Spruce Solid Tops

[guit30]

I have loved my new Alvarez RD20S mainly because the neck is so perfect for me and with JT's help it is perfectly set up. However the solid top is not thrilling me, thought it was just an opening up thing. It is not your usual blond colored spruce, it is a very odd colored wood, sort of light brown, never seen spruce like it, the tone just is not that great. It's not the strings set up or anything like that, it is the top. It could be to thickly braced or too thick a slab of wood, it is bookmatched, but the colors are slightly different, almost looks like cedar. Anybody else played one of the new Alvarez artist or regent series solid tops with the new Yairi like bridge

Jim,

[PapaTom1]

I got a RD20 a few months ago (I'm guessing with the new bridge). The top is a light colored spruce and the tone and volume are both pleasing to me (as is the neck you mentioned - very comfortable), but the salesman at the store that I bought it from said that there is, like most inexpensive guitars, quite a bit of variation in quality, so maybe I got lucky. It's great for taking places that I wouldn't take a Martin or Larrivee and it holds it's own, so I'm happy with it. It's a good low maintenance guitar.
Alvarez makes several models that are good sounding and comfortable to play without a high price tag.

[lalatingstrings]

i have a rd20-12.i really like it.but it doesn't compare to my yairi guitars.it is a LOOOOng way between regent and yairi.the regents are beginners guitars so i imagine the quality of wood is not top of line.

[Fstpicker]

I have a new Alvarez RD-20S12 (a 12-string) which has a solid spruce top that looks to have very little cross-silking (typically cross-silking is a sign of a good quarter-sawn top). To look at it, it doesn't look like a high quality top appearance-wise. However, that is only in appearance. This guitar sounds...well, to put it plainly...simply outstanding!! One strum of this guitar, and I suddenly felt no need to buy that used Taylor 555 my friend was trying to sell me. And now with a bone saddle, it is even better. It is balanced across the board, has a lot of "jingle-jangle sparkle" to it; is very rich with excellent clarity and string to string balance, and a depth to it that is just right. The set-up and fret-work on this guitar is outstanding as well. Perhaps this guitar was, or is, an exception to the rule, but I'm not so sure. I couldn't be happier with my purchase of this guitar.

BTW, all of the solid-topped (and a few all-solid wood) Alvarez models I played in the same store were winners IMO. Alvarez must be doing something right these days. I highly recommend an Alvarez now, especially for someone who doesn't have a lot of cash to throw around. Of course, as with most guitars (including high-end Martins, etc.) you should try each one out first as they can vary from model to model or even within the same model tonally.

My Martin D-16RGT has been getting jealous of my attention since I've gotten this Alvarez here lately.


Jeff

[guit30]

Thanks for your input, does your guitars have this bridge design

http://www.alvarezgtr.com/productpage.htm?CatID=43&ItemID=91

Actually, the wood on mine is a darker color than pic and does have some cross silking. Love the way it plays and size, any ideas to get better tone out of it, it doesn't have much bottom end. want to keep the guitar, because it took so long to find a guitar that plays so easy,have nerve damage in myleft hand
jim

[FingerBone Bill]

Originally posted by guit30 Thanks for your input, does your guitars have this bridge design http://www.alvarezgtr.com/productpage.htm?CatID=43&ItemID=91 Actually, the wood on mine is a darker color than pic and does have some cross silking. Love the way it plays and size, any ideas to get better tone out of it, it doesn't have much bottom end. want to keep the guitar, because it took so long to find a guitar that plays so easy,have nerve damage in myleft hand jim

 

 

The clue to your guitars lack of tone is in line #2 of your own sig....

 

Get rid of the Polyweb strings.

 

I'm not an Elixir basher - I like Nanos on some of my guitars and I even use Polywebs myself on my Reso - but on a normal guitar Polywebs are the kiss of death to decent tone.

 

If you want to stick with Elixirs try Nanowebs or try the new Nano Phosphur Bronze. Otherwise just try some decent uncoated strings (D'Addario??). You'll be amazed at the improvement in tone.

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by FingerBone Bill just try some decent uncoated strings. You'll be amazed at the improvement in tone.

Here, here!

[guit30]

Tried DR Rare PBs and they sounded worse, maybe I will try something else
Jim:wave:

[FingerBone Bill]

Originally posted by guit30 Tried DR Rare PBs and they sounded worse, maybe I will try something else Jim:wave:

Maybe you've just got a crap sounding guitar? There are a lot of them out there.

As far as string go - I listen to each instrument and try and find the strings that it needs to bring out its best (in some cases those strings are polywebs). Listen to what is missing or too prominent in your tone and try to find a string that enhances or suppresses those tonal characteristics.

But maybe your playing has reached the point where it's just time to upgrade your instrument.

[guit30]

I seriously think i got a lemon, the polywebs sound better than anything that I have used, had a korean Alvarez AD60S that had a real nice piece of spruce even though the grain was uneven, but the neck was not as nice, that guitar sounded sweet. Wish I had a Korean RD20S, alvarez always keeps their same specs, but the wood seems cheaper with each change
JIm

[FingerBone Bill]

Originally posted by guit30 I seriously think i got a lemon...

Ebay!

(Don't feel bad even Martin make their share of lemons. Ovation actually specialises in lemons.)

[guit30]

No, I bought it at Deluca's Music in Hatboro ,Pa
Don't but what I can't see
Jim
:wave:

[JasmineTea]

Learning curve.

Buy a guitar that you think sounds great, play it for a while, head out to the music store for strings and LO-AND-BEHOLD, there's a guitar in there that you always wanted to try...and guess what? It sounds fantastic! So you go home and slap your new strings on (all the while the sound of that git in the shop is still ringing in your head)...slap your new strings on, tune them up and...

[FingerBone Bill]

Originally posted by guit30 No, I bought it at Deluca's Music in Hatboro ,Pa Don't but what I can't see Jim :wave:

Ebay was a suggestion not a question.

You may not buy what you can't see but there's plenty that do - and if you've got a duff sounding guitar ebay's your best bet for off-loading it.

[JasmineTea]

Get a Martin. The neck sizes are'nt all the same, some a tad bigger, some smaller. Both of mine have the same profile listed in the specs, but they're not the same in the hand.

[Fstpicker]

A bone saddle and ebony bridge pins may help to bring out your guitar's bass some. Worth a try anyway.

Jeff

[guit30]

Really appreciate all of your feedback, going to try another set of strings, either Martin SP PBs or Elixor PBs, going to take a ride up to Deluca's this afternoon, they have a ton of used guitars, I would really love it if they had a used Taylor 110, in my budget and great neck.
:wave: :wave:
Happy Thanksgiving
Jim

[guit30]

Well, Deluca's didn't have a Taylor 110. They did have a Yairi DY-77 that they wanted 1200 for (1975) Really wide and thick neck. Real heavy guitar too. I could tell by picking it up that it some serious tone, there were overtones flating out of that guitar.
Another nice one was a 2000 Martin D-16 with active Martin Gold-line pickup, 999, I had a D-16GT, this looked like a different animal, heavier and all gloss, really nice, good neck too, didn't play it cause I didn't have the dough.
Well, I ordered some Martin SP Phosphur Bronze for the RD20, lets see if the Polywebs are the problem, can't hurt.
Jim