Alvarez 5038

S/N 866162. Purchased new in 1987, played every day since. Sticker says St. Louis MO, not sure if manufactured here or overseas. Midsized, cutaway body, thin electric-guitar-like neck, laminated top. Great all-purpose, every day guitar. Cutaway body paired with thinner strings allows for playing electric leads on this all-acoustic guitar, with excellent sound.

Wonderful sound - best sounding acoustic I've ever played, and suits all styles, from classical to acoutic 70's rock to 80's metal. Very full sound, when paired with the right strings it has a tremendous range. I'm often told by other players that the sound is among the best they've heard.

Excellent action, very fast. Stays in tune for weeks. Nut required replacement after 10 years due to wearing out, and some frets were catching the lower E string and had to be filed down. Two tuners lost the metal gear covers.

This guitar has been abused by drunks and children over it's entire lifetime, and has the scars to prove it (dents in top and sides; badly chipped headstock), but the sound and playabilty have never changed since day 1. Extremely durable.

Minor repairs to nut and some frets. The neck has stayed straight for almost 20 years, never needed adjustment. Customer support was never needed.

I also own an old Ibanez LP, but this guitar gets 95% of my playing time, 2-3 hours a day every day for 20 years. At the time, it was a difficult decision to choose this over an Ovation, but it was one of the best decisions I've ever made. If lost or stolen, I'd check out other guitars of course, but I'd give an extra long look at Alvarez. A lot can change over 20 years, who knows if they're still made well.

No idea what year this guitar was made, but I think it was one of Alvarez' mid-level acoustics. Despite having a laminated top, this is one of the best sounding acoustics i've ever played. No pick guard, which I love, and it's a cut away style body. Relatively thin neck, which kicks ass. I hate feeling like i'm playing a bat instead of an instrument.

Incredible!!!! I love the tone of this guitar. it was origionally designed to be an acoustic only guitar, but I put a thinline pickup in the bridge & it sounds great plugged in, too!!

here, i have to score sort of low. I love how this guitar plays (perfect on every fret, great action, very solid quality) but after it's years of use, the bridge had popped up a bit off the top, so my dad (a luthier) and I pulled it off, sanded everything flat & re-attached) no problems since. again, this guitar's neck is perfect.

the hardware is probly 10-15 years old, and still look/feel brand new. i'd definately gig w/o a backup.

i've been playing for 6 years & would recomment any alvarez or alvarez/yari guitar to anyone. they are simply great instruments. i'd say equal to taylor, better than martin.