth, no real warmth- neutral-toned, which OTOH, not such a bad thing plugging in- as EQ tweaking and feedback may not be such an issue

Opa John

April 19th, 2012, 10:01 AM

A couple of years ago the online stores were blowing out the Alvarez MD-60 and MD-80 guitars because they were being discontinued. List price on these two models was over $1,000. Street price had been in the area of $750. They were blowing them out at under $300. I bought the MD-80, Englemann spruce top and mahogany back and sides, all solid wood, and my final price, which also included a very nice rigid foam case, was $240!! I was ecstatic about this deal.

The guitar arrived in a few days, perfect in every way, played like butter straight out of the box, and all my guitar playing friends thought it was fantastic. I, on the other hand, was trying to coax some sound out of this guitar that it just didn't seem to want to give me. I tried many different brands and types of strings to no avail. I mean to say, this guitar was beautiful in every sense of the word..........but........to me.........it had no soul.

I tried to love it.......for a year and a half......playing it every day......wishing it would give me what I felt it should be giving me.....it never happened.

I never figured it out and, after a year and a half I was tired of trying to fall in love with this VERY NICE guitar. I met a guy locally who had always wanted one of these but had missed out on getting one when they had been on sale at the blow-out price. They were currently selling for close to $500 on Ebay at this time and he knew it. So did I.

He offered me $450 for it........$210 more than I'd paid for it......and I saw the opportunity to let it go and make a couple of bucks at the same time. We did the deal. BTW.....the guitar was still in mint condition at the time I sold it.......not even as much as a smudge on it anywhere. The man was thrilled to get it. I was happy to sell it.

I think Alvarez guitars are better than they get credit for being, but this particular one just didn't do it for me. I wish it had! At the time, I also had just purchased a Yamaha FG730S, and the Yamaha, to me, was the better of the two guitars even though the Alvarez had all solid woods and the Yamaha had only a solid wood top......the back and sides are laminated rosewood on the FG730S. I still have the Yamaha and still love it. I have no regrets about selling the Alvarez although a couple of my friends think I should've kept it.

Guess I'll never know why the Alvarez didn't turn me on........the Englemann top, maybe? I have to say, though, I truly believe Alvarez guitars are a big bang for the buck, if you like the sound of them. The one I had just didn't do anything for me.


	Telecaster Guitar Forum > Other Discussion Forums > Acoustic Heaven > Alvarez AF30 any owners here? PDA Alvarez AF30 any owners here? teleamp April 18th, 2012, 10:03 AM Looks like it might be a good guitar, how are they? Chiogtr4x April 18th, 2012, 11:16 AM I owned an AD 60 SCE a few years back ( Mahogany-body dread w/ cutaway and nice pickup) it was a very nicely put together instrument and very nice value $369 (w/o case) It is a very nice player and sounded great plugged in- My two criticisms (and I'm being picky here, but I gig a lot and have my two cents...) : * This may not apply to your model 1- Not having markers on the fingerboard (I know there are dots on the side of the neck) is a real pain in the ass (if you play all over the neck) in low light (bars!) conditions 2- The actual acoustic tone of the guitar was fine and articulate- not really a lot of volume or depth, no real warmth- neutral-toned, which OTOH, not such a bad thing plugging in- as EQ tweaking and feedback may not be such an issue Opa John April 19th, 2012, 10:01 AM A couple of years ago the online stores were blowing out the Alvarez MD-60 and MD-80 guitars because they were being discontinued. List price on these two models was over $1,000. Street price had been in the area of $750. They were blowing them out at under $300. I bought the MD-80, Englemann spruce top and mahogany back and sides, all solid wood, and my final price, which also included a very nice rigid foam case, was $240!! I was ecstatic about this deal. The guitar arrived in a few days, perfect in every way, played like butter straight out of the box, and all my guitar playing friends thought it was fantastic. I, on the other hand, was trying to coax some sound out of this guitar that it just didn't seem to want to give me. I tried many different brands and types of strings to no avail. I mean to say, this guitar was beautiful in every sense of the word..........but........to me.........it had no soul. I tried to love it.......for a year and a half......playing it every day......wishing it would give me what I felt it should be giving me.....it never happened. I never figured it out and, after a year and a half I was tired of trying to fall in love with this VERY NICE guitar. I met a guy locally who had always wanted one of these but had missed out on getting one when they had been on sale at the blow-out price. They were currently selling for close to $500 on Ebay at this time and he knew it. So did I. He offered me $450 for it........$210 more than I'd paid for it......and I saw the opportunity to let it go and make a couple of bucks at the same time. We did the deal. BTW.....the guitar was still in mint condition at the time I sold it.......not even as much as a smudge on it anywhere. The man was thrilled to get it. I was happy to sell it. I think Alvarez guitars are better than they get credit for being, but this particular one just didn't do it for me. I wish it had! At the time, I also had just purchased a Yamaha FG730S, and the Yamaha, to me, was the better of the two guitars even though the Alvarez had all solid woods and the Yamaha had only a solid wood top......the back and sides are laminated rosewood on the FG730S. I still have the Yamaha and still love it. I have no regrets about selling the Alvarez although a couple of my friends think I should've kept it. Guess I'll never know why the Alvarez didn't turn me on........the Englemann top, maybe? I have to say, though, I truly believe Alvarez guitars are a big bang for the buck, if you like the sound of them. The one I had just didn't do anything for me.