Members EvilTwin Posted July 31, 2004 Members Share Posted July 31, 2004 I played a wonderful Alvarez today, but something just isn't adding up for me. The label on the pickguard said "solid mahogany top." I come home and check Alvarez's website, and there aren't any dreadnought acoustics I find on there that have a solid mahogany top. The guitar that most closely resembles it on the site is the AD60K. But the specs for that guitar on their website say it is made of "Figured Dao." What the heck is Dao? And it says "figured," not solid. This guitar definitely had a solid top. What the heck is goin' on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tickzz Posted July 31, 2004 Members Share Posted July 31, 2004 Maybe there's also an AD60M ?Here's a list of what's currently available: http://www.hmtrad.com/catalog/strings/alvarez.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UGB Posted July 31, 2004 Members Share Posted July 31, 2004 http://www.alvarezgtr.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted August 1, 2004 Author Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 Originally posted by tickzz Maybe there's also an AD60M ?Here's a list of what's currently available:http://www.hmtrad.com/catalog/strings/alvarez.html Thanks for the URL, but I went back and got the model number from the sound hole of the guitar. I got one for a sunburst model next to it, too, that had a solid spruce top with a gloss sunburst finish. They were both from the Regent series, not the Artist series. However, neither one of them had the type of bridge that is on Alvarez's web site, and they both have fancier rosettes. The RD8M had the solid mahogany top, and isn't on the site. The RD20SSM was the other one, and it is on the site. So I'm still a little befuddled. I know what series they belong to, but their bridges and rosettes are different from what Alvarez has on its web site. Weird... Originally posted by UGB http://www.alvarezgtr.com/ Thanks, but that's where I looked first, and checked back with today. The mahogany model just isn't on the web site, and neither guitar that I played has a bridge like the one on that site. Also strange is that the mahogany top model costs more than the spruce one. The spruce model has a gloss sunburst finish, so I would think it costs more, but doesn't. Both of these guitars sounded great. Alvarez is giving Seagull a run for their money in the under $500 price range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UGB Posted August 1, 2004 Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 When on vacation I got a chance to play 2 low-end Alvarez guitars and a Seagull S-6. The worst of the bunch, the Alvarez RD10 I believe, was an all laminate guitar and even though I say it was the worst of the bunch, it was not a bad guitar at all. Very balanced tone and played well. It did not have a ringing quality that the other two solid tops had and it was not as loud as the other two. The other Alvarez was one step up from the RD10 w/a solid top and was all mahogany. A very balanced and gentle tone; loud but not harsh at all. Again, an easy player. The Seagull had a more brilliant tone w/it's solid spruce or possibly cedar top, and cherry laminate sides and back. The neck was thicker than the Alvarez guitars, and they were a tad thicker than your average Washburn. So, the Alvarez were a comfortable step up for me; the Seagull was getting close to being too thick for comfort. The Seagull also had fairly poor action, probably close to 3/8" at the 12th fret. This promted me to sight the neck and I was shocked to see that where the fingerboard met the top, the fingerboard took a sharp dive away from the strings. In looking at this joint from the side, in profile, it was very obvious, almost as if the top of the guitar was caving in as it approached the sound hole. This was certainly not the case. I think the neck was set too high and then the fingerboard was forced down on to the top of the guitar thus making it dramatically lower. A truss rod adjustment would not fix this, only a neck re-set would be my guess. That discovery would have moved me to purchase the all mahogany Alvarez if I had to have purchased a guitar that day. It was $325 w/a HSC. The Seagull was $300 and I don't know if it came w/a case or not. The RD10 was $199 w/a HSC. I was the first person to ever play it. They had sold the last one on the floor so they pulled a new one out from the back. Still had the plastic over it and the paper wrapped strings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted August 1, 2004 Author Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 UGB, you described the problem with my Seagull S6+Folk. I really don't know what the remedy is to it...I would guess a neck reset, too. And 'Gulls have some pretty hefty necks, width-wise (I've played a few that have a thin depth, though). Fun for fingerstyle, I must say. But they definitely take some getting used to. I found the Alvarez's I was talking about online: http://www.cindysguitar.com/acousticguitars.html It's weird, some of the Regent Series have one type of bridge while the others have a different type. And that's the only link I found. I must say that the ones I played are really giving me GAS. I have new respect for Alvarez. Very good sounding instruments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kwakatak Posted August 1, 2004 Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 It must have something to do with laminate tops because mine takes that dip toward the soundhole too - along with the belly behind the bridge and some binding coming off that I had fixed. It's like the soundhole is a drain for my money since I had to sink some bucks into it to get the action back where I like it. On a $300 guitar that's not good and I keep telling my wife it's time for a new acoustic! BTW, EvilTwin, how did your statewide hunt for Larriv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted August 1, 2004 Author Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 Originally posted by kwakatak It must have something to do with laminate tops because mine takes that dip toward the soundhole too - along with the belly behind the bridge and some binding coming off that I had fixed. It's like the soundhole is a drain for my money since I had to sink some bucks into it to get the action back where I like it. On a $300 guitar that's not good and I keep telling my wife it's time for a new acoustic! Laminate tops? My 'Gull has a solid top and does that. It's weird. I keep wondering if it needs a neck reset. Originally posted by kwakatak BTW, EvilTwin, how did your statewide hunt for Larriv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tickzz Posted August 1, 2004 Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 However, neither one of them had the type of bridge that is on Alvarez's web site, and they both have fancier rosettes. From the pics it appears as though the Yairi direct coupled bridge is being used on the standard Alvarez models. That's a nice bonus on a sub $500. guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UGB Posted August 1, 2004 Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 man, I had no idea this high neck set issue was more common. I thought I just had a bad apple of the bunch. W/2 people who own one saying the same thing here, that's enough to keep me from ever buying one. I make that statement because I could only buy one via the internet. If I had a chance to play one first, maybe that would be a different story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members desaljs Posted August 1, 2004 Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 I have to agree with the comments about Alvarez. My local dealer is very happy with the products and the service he gets from St. Louis. As far as I know, every Alvarez guitar gets a set up there, before shipment to the stores. The guitars come with hand signed tags by the person that did the set up. I have a Yairi cutaway dread and have a thin bodied cutaway folk on order. I should have that next week. I am going to use this as my practice instrument, as the Yairi is a little too thick for me to play for extended periods of time. I also had a chance to play the AJ60SC Jumbo, and for the price, a very nice instrument. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Terry Allan Hall Posted August 1, 2004 Members Share Posted August 1, 2004 If I was buying a "modest budget" import guitar, Alvarez would definitely be my choice! Alvarez is what Takamine should be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilTwin Posted August 2, 2004 Author Members Share Posted August 2, 2004 Originally posted by UGB man, I had no idea this high neck set issue was more common. I thought I just had a bad apple of the bunch. W/2 people who own one saying the same thing here, that's enough to keep me from ever buying one. I make that statement because I could only buy one via the internet. If I had a chance to play one first, maybe that would be a different story. To be fair, my 'Gull Folk is a factory second, and every 'Gull I've played at my local shop (the same one that I played these Alvarez guitars at) does NOT have this problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members UGB Posted August 2, 2004 Members Share Posted August 2, 2004 ah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members louiseB Posted August 3, 2004 Members Share Posted August 3, 2004 Do the professional series from alvarez compare with Taylor guitars in any way.?I own an alvarez rd8 and want to get a new guitar. I really like the look and soundof the Taylor 310 but is a little over my budget. I'm not in a position to try out any of the alvarez guitars until I am in NYC at the end of the year. That's when and where I play on buying one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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