Alvarez 5212

Like others, this is my first guitar, it was a chistmas gift from my folks about 12 years ago. Many seem a bit nostalgic but I will try to be objective.

laminate top. unimpressive appearance. Crappy machine-heads from the factory, I replaced mine. Fretboard boring. Does have a pickguard!!!

"Warm" sound to me is really too much low and no middle. Separate tones get muddled, but it does boom, a very loud guitar. It is warm for finger-picking. A lot of buzz out of the box, but I lowered the action and it went away for the most part. Overall, a lot of bottom, clear top but little middle to the sound. For the price range though I don't think you'll find many better sounding guitars.

Difficult guitar to play compared to others, even after lowering the action I still get a lot of buzz and it doesn't fret very easily. Not a problem for good players, but makes learning tough/discouraging.

I had to replace the factory machine heads cause they broke/fell off. Other than that the guitar has been very resilient.

Playing 12 years. I just bought my only other guitar, a Cort Parkwood series. I love it cause I learned on it but it hasn't always been an easy ride. If your only looking to spend a little money then it is prob as good as you can get, but I think more money is worth it - especially if your learning because it will be easier imo as this is a tough guitar to play out of the box. I will keep it for playing in the park.

It's a pretty plain guitar, visually. Not much to talk about here. It's a standard, old-school dreadnaught. I was told it was a '73. It sports a plain black pickguard and the one I aquired had strap knobs. Plain dot inlays on a rosewood fretboard. The 12th Fret has a nice little touch with a bird-like inlay. All of which are pearl. It has a nice laminate finish all over an a simple tannish stain on what appears to be a spruce top. A rich finish on what appears to be mahogany back and sides. The frets are laid out nicely and are medium in size. It has a plain rosewood bridge. Nothing too special with the tuners, fairly standard. Although not flashy by any stretch, Alvarez keeps it simple and still manages to pull off a elegant sleek look.

It sounded pretty bad when I first got it... the strings were almost as old as the guitar itself, but after I put a set of Elixer lights on it, the real sound shone through. The sound is quite remarkable. It has almost as much projection as my Taylor. It manages to pull off a fairly bright, but still very warm tone... a tone that compliments finger-style picking well. I really like the sound of this guitar for softer guitar work. It has a less aggressive tone and attack than my Taylor and fits better into my softer songs. The only thing I can complain about is that my low-E string sounds dead, especially compared to the others. I'm taking it in to have it looked at soon, and hopefully this problem can be fixed.

Wow, the action is superb. This is one of the best actions that I have ever played with. Fairly low, especially for an acoustic and equally low in all areas, from the saddle to the headstock. Absolutely amazing playability. The finish is subtle on the top, but very well done. The back is richly stained and pulls off a nice color and it's very beautiful when shined. the neck is a little tall for my liking, it's not as tall as a classical-style guitars neck, but somewhere in between most dreadnaughts and a classical.the wood had a few visible knots in it in the top, but it does add more character.

This seems to be a very solid guitar. It's more than 30 years old, and has very little visual wear and tear. No nicks or scratches that break the laquer. There's also no warping to the neck, although the owner before me didn't tune the strings down for storage. I have had some problems with the tuners though, they sometimes stick, and the high-E tuner only tunes so high, and then it just spins and won't tune. I would suggest throughing Grovers or some type of better tuner on this guitar to give it justice.

I have no idea about any of this, I fix all the problems on my own.

I've been playing about 9 1/2 years now and I own 6 guitars total, 3 of which being standard dreadnaughts, counting this own. I still prefer my Taylor over this guitar, but that's just personal preference. I prefer a very bright tone with a lot of attack and projection. I am still very happy to have this guitar in my collection. My girlfriend found this guitar at a yardsale near Seattle for one hell of a price and picked it up for me, so I can't complain. I don't think I'll ever get rid of this guitar, but I may have some work done to it. Perhaps through a tortoise-shell pickguard on it and some flashier string pins to pick up the visuals. I am also planning on putting grover tuners on, probably gold would be a nice touch. the Elixers are definately a nice touch though. They made such a difference in this guitar. If you happen to come across one of these guitars, I would suggest picking it up. You'll be glad you did.

The Features on this guitar are nothing to get that excited about, It is a very old school style acoustic, but with the old school style sound that is awesome.

Wow, This guitar has one of the best sounds ive ever heard, Im not a fan of real bright sounds i like the more rich full sounds and this guitar has it, i use vintage bronze dean markley medium strings. You can't be weak and pull this awesome sound out of the guitar but if you have some talent it will sing all night.

Ive had this guitar for almost 15 years and had no problems with how the guitar is made its all real solid, the kind of guitar that stays with you for years.

Just like any guitar with playing live it will get more dings and scratches but i think that all adds to the beauty of this guitar, there are no strap buttons but i see that as a plus because acoustic guitar straps are gay. I have much confidence in this guitar.

I've never had to call customer support so in my opinion that is a greatly built guitar.

I have been playing for quit some time, i have broken my only other two acoustics because well, im a rockstar and breaking useless stuff it a favorite pastime, if this guitar was ever stolen i would pay real good money to get this same guitar hopefully used so it will have that unique sound. I have many electrics and that is a totally different sound so i won't compaire but I will say that this is a great guitar, primarly because the sound and look and reliabilty,(what else matters?). And it will stay with me till the day i die

Like I dig my ladies - beautiful but low maintenance. Not many features, but the ones that count are there; reliability, soul and sound.

This is a bare-bones low cost laminate. You aren't going to get amazing fit and finish. Nor will you find superb attention to detail or even a decent set up when you get it. The action will be ridiculously high and you'll have to spend days getting the thing set up the way you like it. But...when you do, this little cheap starter guitar will sound as good as guitars four (or more) times its cost and outlast them to boot. This thing has guts. It's got soul. Like a beautiful singer, it's not that the voice is perfect - it's that the flaws make it sound so damn good.

As previously stated - the action was off (like an inch off the board) and the fit and finish leave a bit to long for. But...the thing is built to last. It isn't to be put on display, and that's a good thing, it's meant to be played.

Like Timex watches, this thing takes a licking and keeps on ticking. An amazingly reliable guitar. I've used and abused mine for over 10 years. I've used this thing to hammer nails into drywall and then gone out and gigged with it. Indestructible. Period.

No idea - never needed to give them a ring and that's the best customer support I can think of.

One hell of a trooper. A great guitar that has gone from starter guitar throw-around to most my prized possession. I use this puppy for everything from rock-em-sock-em contests in my living room to serious gigs at local clubs. I love this little guy. Whether you are just starting off and want an inexpensive guitar to get started with or you have been playing since before perforated toilet paper - this guitar can earn it's place in your home.

just a lower line model, nothing fancy at all, just plays well.i've had over 20 guitars so far, (i'm 37)& i have a tendency to wear out fretboards rather quickly, as i play constantly, &i do PLAY.needed a basic kickaround guitar thaT i don't mind getting beat up from out-of-doors partying &campfire damage, makes the perfect kickaround.

i'm an akoostik animal,&the beast is mine.former deadhead, playing ofr the next generation,&even w/no cutaway, i can still reach aLL the way down to the 21st fret & still have decent playability &sound, especially sound, as it wants tobe played, &doesn't mind if it gets a little wet.

i got the beast used, &the action was way high, &i had to adjust the saddle about 3/16 down, but with less than an hour's time, i had a sweetie of an axe,no dead spots, &my friends who have played it since i fixed it have been rather impressed mith my find.no great work of art, just plain-jane in build, just happens to play &sound real good for a cheapie.would have probably rated it higher if i didn't have to dick around with it, although i DID get it used.

it has withstood afew hairy situations where i really shouldn't have had it out, but the situation called for me to play, so the beast & i got rather wet, but to a good &VERY entertaining evening, to say the least...seems solid enough, hasn't let me down yet,& it is the 1st guitar i ever bought, that i didn't care if it got messed up, i bought it so that it WOULD get messed up, not one of my nicer ones. i simply don't worry about it, & i feel good, being able to let others play it w/out getting uptight, (ya know what i mean?)

i've no idea,didn't even know aboutcustomer service. maybe i'll call them & tell them what a greaT cheap guitar i have, or try to get a free one(my frets are getting worn), or wish them a happy birthday, or something, just to be nice.(do ya think that maybe they'll FLY me out there to show them this great, cheap axe i now enjoy?(nahhh....)

been playing fer 23 years now,& i've hadnumerous : a 63 gibson acc, a couple af arias, 2 epiphones(one was an original epi,) &i had a epi/gib pr 350 that was truly the best guitar i've ever had, 2 different washburns(reds,a clear-finish blue thing,was truly my FAVORITE guitar,sweet &sultry,) acouple of ovations, an old vox guitar,&2 different ibanez', one electric, one accoustic,& an old univox like johnny ramones,but w/a sunburst finish(although THAT burned in a housefire in '82

I bought this guitar about 6 years ago as my first steel string acoustic, and it's a Regent model (Alvarez budget line) so it doesn't have a lot of features. It did come with with a beginner's maintainence kit, strap and such. The wood is a good quality laminate.

It was the loudest guitar in the store and that's why I got it. After playing more and more guitars over the past few years, I've come to love Alvarez because of the BIG sound they generate. It really pumps out volume in a nice balance, lots of mid-tones especially. I've used a Dean Markely soundhole pickup and now a Fishman pickup inside and both amplify it without too much trouble, it doesn't sound as good electric as it does acoustic though. I've played it outdoors on a windy day and people can still hear it from a distance... it's especially good in the subway or for street performing. It's a great percussive strumming guitar, ok for fingerpicking if you get lighter strings, but it loves to be strummed really hard! My only problem with it is that it's got a funny quirk in the tuning where if I tune it for songs in G (the G chord, D chord etc. will be in tune) then the E's and A's go out of tune. I think the tuning hardware is a little lacking. But once you know how to work around it, it's no big problem.

The action is nice and low, like most Alvarez guitars I've tried. Finish has held up really well. One of the tuning pegs came loose a couple of years ago but it's screwed back in there in an unsightly but functional way, and no more problems to date.

I haven't treated this poor thing right at all... I used that maintainence kit once in 6 years. A few times I wiped it off after playing. It's been toted all over the world, checked on an airplane in a soft-shell case about 9 or 10 times, whipped out in freezing cold and subtropical climates, banged around in subway stations, bars, you name it. This thing is a war-horse and it still sounds great! Would have given it a 10 if it hadn't been for the tuning peg, which I'm sure was my fault at some point.

I've called Alvarez with questions about other guitars and they seem like cool enough people.

I've been playing almost 9 years and this guitar's seen the bulk of it. I just bought a new Alvarez, a beautiful PD100s with a solid spruce top and it sounds beautiful, it's big and bright like this one but with much better quality tuners, hardware, wood, etc. It's a real beauty, and I tell you it sounds better than a lot of the $2000 Martins I tried before buying it. They're soft and have beautiful tones and everything but I want a ballsy-fucking guitar, not a gentle little finger-picking lute! The 5212 is a great beginner guitar, though I've played some of the new Regent models Alvarez has come out with and I think, for the money, the RD-30 is really the way to go in a lower model acoustic, it sounds just as gutsy but has a solid top and some better hardware. And by the way I would never ever buy an Ovation, those things sound like crap if they're not plugged into anything, I don't know how they can charge so much for those things!

Plain guitar. Has the adjustable bridge which does not seem to be a plus. Has held up well through many moves.

Low notes are barely audible. You will definely be dissapointed with power chords. BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ.

The fit was good. And it was definitely an improvement over my old yamaha. A lot tighter than i would like.

It still looks like a guitar after 2 years

Good luck getting anything from alverez

I've been goofing around three or for years now. If I could make a suggestion for this end of the guitar line, the S&P-6 is the way to go. Do your self a favor in the store put the guitar down and walk away. Alvarez makes a weak presentation with no representation.

Love the sound of this guitar. This is my first guitar and I love it, I have played a few others that are priced around $700-900 and they can't touch the brightness and depth of this guitar. The only reason that I won't but a ten is because I have played some expensive acoustics that are phenomenal.

This is going to be a mix answer because the finish is a little dinged up because I got it used at a pawn shop but it looks nice and seems to be stable and doesn't need any work of any kind. The action on this guitar is higher than mt. everest. I didn't know any better but now I do and the action is horrible but I play better on other instruments but I still love this guitar either way.

I have played this guitar everywhere, never a problem other than me bending a string too much and popping it. The only thing I can see is that I will need to change the tuners but that isn't a big thing. Seems this guitar will last forever. I know that I will never sell it because not only is this guitar my first and my baby but I love the sound of this sucker. I was suprised by the strap button on the back solid as a rock.

never dealt with them

I have been only playing for 1 1/2 years now but like I said I love this guitar and I will be playing it until either I die or it dies whichever comes first. I also just acquired a 1975 Ovation 12-string Pacemaker, Sweet ass instrument if you saw this guitar you wouldn't believe that it was from the 70's because I flipped when I found that out. I would recommend this guitar to anyone starting out, I would recommend it for experienced players but the action is something that needs to be dealt with on this guitar.