Alvarez Acoustic Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

I'm a pretty big fan of Alvarez acoustic guitars, having a few Yairi's and loving them. I acquired this model as used/nearly new elsewhere since I don't own a cut-away spruce top. *The fit and finish were outstanding with no issues with lacquer or the binding. [There were 2 slight streaks of dark brown paint on the back of the neck that I have mostly knocked down with 0000 steel wool]. * The neck has a nice low C shape and a low gloss, smooth finish that the steel wool buffing got down to a very smooth and fast surface. * Fret ends were well dressed & no sliding snags on the treble side. 2 frets a little snaggy on 2&3 on the bass side that a dressing file will eliminate with next string change. * The neck relief was too high [.027"], with a bit of forward bow, on arrival. Used the supplied hex wrench to tighen the truss rod ~ 1/2 of a full turn. Relief now a very playable [.008"] with no string buzz fretting up and down the whole length of the finger board. [I did note some buzzing on low E with a capo @ 3, so may need to back off the truss a skosh]. * The playing action was too high @ 12 on arrival: 7/64" … sanded a fair amount of the saddle bottom off, getting the action @ 12 down to very workable High E: 3/64"; Low E 5/64". * The nut grooves were spot on leaving you just apaper thick gap @ 1, when fretting 2. * Intonation also quite good up & down the neck [with a light touch] and pretty much spot on @ 12. * Changed out the D'Adario phosphor bronze strings it came with to new D'Adario EJ26 11-52 phosphor bronze. * Light oil on the rosewood fingerboard & bridge, which were both looking a tad thirsty … soaked in quickly. * Carnuba waxed & buffed the body all around. All of these things are more or less standard things you expect to do when you get a new or new to you acoustic. I actually prefer when a maker leaves you some room on the truss rod and saddle to adjust it to your own personal tastes. Folks who may not have the tools or interest, may feel otherwise and want their guitar to arrive completely setup. So, this left me with a very playable, well built acoustic cut-away laminate spruce top over mahogany, that's also light, & attractive. * I like the 1/4" jack being offset and separate from the strap button a LOT. Another strap button came installed right at the heel of the neck, where I like them * Overall it sounds pretty good unplugged, with fairly rich bass tones with a bit of bite and the mids and highs project well without harshness. * Plugging in gives it a lot of boost and the 3 band EQ helps you mix your electric voicing fairly well. * The Piezoelectric transducer pickup under the saddle works well with decent balance, but the highs do seem a bit favored. It suffers from the same issues they all do: transmitting shocks and vibrations from the soundboard. You can hear the strike of an aggressive finger pick a tad more than I like. * The supplied Alvarez gig bag is an added bonus. It has fairly thick padding, nice look & finish, 2 fairly spacious front pockets. The shoulder straps are well padded and ergonomically curved. It also has a hook loop near the top for hanging. Overall, this is well built, well designed, quality laminate spruce top acoustic guitar, made of quality components, that plays well and sounds quite good. At this price point, it's an outstanding choice for a first acoustic guitar, student guitar or for anyone looking for one they can play all day and travels travels well with it's quality padded case.smsdba

I think that it is a great Guitar for the price! I think that it sounds great and I like the fact that it came with a case! I also like the fact that it is handmade which means a lot to me!The electronics seem to work very well and I really like the electronic tuner!Music man

My Alvarez is the RD16CE but I wanted to take a moment to thank Alvarez for their excellent service. The output jack on my CE failed 2 years after purchase. Even though it was out of warranty Alvarez still agreed to send me the entire pickup assembly free of charge Now that's service after the sale!Bigtime Jimbo

This is an outstanding example of a well designed, well built, no frills acoustic dreadnought. At the price point it retails at, it is a great value. Mine came to me used in excellent structural and cosmetic shape. It has a gritty low end, clear mid range and sparkly trebles. It is very playable, up and down the neck, and mine came with perfectly set action and neck relief. There is plenty of room on the saddle, should I ever need to lower the action. I like the understated, satin finish much better than the heavily lacquered ones that seem to be the norm. And I actually prefer its unbound fret board. Not sure how it stacks up to other dreadnoughts, size-wise, but this feels easier to hold and get your right arm around, compared to another I owned previously. I did swap out the plastic bridge pins with bone, and did need to dress the fret ends a good bit, but otherwise have no other negatives to point out. I'm very happy with this Alvarez AD30 and it looks to have shoved my other acoustics aside in the playing order.smsdba

As a beginner on a budget, it was important to me that I find a good guitar at a decent price. After doing some research, I decided on the Alvarez AD30 Dreadnought. Suffice to say, this guitar has surpassed my expectations. It sounds great, it looks great, and it’s comfortable to play.Sam R.

This is by far one of the best guitars I have ever had. It’s all about the quality and price of a guitar and this is great quality and awesome price . J I encourage anyone out there to purchase this Alvarez guitar if you are looking for a great guitar. This is the way to go.Melissa

I am an intermediate player. I was looking for a parlor guitar in part due to the guitar lessons on Active Melody, where the instructor, Brian, uses a similar model, which sounds fantastic. I bought a "scratch and dent" to save some money, but it is verydifficult to see the blemishes. MF described the cosmetic blems perfectly, but they were much more minor than I expected. My wife could not find them. The set up was perfect right out of the box. I put on new strings when it arrived, and have not put the guitar down since (about a week ago). I use it mainly for finger picking, and it sounds great. It is amazing to be able to purchase such a beautiful instrument for so little. I have several more-expensive guitars, including a 15-year old Martin D16GT and a newer Seagull S6, but I am drawn to this Alverez's warm sound and projection. It is also easier to play than the Martin. I had a bit of trouble finding a case that fits, but eventually bought the Luna LLFP. It much more sturdy and padded than the standard gig bag, and the guitar fits nicely. It is also much lighter than a hard shell, and about half the price. (But the case also arrived with a nasty chemical smell inside, but I guess this will fade.) In summary, I am very happy with the Alverez AP70, and I would highly happily recommend it to my friends. I wish I had this one when I was just starting out.rabbitt

Bought this model to get back to playing after a bad accident stopped me playing at a time when I owned a seriously expensive guitar. Didn’t want to spend too much in case I couldn’t get back into playing but I can’t praise this guitar too highly. The tone is outstanding and it’s playability is second to none. The guitar is set up perfectly, no need to have it set up at your expense as with a lot of guitars out there. The build quality is superb and as it sits it the stand encourages you to get it off and play it. This model belies the price you pay because in my opinion it it a 400 to 500 pound guitar in all respects. It is delivered ‘mummified’ in bubble wrap to ensure safe passage and was delivered as promised. Can’t thank PMT enough for their advice. Great people to deal with. Need to get back to playing now.Mal H.

I wanted a small, inexpensive guitar that sounded good and played well. I pick up and play a guitar every night while I watch TV. The Takemine dreadnaught I was primarily using was carelessly broken and unremarkable. After reading about this AP70 and listening to Alvarez promotional and YouTube videos, I decided to buy this. It seemed like the thing to do, especially because of the low price and apparent sound quality; it seemed like the best value. It was on back order and wasn't supposed to ship until Feb 9, but I was pleasantly surprised when I received it on Feb 2. It was packed well and mostly in tune already. The construction quality is fantastic, and the sound was pretty good, but not as good as I expected. One of the other disappointments was that it wouldn't stay in tune and the intonation seemed off. After close inspection it seemed that there were not enough wraps of string around the tuners, the quality of the strings used were sub-par and more of a medium than a light gauge, making it difficult and frustrating to play. I immediately replaced the factory strings with Elixer bronze 80/20 nanoweb strings and that made all the difference in the sound, intonation, stability and playability. It's now an enjoyable instrument to play and a great value, in my opinion.The Deeski

I saw this guitar and after a while decided to buy it , it looks nice but im not very happy with the sound or feel of the fretboard , I havent changed the strings to see if that will help , but the way i feel is i probably will end up selling or giving it away and looking for a different acustic guitar , i figured a Alarez would be good , but sorry to say i am not pleased with this guitar . I had a estabon acustic that was given to me , which i think is junk , and i gave it away after i bought the alvarez , wish i kept it sounded much betterPaul

I wanted a smaller acoustic guitar but did not want to spend a huge amout. I'm very pleased with the sound (this one has the mahogany top) and playability and price. The electronics + mic are OK so it's good having the option to plug in.James C.

Comfortable to play and has a good tone. Good action right out of the box. Love the tuner and electronics. Had several friends, some have played for 40 years, fell in love with it. Said I got a good guitar. Also got an FC1 case to go with guitar. Perfect fit.Bags'

I bought this model yesterday at local GC. It had some scuffs on it and I believe it had been purchased and returned. I bought it because I wanted a lower cost guitar analogous to my Martin 000-28. In the store, I liked the sound and action. Got it home and put new Martin strings on it 12-54. I immediately realized my mistake as these (great strings, I use on all my Martins) strings with slightly more tension than the EXP's the guitar came with, killed the tone and resonance. Be aware that because of the split level bridge, the string break angle at the saddle is quite acute, making for a pretty stiff action-by design..and I understand why Alvareze did this. I removed the heavier Martin strings and replaced with D'Addario EXP-16 strings. This solved the issue. While it's still a pretty stiff playing guitar, it sounds 100% better with original frand of strings. The LR Baggs Element VTC pickup system is also a plus. This is a nicely made guitar with a great, rounded neck profile…just the right thickness. The laurel fingerboard is perfect with a tight grain…if it were a bit darker, one could mistake it for ebony. Very nice tone with great sustain. Very nice guitar at 1/6 the price of the equivalent Martin and I'm glad I purchased it!Bob

Import guitars are no longer junk. This Alvarez got all the goods for a great sounding acoustic. All solid spruce top and solid mahagonyback/sides. Fit and finish on my guitar was perfect and a looker. Frets are smooth and intonation was spot on. Was tuned down for shipping I guess but setup was perfect. Stays in tune after string break in. Comes with D'addario EXPs it seems. Will swap strings only because I like certain strings. Has no case but was expected for the killer price. Got it on sale for 489 and free shipping. Price has since gone up some but still a bargain for what you get. Been shopping musicians friend since before guitar center took over.Chang

I needed a guitar in the 500-600 euro bracket that I can take everywhere including the street (busking), lending out to fellow musicians etc. Was looking at eastmans ed1 and ed2, this one and recording king 318. All are solid offerings in this price range. The eastmans had a good sound, but it was one sound not the complexed sound (low end plus a mid or top) I wanted. I took a chance guided by the youtube reviews that is avallable and the fact this this has a wide nut. It sure has a complexed sound. JP Cournier https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tY0HWjrZS0&t=818s plus one of andertons videos made me decide on the alvarez The top is already yellowish and the mahogany is stunning. It did take litle setup ( to much neckbow) and I'm not finished yet. I do this slowly and may lower the strings at the nut to. I can't rate the durability after such a short time. Nor can I judge the LR Baggs vtc after such a short time. Didn't like my taylor es2. My k&k passive has been ok. it sounds ok strumming so far. Have no idea if it sounds like bluegrass guitar. I'm not into that. It sounds good 😀Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Somebody did their job poorly. After few times playin i have notice that neck is concave bent. Guitar has dried out big time and was not stored properly, in warehous and obviously when it was shipped. Also chips from drilling pin holes was not removed so they drop inside of the guitar body and make rumble noise when you pick up guitar and play it. Frets need to be dressed and re-crowned, and overall set up is a must. Action is way to high from factory and if anyone is looking to buy this model please double check with the seller what is the condition of the guitar. I had to take my guitar to the lutier for him to make best of the situation, and and we will see the end result.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I was noodling with this guitar while my son was taking a lesson. 45 minutes later I knew it needed to come home. Great intonation, very nice electronics for amp and/or PA and really easy to be expressive. I didn't "need" another guitar, but this one was too good a fit.Scott

A fun little guitar that holds its own against larger larger and more expensive, models. Surprisingly good quality and outstanding value. It pulls off the amazing feat of being travel-sized without sacrificing anything!Peter S.

Bought this for my girlfriend to learn guitar because she couldn’t hold the bigger size guitars. She hasn’t been able to get hold of it yet because I won’t put it down! Great tone, nice action, cracking little guitar.Gavin W.

This is a fabulous travel companion. I leave Colorado in the spring and spend the summer in Maine on a sailboat. Very different conditions. This guitar handles the changes in elevation and humidity and keeps on smiling. I did have a set up done by my luthier and had him pull the original tuners and install mini Grovers. Since then it just sings! It is so comfortable to play. Stays in tune. Great neck and playability. I am using DR Veritas lights 12-54. The sound, tone, timbre all make me smile. I have expensive acoustic guitars that absolutely sound better and cost thousands more. But this guitar does it all very well for me. Strum. Finger style, and flat pick. Bone nut and saddle on a guitar at this price is amazing. And I can take it anywhere and have zero concerns. The volume projection is really good for this size guitar. It has an arched back that I suspect adds to the great projection of sound. As well as a bi-level bridge. It looks good too. I believe the 'mini jumbo' name fits it perfectly. It is no little sounding guitar. Trebles and mids and bass notes are all clear and not muddy. I would recommend this guitar and I would buy it again quickly if I lost it. Out of many parlor/travel sized guitars I have played ( been playing for 50 years) I really this one. Give it a go. Have a good set up. These Alvarez guitars are among the best bang for buck on the market. And their higher priced acoustics just get better. Thank GC and St. Louis Music!Bill

I am an intermediate player. I was looking for a parlor guitar in part due to the guitar lessons on Active Melody, where the instructor, Brian, uses a similar model, which sounds fantastic. I bought a "scratch and dent" to save some money, but it is verydifficult to see the blemishes. MF described the cosmetic blems perfectly, but they were much more minor than I expected. My wife could not find them. The set up was perfect right out of the box. I put on new strings when it arrived, and have not put the guitar down since (about a week ago). I use it mainly for finger picking, and it sounds great. It is amazing to be able to purchase such a beautiful instrument for so little. I have several more-expensive guitars, including a 15-year old Martin D16GT and a newer Seagull S6, but I am drawn to this Alverez's warm sound and projection. It is also easier to play than the Martin. I had a bit of trouble finding a case that fits, but eventually bought the Luna LLFP. It much more sturdy and padded than the standard gig bag, and the guitar fits nicely. It is also much lighter than a hard shell, and about half the price. (But the case also arrived with a nasty chemical smell inside, but I guess this will fade.) In summary, I am very happy with the Alverez AP70, and I would highly happily recommend it to my friends. I wish I had this one when I was just starting out.rabbitt

Bought this model to get back to playing after a bad accident stopped me playing at a time when I owned a seriously expensive guitar. Didn’t want to spend too much in case I couldn’t get back into playing but I can’t praise this guitar too highly. The tone is outstanding and it’s playability is second to none. The guitar is set up perfectly, no need to have it set up at your expense as with a lot of guitars out there. The build quality is superb and as it sits it the stand encourages you to get it off and play it. This model belies the price you pay because in my opinion it it a 400 to 500 pound guitar in all respects. It is delivered ‘mummified’ in bubble wrap to ensure safe passage and was delivered as promised. Can’t thank PMT enough for their advice. Great people to deal with. Need to get back to playing now.Mal H.

I wanted a small, inexpensive guitar that sounded good and played well. I pick up and play a guitar every night while I watch TV. The Takemine dreadnaught I was primarily using was carelessly broken and unremarkable. After reading about this AP70 and listening to Alvarez promotional and YouTube videos, I decided to buy this. It seemed like the thing to do, especially because of the low price and apparent sound quality; it seemed like the best value. It was on back order and wasn't supposed to ship until Feb 9, but I was pleasantly surprised when I received it on Feb 2. It was packed well and mostly in tune already. The construction quality is fantastic, and the sound was pretty good, but not as good as I expected. One of the other disappointments was that it wouldn't stay in tune and the intonation seemed off. After close inspection it seemed that there were not enough wraps of string around the tuners, the quality of the strings used were sub-par and more of a medium than a light gauge, making it difficult and frustrating to play. I immediately replaced the factory strings with Elixer bronze 80/20 nanoweb strings and that made all the difference in the sound, intonation, stability and playability. It's now an enjoyable instrument to play and a great value, in my opinion.The Deeski

This is a sweet guitar from American Musical Supply, they always come through, this was the fastest delivery I ever got! (2-day Fedex) The Alvarez "Artists Series" guitar has a good even, full bodied sound and actually sounds great plugged in too. The neck is on the wider side, but that is ok, this has a true "Dreadnaught" feel with the nice cutaway design. Action needed nothing, easy to play and real bone saddle and nut makes a difference.Bobby Freedom (kerr)

I was looking for an inexpensive acoustic but with preamp ability. I am very satisfied with the Alvarez. It’s tone and tuning ability makes it a steal at this price.STEVEAUX

Overall: This guitar is very well made with great quality material. The tone is beautiful and playability is easy. I looked months online trying to decide what guitar I wanted and I chose the Alvarez, due to the fact, you get better quality and constructed guitar for the money. I am extremely happy with my purchase and like the fact zZounds has a "Play as you Pay" which helps when on a tight budget.Alan

This guitar is outstanding. It’s loud, resonant, projects, and has the sweetest voice. I bought this guitar l sight unseen, based off of a demo that J.P Cormier made on YouTube. I am certainly glad I pulled the trigger on this one. The mahogany is stunning, and it’s very light. The neck profile is perfect, going from a soft V to a comfortable C shape in the higher register. The attention to detail is what I expect from a handmade, boutique instrument. It’s such a beautiful guitar! I’ll be doing a video of it on my YouTube channel soon, comparing it to my Martin 000-15M and Martin D15M. I absolutely have to share this one with all of my friends. I’m inspired every time I pick it up. I couldn’t ask for a better finger style instrument, but it is so powerful when I strum it..maybe more than the dreadnought. Don’t hesitate to grab one if you see one for sale. AMS had 3 in when I got mine, and they sold out within a day. You will not be disappointed. Even the case is very nice!Jack the Rabbit

This Alvarez is a sweet guitar! I've had it for a little over a month, and I haven't been able to put it down. I have a few nice acoustic guitars from Taylor, Guild, Yamaha, Gibson, and Martin, but this new Alvarez is my favorite. The neck and frets were perfect right out of the case. Intonation was perfect. No tweaking was required. The build and finish is perfect as well. And I love the appearance of the dark Honduran mahogany. It has a nice warm tone, as expected from an all mahogany guitar. The low end is so smooth, not boomy in any way. The combo of build quality, tone and size of this Alvarez make it a joy to play. I am impressed!Smiley

If a guitar is entirely handmade out of 50-year-old aged Honduran mahogany, you expect it to be great. This guitar lives up to the hype. There are 24 luthiers at the Yairi shop in Japan, meaning you're getting the highest quality possible put into each guitar that they produce. And it shows with this one. The tone is velvety smooth, warm, and it's excellent for fingerpicking. Intonation is spot on everywhere on the neck. For an OM body, it can also get plenty loud with as much bass as you need – while maintaining balance and a beautiful blend between all strings. Highly recommend it if you're able to get one.Drew

This guitar has a lovely sound and it's nice and easy to play. There is a slight buzz somewhere but this could just be the end of the strings on the bridge.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

This guitar sounds beautiful. It was recommended by my daughter's guitar teacher, and none of us are disappointed. Excellent quality. Shipped quickly and safely.SUZANNE

The guitar is quality, and sounds incredible. I've played guitars costing thousands, and this guitar sounds just as good.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I've only had this guitar for a few hours, but it is such a fantastic axe that I had to write a nice review. It arrived packed well and in its very beautiful and sturdy wood case, which is covered in a khaki cloth with brown leather accents. Finding an extra ebony bridge pin with abalone dot along with the truss rod wrench was a surprising bonus, especially when the case was so pretty and solid to begin with. The guitar itself was tuned down a half-step and almost perfectly in tune after being ground shipped from Mississippi to Oregon, and all the humidity changes that entails. Only the B string needed a minor tweak up to perfect pitch. While this model plays like a dream and sounds absolutely divine, the most stunning part of the experience is that the fit and finish of this axe rivals Gibsons, Martins and Taylors I have played costing well over $3,000. It is a fairly loud guitar for its size, and the rosewood and cedar combination make for a very balanced sound that is not far off from an old rosewood/spruce Breedlove I have, although the spruce seems to resonate in the higher frequencies a little more than this Yairi's cedar top. The guitar responds instantly to dynamics, is well suited for both light fingerpicking and bold strumming, and will get loud or quiet depending on your attack without feeling like you are either fighting for more volume, or wondering if you're going to damage the instrument. This is one solid piece of lutherie, and like those much more expensive Gibsons and Martins, the responsiveness and lively feel of the guitar make you want to keep on playing more and more. Have I mentioned how freaking gorgeous this axe is? Again, you'd have to drop well over twice the price to get abalone binding, purfling and headstock inlays, walnut neck binding, ebony cap on the headstock, et cetera, from other manufacturers who oftentimes are selling you laminated back & sides, as opposed to Yairi's all solid wood construction. I've owned and played some very fine guitars over the last 41 years, but in my opinion, this is the best value on the acoustic guitar market today, hands down. If you are hesitant about buying this Yairi, don't be – you'll be as thrilled as I am by everything about this guitar.Matthew

Alvarez Yairi acoustic guitars are absolutely phenomenal. The Yairi series are handmade by master luthiers near a remote village in Japan that has been manufacturing world-class guitars for about 82 years. I encourage anyone who is considering spending $2,000+ on an acoustic guitar to consider watching the Yairi factory tour video on YouTube. As you will see, every Yairi is a one-of-a-kind guitar. The braces are hand-scalloped to perfection and then secured to the top with animal glue. The scalloped braces makes for a tight bass sound and clear treble. As a result, the balance between the treble and bass is outstanding. The raw wood is seasoned for up to 20 years before it is shaped into a guitar. The wood is air-dried naturally rather than being cooked in an oven or kiln. Everything about this guitar is incredible. I have owned and played an Alvarez Yairi WY-1 for the last 20 years and is unlike any acoustic guitar that I have ever played. Thanks to the incredibly well-balanced tone I have been able to develop a unique form of fingerstyle guitar music that is tuned to cymatic frequencies. This is the only guitar that has held its tune for me while tuned to low cymatic frequencies. Its also the only guitar that I've played which does NOT drown out the high tones while tuned low. Feel free to search "Cymaticoustic" on YouTube and listen to "Resilience" if you want to hear my WY-1 in action!Cymaticoustic

Yairi guitars don't get the love they deserve when talked about in the same breathe as Taylors and Martins. They should, I own several of each and this guitar more than holds its own with them and in some ways is better. Construction is as good, period. Plus, this guitar has a great vibe/feel to it that is hard to quantify but "you know it when you hold it." While I love Martins and Taylors I have found them to be lacking in tone for gigging. I realize tone is subjective but so are reviews and this one's mine. I owned a couple of Martin Performing Artist series guitars and they Fishman Aura is a nice preamp; it's jsut hard to tweak on the fly. I found it took it to solo gigs where I could fiddle with it more but left it at home when doing any ensemble work. My main guitar for that chore is a pro series Takamine. I think the Taks have the single best live sound out there. So why this Yairi? I had owned an older model WY1 and sold it, along with three other guitars, during one of those "thinning the heard" moments. I didn't miss the Martin, Godin or Taylor much but I did start missing the Yairi. When I saw they had upgraded the preamp I ordered one and have had it about a week. Played a gig through my Bose Compact and, though the tone was very good, there was some noise in the B-Band preamp. Nothing that was too noticeable and it might be because I had to turn the preamp up very high to get enough volume. Took the guitar to a tech and he re-sat the UST ribbon. That helped immensely; it is much hotter now but there is still a bit of noise. I'm playing with a trio this weekend so I'll see if anyone notices. Bottom line…this, like all Yairis, are bargains. You get much more guitar than you pay for. I don't think I've ever played a bad one. They are not easy to find but I would not hesitate buying one online. You'll dig it.Jeffrey

I've played for 50 plus years and very fussy about my acoustics. I never owned a Alvarez because I thought can't be good for the price. I'm talking about the Masterworks line. Well I was wrong this is one amazing acoustic from inside out. Quality bone saddle and nut ebony pins outstanding well finished bracing. This MD60BG sounds amazing good bass but to me more important a good high end sound. We have an upright bass player in our bluegrass band. But that high end if it's off you can't hide that. Up and down the fretboard the high end sings. Volume is very good to this for the money cannot be beat. The only thing and for the price how can I complain I'd rather have the hard case the original models came with. But I put the MD60BG in a good Gator case a good acoustic like this needs protection.Cibby

Overall: The one I ordered arrived dry as a bone, the neck humped and warped, the paint shrunk, the top bellied down, a disappointment out of the box. I put a D'Addario Emergency HumidPak in it to see if it would recover, but the guitar is so weather damaged, the screws for the tuners are falling out. The warehouse is not using any effective climate control whatsoever. This guitar shows signs of severe heating and cooling well out of acoustic guitar storage temps and humidity. It's a real nice guitar, but it's been ruined by negligence at the warehouse as this is not the first guitar I've purchased that came through the same warehouses with the same exact type of weather damage. What a shame. What a waste of time and money. What a cheat turning off climate control and selling guitars for new that are weather damaged — this one was inspected too, it's got the sticker on it. …inspected, thrown in a box with no humid pack and no climate control, that's a huge problem guys and gals! It's time for the manufacturers to pull their guitars from warehouses like these that try and cheat the customer by turning off climate control. I'd recommend the Alvarez but not from a warehouse that turns off climate control to cheat the customer. If the exchange is weather damaged too, we've got a problem! And save yourself the time and money, the HumidPak Emergency kit doesn't work on a guitar this badly weather damaged!Russell

I've only had this guitar for a few hours, but it is such a fantastic axe that I had to write a nice review. It arrived packed well and in its very beautiful and sturdy wood case, which is covered in a khaki cloth with brown leather accents. Finding an extra ebony bridge pin with abalone dot along with the truss rod wrench was a surprising bonus, especially when the case was so pretty and solid to begin with. The guitar itself was tuned down a half-step and almost perfectly in tune after being ground shipped from Mississippi to Oregon, and all the humidity changes that entails. Only the B string needed a minor tweak up to perfect pitch. While this model plays like a dream and sounds absolutely divine, the most stunning part of the experience is that the fit and finish of this axe rivals Gibsons, Martins and Taylors I have played costing well over $3,000. It is a fairly loud guitar for its size, and the rosewood and cedar combination make for a very balanced sound that is not far off from an old rosewood/spruce Breedlove I have, although the spruce seems to resonate in the higher frequencies a little more than this Yairi's cedar top. The guitar responds instantly to dynamics, is well suited for both light fingerpicking and bold strumming, and will get loud or quiet depending on your attack without feeling like you are either fighting for more volume, or wondering if you're going to damage the instrument. This is one solid piece of lutherie, and like those much more expensive Gibsons and Martins, the responsiveness and lively feel of the guitar make you want to keep on playing more and more. Have I mentioned how freaking gorgeous this axe is? Again, you'd have to drop well over twice the price to get abalone binding, purfling and headstock inlays, walnut neck binding, ebony cap on the headstock, et cetera, from other manufacturers who oftentimes are selling you laminated back & sides, as opposed to Yairi's all solid wood construction. I've owned and played some very fine guitars over the last 41 years, but in my opinion, this is the best value on the acoustic guitar market today, hands down. If you are hesitant about buying this Yairi, don't be – you'll be as thrilled as I am by everything about this guitar.Matthew

Alvarez Yairi acoustic guitars are absolutely phenomenal. The Yairi series are handmade by master luthiers near a remote village in Japan that has been manufacturing world-class guitars for about 82 years. I encourage anyone who is considering spending $2,000+ on an acoustic guitar to consider watching the Yairi factory tour video on YouTube. As you will see, every Yairi is a one-of-a-kind guitar. The braces are hand-scalloped to perfection and then secured to the top with animal glue. The scalloped braces makes for a tight bass sound and clear treble. As a result, the balance between the treble and bass is outstanding. The raw wood is seasoned for up to 20 years before it is shaped into a guitar. The wood is air-dried naturally rather than being cooked in an oven or kiln. Everything about this guitar is incredible. I have owned and played an Alvarez Yairi WY-1 for the last 20 years and is unlike any acoustic guitar that I have ever played. Thanks to the incredibly well-balanced tone I have been able to develop a unique form of fingerstyle guitar music that is tuned to cymatic frequencies. This is the only guitar that has held its tune for me while tuned to low cymatic frequencies. Its also the only guitar that I've played which does NOT drown out the high tones while tuned low. Feel free to search "Cymaticoustic" on YouTube and listen to "Resilience" if you want to hear my WY-1 in action!Cymaticoustic

Yairi guitars don't get the love they deserve when talked about in the same breathe as Taylors and Martins. They should, I own several of each and this guitar more than holds its own with them and in some ways is better. Construction is as good, period. Plus, this guitar has a great vibe/feel to it that is hard to quantify but "you know it when you hold it." While I love Martins and Taylors I have found them to be lacking in tone for gigging. I realize tone is subjective but so are reviews and this one's mine. I owned a couple of Martin Performing Artist series guitars and they Fishman Aura is a nice preamp; it's jsut hard to tweak on the fly. I found it took it to solo gigs where I could fiddle with it more but left it at home when doing any ensemble work. My main guitar for that chore is a pro series Takamine. I think the Taks have the single best live sound out there. So why this Yairi? I had owned an older model WY1 and sold it, along with three other guitars, during one of those "thinning the heard" moments. I didn't miss the Martin, Godin or Taylor much but I did start missing the Yairi. When I saw they had upgraded the preamp I ordered one and have had it about a week. Played a gig through my Bose Compact and, though the tone was very good, there was some noise in the B-Band preamp. Nothing that was too noticeable and it might be because I had to turn the preamp up very high to get enough volume. Took the guitar to a tech and he re-sat the UST ribbon. That helped immensely; it is much hotter now but there is still a bit of noise. I'm playing with a trio this weekend so I'll see if anyone notices. Bottom line…this, like all Yairis, are bargains. You get much more guitar than you pay for. I don't think I've ever played a bad one. They are not easy to find but I would not hesitate buying one online. You'll dig it.Jeffrey

I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING ACOUSTIC BARITONE GUITARS FOR A WHILE AND THEN FOUND THIS IRRESISTIBLY PRICED ALVAREZ ABT 60 SHADOWBURST INSTRUMENT FROM GC. UPON ARRIVAL IN A VERY WELL PACKAGED BOX , MY INITIAL IMPRESSION WAS THAT THIS WAS A VERY WELL CONSTRUCTED , BEAUTIFUL INSTRUMENT, ESPECIALLY TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION ITS SALE PRICE BELOW $ 250. THE SET UP WAS VERY GOOD AND DID NOT REQUIRE ANY ADJUSTMENT. TUNED AS IT SHOULD BE FROM B TO B , THIS GUITAR IS MAGICAL. IN THE LOWER REGISTERS, THE TONE IS DEEP, DARK AND CLEAR AND CHORDS STRUMMED OR FLAT/FINGERPICKED CREATE A HAUNTING BEAUTIFUL SOUND. IT MADE ME RETHINK THE WAY I PLAYED OLD SONGS AND PAY MORE ATTENTION TO CREATING A BASS LINE ALONG WITH THE MELODY. INSTANT DUO. ONCE I STARTED EXPERIMENTING WITH ALTERNATE TUNINGS , IT WAS HARD TO PUT DOWN. THIS GUITAR INSPIRES YOU TO REDISCOVER SONGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAT YOU MAY NEVER HAVE THOUGHT WERE POSSIBLE. IT HAS ITS OWN LANE . IF YOU ARE A GUITAR PLAYER, YOU HAVE TO TREAT YOURSELF TO HAVING ONE OF THESE INSTRUMENTS. YOU WILL NOT REGRET IT.GUITARDOC

I wanted an acoustic-electric baritone for some acoustic gigs coming up and saw this was on sale for a price I could not pass up. I also know that Alvarez is a quality brand. I saw a demo video and noticed that the sound seemed a little thin but as I would be electrifying it it wouldn't matter. The bad news is that the pickup is quite lame. If I want to use this live, I will have to invest in a better pickup. Also the notes are not consistent. The second string seems quieter than all the others. The tuners could be better. They seem cheap with a low gear ratio but the guitar does stay in tune reasonably well. Overall I am satisfied. It feels like a solid guitar, the action is reasonable and the intonation is perfect.Most Cowbell Guy

Having never played a baritone guitar before, I am truly amazed at the great sound and play-ability of this guitar. Some reviews on YouTube complain about the electronics are poor, while they are vary basic they work just fine in carrying the signal to the amplifier. I am very happy with this great guitar it is already boosting my creativity!Nicholas

My son was very happy with the guitar. However, I was disappointed that a pic was not included in this purchase. I wish that would have been noted so I could've purchased them.momma burks

I would just like to make sure anyone that buys a Guitar from MF is not stuck with it if theres a problem with it like the person in another of these reviews said, It is not true that you ar stuck with a bad Guitar, You can send any product that MF sells back weather its bad or you just don't want, So that guy in the other said is full of it, Don't worry about MF they work Great with Customers to make sure your happy. No problemOld Time Picker

ALVAREZ QUALITY AND VALUE IS AMAZING ! SO MUCH SO, I QUICKLY ORDER ANOTHER ! DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AN BUY AN ALVAREZ, YOU'LL LOVE IT !DENNY