Alvarez RD8

2002 or 2003. Made in China. Laminated top. Thin neck. Hard case included in $170 price.

Good acoustic guitar. Full bright sound, your mistakes will be heard. Stings from factory will wear on your fingers it you haven't played in a while, (20 years). Purchased X-lite Martin strings to ease the pain to the fingers, doesn't seem to have changed the sound of the guitar much.

Action is good, no flaws on neck or frets. Tuners and pegs holding fine.

Don't play live, finish is good. Came with one strap button so I play sitting down, guess it's good I don't play live, or I would have to drill a hole and add second strap button.

Registured guitar on Alverez guitar site. Bought at Music 123. Can not go wrong with Music 123. Music 123 had this guitar and hard case priced at $199. I found the same package for $179 somewhere else. I notifed Music 123 of this and 30 minutes latter they made an offer of $169. Hope I never need to use Alverez warranty.

Been playing again after long layoff. Couldn't ask for better acoustic to start over with again. Looks good, feel solid, can't compare to other guitars because it's been so long. You will not find a better deal (guitar and hard case) for less money.

Made 2002, 20 fret, laminated top, no pickup, spruce top, mahogany back, neck, sides, std dreadnaught, roasewood fretboard.

I play fingerstyle, and I get play a lot of high-priced stuff regularly at my local Guitar Center store. This low-priced Alvarez has better volume, clarity and complex overtones than most of the $500-$999 boxes that I play there. I get a kick out of finding cheap guitars that sound good. I thought my Ibanez was good, and it is, but this Alvarez blows it away. With this guitar, you'll get something that begins to resemble Taylor sound, at about one-tenth the price.

Action was lower than most guitars in this price range. In fact, everything about this guitar seemed better than everything else I've seen in this price range.

This guitar seems solid and durable, but who knows. It's no Gibson, but what do you expect in this prince range. And if you wreck it, you can afford another.

No expereince with Alvarez.

Playign serious for a few years. Like everyone else, I'd like to have half a dozen $1000+ guitars sitting around, but that is not reality. So I look for value at the low end. So far, this Alvarez RD8 is king of the hill for me in the under $200 dreadnaught category.

This is the RD8-C cutaway acoustic-electric version.

2002 model, made in China, set-up done in St Louis at the Alvarez guitar shop. All-laminate, spruce top, mahogany body, looks like mahogany neck. Nice headstock overlay -- looks like rosewood, but I dunno for sure. Piezo bridge pickup with volume and two-band active EQ. Nice gloss finish on the body, and a sweet satin finish on the neck. Standard, enclosed chrome tuners. Comes with a nice, Alvarez-logo'd, hardshell case.

One word comes to mind: Unbeliveable. For a guitar that lists under $400, well, it shouldn't sound like a Martin D-1, but it does!!!! Rich, full, well-balanced from bass to treble. Even the low-end electronics sound pretty decent. The unplugged sound is unequalled at this price point. I work in a music shop, and I have access to Taylors, Martins, Alvarez/Yairis, high-end Fender acoustics, Ovations, etc. This guitar sounds as good as anything now hanging on our wall that's priced under $2000. I thought it was a fluke, but after I decided to buy this one for myself, I went to get another one of the same model out of the stock room to hang on the wall. I tuned it up and strummed a few chords ---- and then I couldn't decide which of the two I wanted!! They BOTH sounded great.

Action seems a bit high for me, but I had a bluegrass player try it out, and he said, "The action's a little low, isn't it?" So, it's all in what you like, I guess.

Itonation and setup are good. No finish flaws that I could see. Frets are smooth. The laminated top is bookmatched (!) and I didn't know that was ever done. Maybe that's how they get it to sound so good.

This guitar is brand-new. I can speak for my other Alvarez Regent which I've had for several years with no trouble. Time will tell about this one. It feels plenty solid. I NEVER gig without a backup, so that's no reflection on any particular guitar. In my experience, a string will always break at the worst possible time, so that's why you always want to have another guitar you can just turn around and grab to finish the song or set.

I'll relate a story I told in my review of the Regent 5212BK here at HarmonyCentral.com. We recently had to send a customer's Alvarez classical guitar back to the manufacturer, under warranty, because it was fretting out in several places. Instead of trying to repair it, they sent back a brand-new one of the same model -- set-up and ready to go. The customer was quite pleased.

Now, please don't read through this and say "Ah, he works for a dealer! This is just a free ad!!" Well, it's not.

I could buy any one of a number of Taylors, Martins, Fenders, Ovations, etc., for a very good employee-discount-type price. But, I'm buying my SECOND Alvarez guitar because it is an outstanding value!! I play out at least two or three times a month, and I need guitars that sound great and look good, are reliable, and which aren't going to make me want to commit $uicide if a drunken pub patron trips and falls and -- well, you know!! My RD8-C sounds as good as a Martin, but for a fraction of the money. That can't be beat.

This is a standard, no-frills dreadnaught acoustic guitar made in China...not sure of the year, but suspect 2000 or 2001. Top is laminated spruce and sides and back are mahogany. Neck features abalone dot inlays, 21 frets...no sharp edges on the fret wires. Tuners are enclosed and seem to stay in tune even when attacked aggressively. The price on the RD8 included a functional (inexpensive) hardshell case and allen wrench for adjusting the truss rod. The pickguard is your basic black teardrop shape.

I was very much surprised by the overall sound of this guitar. I was at the store to compare the Takamine G240 and the Washburn D10S and was very disappointed with both. Neither had a good overall sound and I picked up the RD8 out of curiosity...and was very pleasantly surprise at the even, bright, and fairly loud sound. And no buzzing up or down the neck. I did take the time, however, to replace the strings with a set of Martin custom lights.

Straight out of the box, the guitar was in near-tune...although the strings were fairly dirty. The action might be a bit high for me, but a little sanding of the bridge should put things in order. Contrary to another reviewer, I have not experienced any string popping or jumping when tuning this guitar. Fit and finish are great. In fact, I couldn't find any flaws in the glossy finish. Each side of the laminated top appears to be a mirror image of the opposite side and the seam is nearly invisible. No glue drops on joints and no bald or rough spots on the finish.

I have had this guitar only a short while, but it appears that it will hold up well with proper and regular maintenanc and cleaning. Tapping my fingernails on the finish, I sense that it's solid. The single strap button on the bottom also seems solid...but I'll pull it out and apply a touch of glue just so I won't have to worry about it. I'm giving reliability/durability a 7 only because I have only had the guitar a short while.

Haven't had to deal with the manufacturer yet, but the guitar did come with a lifetime warranty.

Overall, I am very impressed with the RD8. It looked, felt, and most importantly, sounded better than the guitars I was interested in. In fact, it sounded better than several guitars I played that cost a couple of hundred dollars more than the low end guitars I was looking at. I've been "playing" guitars off and on for over 20 years and currently own a Martin 000-C15AE and an Epiphone Les Paul Standard. I was looking for a low-cost acoustic beater 'cause I get nervous playing the Martin anywhere other than my living room. Don't let the low price of the RD8 fool you...it's definately worth taking a look at.

Alvarez RD8c, this is the electronic version
Full size, dreadnought acoustic guitar with Venetian cutaway
Alvarez brand preamp 2 band EQ and volume with under-saddle piezo pickup
Spruce top, mahogany back and sides gloss finish
Abalone dot fretboard inlays, double A on neck in gold paint
Rosewood fretboard and bridge with plastic saddle and nut
Generic covered 3-to-a-side tuners
Medium frets
black tear-drop pickguard
Hard shell case and truss wrech included

I'm primarily an electric player, I may someday incorporate and acoustic into a live show that's not a coffeehouse or a house party. Lots of percussive chords, thick bluesy stuff, and funk.
This guitar, like most, is very sensitive to string choice. I like it nice and bright and so my string choice reflects it. Martin SP and DR are pricey but good. An 80/20 Bronze string works well on this guitar.
The sound is midrangey for the most part. The lower strings sound tight and reasonably resonant, the high strings are round and not bitey. Unplugged, this guitar is nice and responsive and the top vibrates noticeably. The electronics, while the best in this price range by a long shot, leave a lot to be desired, typical low-cost piezo. But with just one or tow acoustic songs in a set, just fine.

The guitar was purchased at a reputable store that sets all their guitars up before the show them. This is an uncommon thing these days. The set-up was good upon purchase, I did very little to adjust it to my liking. The top is an unnatractve, but well finished bookmatch that is fine for this price range. I wished for lower action (being used to electric) but found out I would be unable to do this because of the brdge and saddle design, oh well. The frets were dressed quite well. My biggest complaint are the tuners, they snag and jump and will probably give out under heavy use. I will replace them soon with Grovers. The electronics came with a decent battery and are quiet as can be. The lower score is a result mainly of the tuners.

With a good set of tuners, I'd imagine this guitar with be just fine. The finish is tough feeling and the strap buttons are quality (I had one installed on the neck joint) I don't have the luxury of a backup as acoustics are too bulky to bring more than one.

The instrument came with a lifetime limited warranty, I've had no experience with Alvarez as of yet.

I've been playing for almost seven years. I own another dreadnought and an archtop acoustic and four foreign electrics.
I played this guitar for over an hour before buying it, like I said before , good music store.
As I am poor and own others, I probably wouldn't replace it.
I loved the price, sound and quality / hated the tuners and the static string height
This guitar presented the best value. No Epi, Fender, Applause, or Seagull competed.
Improved electronics would have been worth the extra money.
This was a great buy on paper and a no-brainer after I played it.

This is a standard dreadnaught guitar. No frills. Spruce (laminated) top with mahogany sides and back. Bought with a NICE Alvarez hardshell case as a Christmas present for myself (wife approved) in 12/01.

This guitar sounds great with any style. I know a lot of people are "disgusted" by laminate tops, but compared to other guitars in the under $400 price range (including most budget solid tops,) this blows them away.

This guitar was absolutely perfect from the factory. Action was mid level, not nearly as high as other models in this price range, yet there is not a buzz to be found. Overall fit and finish are outstanding. I had a slightly less expensive Yamaha F-310 that I gave my daughter to learn on, and the Alvarez is far and away better looking and better constructed. If she decides she's serious, I may be getting another one of these for her.

I don't gig, just a long time hobbyist who can sound surprisingly good at times (according to family and friends.) Compared to my former Yamaha, though, this guitar seems a little sturdier overall. Actually a little bit heavier. I've played a lot of guitars and I don't see any issues with this guitar compared to others that would make it any more or less dependable.

Not any dealings with Alvarez - just registered warranty with them. It is a lifetime warranty (supposedly!)

Have played for over 10 years. Have owned electrics, 12-strings, etc. over the years. Last year I wanted to change focus and get back to basic folk, traditional and even a little classical music, so I decided to get a 6 string acoustic. I didn't shop very extensively, nor did I have much to spend when I got the Yamaha, and began to see it's limitations after awhile. While the RD-8 doesn't represent much more in terms of dollars spent, the quality difference both in sound, construction and playability is VERY evident. I'm a frugal guitarist. However, I was prepared to spend at least $400.00 this time around and after much looking found NOTHING to compare to this. I feel that you would have to spend more than $500.00 to find a comparable instrument. Save the money!

I bought this guitar in 2001 brand new. It has an excellent look and style. Dreadnought style body with mahogony back, sides, and neck with a spruce top. Has a great transparent finish that likes to catch the eye. Machined sealed tuners are ok, but they seem to slip sometimes during a hardcore jam session. The neck/scale is topped with rosewood and is somewhat thin. Just enough room for me personally. The only thing that i did not like with buying this guitar is that it did not come with a case. The dealer that I had bvought the guitar off of said that I could get one for about 100 dollars.

The music style that I like playing, is usually older rock to current acoustic finger picking. If I play this guitar hard, the strings usually slap against the frets, but other than that it's a great full sound. I really am pleased with the way this guitar sounds. It's a great beginner's guitar to intermediate player.

This guitar came to me with no flaws, mistakes, or marks. It was constructed virtually perfect.

This guitar definately holds up to what you give it. I've been playing it almost every day, with a few gigs involved and is still asking for more. I've had to replace the strings once thus far in a 3 month timespan. The finish and hardware seems like they can stand up to the hardest playing, and still look and work as if it were brand new.

Ahhhh, the best thing of all. This Alvarez guitar came with a lifetime warranty. Anything that happens to this guitar, the company will fix it, free of charge. I haven't had the oppertuinity to send it away yet for any repairs, but i can't wait untill I do!!

I really love this guitar because it looks professional, sounds proffesional, and plays proffesional for a great price that almost anyone can afford.