Illini1330
New member
Anyone know anything about these?
Alvarez acoustics
- Thread starter Illini1330
- Start date
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
GREAT bang for the buck.
BUT, you either love 'em or hate 'em.
Do you want your acoustic to be a dark, muffled POS.... then buy a Martin, because everyone I've played sounds like crap.
Do you want a bright sounding acoustic? Guild, Takamine, Alvarez offer great stuff. The Gibson J-150 was the finest one I've tried.
Do you want a more balanced type tone that isn't too dark? Taylor is my pick for that. Gibson offers some decent stuff, although a lot I've played wasn't that great.
Alvarez guitars are bright, but they aren't the tinny type of bright. They are chimey, full, and brilliant. The AJ-60SC I'm saving up for has a great bass sound as well to it, fantastic overall guitar with a sweet tonal balance that covers more of the spectrum than a lot of its competitors. I'd buy a Gibson J-150 if I had the money, but this basically offers 90% of it's tone for less than 1/6 it's price.
BUT, you either love 'em or hate 'em.
Do you want your acoustic to be a dark, muffled POS.... then buy a Martin, because everyone I've played sounds like crap.
Do you want a bright sounding acoustic? Guild, Takamine, Alvarez offer great stuff. The Gibson J-150 was the finest one I've tried.
Do you want a more balanced type tone that isn't too dark? Taylor is my pick for that. Gibson offers some decent stuff, although a lot I've played wasn't that great.
Alvarez guitars are bright, but they aren't the tinny type of bright. They are chimey, full, and brilliant. The AJ-60SC I'm saving up for has a great bass sound as well to it, fantastic overall guitar with a sweet tonal balance that covers more of the spectrum than a lot of its competitors. I'd buy a Gibson J-150 if I had the money, but this basically offers 90% of it's tone for less than 1/6 it's price.
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That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
The type of stuff I like has a bright sounding acoustic to it.
Goo Goo Dolls (great acoustic tone) - use Guild acoustics
Sevendust - "Angel's Son" - Takamine acoustics
Staind - Alvarez-Yairi acoustics
Goo Goo Dolls (great acoustic tone) - use Guild acoustics
Sevendust - "Angel's Son" - Takamine acoustics
Staind - Alvarez-Yairi acoustics
PUCKBOY99
Irish Flagologist
I've been on an acoustic search for the past few weeks. I haven't been able to play an Alvarez yet...maybe next week. From what I can tell, they seem to be one of those "Love 'Em or Hate 'Em" type guitars......Sorry, that sounds stupid when you read it.
Anyway, I've got my eye on a Guild or a Takamine. The Martins I've played did nothing for me, a Gibson I played sounded like mud....the Taylors I played were a wet dream, although the price is up there too!!!
Good luck & I'll be watching this thread.....if it helps, I have an active thread with some recommendations that might help.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=856
Anyway, I've got my eye on a Guild or a Takamine. The Martins I've played did nothing for me, a Gibson I played sounded like mud....the Taylors I played were a wet dream, although the price is up there too!!!
Good luck & I'll be watching this thread.....if it helps, I have an active thread with some recommendations that might help.
https://forum.seymourduncan.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=856
KoreanGuitarMan
New member
I own an Alvarez. It's fantastic. Solid spruce top + rosewood neck and body = bliss.
jmv
New member
Alvarez is good, quality stuff....
about martins.... i wouldn't bash them, personally, i know for a fact they make fantastic guitars.... but their lowerline models aren't too hot. Best guitar i've ever played was a martin..... and its not dark and muffled, its full and resonant.....
anyway, yeah, alvarez makes some nice guitars, but be sure to actually play some before you buy, preferably the one you are going to buy, and not just take our word for it. You may have a completely different experience than we have, just like my different experience with the martins.... it all depends on what you like and your personal opinions.
about martins.... i wouldn't bash them, personally, i know for a fact they make fantastic guitars.... but their lowerline models aren't too hot. Best guitar i've ever played was a martin..... and its not dark and muffled, its full and resonant.....
anyway, yeah, alvarez makes some nice guitars, but be sure to actually play some before you buy, preferably the one you are going to buy, and not just take our word for it. You may have a completely different experience than we have, just like my different experience with the martins.... it all depends on what you like and your personal opinions.
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
I bashed Martins merely on the Guitar Center store I went to (played literally a hundred something acoustic guitars) and a local shop that hand picks the better Martins.
Every one I've tried, even models that were $2000+ sounded like $200 starter packs. They all sound muddy to me, not articulate at all. They lacked life; to me they sounded dull. I tried all the models I could get my hands on to see what was so great about them. Jammed out on the Eric Clapton signature model; still, nothing. The E.C. model was probably the best Martin I heard, but it wasn't anything to brag about. These guitars are severely overpriced.
Every one I've tried, even models that were $2000+ sounded like $200 starter packs. They all sound muddy to me, not articulate at all. They lacked life; to me they sounded dull. I tried all the models I could get my hands on to see what was so great about them. Jammed out on the Eric Clapton signature model; still, nothing. The E.C. model was probably the best Martin I heard, but it wasn't anything to brag about. These guitars are severely overpriced.
BluesNRock87
New member
not at all, did ur martins have good strings, do u have ears?
martins are a bit bass heavy, but they are very clear, articulate, and full sounding. the bass is there, but so is the treble, nice and chimey, and the mids have presence as well.
alvarez's are to "tinny" for me, so are taylors, taks.
tacoma's, seagulls arent bad for me
gibsons, way to expensive, but nice.
the thing is, your either a martin man, (or woman) or you are a taylor man. the trick is realizing which one you are before u spend too much. being a taylor man is cheaper, ccause u can buy alzerez's and others that sound similar.
alvarez's are really great guitars but dont do it for me, ive played the ad60, and the high end one the, ad80 or whatever. i must say the 80 really harmonizes nicely with my d-15 though !
martins are a bit bass heavy, but they are very clear, articulate, and full sounding. the bass is there, but so is the treble, nice and chimey, and the mids have presence as well.
alvarez's are to "tinny" for me, so are taylors, taks.
tacoma's, seagulls arent bad for me
gibsons, way to expensive, but nice.
the thing is, your either a martin man, (or woman) or you are a taylor man. the trick is realizing which one you are before u spend too much. being a taylor man is cheaper, ccause u can buy alzerez's and others that sound similar.
alvarez's are really great guitars but dont do it for me, ive played the ad60, and the high end one the, ad80 or whatever. i must say the 80 really harmonizes nicely with my d-15 though !
jmv
New member
the_Chris said:
yeah, i've had some similar experiences with guitar center acoustics... but when i went to the martin factory, i could just pick up a guitar that was set to be shipped somewhere, all sorts of different models and priceranges, and they were all phenomenal sounding. I guess its strings and whatnot.... speaking of the clapton model... i got to play the prototype for the original clapton model (the one with all the inlay) that clapton tried out to approve... the 2nd best guitar i've ever played....
Skullkrusher
The T-Files-ologist
I had an alvarez a while back and I was a real nice guitar for the money.
Illini1330
New member
How do they play? Last months Guitar player with Zakk Wylde says he has one, and that it plays "kinda" like an electric.
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
The only thing I didn't like about the Alvarez jumbo I tried was that the action seemed to high to really solo and jam out on it with blues runs. The Gibson I played before had much lower, much more playable action. Still, the tone of the Alvarez makes it well worth it.
With the deal with Martins, I guess it's possible that all the acoustics I tried were suffering from abuse (even though my local shop, I find that hard to believe).
Yes, my ears are good. I like to think I have pretty good taste in gear
.
Whatever Martins I played, they didn't have any chiminess to them at all. So that leads me to the conclusion that either a) Martins quality control is piss poor (I mean c'mon, the Eric Clapton sig sounded bad?) or b) the places I tried them just must have gotten all their models wrong.
With the deal with Martins, I guess it's possible that all the acoustics I tried were suffering from abuse (even though my local shop, I find that hard to believe).
Yes, my ears are good. I like to think I have pretty good taste in gear
. Whatever Martins I played, they didn't have any chiminess to them at all. So that leads me to the conclusion that either a) Martins quality control is piss poor (I mean c'mon, the Eric Clapton sig sounded bad?) or b) the places I tried them just must have gotten all their models wrong.
PUCKBOY99
Irish Flagologist
I have to side with Chris on this one.
As he said, maybe these guitars suffer from the Guitar Center "I've been sitting in this friggin' dump for so long & have been played by every loser under the sun, but nobody will buy me because I'm so friggin' overpriced" Syndrome.
I played 4 Martins: D-15, D-18, DR, & the Grand Auditorium. I really wanted them to be as amazing as I've heard & what the price would imply. They were all on sale, all under $1000.00.....but every single one of them sounded like mud ! I liked the Korean Gretch better & that just should not happen!!
But after reading this thread & the one I started, it looks like I'm a "Taylor Guy"...I like a bright, singing tone that projects w/o the help of amplification. In my search so far, I've liked the Taylor & the Takamine....can't wait to try a Guild & an Alvarez next week !
As he said, maybe these guitars suffer from the Guitar Center "I've been sitting in this friggin' dump for so long & have been played by every loser under the sun, but nobody will buy me because I'm so friggin' overpriced" Syndrome.
I played 4 Martins: D-15, D-18, DR, & the Grand Auditorium. I really wanted them to be as amazing as I've heard & what the price would imply. They were all on sale, all under $1000.00.....but every single one of them sounded like mud ! I liked the Korean Gretch better & that just should not happen!!
But after reading this thread & the one I started, it looks like I'm a "Taylor Guy"...I like a bright, singing tone that projects w/o the help of amplification. In my search so far, I've liked the Taylor & the Takamine....can't wait to try a Guild & an Alvarez next week !
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jmv
New member
Oh, BTW, as far as playability goes.... one of my guitar heros, Monte Montgomery, plays an alvarez Yiari, and he plays some of the most insane things, you would think he was playing an electric, just wicked mad chops, and i think the regular line of alvarez tend to follow that lead, that is, if they are set up properly.
That90'sGuy
DyzaBoyzologist
At Guitar Center, I played a Martin (something or other) 35 that sounded good. It was on sale for around 2000. It had a little bit of chiminess, but also had a strong midrange and a pretty good bass. The first one I've tried that I like. I played a couple other high end ones that were pretty good, but still not the sound I like.
The Taylors I was playing were all great. Especially a 12 string one they had on sale for 1200. Top notch stuff IMHO.
The Taylors I was playing were all great. Especially a 12 string one they had on sale for 1200. Top notch stuff IMHO.
Vasshu the humanoid typhoon
Unseen
Martins....well I like the old ones alot.
As for newer things, K-Yairi's Luthiers line is fantastic....and they look very clean and classy too, amazing wood.
Never played a Taylor I really liked, on the other hand I have tried a few Lowdens, mahagony Jumbos...sounded like a frigging harp...great guitars, but my faves are made by hand, small builders has something those factory ones will never have.
As for newer things, K-Yairi's Luthiers line is fantastic....and they look very clean and classy too, amazing wood.
Never played a Taylor I really liked, on the other hand I have tried a few Lowdens, mahagony Jumbos...sounded like a frigging harp...great guitars, but my faves are made by hand, small builders has something those factory ones will never have.
