Product: Alvarez 5065
Price Paid: USD 325.00
Submitted
12/22/2008
at
08:59pm
by
Bill
Email: mcbill<at>cox dot net
Features
:
8
I bought my Alvarez 5065 new in 1977. It has been a great guitar. It looks better and sounds better with age.
Sound
:
8
I finger pick a lot with it and the sound is better (finger picking) than my 1967 Gibson J-50. The neck is harder to play than a lot of guitars I've played over the years but his one keeps being a good friend.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
No Opinion
Excellent bookmatching in this one.
Never noticed a flaw. After 31 years it still looks great!
Reliability/Durability
:
9
Yes to all of these questions.
Customer Support
:
9
I honestly have never needed to approach customer support since I bought it in 1977.
Super guitar!!
Overall Rating
:
No Opinion
I've been playing since 1965. Started in rock with bass guitar. Learned acoustic with an old Kent 12 string. Bought this guitar new in 1977 and purchased a 1967 Gibson J-50 in 2006. The Gibson is a better "strumming" guitar than the Alvarez, however the Alvarez is a better "finger picking" guitar with more sound.
Product: Alvarez 5065
Price Paid: UNKNOWN
Submitted
02/26/2007
at
03:01pm
by
Joe Smith
Features
:
10
This Alvarez is typical of all the Alvarez's I've owned and played. Always a good set-up and big sound. It is a dreadnought and was sold I believe in the middle to late 70's. St. Louis Music, the distributor told me it was called the "Cajun Queen." It has a solid cedar top and either rosewood or mahogany sides and back.
Sound
:
10
The nut is 1 3/4". I don't enjoy playing a guitar with a smaller nut, so this is perfect for how I play. My playing is folk, old folk-rock, lots of strumming with emphasis on dynamics. I use both pick and finger pick blues numbers. I probably most favor a Lightnin' Hopkins style. This guitar has a huge sound and reminds me of Martin's I've played and owned.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
10
This is an older guitar. The neck is straight and the action about right.
Reliability/Durability
:
10
I think this is a dependable guitar. Only a fool would gig without a backup.
Customer Support
:
10
I have found St. Louis Music to be a good company to deal with. I've called their techs several times about different issues on their instruments and I always get a call back and a good discussion of the issue.
Overall Rating
:
10
From what I've seen this is a pretty rare model number for Alvarez. The St. Louis Music Rep told me that this was probably made in Japan in the Yairi shop. Apparently it was a professional model that had a limited release. I've never seen another one.
