Alvarez Classic Electric Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

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

When I went shopping for an upgraded acoustic steel string, I had no idea that my favorite guitar I picked up would end up being a classical hybrid. I had never played a nylon string guitar. I kept coming back to this amazing Alvarez in the store, and had a huge smile on my face every time I played it. It is so comfortable, and the sound is so lovely. It is fun for strumming and finger picking. It's got a great tone to sing along with. The arm rest makes it extra comfortable. And, it's so pretty! I am very happy with my purchase. I highly recommend this guitar.Julie

I can't quite believe they could build a guitar of this quality for the price, the build and finish are excellent, what you would expect on a guitar costing far more than this. In usage, the neck has the same width as a standard classical but the depth of a steel string, coupled with the thinner body and light weight it makes this guitar extremely comfortable to play. The sound /tonal quality is also excellent, though perhaps due to the thinner body it is "quite" compared to standard classical, this was easily resolved by fitting carbon strings. The only real criticism is there is no dot at the twelfth fret and with the longer neck it can take a bit of getting used to if you are a novice player Overall this is an exceptional guitar for the price, novice or professional, this guitar has something for everyone.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Overall: You've read reviews by guys who have been playing 40 years and owned every imaginable alternative to the guitar in the ad. Yep, I'm that guy. And this Alvarez CC7CE blows away every other guitar in its category. The tone is balanced, vibrant and responsive, never tubby. Fit and finish flawless. And right out of the box it is the best factory set up on a nylon string I've seen (3mm at the 12th fret, .090 at the first fret, 10mm at the bridge). I did smooth and polish a couple of fret ends and degloss the neck. But Alvarez has done their research and the slightly longer 660mm scale, thinner top and Ramirez-style bracing sing with D'Addario hard tension strings. Very glad I pulled the trigger on this beauty!Mark

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'

This product is very great. The guitar is very nice craftsmanship is amazing. Let alone working with Ams was the best service I have ever had. They was great getting me what I wanted. Everything thing arrived well before scheduled. Thank you all alot for the services you provide. I have bought several products from you guys. Will buy more thank you.Awesome

About a year ago my other acoustic, which I've had since 1993 started to show signs of road wear and I was having issues left and right. So I went to every local guitar shop and center in Northeast Ohio. I've played every brand of guitar offered and took notes on what I liked the most about them, and what I least liked as well. Then one day in this mom and pop's guitar store I found this guitar sitting on a shelf. (They wanted $1000 for the guitar and case.) So I played it for about and hour and I couldn't make the guitar sound bad in any way. So I wrote the model # down and began my search to find this guitar just a bit cheaper. So I finally found it on AMS for $700 w/case! Let me tell you, I couldn't be happier. This guitar came out of the box perfect. Not only is it the best looking guitar I've ever seen it's the best sounding. The low end on this guitar resonates so well, with or without amplification. I'm so happy I pulled the trigger on this guitar.Michael

Overall: This all solid body mahogany guitar is breath taking not just from its sheer beauty, but the build quality is excellent. When I pick it up to play I go through a moment of awe and appreciation for the fine instrument I have in my hands. This guitar is an exceptional bargain for its quality. It has totally soothed my guitar acquisition syndrome (GAS as players call it).It came perfectly set up all I had to do was tune it up out of the box. The images that Amazon provides don't do it just. Go to youtube and search for this guitar, watch and listen to the demos and reviews of this guitar. This is the best $1000 you will ever spend on a guitar, and it comes with a beautiful classy hard case. Yes, it only costs $699 but it punches well into the $1800 range of comparable Martins, Taylors or Gibsons.Build quality is impeccable. I know eventually the prices on these Alvarez Masterwork guitars is going to rise. It is inevitable as the quality is great. Alvarez went through a period where ownership changed and now the ownership is back in the hands of the original company, and the quality is superb. I love this guitar.Daniel

Specs: cutaway, all solid, short scale, OM, Plus very nice bling. Extra deep body Very nice bass thump, Sitka walnut combo works well. Baggs electronics just right. An absolutely fine guitar. Spend a bit extra for a Hardshell case to class up package.B Strummin

I was shopping for a 12 string at local music stores. I have to admit that I often do this and end up buying on line to save money. I'm retired and have to watch my budget. I played many different guitars in the $1500 and down price range. Martin,Taylor,Ibanez,Takamine,Mitchell and others. I was leaning towards the Martin until I played this guitar. The sound is very clear and articulate with better bass than the others I played. The action is low but no buzz anywhere on the fretboard. The neck is wide enough to playing finger style but also easy to chord. Easily transition between this and my 6 string. Fit and finish is excellent with no noticeable flaws anywhere. In my open, you won't find a better guitar for the price.Tmax

I did quite a bit of research in finding an all-solid wood guitar with nice features at a reasonable price before purchasing a MGA77CEAR. I'm really happy with it so far, using it mostly for playing during church worship services. It has nice projection and resonance and is easy to play. The beveled armrest and Paua abalone purfling are nice touches. Also received great customer service from American Musical Supply during the purchasing process.Jonathan B.

Specs: cutaway, all solid, short scale, OM, Plus very nice bling. Extra deep body Very nice bass thump, Sitka walnut combo works well. Baggs electronics just right. An absolutely fine guitar. Spend a bit extra for a Hardshell case to class up package.B Strummin

I was shopping for a 12 string at local music stores. I have to admit that I often do this and end up buying on line to save money. I'm retired and have to watch my budget. I played many different guitars in the $1500 and down price range. Martin,Taylor,Ibanez,Takamine,Mitchell and others. I was leaning towards the Martin until I played this guitar. The sound is very clear and articulate with better bass than the others I played. The action is low but no buzz anywhere on the fretboard. The neck is wide enough to playing finger style but also easy to chord. Easily transition between this and my 6 string. Fit and finish is excellent with no noticeable flaws anywhere. In my open, you won't find a better guitar for the price.Tmax

I did quite a bit of research in finding an all-solid wood guitar with nice features at a reasonable price before purchasing a MGA77CEAR. I'm really happy with it so far, using it mostly for playing during church worship services. It has nice projection and resonance and is easy to play. The beveled armrest and Paua abalone purfling are nice touches. Also received great customer service from American Musical Supply during the purchasing process.Jonathan B.

I have used this one exclusively for recording many tracks that using steel string. It sounds loud; sustain, warm, ringing. Bass is so full and warm ; trelbe is singing and all 6 strings sound very seperation. You can search on youtube Thong Do and listen for yourself too many duo tracks that I record with this.Tom

A little bit about myself, I have been playing guitar from the seventies in various cover bands. now I mainly play worship. Whenever I purchase a new guitar I like to know where its made. I personally own Gibsons (USA), Fenders (USA), Tacamine (Japan), and a Godin and Seagull (Canada). I try to stay away from guitars made anywhere else. Well, that has ended, after finding out that this guitar was made in China, I was quite hesitant to say the least. After playing her, the best way to express myself is to say the guitar connected with me and I enjoyed playing her. USA manufactures have something to be concerned about after China can put out a quality instrument at such an affordable price.The variation in sound is amazing, you have the bass and volume from the size of the instrument and you have the highs from the solid sitka top and maple sides and back. I wanted a jumbo acoustic for a variation of sound from my Tacamine. I shopped around for every brand of acoustic, and quite frankly the prices where on the expensive side and turned me to looking at this gem of an acoustic. After reading the quality of materials used on this guitar, I was quite impressed. From a bone nut and saddle, to the woods used and not to mentioned the LR Baggs electronics. My only complaint is it is hard to see the string letter when tuning, extremely minor con. The tuners look like Grovers but do not have the name embossed on them. In closing, if you are looking for a jumbo acoustic, this guitar is certainly worth to take a close at. Happy shopping.Carl

Ignore the guy that gave this guitar a 2. Musicians friend has a great return policy so if you get one that is poorly assembled you can return it like he did. This acoustic sounds as good as guitars that are twice as expensive and the pickup is awesome. Look up the reviews on the pickup (4.9 out of 5). I have a couple buzzy frets at the 12th string, but I personally do not spend a lot of time up there with acoustic guitars so I could care less. The tone from the guitar and pickup are excellent for this price. I compared the tone to other similarly priced guitars and this one had tone that was far superior to the others.Jaime

Lots of things are different from the Original MD60eBG, Tuners Binding, Inlays, Saddle, and nut, Your not buying an MD60eBG but I believe that what counts in the sound department is the same. This guitar sounds great, But I would not recommend it for the retail price, discounted yes go for it but at retail, I would buy the MD60eBG that it copiesChris

I bought this guitar primarily to be used through an amplifier. In that regard, this guitar is practically useless. The guitar will hiss with white noise unless you slide the treble and midrange completely to 0. Even then, it is still noisy. I thought perhaps my guitar was just defective, so I sent it back for a replacement. The replacement guitar was more of the same, so I mailed it back for a refund. Its too bad the electronics are so bad on this instrument, as the guitar itself seems very nice and well-made. Because the guitar itself was nice enough, I gave the instrument 2 stars instead of one.JMet

This is my first nylon string classical guitar and it's great. Needs to be tuned up everyday due to the changes in humidity and temperature – but once it's set, it stays in tune and plays great for the day. Learning flemenco guitar nowRahul S.

I have been using a Taylor nylon string guitar (NS72CE) since it first came out. I also play an Alvarez Yairi 12 string and an Alvarez Denver Bell banjo. I love all these instruments, But I needed a less expensive backup guitar. I traveled miles to see an Alvarez AC65CE and was so happy to be able to test play it, I willingly paid more than Musicians Friend wants for one. No complaints. If you are a classical guitar player, and you want the flat, wide (52mm) fret board of a true classical, one that goes only twelve frets to the body, this is your guitar. But if you prefer a more narrow (48mm) fretboard with 14 frets to the body and a slight radius, then get the Alvarez AC65HCE instead. (My Taylor has these features.) Classical style playing is better done on the wider, flatter, shorter board for my style of playing. Also, the Alvarez has a real rosette. I like that. My only negative is that the on board tuner is slow to recover. You have to silence the guitar and wait for it to reset between adjustments. I prefer to use an external tuner with a mic, then tune by ear anyway.R Louis Oueinaught

My #1 acoustic is a really nice carbon fiber, but it's a really short (24") scale. I wanted something a lot less expensive and with a longer, if not necessarily full, scale. I played everything I could find in the $200-$400 range, Yamahas, Ibanez, Fender, Alvarez, Gretsch, Recording King, etc. Played dreads and realized I'm just not comfortable wth them anymore, although they sounded really good. And then with the 000 and smaller options, I just thought most of them sounded thin. Saw this one on sale and played it and it was a pretty easy call. A much bigger sound than you'd expect from a guitar of this size. While the upper bout is really small, the lower bout is pretty good size, so this is really more like an 00 than a parlor. In any case, sounds quite good for what it is. Played around with strings and settled on Martin Retros (Monels), which true to form, sound good with mahogany. The tuners aren't great – I may replace those at some point. Even though it's not quite full scale, I can comfortably play a capo farther up the neck than I can with my shorter scale carbon fiber. Bottom line, it's not a high end guitar, but it's the best of the low-end guitars I'd played and I'm really happy to have it as a #2. Oh, I bought it in spite of the electronics, not because of them. I basically just unhooked the battery and took out the battery and bag and taped the wire down – it was bouncing around inside the body and I just didn't want to mess with it. I'll leave the rest in place and put that back in if I decide to sell this someday.Ray

I've owned and played guitars since about 1989… but I'm probably somewhere between "novice" and "experience" if I'm honest. I own a number of guitars, and including this Alvarez, three of them are acoustics. My first acoustic is a Charvel 625c that I bought decades ago. I also own a Martin D17, and have spent a great deal of time with my dad's Martin 1980s D35. With this context, I am saying that this Alvarez AMP660ESHB is easily my favorite acoustic guitar. I had been interested in a small-body acoustic for a while, and last month, I noticed that my local Guitar Center had a used Eastman E10ooss/v in store. I had heard great things about these Eastmans (this model in particular looks amazing), and had been interested in trying one in person. So my daughter and I made the pilgrimage to the store and spent nearly two hours in the acoustic guitar rooms. I will say, that Eastman seemed like a nice guitar… and it was even prettier in person. But the real stand-out guitar in that room was this Alvarez. I was prepared to spend $1k+ on the Eastman, but the Alvarez could not be ignored. So what made this guitar stand out? First, the feel of the AMP660ESHB is ridiculous (in a good way). No other guitar that I handled in that room felt even close. While the body of the guitar is a high-gloss finish, the neck is a wonderful smooth satin. I have guitars with various levels of glossy necks, and my Martin D17 takes the satin finish to an opposite extreme that is almost unfinished. This Alvarez neck sits beautifully in the middle. Feel is subjective… but this neck just feels awesome. The setup of this guitar out of the box was brilliant. The folks at Alvarez appear to really have taken their time dialing this one in before sending it out the door. Low action, and fit/finish are top-notch. What really nailed it, though, was the tone. I had not expected such a small body, even with a solid-mahogany top, to sound so clean, full and warm. My favorite sound.ErinBoy

I attempted to buy this guitar a couple of times at two different Guitar Center locations. Both times an employee had to retrieve the guitar from the back, and I got to tune it up. Both times, playing the guitar was an amazing experience until I found a flaw-direct from the manufacture. Unfortunately, Guitar Center employees were unable or unwilling to resolve the issue in a satisfactory fashion. First, I tried the model in Pittsburgh, only to discover that the discrete sound hole EQ had become detached from the guitar and was rattling around inside. The Guitar Center employee made an impromptu fix, but the fix was shoddy enough that it seemed likely to be a recurring problem. Second, I tried the guitar in Cincinnati. If there had been no glaring issues, I would have happily plopped down my money and been a very happy camper. Indeed, as I played the guitar, I was certain I was about to take the guitar home. As in Pittsburgh, the guitar was not on display, and an employee had to fetch one from the back. Although he said they had two guitars in stock, he returned with only one, and when I asked to see the other one, he claimed he could not find it. The guitar played magnificently and was beautiful to look at. Unfortunately, the 13th fret on the high E was dead. I'm not saying it was uncomfortable or that there was a tiny bit of fret buzz or that playability could have been better. The note would not ring out at all. To make matters worse, the employees "solution" to this particular flaw was to attempt to upsell a set up to me. Worse, I think this particular employee may be the manager of that store. Although it's possible that he simply did not understand the severity of the issue or that he simply felt too busy to be bothered, I found his suggestion that I pay $80 for a setup shocking. Indeed, I was flabbergasted that he would make such a suggestion while Guitar Center still owned the guitar because this was not a question of personal taste or comfort but of the instrument working as an instrument should. Bottom line: The guitar looks like a well made, quality instrument that is absolutely gorgeous to look at and play. But BEWARE: my limited experience with this guitar model led me to flaws each time I played one and suggests there may be significant quality control issues. And apparently, Guitar Center employees may not be empowered enough or capable of making it right. If, like the other reviewers, you're not as unlucky as I seem to have been, you'll find a great guitar. I think…Les

Specs: cutaway, all solid, short scale, OM, Plus very nice bling. Extra deep body Very nice bass thump, Sitka walnut combo works well. Baggs electronics just right. An absolutely fine guitar. Spend a bit extra for a Hardshell case to class up package.B Strummin

I was shopping for a 12 string at local music stores. I have to admit that I often do this and end up buying on line to save money. I'm retired and have to watch my budget. I played many different guitars in the $1500 and down price range. Martin,Taylor,Ibanez,Takamine,Mitchell and others. I was leaning towards the Martin until I played this guitar. The sound is very clear and articulate with better bass than the others I played. The action is low but no buzz anywhere on the fretboard. The neck is wide enough to playing finger style but also easy to chord. Easily transition between this and my 6 string. Fit and finish is excellent with no noticeable flaws anywhere. In my open, you won't find a better guitar for the price.Tmax

I did quite a bit of research in finding an all-solid wood guitar with nice features at a reasonable price before purchasing a MGA77CEAR. I'm really happy with it so far, using it mostly for playing during church worship services. It has nice projection and resonance and is easy to play. The beveled armrest and Paua abalone purfling are nice touches. Also received great customer service from American Musical Supply during the purchasing process.Jonathan B.

I use this guitar for everything… practice, recording, and live shows… I have had mine for about 2 years and all my other guitars are collecting dust(including a Taylor)… the only time I'm not using it is when the song calls for a banjo, mandolin, ect…. feels like it's underpriced for what you are getting from a Chinese made axe… action is perfect… preamp makes it sound just as bright and beautiful when amped up… a must bye for any musician who spends the majority of their time with a guitar in their hands… good job AlvarezThe Awkward Conversationalist

Was looking for a new sofa acoustic to replace my current Seagull folk sized. Hearing that this was entirely solid top, back and sides for the price made it worth checking out. Not disappointed. Sounds warm, full, and expressive. The body size is allows for nice accented finger picking without having to play extra hard. The electronics were a little bit of a disappointment as I though it was a 3 band EQ style LR Braggs, but it's actually just volume and tone in the sound hole. I was a little worried that for a few hundred more dollars I could just get a Martin or a Taylor, but after going into the big store locally and playing everything they had from Martin, Taylor, PRS, and Yamaha in this price range, in this size, this was the clear winner. Just goes to show you that country of origin and brand are not top things to make choices on these days. Highly recommended. Records nicely through a UA Arrow Hi-Z.Yourfriendalec

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

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.

Overall: I can't compliment this guitar enough. Looks, feel, and sound blow me away. I've been in love with this guitar since day 1, if you are in the market for a small body finger-picker, look no further.Jeffrey

Great guitar, Ben was right (acoustic paradiso). I've been wanting a rosewood 28-ish for a while, but eastman D20 is just to expensive to take to the street for a busker and small odd jobs. I also wanted a 12-fret dread but try find an affordable one. This is just what i'm looking for. It feels lighter than my EBG60 but weight is the same. I think MDR70 is an improvement overall. The belly is 1 cm wider, body 2cm longer and 5mm deeper.than EBG60. I've had it for 5 days and played for about 10 hours. I would prefere to wait a bit before revieving it. Great gigbag that will come in handyReviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I have played acoustic in many years but this enticed me and now sits on its stand waiting to be played every day. it makes me sound much better than I really am …Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Appearance-wise this is a very beautiful guitar and because of this I decided to keep it despite its need for much fret-work and saddle-filing. As received, the truss-rod was completely slack, and this resulted in the neck being twisted counter-clockwise when viewed from the head-stock to the body. This raised all the base string frets so they buzzed all the way down the neck. It took awhile to figure that out; however that only partially fixed the buzzing. At least the neck is now straight. I then used a fret-rocker to check all frets and at least half were higher than the others. These had to be carefully and patiently filed down with a fret-file over several days (you gotta go slow or ruin the whole neck). Next I was able to file down the saddle to get a 2.75 mm action at the 12th fret. A bit more adjustment of the truss-rod and I have a very playable and buzz-free guitar, but only because I know how to do this work. To be fair, every guitar I've owned has needed some of this type of work (including my Taylor 714 CE bought in 2001). The Alvarez, however, was unplayable out of the box. Bottom-line: If you can't do luthier work on frets and action, you should pass on this guitar; if you can you will end up with a guitar better sounding than the comparable Cordoba costing hundreds more. I mentioned the double-holes in the bridge, which is a feature usually only found on high-end guitars. It's very important for low-action, because it maintains excellent break-over at the saddle, especially when you file it down. Break-over is the angle that the strings make after they have passed over the saddle on their way to the holes in the bridge. When you only have single holes in the bridge, the strings tend to form a shallow angle going towards the bridge. This reduces the downward pressure on the saddle and you lose tone. That, plus the looks made me decide to keep the Alvarez, despite the work it needNone

ok, when i first got it, the action was super high. i mean ridiculous…not playable,… i could have sent it back, taken it to a luthier or fixed it myself, which is what i chose to do. the saddle is white and is very tall. i would not recommend fooling with the bottom of the saddle, as that is where it contacts the pickup, i guess. i took a small file and i carved out a groove in the saddle, under each string, till i got my action super nice.. go slow and stop and retune each string often, to see if it is low enough. if not , repeat until the string is close to the frets,,just dont go too far too fast.. you obviously will have to make the groove deeper for the bass strings. make sure the groove is smooth on the sides and make sure to cut with a slight downward motion on the front edge of the saddle… i also had to tighten the truss rod a little..it works good.. i would describe my guitar as a 2 on a scale of 10, out of the box. after about an hour of work, i got it up to 8 OR 9 LEVEL. a luthier will charge at least 100 and would probably disapprove of my method, but mine works.. its a low price guitar so i took a chance….glad i did.. its a very good value now…good sound plugged in or acoustic….plays very nice….not tiring like a regular classical.. i hate the nylon strings that are on it but i dont know how to change them…they are the kind you tie behind the bridge. i am going to get some with a ball end.. i got mine at an open box bargain but for the full price, i would shop for a guitar that costs a little more but doesn't need any work to make it play great.. i find it so amusing that the Musicians Friend spell check does not recognize 'luthier' as a word..joe

Well, the guitar was new and received in original packaging. There was a small 1-inch crack on the back where something hit it. It is between one of the spars and the neck joint, it didn't affect the tone, and since it's a laminate rear section, I didn't bother returning. Outside of that, it sounds great. It came without needing any adjustments. One of the pluses is that it comes with a truss rod and they included an allen key for adjustment. I was almost going to get a Cordoba C5-CE because of that feature. It also has strap buttons on the bottom and the neck so you don't need to install any. The neck isn't as flat and wide as a regular classical guitar which I like. This probably sounds like a silly point but there are only fret markers at the 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th frets. I am not an accomplished professional guitarist so I'm kind of lost without fret markets above the 12th fret. For classical music, it's not a biggie, but for jazz, I'm going to have to practice more when playing in the upper area of the fretboard. The built-in tuner is nice but it doesn't pick up the sound from the high E without plucking that string very hard. I plugged it into a guitar amp and it sounds great. Enough EQ and pickup adjustments to get a sound I was satisfied with. I like the battery compartment design. The 9-volt battery slides in and out easily. I didn't test the XLR output so I can't write anything about that. Finish all over is nice.Cheesie

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

When I went shopping for an upgraded acoustic steel string, I had no idea that my favorite guitar I picked up would end up being a classical hybrid. I had never played a nylon string guitar. I kept coming back to this amazing Alvarez in the store, and had a huge smile on my face every time I played it. It is so comfortable, and the sound is so lovely. It is fun for strumming and finger picking. It's got a great tone to sing along with. The arm rest makes it extra comfortable. And, it's so pretty! I am very happy with my purchase. I highly recommend this guitar.Julie

I can't quite believe they could build a guitar of this quality for the price, the build and finish are excellent, what you would expect on a guitar costing far more than this. In usage, the neck has the same width as a standard classical but the depth of a steel string, coupled with the thinner body and light weight it makes this guitar extremely comfortable to play. The sound /tonal quality is also excellent, though perhaps due to the thinner body it is "quite" compared to standard classical, this was easily resolved by fitting carbon strings. The only real criticism is there is no dot at the twelfth fret and with the longer neck it can take a bit of getting used to if you are a novice player Overall this is an exceptional guitar for the price, novice or professional, this guitar has something for everyone.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Overall: You've read reviews by guys who have been playing 40 years and owned every imaginable alternative to the guitar in the ad. Yep, I'm that guy. And this Alvarez CC7CE blows away every other guitar in its category. The tone is balanced, vibrant and responsive, never tubby. Fit and finish flawless. And right out of the box it is the best factory set up on a nylon string I've seen (3mm at the 12th fret, .090 at the first fret, 10mm at the bridge). I did smooth and polish a couple of fret ends and degloss the neck. But Alvarez has done their research and the slightly longer 660mm scale, thinner top and Ramirez-style bracing sing with D'Addario hard tension strings. Very glad I pulled the trigger on this beauty!Mark