Alvarez was established in 1965 by St. Louis Music. In the late 60’s the company began working with Master Luthier, Kazuo Yairi. This collaboration turned out to be a remarkable success and our Alvarez-Yairi guitars are still handmade in the Yairi factory today, in the small town of Kani, Japan .
Are all Alvarez guitars made in China?
While many of its models are produced in China , the top-tier Alvarez-Yairi instruments are handmade at the Yairi factory in Kani, Gifu-Japan, part of the legacy of Kazuo Yairi, the late master luthier. Every Alvarez guitar undergoes a full set up and inspection in their guitar shop in St. Louis, Missouri.
How can I tell how old my Alvarez guitar is?
According to Tom at STL GUITAR SERVICE (St. Louis Music, Alvarez Service Rep) – “Most Alvarez models from recent times can be dated using the first 2 digits as the year, second 2 digits as the month. “
Are Alvarez Guitars good quality?
Alvarez guitars are quite a reputable brand . So if you want to buy any of their guitars, be sure that you’ll get an excellent guitar both in construction and in sound quality.
How do I identify my guitar?
Guitar builders affix their guitars with names so people know what they are playing. The most common place to find identification is on the headstock or on a label inside of the guitar , if applicable. If there is nothing on your guitar in question, chances are the original label or logo has fallen off.
Are Alvarez guitars made in USA?
Yairi” in Europe and other parts of the world. Over the following decades Alvarez and Alvarez-Yairi grew into one of the leading acoustic guitar brands in the USA and introduced many unique and innovative design features into acoustic guitar making. ... Alvarez-Yairi guitars are still made in the Yairi factory today .
Who uses Alvarez guitars?
Past and present Alvarez players include Joe Bonamassa, Bono, Johnny Cash, Crosby Stills & Nash, Ani DiFranco, Jerry Garcia, Sir Paul McCartney, Monte Montgomery, Carlos Santana, Josh Turner, Bob Weir, Thom Yorke , and many more. It gives us great pride to see such wonderful artists perform with Alvarez instruments.
How old is a vintage guitar?
What is a vintage guitar? While an antique is defined as an object over 100 years old, there’s no strict chronological definition of what makes something vintage. Typically, though, guitars around 30 years old or older fall into that category, and even newer instruments will often be labeled as such by sellers.
Can you look up a guitar by serial number?
Checking a guitar’s serial number is a good and easy way to validate a guitar. You can look up a serial number either in Gruhn’s Guide or run the number in the manufacturer’s database .
How do you read a guitar serial number?
The serial number of an acoustic is located on the label inside the sound hole of the guitar . All acoustic serial numbers begin with the letter “A”, and are followed by the two digit year prefix. The remaining digits indicate the sequential number of acoustics built to date.
Are Alvarez guitars better than Yamaha?
The Alvarez has more brilliant trebles, the Yamaha has warmer, a bit fatter, trebles. The Alvarez is a bit louder. Because of the powerful basses and the brilliant trebles, I find the Alvarez slightly less balanced than the Yamaha , which has warm basses and warm trebles, although a fraction less powerful.
Is Alvarez a good beginner guitar?
You might not immediately think of Alvarez guitars. You should do. Their Artist Series of instruments are designed for the beginner and offer real quality at an affordable cost. The Artist series is designed for the beginner.
Who owns Blueridge guitars?
One of the 22 brands currently owned by Saga Music , Blueridge specializes in historic and pre-war reproductions and their acoustic guitars have garnered a lot of praise from musicians and publications.
How can you tell if a guitar is vintage?
Look for a date marker on the neck .
If those two dates match up, that’s probably the exact date your guitar was built. If they don’t, it could indicate that the guitar’s neck was replaced at some point, or that the guitar was built from spare parts and is not an original build.
How can I tell how old my guitar is?
For US instruments, the serial number will start with a letter . That letter indicates the decade. The second character will usually be a number. That number indicates the specific year.
Are Kay guitars worth anything?
Aside from a few electric archtops like the Barney Kessel and Upbeat models, most Kay guitars remain relatively low in value and undesirable to collectors. These Style Leader archtops are typically worth between $200 and $400 today in excellent condition.
