Esteban Acoustic Electric Guitar Model Alc 200 For Sale (2024 Update)

Great sounding and playing guitar, I replaced the synthetic saddle for bone, original was to tapered on the high E new saddle took care of that. Buy the epiphone or roadrunner jumbo case, nothing else fits, make sure if the guitar comes straight from the factory you use a humidifier in your case for at least 6 months. Especially in colorado. Then if you leave it out without a humidifier that you dont have forcrd Heat or air conditioning vents close to the guitar. This guitar has great projection.Kenny

After purchasing this guitar from American Musical Supply, I was really nervous awaiting its arrival because this was actually my first time purchasing an instrument online. I’m used to going inside music shops and trying out different gear and playing guitars before I buy them so I know that what I’m taking home with me already feels comfortable and right in my hands. This guitar in particular, however, is not a style that is normally kept stocked in the stores for customers to test drive before they purchase. Similar models are available in stores near me but I think anyone who has ever wanted this particular model from Epiphone knows that they have heard and felt the beautiful sound that projects from this big guitar and I am here to tell you that my “leap of faith” online purchase was nothing more than a huge win in my book! This guitar looks, sounds and plays just as I expected it would with much more to offer once it’s actually in your hands! I’m personally a country/blues guy so this guitar definitely fits right up that alley in my opinion. It feels so solid in your hands and the tone is just plain awesome! The Jumbo body allows the sounds inside the guitar to reverberate through your body as it’s pressed against you before making its way through the sound hole where it flourishes into that awesome deep, thick sound. From the factory the guitar is set up beautifully and very playable right out of the box. Quality parts, quality wood and quality electronics as expected from Epiphone and very well executed in this model. Definitely worth every penny for the undecided guitarist but hey, don’t take just my word for it! Pick up this awesome guitar from Epiphone through these good folks here at American Musical and set yourself up with one of their payment plans if that interests you! It’s an awesome way to be able to get the gear you need and the gear you’ve been wanting without breaking the bank right on the spot! Excellent Job by Epiphone once again and an excellent job by American Musical for supplying it at an awesome price and providing sweet payment options for your customers and future consumers!Billy

I once owned a Gibson J15, that I bought from Guitar Center, and I loved it, but I always wanted a J200, I just could never afford one. Well, I ended up having to sell my J15 to pay rent one month, and I ended up having some extra money from it, and thought why not give the Epi a try? It's closer to the Guitar I always wanted anyways. I was blown away. It has all the high end stylings of a Gibson J200, maybe even more if you consider the built in tuner and cutaway features for about 3000$ less. Well, unfortunately I only owned it for about a week before my car broke down and I had to return my Epi to pay for the repairs. I've regretted it ever since. I would have rather donated blood 50 times than have returned that guitar. (Fortunately I just got my tax return and repurchased it, and it seems like it sounds even better than before). As I was saying, it stacks up against s Gibson guitar nicely, the shadow preamp isn't as nice as any LR Baggs system but it will certainly give you lots of usable sounds. I think this is the best guitar in the 500$ price range and I'm disappointed in Guitar Center for not carrying it in store. I'm a firm believer in the fact that having a guitar you like, you like the looks of, you like the feel of, will make you a better guitarist, and that's what this beautiful, fat boy jumbo acoustic has done for me. I actually like mine so much I decided to put some money into it for upgrades, and I haven't been disappointed. I stuck some Grover Keystone tuners on it in gold of course ( had them on my Epi Les Paul before and thought would look cool so I just swapped them), some Martin ebony bridge pins, and some D'Addario EXPs and this thing sounds unreal now. So, if you're reading this because you're unsure as to whether you should buy this guitar or not, yes, you should absolutely buy this guitar and never look back.Anonymous

Great sounding and playing guitar, I replaced the synthetic saddle for bone, original was to tapered on the high E new saddle took care of that. Buy the epiphone or roadrunner jumbo case, nothing else fits, make sure if the guitar comes straight from the factory you use a humidifier in your case for at least 6 months. Especially in colorado. Then if you leave it out without a humidifier that you dont have forcrd Heat or air conditioning vents close to the guitar. This guitar has great projection.Kenny

After purchasing this guitar from American Musical Supply, I was really nervous awaiting its arrival because this was actually my first time purchasing an instrument online. I’m used to going inside music shops and trying out different gear and playing guitars before I buy them so I know that what I’m taking home with me already feels comfortable and right in my hands. This guitar in particular, however, is not a style that is normally kept stocked in the stores for customers to test drive before they purchase. Similar models are available in stores near me but I think anyone who has ever wanted this particular model from Epiphone knows that they have heard and felt the beautiful sound that projects from this big guitar and I am here to tell you that my “leap of faith” online purchase was nothing more than a huge win in my book! This guitar looks, sounds and plays just as I expected it would with much more to offer once it’s actually in your hands! I’m personally a country/blues guy so this guitar definitely fits right up that alley in my opinion. It feels so solid in your hands and the tone is just plain awesome! The Jumbo body allows the sounds inside the guitar to reverberate through your body as it’s pressed against you before making its way through the sound hole where it flourishes into that awesome deep, thick sound. From the factory the guitar is set up beautifully and very playable right out of the box. Quality parts, quality wood and quality electronics as expected from Epiphone and very well executed in this model. Definitely worth every penny for the undecided guitarist but hey, don’t take just my word for it! Pick up this awesome guitar from Epiphone through these good folks here at American Musical and set yourself up with one of their payment plans if that interests you! It’s an awesome way to be able to get the gear you need and the gear you’ve been wanting without breaking the bank right on the spot! Excellent Job by Epiphone once again and an excellent job by American Musical for supplying it at an awesome price and providing sweet payment options for your customers and future consumers!Billy

I once owned a Gibson J15, that I bought from Guitar Center, and I loved it, but I always wanted a J200, I just could never afford one. Well, I ended up having to sell my J15 to pay rent one month, and I ended up having some extra money from it, and thought why not give the Epi a try? It's closer to the Guitar I always wanted anyways. I was blown away. It has all the high end stylings of a Gibson J200, maybe even more if you consider the built in tuner and cutaway features for about 3000$ less. Well, unfortunately I only owned it for about a week before my car broke down and I had to return my Epi to pay for the repairs. I've regretted it ever since. I would have rather donated blood 50 times than have returned that guitar. (Fortunately I just got my tax return and repurchased it, and it seems like it sounds even better than before). As I was saying, it stacks up against s Gibson guitar nicely, the shadow preamp isn't as nice as any LR Baggs system but it will certainly give you lots of usable sounds. I think this is the best guitar in the 500$ price range and I'm disappointed in Guitar Center for not carrying it in store. I'm a firm believer in the fact that having a guitar you like, you like the looks of, you like the feel of, will make you a better guitarist, and that's what this beautiful, fat boy jumbo acoustic has done for me. I actually like mine so much I decided to put some money into it for upgrades, and I haven't been disappointed. I stuck some Grover Keystone tuners on it in gold of course ( had them on my Epi Les Paul before and thought would look cool so I just swapped them), some Martin ebony bridge pins, and some D'Addario EXPs and this thing sounds unreal now. So, if you're reading this because you're unsure as to whether you should buy this guitar or not, yes, you should absolutely buy this guitar and never look back.Anonymous

Overall: So I know this isn’t zZounds fault, it’s epiphones. But I got the guitar originally, not setup had someHorrible buzz vibration that was not normal even for a non setup guitar. Cracking at the nut, micro dents in the body at the saddle. But it had the e sonic 2 shadow pickup system which was absolutely stellar. Sent it in for a return and received a much better condition guitar but with fishman pickup system. Epiphone is now outfitting these guitars with the bare bones basic ass fishing presys system. It’s not even the presys + which is 200 dollars. This pickup is like 60 bucks. I have previous recordings with my e sonic and have tried to emulate it with this presys and it just doesn’t compare. Great guitar but the downgrade in pickup grinds my gears. My advice is to buy the e sonic 2 system or presys + system and swap them out. You’ll then have a much better sound and recording quality when plugged in. zZounds was great on the return process however. Will continue to be a customer.Joshua

I have a number of acoustic type guitars – both steel and nylon strung. When playing these I rarely strum – it's a finger style combination of rock, flamenco, folk, blues and jazz ( a real mixture). The first thing I did was to change the strings (D'Addario Silk & Steel). As a result this little Fender beauty has turned into an excellent parlour guitar: it's responsive, lovely to play and remarkably loud for its size. Build quality is good and the sound projects well. If you're a chord strummer, I wouldn't suggest that the Sonoran is for you – but it responds superbly to finger style playing. It's subtle and responsive. For the money, it's very, very good. And of course, it's very, very easy to lug around. Love it!Gillian B.

Pretty nice sounding instrument! Way less money than most solid wood, small bodied shorter scale guitars, & stacks up decently against “higher end” offerings. As a traditionalist, the onboard electronics were an annoying detraction, but in practice the pickup system sounds far more natural than I was expecting. And as a couch/practice guitar, having a tuner on the instrument is handy, I’ll grudgingly admit. If I were the type to plug in an acoustic on stage, I’d get good use out of these features. There are a few other general things that caught my attention, listed in no particular order. The dynamic range is an interesting departure from typical full scale acoustics. It’s quieter when finger picked softly, but as loud or louder when dug into with a pick. Definitely doesn’t sound small when played with authority, & generally has great resonance. I’ve yet to try lighter strings, but with 12 gauge phosphor bronze, it doesn’t feel too slinky or incredibly different than a longer scale length acoustic. I do find it a tad more comfortable, but not a night & day difference. The only lesser aspect is mostly down to the stock setup. Action was a little on the high side, & the G# fret under the low E string was a little high, so G chords buzzed on that string. This doesn’t detract from my over all impression, as I’m imagining most folks buying a decent instrument will end up setting it up & leveling fretwork to taste. All in all, mine’s a very nice acoustic guitar by any measure, & its sound punches way above its weight class in terms of cost. I dig it.WJJ

This Fender guitar is awesome. Out of the box it is almost perfectly set up. The intonation is off just by a little bit and only with 2 or 3 strings. The sound seems a little washed while playing chords, but single notes are loud and clear. All the frets have edge treatment, nice and smooth. The synthetic bone used for the nut and bridge are way better than plastic, allowing for a long sustain. The guitar could use better tuning keys, but the guitar stays in tune good enough. Over all my guitar was built well, and I'm glad it sounds good, too. I would recommend this guitar for all beginner guitar players because of the sound quality, and anyone else who don't have the money for their dream guitar.Tim

I had bought one of these back in 2017 when I made the switch to Acoustic. I don't know why but, I got rid of it so I could make the move tpo the Martin X-Series only because I had always wanted a Martin. To make a long story short, the Martin didn't cut it for me, so last week I made the move back to Taylor and the Big Baby. These newer ones are so beautiful but it's a shame, that Taylor has discontinued them. The Brown headstock along with the Solid Spruce top and Walnut back and sides, have really IMO, improved this model. Once set up properly, it stays in tune and just sounds awesome ! I would say that it is the best Acoustic going today which is under the 500 dollar range. Plus seeing that I'm on a low budget, this was a no-brainer. It's a keeper and I am getting a lot of joy playing it.Jeffrey

I had bought one of these from here way back in 2017 , which I used when I was gigging . I'm now retired ( 63 ) and only play at home now. I had to take a couple of years away from playing, due to pain in my left hand , which built up from 50 years of playing. I came back to playing in August of 2021 and I had bpught a Martin X-Series which at the time, I thought was great . Well it turned out that I ended up having issues with it and got rid of it, so I went back to getting a new, Big Baby Taylor, which always served me well. It's too bad that Taylor discontinued these because, these newer models are IMO, a vast improvement over the older ones. Since I got it on this past Sunday, I can not put this down. It just sounds so amazing and it stays in tune forever. While the included gigbag is a plus, I went and bought a Hardshell case for it. For those who want a Taylor but are on a low budget, this is worth the asking price and then some.Jeff

Since I went back to playing last summer after a 3 year hiatus, due to wrist pain in my left hand, I was using a Martin X-Series OMCX1E which I had nothing but problems with such as not staying in tune, fret buzz, etc. So over a week ago, I made the decision to switch to a Big Baby Taylor. I am limited as far as funds go, so $500.00 was the most that I could afford and I did not want to get a Baby but the Big Baby which is pretty close to a standard dreadnought size , at least as th neck scale is concerned. The body is a tad smaller and lighter which for me at my age ( 63 ) , makes playing a lot easier. Thiis came already set up and strung with Elixirs , which I liked . I can not believe how light in weight this is and it stays in tune , which is a huge plus for me. As far as tone goes, this easily blows away any of the Martin X-Series .I love this guitar and I will be making some wonderful memories with it.jeffreyo46

. Now let me set the scene… I am a guitar lover (I can even play a little too) and a quality professional so My expectations are somewhat higher than most looking at this product. An absolutely beautiful instrument, this is my second SA360 and although they are no longer. Made in Japan, be assured they have not lost any of the build quality or attention to detail. The guitar was really well set up, is great to play, feels good in the hand and sounds the bee’s knee’s. If you are looking to start out in guitar playing get yourself an Ibanez Gio to start as a first upgrade from that, then the SA series is where you want to be at.Timbo

Sound: Beautiful sound and great response, highs and lows are right on. Its the middle that shines, not muddy and unclear. Its a great sounding guitar, that will only get better with age and time. Features: Great selection of wood and tuners, frets are not sharp, fret board is easy to play. Satin neck makes chord changes up and down the fretboard a breeze. Tuner spot on and easy to use. Ease of Use: The smoothness of the neck and fretboard, make this the most easy guitar I have played. I don't want to put it down. Its like it's made for me alone. Quality: This guitar is cheap only on how much it costs. The way it's built and the electronics it has make it feel like a 1200 dollar guitar, not a 300 dollar guitar. I have played more expensive guitars, this looks, sounds, and plays like those 1200 or more guitars. Value: Well worth more than 300 dollars. It is a great guitar, I can see why it's one of epiphone's best sellers. Manufacturer Support: Have not had any issue or reason to call the company. They built this well. The Wow Factor: Right out of the box it looked amazing, it's the first guitar that I have bought that didn't need adjusted or set up. It sounds or should I say it sings when you play it. Overall: I bought the epiphone aj220sce in vintage starburst. Right out of the box the action was right on. NEVER had that happen before. It tuned up quickly. Played it acoustically and it sounded beautiful. Then played it through the amp I have… This is when it shined even more. I look forward to years of playing this guitar and, it's solid top sounding better with age. Quality workmanship and what this guitar is built with. Top of the line, more of what you would expect on 1200 guitars or more. Very pleased with my purchase and zZounds. Highly recommended guitar, a must have.Ronald

First of all, this is a gorgeous guitar. It looks just great. It has a big, rich sound even moreso than other larger bodied guitars I've seen. The tuner works great. I love playing it. A few minor issues. First, I find the action high, & the bridge is not adjustable. 2nd, the complaints others have offered about the fret edges being VERY rough are entirely true: you can practically leave your hand bloody, I'm sure, if you play long enough, just from being roughed up by the fret edges. I'll try filing them down & refinishing them, as some have suggested. Finally, you'll want to get rid of the strings & go with a lighter gauge, partly to alleviate the high action issue. I'd get this guitar again. I think it is a $500 – $600 guitar lurking for only a little more than half that price. But before recommending it to a friend, I'd point out these couple issues.DET

Poor quality control! Neck is a mess with all of the fret ends protruding and sharp. One fret is noticeably higher causing all kinds of issues. Inside edge of the sound hole is poorly finished and some of the ribs look rough, like they weren't sanded smooth. This one's going back!Bill

There are hundreds of reviews on this guitar, of course some good and some bad. The good reviews (4-5 stars) far out number the rest. Although I’ve read some really, really bad ones. I suppose every guitar maker churns out a turd on occasion when mass producing affordable beginner (read inexpensive) guitars.
I can only tell you about my particular guitar.
It is fantastic, it’s beautiful, sounds amazing (plugged in and acoustic), plays amazingly well, stays in tune, the tuners are smooth and work as you would expect on a much more expensive guitar. The neck is perfect, the action is great (Martin MA540 Authentic Acoustic Light strings 0.054-0.012). I haven’t a single complaint I can’t say whether the quality has gone up or down in the last few years. Mine is an earlier production model about 10 years old. They’re relatively common , You can find a nice used one locally in most cities for under $150. That way you can play and give it a thorough inspection before you buy it. Check your local Guitar Center, try it, return it if you don’t like it, my bet is you will love it.Larry Daniels

I usually don't leave negative reviews. This guitar is beautiful, it sounds amazing. However, I just can't believe that guitar center would let this be shipped. The neck seems fine but every fret divider is razor sharp. It's so uncomfortable that I have quit playing it. Living in a small town it's very expensive to return stuff, so I guess it will just sit for now. To guitar centers credit, I have shopped there for many years and never been disappointed. But gee guys, why wouldn't you be checking this stuff? If I picked it off your wall I would never buy it unless you fixed it for me. Sorry but this sucksJohn

Tried out two of these at the local store looking for a first guitar for my son. Both sounded pretty good for the price point, but both had problems with the neck and really terrible frets. Terrible like not safe for children or unsuspecting adults – they both had sharp edges sticking out the whole length of the neck. Between that, some minor string buzz, a crazy high 9th fret on one, and iffy intonation on the other, it just didn't seem worth getting either of them. What's the point of getting a low priced guitar if you have to spend $100+ getting it worked over to make it playable? I suspect that the neck binding makes it difficult for the factory to really get the frets properly dressed and still pass cosmetic inspection. It may be I just had the bad luck to find the two worst examples of this model in the same store, but I suggest you move up notch in price range and you will be happier with what you get.triple.ratrider

I own a vintage guitar shop and try to keep inexpensive guitars around to give to deserving young students. I bought two of these based upon good reviews. I was first amazed at the quality of the guitar…no sharp fret ends, no high frets, no blemishes in the finish, intonation right on. The set-up was quite good out of the box. I did file the nut some, but I always do even on high end guitars. The guitar sounds decent acoustically, but plugged in is where it shines. It stands up to guitars priced over a grand when plugged in. I gave one of these to a Grammy winning guitar player who is also amazed at its quality and sound. He thinks it is a great practice guitar that he does not need to worry about getting broken or stolen.Gary

I have been playing about 2 years. I have an acoustic guitar and wanted to try an acoustic-electric without breaking the bank. I bought the RA-090 concert size because a dreadnought size guitar is too large for me. The built-in tuner, volume and tone controls are handy. The action is a little high but it plays fine. The top and body are all laminated and of course sounds different than my solid spruce top acoustic.I had realistic expectations of an instrument in this price range, and overall, I am satisfied with the guitar.John

I couldn't resist buying this guitar, in spite of the fact that I own several acoustics of better quality. I have been wanting to try an acoustic/electric for a long time, one with barn-door electronics, and this one was on sale so I thought I'd roll the dice. And that's exactly what you do when you buy a Rogue. For the money involved, don't expect consistent quality. Mine came with no glaring issues, with fret ends fairly smooth (I did give them a quick touch-up) and a reasonable finish, although the back of the guitar did have some spots that could have used more polishing, but black is a hard finish to make look perfect. The neck is rather beefy, and some may find it too big, but it fits my hand better than a skimpy neck. The sound unplugged is OK but not rich in tone, and the electronics work fine when plugged in, albeit a little harsh sounding. I'll have to work on that with some creative EQ. Taking a peek inside with a light and an inspection mirror, everything looked clean except for some shoddy drill work through the bridge plate. The truss rod turns easily, and came properly adjusted. The cheap tuners all work as intended with no slippage. For the bad, plan to throw away the strings immediately. And the intonation was considerably off, due to the saddle tilting in its slot from string pressure and a sloppy fit in the bridge slot. This was corrected temporarily with a cardboard shim in front of the saddle. Next I will have to address the nut slots (not deep enough) and the saddle being too high. All considered, this is a good buy if you want an inexpensive acoustic/electric.Jimmy J

Guitar looked fine when I received it. Bought it on sale a little over a year ago and the guitar has developed a haze or blush under the finish that cannot be "buffed out" and looks horrendous. Everyone has told me it is from putting on the finish while the wood still contained moisture. The guitar has a 2-year "repair" warranty but I have to pay to ship both ways and there's no guarantee they'll even do anything. When they receive it they'll decide if its a manufacturing defect or not, which it clearly is. Then, If "they" decide it is, they couldn't tell me exactly what they would do. Is MF going to repaint and refinish the whole guitar, or try to buff it out anyway leaving it in worse condition than when I sent it? Or do absolutely nothing after I pay 40 for shipping both ways? I honestly don't care what their policy is, this is unacceptable, They sold me a defective product and it should be replaced at their expense. I have 2 Electric Ibanez guitars, but I'll never spend another penny at Musicians Friend or on Ibanez.MetalTeK

I twice received this guitar in sub-standard condition. The first one had two scratches and one polishing mishap, all of which were under the final gloss coat (so they couldn't be fixed). I called to request a replacement, was assured that problems like this were unusual, and that they'd send me a replacement right away. When I received it, it was worse than the first. There was a very visible semi-circle indentation about two inches below the sound hole, almost as if they went to stamp the sound hole there and then repositioned the machine. Because I had a gig that weekend and needed a guitar I had to keep one of the blemished versions (I kept the first one), and Musicians Friend did refund me a little money, but it was still quite disappointing. That being said, the guitar itself has a beautiful tone and plays with ease. The onboard tuner is convenient and accurate and I have no complaints about the overall performance.B&B

This has been a great entry level (or more?) guitar. Been using it with youtube videos and Rocksmith and everything works as advertised!ROBERT

Overall: I purchased this guitar in February and it arrived unplayable. I was unable to review for this reason. Due to living in a remote location and being disabled it was to dificult to exchange, however, zZounds was very prompt at trying to help me return it. Unfortunately my caregiver had to throw away all the packaging. So my fault I couldn't return. I have purchased many ibanez guitars and this was the first time I had a problem. However, it's pretty obvious ibanez knew about this when sending the guitar to zZounds. So a little disappointed. So I'm unable to try this guitar, however, zZounds was very prompt and the customer service was great. I just can't return it and that's my fault. I would still recommend this guitar and zZounds.Kenneth

Looked good online but like someone else said it's like a toy I should have listened. I was told since I didn't like it I would have to pay return shipping and ups quoted me eighty five so I called guitar center and they said I could return it there. I did and they were very nice and it went back on my cardDavy E

I don't know how Epiphone can sell this amazing guitar at this price point. The sound is beautiful and rich for a parlor, coupe guitar. The Fishman electronics on can really add spice to your playing through an acoustic amp. Now the workmanship…….it is very well made and the wood on the sunburst is beautiful to look at. The neck is very smooth and easy to play. I highly recommend this instrument regardless of your skill level. I also ordered a hard case from Epiphone. It's my only acoustic and a perfect compliment to my Telecaster. Get one !IJames

Lovely sounding guitar, bright but smooth, no buzz, bass is solid but doesn't overwhelm. Plays really well. Nice mix of decent scale length but with a reasonably compact body (I have a Mini-Maton also, but find the fretboard too small for my larger hands/fingers, hence I bought this). Looks fantastic. All up, really good quality for the price and target market, and I would definitely recommend trying it if this is your price bracket. You get a lot for your money with this one!Tim W.

Completely satisfied with this purchase. Great features for the price. Visually beautiful. Had to take a star off the review for the string action out of the factory though. I had to pay a tech to sand down the bridge saddle. Cost me $45. Now it plays fantastic. I'll enjoy this for years.SKARRDGUITAR

Overall: This is one fine acoustic guitar. Beautiful woods and finish. Electronics and tuner are good. Tone and action excellent. Been playing 50 years and would not hesitate playing out or taking to a jam session plugged or unplugged. Have owned dean entry level acoustic bass for years, solid build and reliable. This brand new guitar feels and sounds solid. Have never dealt with dean but zZounds has been 5 star buying high level martin and fender past few years.Rich

Excellent acoustic bass! Plays amazing and the finish is flawless! I wasn't sure how I'd feel about the full 34 scale neck, turned out to be great! I am finding it way easier to transition back and forth to my electric bass vs my old 30ish scale ABG. Tuner works very well but I'm not a huge fan of how it sounds plugged in kinda tinny. That's alright tho cause I bought it to practice unplugged and will rarely play it plugged in anyway. I swapped the strings out to tapewounds and made an already amazing guitar even better. I think those strings are a must for any acoustic bass, rounds are just too noisy at that low volume. But all around a great looking and great playing instrument!Josh

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

This guitar sits on its stand in my Music room always ready for a quick play. I love the rich deep tone that this guitar puts out. Stays in tune and sounds great! Baritone guitars are few and far between and most cheap baritones just dont cut it. This one is the exception. You wont find a better Baritone at this price point!John

I've owned the Alvarez, the Ibanez and a Taylor GT-8. What you usually get with the cheaper baritones is muddiness and in the case of the Alvarez, mine had a funky neck and fret job. I wasn't expecting this to be so nice at this price. But having bought a Guild D-55 and F512 recently, I've become somewhat of a Guild convert. This guitar makes me even more so. Nicely made, straight neck, tunes well and the intonation is almost right on. Just a shade off at the 14th fret, but I think I can work that out. Balanced tone with a nice cohesive sound that you usually get with more expensive guitars. In the low ranges this had a really nice distinct sound, instead of the mud I had with both the Ibanez and Alvarez. The Taylor was great but it was too much of an investment for a specialty guitar like this. If you are thinking of toying with a baritone, this is a great option. The electronics sound good as well on this. It would work well on stage and the unpluggedl tone would work well for recording. All in all a really nice guitar at a very reasonable price, as guitars go these days.Lenny

I just took delivery of my Guild Baritone, and I already love it! It came well set-up right out of the box – though a couple of the string pegs did need to be pushed in all the way prior to tuning. It has a beautiful, deep sound that carries well when unplugged. I can't wait to try it out plugged in!Jason