Product: Alvarez 5056
Price Paid: US $600 fro the guitar and case
Submitted
10/18/2005
at
05:30am
by
speck
Features
:
9
Bought this dreadnaught in early 1979 or maybe late 1978. It was hand-made in Japan. There is a beautiful abalone vine that reaches up the entire length of the neck, and abalone around sound hole and all around the front by the binding. It has the abalone double A alvarez symbol on the head. Maple binding, spruce top, rosewood back and sides. Herringbone inlay down the center of the bookmatched back. It has no pickups. I purchased a case from the same guitar store that I bought the guitar. The case cost nearly as much as the guitar. It is an ABS flight case. High priced case but it protected the guitar all these years.
Sound
:
9
Rich sound. Sounds best with light strings. I play bluegrass and folk, gospel. I'm an ametuer, just play for a hobby, never in public. After owning this for 26 years I'm handing this guitar down to my teenage son. He's in college. Who knows what they play at the frat house!
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
8
Its never been adjusted from factory settings. The action is pretty good just the way it is, maybe a bit low. The finish on this guitar is flawless.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
This is a very well made guitar. It is 26 years old with all original fittings. It has no cracks, no splits, no disjoined seams etc. Other than some scratches from use everything is still as it was 26 years ago.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Never had to deal with the company because nothing has ever been wrong. The guitar did come with a life time warranty, but I heard from others that you need the receipt. Who keeps receipts after 26 years and moving 5 times?
Overall Rating
:
9
I've played off and on for 26 years. This was the first guitar I bought...rather overkill for a beginner, but I fell in love with it when I played it in the store. I compared it to a Yari. The Yari had a fuller sound, but a higher price. I wish I'd asked for a guitar manual and specifications sheet. I'm not sure why I wasn't given those. I was too ignorant to ask for them. Its the only guitar I personally own though we do have two other guitars in the house... one is a classical guitar bought in Spain, the other is an alvarez reagent I bought for my youngest daughter.
