Alvarez Yairi 5065

This is a guitar made by master luthier Kazuo Yairi in Japan. I purchased this guitar new in 1973. The top is solid spruce and the back and sides are rosewood. There is some debate as to whether the back and sides are laminated - I can't tell and the sound is really superb so I really don't care. There is a truss rod that is accessed through the sound hole. The tuners are chrome Grovers and there is the familiar A-Y inlay on the headstock and the usual dots as fret markers. The binding is white with black lines (material is unknown). The neck is a dark wood (mahagony?) and it is 1 11/16" at the nut. The guitar came without electronics but I installed a LR Baggs i-Beam several years ago. The top is very thin and I believe it has a nitro cellulose finish.

This is where the guitar really shines. It has aged very well and the sound is balanced, loud and rich. I use this guitar primarly for strumming and it has a booming base for songs that feature running base lines. I played mandolin in a Bluegrass band and one of the band members liked my AY and he used it for the guitar parts. The i-Beam that I installed makes it sound nice plugged in and it does not seem to detract from playing it without amplification. It is good for all around use and the balance and good sustain makes it a great fit for both strumming and fingerstyle. This baby is very loud - but it is a dread so that figures. When I bought it in 1973 when I was in college, the salesman said that it sounds as good as a Martin D18/D28 for much less scratch. I played with a guy that had a D35 and while he would never admit it, my 5065 sounded pretty darn good and the action was considerably better. I would be curious to see how the two have aged over the past 34 years.

There is really nothing fancy about this guitar - but for $338 in 1973 (I was in my early 20s), I was not looking for a museum piece. The action is superb and the neck is very straight and has not had any issues. The fingerboard and frets are well made and have required very little work over the years. The nut and saddle are original (I understand both are bone) but I did change out the bridge pins (I thought they were plastic when replaced). The Grover tuners have been reliable and this guitar requires minimal retuning when capoing and always has. It is a well made guitar - but not fancy.

In the early 1980's I spent three years in West Africa in the Peace Corps (Staff) and this baby went with me. The humidity in the sahel is very low and I did not understand humidification at the time. Since my return, I have taken this guitar to all corners of the USA in a variety of climates from Minnesota to Georgia to Idaho. The only issues I have had was the neck did separate a bit from the body (broke the finish) but it had not affected the sound. The finish is very suseptible to being blemished when struck by a solid object and there are several minor undulations in the top below the bridge based on stress over the past 35 years. However, for a guitar that has been all over the place and not babied, it has stood up surprisingly well.

Never needed any for this guitar. I have reviewed an Alvarez PF-90SC and did not have a bad experience when I needed some advice.

This has been my primary 6 string guitar for a long time and I still believe that it has superb sound, excellent playability and is well made. I own a number of acoustic guitars including a Guild (F212XL- 12 string), Breedlove (S20/MYR Custom), and Rainsong (WS1000), plus an old Ovation (Baladeer 1612) and the previously mentionned Alvarez (PF-90SC). The mark of a guitar's appeal is how much playing time it gets in a crowded stable and the Alvarez-Yairi is still in the running but it is now sharing time with the Breedlove and Rainsong (purchased in last few months). The Ovation and Alvarez PF-90SC may show up on eBay soon as they are not likely to make the cut. The A-Y 6056 is not beautiful but it consistenly plays well and sounds superb in a variety of styles. In addition to being a great investment, it has been a trusted companion for a long time - I will not part with it for any price.

Made in Japan by Kazuo Yairi in 1972. Satin finished dreadnought with silver grover tuners. 20 frets, not sure about the neck scale (I'm no luthier, but it seems pretty standard--not especially thick). It's got a solid spruce top with very tight grain and laminate back and sides (I believe Koa). The neck is rosewood (I think), and the fingerboard and bridge are ebony. No electronics on it. Bone nut and saddle, though they are not original. Visually, this is a pretty plain guitar, though the Koa grains are gorgeous, and there is a small strip of roses on a vine (made out of wood--I'm not sure what kind) between the two pieces on back. That's kind of neat.

I play mostly bluegrass music, and it is just terrific for that. Nice, resounding booms, but balanced well with the mids and highs for a solid harmonious hum when strummed. I wish the high E string resounded a little better, but I think the frets may need replacing, and I will be taking it into a Luthier after I get some $$ for it for my birthday (I'm a grad student, so the finances are a little hard to come by ;). Otherwise, though, this is the best sounding guitar I've ever played. The woods have aged nicely, and its got such a beautiful tone I still get giddy (having owned it a year and a half) when I pick it up to play it.

The guitar was given a little work by the fellow who owned it before me, but it could use a bit more. There's nothing seriously wrong with it, but it's kind of dinged up (hey, it's 35 years old!) Like I said, it may need refretting, but a professional luthier will make the true determination regarding that. The action seems just fine to me. It's easy to play and doesn't cramp up my hand when I'm playing bar chords.

I don't know if it would withstand live playing. This one is old, so I wouldn't let it get too beat up. And the body seems fairly thin, but I don't count that against it, because it seems to help with the resonation (as opposed to those acoustics that are so thick that you can't hardly hear them without an amp). Otherwise, it's 35 years old and it's still completely solid, original tuners, original bridge (I think). And the dings tell me it hasn't exactly been babied.

Alvarez is okay. They do a fair (though not stellar) job of keeping their customers happy, though I haven't talked to them about this guitar, yet.

I've been playing for about seven years, and I've owned a number of guitars in that time (four or five, increasing in quality, mostly). Currently this is the only guitar I own. I had three a year ago (a HEAVY Fender acoustic GA-45SCE--decent guitar, but next to no resonation), this one, and an Alvarez-Yairi FY-95 (a solid-wood Masterworks), which was great. Well, I decided to go back to school and was having a kid, so I sold all but this one, which I couldn't part with.

The guy who I bought it from down in Florida described it as "mint" condition, though he exaggerated greatly. It's pretty dinged up and I wasn't too happy when I opened it up, but after playing it, I mostly forgave him, since it sounds SO amazing. I paid $600 for it, plus shipping from FL to WI, but, even with the dings and whatnot, I would do it again. And if it was lost or stolen, I doubt I could find another one, which would be a real shame.

I'm giving this category a 10, because I know there are better guitars out there, but not for anywhere near this money, and I don't believe you'll touch another guitar that sounds this good for under $1500. If I ever decide to move up to the solid-wood Martin category, I'm keeping this guitar, no matter what my wife says.