Alvarez AE600FR

i bought mine in 91',for $800 cash.it was in a glass case beside the vai gem.its a 22 fret korean model,but plays like the kick ass american models.its a solid top,with a single on the neck,and an active on the bridge.i had another one that had a triple coil,but an ex wife unnamed pawned it.solid maple,even the neck,makes this thing by far my most prized possesion.it has a japanese floyd on it,though i've never had one ounce of trouble from,except having to replace a saddle or two over the last 15 years.

i play eighties rock,the technical stuff,and the action was tremendous rite out of the store.to this day i've never made a modification to the action.i play through a crate blue voodoo,with a dsp 256 multi,and a dsp harmonizer,both rack units.i had a hues and kettner overdrive unit,but like one of the reviews i read,it sounded tremendous straight outta the amp.i no longer needed the overdrive unit.

i had to adjust the pick ups,because the were not set up the way i liked them.i adjusted the single up about a thirty second, and the humbucker up just enough to where it didnt touch the strings.factory set up on the action was just rite for me,so i've never made adjustments.i do have pickup noise, and it seems no matter what amp i play through,i still have noise.it might be from the active electronics.a noise gate might be a good investment.

i've played gigs for the last fifteen years with this guitar,and in the earlier days,it was my only guitar.needless to say,i did whole shows with no back up. i have six guitars now,but unless a string breaks,(and thats rare)i'll use it for a whole show.it has road scars,the neck is discolored from years of playing,but for the most part,this guitar has been like a fine wine.so far, it has only gotten better with age.i didnt like the strap buttons, so i put after market strap locks on it.i take the bridge apart for cleaning every two string changes, oil it, and put it back together.i think this guitar will last a very very long time if u take care of it.

never needed any

i've been playing for twenty five years,and have had quite a few guitars in my span.this alvarez is the only one that i have gaurded with my life.if it were lost or stolen,i'd cry like a baby!!! not only is it a dependable instrument,but it is a beautiful music machine.the only other guitar that i've played that comes close to this one is my zakk wylde les paul.

I think this puppy was built in '85. I bought it as New-old-stock from a company on ebay at a bargain price, not really realizing what a good guitar I was about to have sent to my house! It was built in Korea, who not long ago turned out an endless stream of pure crap as far as guitars go. However when the Japanese economy took off and the yen went through the roof the best builders emigrated to Korea, and now there are some good 6-string electrics buit there (I have just pre-ordered a Korean white Gretsch G3156 Streamliner, so I have confidence in them now).

This is the award-winning Dana Scoop model in a fire-red colour. It has a maple neck with a 24 3/4" scale length (I think) and a rosewood fretboard with mother-of-pearl block inlays. The headstock is an angled back 6-on-a-side affair with a manufacturer's decal...no abalone at all on this beast, unfortunately. All the harware is black. The active pickups are "Dana" models and consist of one 'bucker and one single coil. A Japanese Floyd-Rose trem and gig bag round out the package.

This unit's body looks a little on the smaller side, but I suspect it is made from hard rock maple as there is a fair bit of weight to the thing! The manner in which the two pieces of maple making up the neck are constructed makes me 99% certain that this guitar was built in the same factory that built my beloved Fenix Mona Lisa guitars. For a picture of these you can try my duo's website at:

http://lutzkibbutz.stonepile.ca/

Once I saw the neck's construction and came to the above conclusion, I absolutely could not wait to strap this baby on and hold on for the ride, because the Mona Lisa's are monsters!!!

Well, this thing just plain rocks...there is no other way to say it. I have never, ever had a guitar sound sooooo good going directly into my Marshall JCM 800 amp. Not ever. The pickup is hot, and it gives that amp the power and overdrive more reminiscent of a Boogie than a Marshall without losing the EL-34 tubes' angry sound, which I am much more a fan of than the 6L6s found on Boogies. The guitar growls, hollers, spits venom and breathes fire, but the one word that best describes its sound is, "ROAR".

It was not quite as authorative through my Line 6 amp, however, but in fairness I did not spend the hours I should have setting up the sounds of that amp for it. I have been playing in a variety act the last seven years, and, because we do music ranging from old-fossily stuff to AC/DC to hip/hop, I have needed guitars with good but not-too-hot pickups for the cleaner sounds. Fury pickups made in Saskatoon, Canada are the best pickup builders anywhere, in my opinion, and I use them almost exclusively, expecially in the bridge position.

This guitar's bridge pickup woke me up again to the feel and wonders of wildly overdriven magnets, and the Dana has a very dominant place at the head of any rock player's table. I have never been a fan of active pickups...I associate them with the thin, over-processed rack-preamp sounds of the L.A. players from the 80s and 90s. When I first saw this guitar on ebay the seller seemed to know what he was talking about and it seemed the one I bought did Not have actives, which was fine with me. However when i got it and tried it, I started suspecting otherwise, I cracked it open and saw the telltale 9-volt battery. Well, I have new respect for active p/u guitars now...the L.A. scene must have just been into horrible sound at that time as opposed to their sound being the blame of actives!

The neck (there is a gaping hole where the neck pickup should be, so let's call this one the middle pickup instead) pickup has, just like Barq's, some bite to it and can actually give you a "Sweet Home Alabama" sound when combined with the bridge pickup and the boost/cut humbucker/single-coil knob turned all the way counterclockwise. There is no traditional tone control, which is fine for me, as I have no use for them and always completely remove the circuits from all my guitars.

The scoop design is apparently functional in that it adds resonance and sustain to this model, and playing the Alvarez acoustically bears this out. Thanks much to the fella from the 50-meg website who did his homework on these axes.

Like my Korean Fenix guitars, this unit is put together nicely, with no flaws at all. They did a fine job and the only thing I could wish for is that they chose to finish an instrument of this calibre with lacquer instead of the usual economical clearcoat.

Anyway, the neck just blazes! It is red hot and is second to no other guitar, including the Van Halen Peaveys. It is a shredder's dream and an old polka-king's nightmare. With the combination of this neck and the take-no-prisoners bridge pickup anyone will be a better soloist. The action is very low low, the fingerboard radius is fairly flat, the frets are well-finished and accurately spaced, and the Floyd keeps this in tune better than any I have ever used (and they ALL work quite well, don't they?). It is a very, very professional instrument at a bargain basement price (this will no doubt change, as they have not built these since the mid nineties and there is a limited number of them out there). Again, the quality keeps making me think of my stable of the aforementioned Mona Lisa guitars by Fenix, itself a division of the Young-Chang Piano Co. of Korea.

Yes, this was built to last, but of course care should be taken with any quality instrument.

Never needed them.

Playing for 23 years, sound is a HUUUUGE part of my playing and I have probably owned 50 guitars and currently live (in sin, according to my wife) with 15 or 16 at last count. Do not hesitate to buy one of these if you can find one. Search or scour the net to locate one, as you will not be disappointed. There is one here at a store in good condition for $400 CDN and I know these will not be secrets for very long! One can still get it at a reasonable price, it plays like butter, sounds wild, stays in tune 'til you pass it on to your grandkids, and looks great.

I never would have believed Oriental guitars could be collectors' items until the day I sold my Ibanez Paul Stanley Ice Man Original some years back at a ridiculous price (I would have kept it but the neck needed a repair and it never really sounded the same aftwerwards...I passed this on to the buyer but he thought it was fine). MIJ Tokai prices are going crazy...made-in-Korea Fenix Les Pauls are commanding a good dollar in Europe...could these be the first Korean-built guitars to become collectors' items on these shores? I would not be surprised.

This guitar has changed the way I think about active electronics, and has woken me up again to the joys of overdriven pickups (the Fury ZP-20 is the best of that genre). I certainly won't be adding actives to my passive guitars, but I do have a newfound respect for them. I should mention that I just sold this guitar. Why I sold it when I loved it so much is that, firstly I needed to make room for some more (including the Gretsch and a Paul Dean 6-string), but more importantly I have the ultra-rare Alvarez Dana Scoop Tri-Force on its way any day now! I sure hope it is as good as the AE600FR was!!!

The reason of adding this one to my collection could be summarized in one word: coolness. From the very first moment I meet this axe, I was captivated by its beautifully sculpted and scooped out under the end of the neck where it meets the body. Excited to have found and interesting piece with a really cool basswood body (my absolute favorite tone wood) which has a scoop in the wing (uncanny vis-a-vis any other model or make), I decided to investigate more.The task was a tough one, because (once again) almost noboby nowhere seemed to know nothing about either Alvarez? guitars, Dana, or even the scoop.
The Scoop guitar model was designed by luthier Dana Sutcliffe in 1988, and won the Music and Sound Retailer magazine's "Most Innovative Guitar of the Year Award" in 1992. Produced between 1992 and 1995, the scoop-shaped slot in the guitar body's design reinforces and channels neck vibrations into a single point where the neck and body meet. Designer/luthier Dana Sutcliffe has over twenty years experience in the music industry. Combining his experiences as a practicing musician, Sutcliffe has been designing quality forward-thinking guitars and amplifiers. In 1990, Sutcliffe co-designed the Alvarez Electric Guitar line for St. Louis Music. Innovative designs include the "Tri-Force" pickups, the Dana "Scoop" slotted body design, and the Dana "Off Set" bass design.
Get notice that Alvarez? is a respected manufacturer, even when its reputation came, mostly, from the acoustic world. A japanese factory to the bone (also prodicing in Korea), they came with the "Alvarez" brand -unmistakably spanish surname, much like Iba?ez, mispelled "Ibanez"- during WWII, in order to get a chance in the US market. This one is a pretty intriging guitar; over the years, I saw a couple of models radically different from each other. From quilted maple tops with active electronics, gold hardware and maple necks to some borderline quality, with one triplecoil (a la Hamer) -all stock-, this guitar seems to be offered in three quality ranges, evidently all in limited quantities. From the ground up, three ranges could be identified : Classic Series; Dana Scoop Series; and the Dana Signature Series. From there on, the following models were available:
AE 600 (Offset double cutaway maple body with a "scoop" cutaway, bolt-on maple neck, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlay, double locking vibrato, 6 on one side tuners, black hardware, single coil/humbucker pickups, volume/tone control, 3 position switch. Available in Dark Metallic Blue and Fire Red finishes. This model was discontinued in 1995. I've bagged a (Pink!!!) '91 not long ago); AE 600 FR (This one is my current "main" Dana Scoop guitar. Double cutaway maple body, sleek strat type with far smaller scale, with a "scoop" cutaway, bolt-on rosewood neck, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlay (parallel design at 12th. position), double locking Floyd Rose licensed vibrato, 6 on one side tuners, black hardware, single coil/humbucker "Dana" pickups, volume/mid boost active controls, 3 position toggle switch. Fire Red finish. This model was discontinued in 1997.); AE 600 MA
(Similar to AE 600, except has figured maple top, maple fingerboard. Available in Honey Burst finish. Manufactured during 1994 only.); AE 6001 (Similar to AE 600, except has Modulus Graphite neck/fingerboard. Available in Black finish. Discontinued in 1993.);
AE 650 (Offset double cutaway maple body with a "scoop" cutaway, bolt-on maple neck, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, double locking vibrato, 6 on one side tuners, black hardware, single coil/triple Dana pickups, volume/tone control, 5 position switch. Available in Black and Transparent White finishes. Manufactured during 1994 only.); AE 655 (Similar to AE 650, except has maple fingerboard with black dot inlay, gold hardware.); AE 3000
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What you hear is what you can expect from what you already read (provided you came this far) The specifications on mine are as follows: 1 Vol 1 Tone Control w/ 3 Way Switch. 1 Active Alvarez? (incredible sounding) Humbucker at the bridge (I wish I have the triplecoil, though) and a Alvarez? Single Coil (passive) at the neck position. Basswood body and maple neck with rosewood fingerboard. All black hardcast hardware, the base plate of the Floyd Rose licensed tremolo reads "Alvrz made in Japan". From there, you get the picture. As I told you already, I'm commited to add as many Danas to my 30+ collection as possible (so far I have just two) and their character, naturally differs notably. In a nutshell, Bass register is distinctly fuller in the A600FR, although the pink one (600) is punchier...

Main uses for this guitar might be some sort of hard rock, yet it is worth mentioning that its active tone system renders the instrument into a versatile tool, open to a broad spectrum of possibilities. Even so, regard this instrument as one with strong, distinct character. Plug in and you'll agree...

This might came as a surprise, but there's something that radically affects the way this babe sounds: its "SCOOP" (and you though it was purely cosmetics!). As told and roughly, the most interesting feature is the cut-away seen at the base of the neck, where the body seems to be 'scooped' out. You've got to be blind to miss that. The interesting freebie is that, and for instance, you can actually bow the strings through the body for outrageous, weird sounds, overtones and noises. Yeah!, the cut out feature is more than cosmetic. With all stringed instruments, the sound comes from the fretboard and is amplified by the body of the instrument. With solid body guitars, the body doesn't amplify the sound, but it affects the sound in different ways, i.e. sustain, and timbre. The cutout allows the neck and body to vibrate in the proper phase to allow greater sustain. And the dense maple body makes the sound full. String harmonics are a breeze and sustain forever when you wiggle the strings. The licensed whammy is very decent. The pickups on this guitar are excellent also, custom wounded to have extra gain. Very nice, N.I.C.E. sounding piece.

It would be unfair to render opinion on something made over 20 years ago. Notwithstanding, read on to the next category...

... since Reliability/Durability is a proven factor here. Many people regarded this axe as a "fragile" piece, probably 'cuz the scooped body fools the eye, in particular on a guitar of this (small) scale.
All original parts were of above average (yet not superb) quality, so if this thing lasted this far, it will last forever. Remember that I've got two of them, one bought in Europe (refinished) and the other in the US with 20 months in between, and their condition is similar. This is a DEPENDABLE guitar. Period.

Never contacted them. Low profile website, no more than a mere online catalog of Alvarez' acoustic and electrics. I usually buy guitars from the 80's, so warranty is not an issue. I don't think that the concept of unlimited lifetime warranty applies in this case (or in any other case, for that matter).

I think that I said enough already, just check the pictures of these guitars at my website HTTP://ELECTRICGUITAR.50MEGS.COM where you can see this ones as well as a bunch of others. This is one of the most interesting concepts I even saw in guitar construction and well worths to be added to any serious collection. I love guitars and I love these babes. Don not hesitate in contacting me if you think I can be of any help.

The reason to add this one to my collection of 35 guitars could be summarized in one word: coolness. From the very first moment I noticed this guitar, I was captivated by its beautifully sculpted and scooped out under the end of the neck where it meets the body. Excited to have found and interesting piece with a really cool basswood body (my absolute favorite tone wood) which has a scoop in the wing (uncanny vis-a-vis any other model or make), I decided to investigate more.The task was a tough one, because (once again) almost noboby nowhere seemed to know nothing about either Alvarez guitars, "Dana", or even the scoop. The Scoop guitar model was designed by luthier Dana Sutcliffe in 1988, and won the Music and Sound Retailer magazine's "Most Innovative Guitar of the Year Award" in 1992. Produced between 1992 and 1995, the scoop-shaped slot in the guitar body's design reinforces and channels neck vibrations into a single point where the neck and body meet. Designer/luthier Dana Sutcliffe has over twenty years experience in the music industry. Combining his experiences as a practicing musician, Sutcliffe has been designing quality forward-thinking guitars and amplifiers. In 1990, Sutcliffe co-designed the Alvarez Electric Guitar line for St. Louis Music. Innovative designs include the "Tri-Force" pickups, the Dana "Scoop" slotted body design, and the Dana "Off Set" bass design. For all of you interested in this guitar, get notice that Alvarez is a respected manufacturer, even when its reputation came, mostly, from the acoustic world. A traditional japanese manufaturer (at present also producing in Korea), they came with the "Alvarez" brand -unmistakably an spanish surname, much like Iba?ez, mispelled "Ibanez"- during WWII, in order to get a chance to build market share in the post-war US market.

To begin with a brief description, it is worth mentioning that this is a pretty "intriging" guitar. Over the years, I saw a couple of models radically different from each other. From quilted maple tops with active electronics, gold hardware and maple necks to some borderline quality, with one triplecoil (a la Hamer) -all stock-, this guitar seems to be offered in three quality ranges, evidently all in limited quantities. From the ground up, three ranges could be identified : Classic Series; Dana Scoop Series; and the Dana Signature Series. From there on, the following models were available: AE 600 (Offset double cutaway maple body with a "scoop" cutaway, bolt-on maple neck, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlay, double locking vibrato, 6 on one side tuners, black hardware, single coil/humbucker pickups, volume/tone control, 3 position switch. Available in Dark Metallic Blue and Fire Red finishes. This model was discontinued in 1995.); AE 600 FR (This one is my current guitar. Double cutaway maple body, sleek strat type with far smaller scale, with a "scoop" cutaway, bolt-on rosewood neck, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl block inlay (parallel design at 12th. position), double locking Floyd Rose licensed vibrato, 6 on one side tuners, black hardware, single coil/humbucker "Dana" pickups, volume/mid boost active controls, 3 position toggle switch. Fire Red finish. This model was discontinued in 1997.); AE 600 MA (Similar to AE 600, except has figured maple top, maple fingerboard. Available in Honey Burst finish. Manufactured during 1994 only.); AE 6001 (Similar to AE 600, except has Modulus Graphite neck/fingerboard. Available in Black finish. Discontinued in 1993.); AE 650 (Offset double cutaway maple body with a "scoop" cutaway, bolt-on maple neck, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, double locking vibrato, 6 on one side tuners, black hardware, single coil/triple Dana pickups, volume/tone control, 5 position switch. Available in Black and Transparent White finishes. Manufactured dur

Two distinct characteristics sets this guitar apart from any other: its unique electronics and its "scoop". The Electronics: 1 Active Alvarez (incredible sounding) Humbucker at the bridge (Although I wish it has the triplecoil (dubbed as "Tri-Force", more info at http://electricguitar.50megs.com) and a Alvarez Single Coil (passive) at the neck position are of a quality level well beyond its construction standards. In particular, its "tone" control is something to rave about, since it has nothing to do with the traditional 250/500K tone pot, being an active "tone booster". This one is the most usable control you'll find if you play certain styles such as metal, hard rock or power blues. The "Scoop": As told and roughly, the most interesting feature is the cut-away seen at the base of the neck, where the body seems to be 'scooped' out. You can actually "finger bow" the strings through the body for outrageous, weird sounds, overtones and noises. The cut out feature is more than cosmetic; since with all stringed instruments, the sound comes from the fretboard and is amplified by the body of the instrument. With solid body guitars, the body doesn't amplify the sound, but it affects the sound in different ways, i.e. sustain, and timbre. The cutout allows the neck and body to vibrate in the proper phase to allow greater sustain. And the dense maple body makes the sound full. String harmonics are a breeze and sustain forever when you wiggle the strings. The licensed whammy is very decent. The pickups on this guitar are excellent also, custom wounded to have extra gain. Very, very nice.

This guitar was checked through diverse environments, including small venues, plugged to my Marshalls, Peaveys and Gallien Kruegers, each and every time with impeccable results. DO NOT be fooled by its apparent "cheap" construction, this guitar's sound could rival with many costing five times as much. Can groove hard enough to devour any track's headroom while recording, the leads are consistent and bright and is equally effective producing clean and harsh tones. I know that I got this one as a "must have" collectible, but in all honesty I say that you CAN ABSOLUTELY play (and play, and play, and play...)with this one.

Anyone you can get should be used, so this topic is irrelevant. From experience, it is worth mentioning that the lowest models show an evident tendency to age poorly, so evident impact in both action and fit could be expected. The finish on my guitar was (is), aside from attractive, in very good maintenance condition, but then again is a matter of chance. I'm careful and was lucky, so I'll give mine an 8 grade mark.

As I said before, the lowest models show an evident tendency to age poorly, so much for the guitar's durability. On the other hand, this guitar is relatively simple, so if you put certain effort in getting one in good condition, it's up to you to keep it that way. The guitar's reliability, beyond arguments, is this guitar's weakest point. I strongly believe that this guitar's conception is one of the most illuminating points in modern electrics history, but its actual manufacturing is, to say the least, poor. This comment is valid for all guitars within the full range, from the 5000 to the 600. "Boutique" care should be exercised with this one, which is no good news for the working musician.

As I said in every comment here NEVER PLAY WITHOUT A BACKUP! I'm rating my guitar at "7", but you can find "2"s around there easily, so be extra careful at inspection.

Obvioulsy Alvarez is not willing to reply any queries by email, or to any other country aside from the US for that matter, or they know nothing about everything, or there's no one on the other side of the line, or they are on permanent vacation. Lucky them.

I'm a guitar collector (36 at present) and was a professional musician for more than 20 years, seldomly palying nowadays. Aside from its construction details, but taking into special account its excellent sound response, modern and consistent tone and -topping it all- unsurpassed concept, this guitar is, and will be (as it should be) an integral part of my collection. In fact, I'm looking for more Danas for my collection. Pictures of this beauty, as well as many others from my collection, could be found at http://electricguitar.50megs.com