alvarez guitars, good or bad??
PMMitchel
I have a friend who wants to sell me an Alvarez....
being a guitar beginner, is this a good one to buy??
any help would be greatly appreciated
pat
Patrick M. Ryan
Pat,
like everything else, it depends. I bought an alvarez used for
$80. My instructor loves the guitar.(and so do I) The action is good and
the sound is great. When I bought it I didn't know enough about guitars
to make an informed decision, so I just thought that at $80, how bad
a mistake could I make. So if you know nothing about guitars (like me)
then post the details of the guitar on this group to see if the price is
right.
Above all else HAVE FUN!
Pat Ryan
Paul Marxhausen
I bought an Alvarez for $200 about 12 years ago (used.) It played well
and sounded nice then, and has aged into a tone quality that is very fine.
A couple years ago I insured it for $1200 because I'd have to start there
to be in the ballpark to replace it.
You really have to try everything. I've seen a number of cheapo student
model type Yamahas that were remarkably good, have played some really
cool looking Takamines with superb electronics that played and sounded
amazingly poor.
--
paul marxhausen ```` ``````` ````````````` ```````````` ```````````` ``````````
`` ` ` ` ` ` university of nebraska - lincoln ` ` ` `` ` ` `` ` ` ` ` ` ` `
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` grace ` ` ` `
` ` ` ` ` ` ` ` happens `
Stan Gosnell
mp...@unlinfo.unl.edu (Paul Marxhausen) wrote:
>I bought an Alvarez for $200 about 12 years ago (used.) It played well
>and sounded nice then, and has aged into a tone quality that is very fine.
>A couple years ago I insured it for $1200 because I'd have to start there
>to be in the ballpark to replace it.
>You really have to try everything. I've seen a number of cheapo student
>model type Yamahas that were remarkably good, have played some really
>cool looking Takamines with superb electronics that played and sounded
>amazingly poor.
Amen. Always try a guitar before buying. A cheap guitar can sound &
play really well (even a blind hog finds an acorn now & then) & an
expensive guitar can be dead. Even a great luthier never knows for
sure how a guitar will sound. I don't own an expensive guitar, but I
own several that play well & sound good.
Don't get in a hurry to buy, & play a lot of instruments. You'll find
something.
Jon Nilsen
You might be able to find a good deal on an Alvarez-Yairi. I just did.
The shop owner told me it was marked down so low because he had such a
difficult time explaining to prospective buyers that the Yairi is a
relatively high-end, handcrafted box, while the regular Alvarez are
assembly-line (not that that's necessarily bad). He knew what he had; he
just couldn't get an appropriate price for it.
The upshot is that I was able to buy a totally pro guitar in excellent
condition for $250.
Seth Perlman
In article <4vaafa$c...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, pmmi...@aol.com
(PMMitchel) wrote:
Well, I bought an Alvarez Regent acoustic guitar (read: the bottom of
their product line) as my first guitar about four years ago. It worked
great as a beginner guitar. Now that I've become a better player,
however, I'm not satisfied with it. It lacks projection and sustain, it
doesn't have a laminated top (which I don't like), and it doesn't stay in
tune because the tuners are junk.
Of course, this is expected for a guitar that cost me $200 new *including*
case, pick, strap, book, extra strings, etc. At some point (when I can
scrape together some more dough), I'll be selling it and buying a
better-quality acoustic-electric.
However, I have played the middle of Alvarez's line, and I'm very happy
with those guitars, as well as their acoustic-electrics. As a result, I
don't have complaints with Alvarez in general. Their Regent guitars are
great for new guitar players, but you may "outgrow" it within a year or
two. Or...maybe not.
Which Alvarez guitar is he trying to sell you, and for how much?
Hope this helps!
-Seth Perlman
sper...@ezo.net
-----------------------------+------------------------------------
Seth Perlman | "All along this path I tread,
-----------------------------+ My heart betrays my weary head,
sper...@ezo.net | With nothing but my love to save,
set...@aol.com | From the cradle to the grave."
http://www.ezo.net/user/seth | -Eric Clapton
-----------------------------+------------------------------------
Bob Hester
> In article <4vaafa$c...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, pmmi...@aol.com
> (PMMitchel) wrote:
>
> > I have a friend who wants to sell me an Alvarez....
> > being a guitar beginner, is this a good one to buy??
> > any help would be greatly appreciated
> >
> > pat
>
A related question: which model is the one played by Carly Simon in her
Acoustic Guitar magazine ads? It's a fine looking guitar. Is it high-end?
Is it expensive? Is it solid wood? Is it any good? I went to the Alvarez
home page and couldn't match the one in the ad with the one there. I
noticed the same guitar in a Crate ad, I think.
It has a single cutaway. It has what appears to be a two-piece bridge.
--
My opinions only.
The Brocker
In article <sperlman-310...@p118.ezo.net>,
sper...@ezo.net (Seth Perlman) wrote:
>In article <4vaafa$c...@newsbf02.news.aol.com>, pmmi...@aol.com
>(PMMitchel) wrote:
>
>> I have a friend who wants to sell me an Alvarez....
>> being a guitar beginner, is this a good one to buy??
>> any help would be greatly appreciated
>>
I just had a gig at a local pub. I did a sound check with an 1100$ guitar and
then I decided to just try my alvarez fusion to compare the sounds. I and my
friend both agreed that my alvarez that set me back only 400 was sounding
better than the other guitar. I have seen and heard the joys of alvarez and I
have seen the light. As far as Alvarez low end guitars I'm not sure. If it
sounds good and is in good shape go forit. After playing for a year you'll
want a new guitar no matter how much you spend.
Brock "The Viking" Gustafson
gust...@urvax.urich.edu
bgu...@freenet.columbus.oh.us
"Under the aegis of a living God
I trust above with certainty
Under the aegis of a loving God
I live and breathe, Eternity."
Kjjjo
I have been playing guitar for six years and certainly am no expert at the
craft, but I can give you my experience:
My first purchase of a steel string guitar was an Alvarez from a friend
for $150.00. We were both happy since he needed cash to buy a more
expensive Alvarez -obviously he was happy- and so was I. I eventually
worked for Santa Cruz Guitar and own several of the best acoustic guitars
made on the planet. I also own a 1941 O-18 vintage Martin for my
fingerstyle sessions on the couch. With all that said, keep in mind two
things that seem to contaradict one another: one, I still own the Alvarez
and will not sell it as I use it as my beach guitar; two, the better
guitar you can purchase from the beginning the better, as you will find it
easier to play. The easier you play, the sooner you will be making music
and thats what it is all about. If the Alvarez is set up correctly (good
action, neck straight with a small bow for relief), buy it and enjoy!
Hope this helps!
Joe
kj...@aol.com
gordons
I've got an Alvarez Yairi, and I wouldn't part with it for anything. It
plays easy, sounds great, I can't say enough good things about it. Can't
speak for the lower-end models, but this is the best guitar I've ever
owned and one of the best I've ever played.
My 2 cents only,
Dave G.
gor...@warwick.net
Cip
I've owned two different A-Yairi's and both were excellent IMHO. A
steel-string DY57 (that I'm still wondering whether or not I did the
right thing) and a lovely CY-140 classic (that was my reward for the
trade). Great guitars for the money.
--
Mike Cipriani mik...@ix.netcom.com
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/4232
leon pereira
I'm amazed how frequently this question comes up.
I always respond if it feels and sounds good to you--never mind the
name--buy it.
That said, 10 months ago, as a beginning fingerstyle player, I bought
a 1978 Alvarez 5025 6 string acoustic.
It is a beautiful sounding instrument with great action. Concensus among those--
including professionals--who have heard/played it is that is is way better than
many more expensive guitars, including the much hyped Takamines (a brand very
popular among musicians in Hawaii).
I'm not saying that every Alvarez will be great you've just got to decide
for yourself.
I payed $190 for it and would not give it up for ANYTHING! (That's even
when I can afford
a Lowden or Collings.)
- Leon
--
LEON PEREIRA
Editor, Resource Section, PsychNews International
Member, Panel of Judges, Worldwide Indian Network
leon pereira
After reading the thread on Takamines, I realized I left out one detail,
I learned from Tom Presley, product manager at Alvarez, that my Alvarez
5025 was made in Japan.
Nowadays, Alvarez has some guitars made in Korea and some in Japan. There
is said to be
a clear difference in tone, etc.
William Otis
I have an Alvarez 5005 that I bought back in about 1980. I
wouldn't trade it for anything I've seen yet. It has gotten better
with time, and has very good action (I play Flamenco on it). It is
still in "like new" condition.