Alvarez 5059

My alvarez was made in japan in nineteen seventy five, five years before I was alive. However my father (a jazz guitarist) was alive an playing it. When i left for california my father handed this guitar down to me, I love it, sounds beautiful. Obviously yes it doesn't have many features but when i'm sitting in bed playing to myself, i don't need features. There something very natural feeling about the guitar.

I do love the sound, it give a nice dynamic to whatever strings i put on it (especially silk on steel) I feel like i am able to get a variety of sounds out of the instrument

The guitar was obviously very well set up because i can't remember ever having this guitar adjusted beside normal matinence. The neck is straight as an arrow after all this time

I don't generally perform however this guitar is incredibly durable, It's taken a couple of hard knocks and still feels, looks and sounds beautiful, very dependable

never contacted customer support

I love this guitar, and as it was said in an earlier review, i don't what i'd do if i ever lost it.

This was my very first acoustic guitar purchased in early 1977. It has seen a lot over the years. Several romances, several breakups and a lot of beer.

I fingerpick quite a bit and it has a great full sound. I recently had the braces scalloped and now it booms like there is no tomorrow.

The spruce top has aged beautifully. A nice deep gold.

The guitar was a hand-me-down gift from my mother. From what i can gather it was bought some time around Sept. of 1976. Then, when it was still brand new, Mom traded an old tele for it. It's been "mine" for about the last 6 years. The guitar has some pretty nice binding the hole way around the guitar. It also has a 2 piece back with a sweet inlay going up the joint.20 very well placed frets round out this not so plain, plain guitar.

I play a cross style of everything imaginable.The tone of the guitar is sssooooo rich and full.It will sound great playing Hank Williams or Nirvana! Harmonics on the neck sound out quite easily.

Over the years the only modification that was needed was a slight "tweek'n" of the truss rod. Other than that this guitar has been the best friend of the family ever.

Will it last?? After 25 years of constantly pick'n the thing I'm wondering if the thing will EVER die!

never ever even considered sending it in for anything....ever.

I've been playing for about 14 years.I've owned countless guitars over the years. This guitar is the only one that has been "bulletproof" enough to stick around this long in the family.
If you ever get the chance BUY IT!

My wife gave me this guitar in 1976 as a wedding present. It was my first and only wife and is still the first and only new guitar I've ever gotten. The guitar and my marriage are 25 years old this year and it seemed like a good time to assess the guitar anyway.

It's a beautiful guitar in a plain way, made with wood that is probably not available anymore. I think it is rosewood with a spruce top, herringbone pattern around the soundhole.The back is "book sawn". Fingerboard is ebony; don't know what the neck is. I upgraded the tuners years ago and added a strap button on the heel. I can't give it better than a 7 because it had no bells and whistles. Like my wife it was beautiful in it's simplicity years ago and has just gotten better as it has aged.

This guitar sounds better and better as the years go by. I have played country, bluegrass, bottleneck, flatpicking, fingerpicking etc. in various phases and it has done it all. It doesn't have the fullness of a big-bodied guild but what the heck, I couldn't afford one then or now.

Set-up was good off the rack but better after I'd played it a few years and then had a technician lower the action a bit -- he adjusted the neck and shaved a bit off the bridge. The finish has held up beautifully with just a few bumps and bruises (my fault). The G string has a little sticking place on the nut that developed after 5 or 10 years, but I'm used to it.

After all these years the neck is still straight as an arrow, the finish hasn't checked or faded. There are worn places on the neck that I'm proud of. The fingerboard is worn pretty badly but that's life. Frets are worn too, but still plays fine. I checked the intonation last night and after 25 years it was perfect.

Never needed to contact Alvarez....all I would have to say would be "thanks".

I've played a lot of other guitars over the years, and yes some did have better action and tone but they were way over the price of the Alvarez. At the time the money was low-mid range; I can't believe now what a good deal it was. For an entry level price I got a buddy that has lasted all this time. If this guitar was lost it would be irreplaceable; I'd be heartbroken.