Alvarez RD8

The features can be found online at any good guitar sales place. It's a basic cutaway acoustic with all laminate woods, a nice gloss finish, cheap tuners, rosewood bridge and fretboard. Has good pickup and electronics.

Very nice sound considering it's a laminate wood guitar. It is full and dynamic. It doesn't favor bass or treble too much. It's perfect in this category.

I lowered the saddle to help the action, which was too high from the store. The finish is perfect. The build is perfect. The fretboard is too flat for my taste but still playable and fast. Frets are great.

The only thing about this guitar that eventually will need to be replaced is the set of tuners on it. When I first tried the guitar I noticed how cheap they felt. They hold a tune nicely even after three years of use but eventually I'll throw on a set of Schallers and never think about it again.

Soundwise this guitar is one of the best in its class. For 300 bucks with a hardshell case and electronics, you can't go wrong. Especially if you need a good guitar for on stage for little cost. For one hundred more dollars you could get a Blueridge, which doesn't have electronics but does have a hard shell case if you buy it at the right place, and that would be a better guitar as far as overall sound and playability goes. But this RD8 has a surprisingly good sound, build and electronics, and I've never been disappointed with it.

Features mentioned before

I like the sound from this guitar; good, rich, full. After owning this guitar for 6 years it still keeps the sound

As i said before, I've had this guitar for about 6 years and it's held up very well. For those who said thiers lasted 2 years, you must have done something wrong. I've been playing on mine since i got it. Plus, the natural finish looks good

yet again, 6 years. I would bring this guitar with me to gigs and just to play anywhere. Finish is rockin and this guitar is highly dependable

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Awesome! I highly reccommend this guitar to any beginner or to any guitarist lookin for a low price guitar

The specs on this guitar have been covered many times, so I won't go over them again. Mine is the RD8BR and I really like the dark brown finish with the wood grain showing through. It also came with a Hard Shell Case.

Nice sound for the price, sounds better than several other guitars that I tried that cost $100 to $200 more. I did change the strings though, I don't care for the coated stings that come on the guitar. Put on a set of Martin Lights.

Action was great out of the box. Finish was nice no real problems that I could see. Just a touch of glue visable where the neck and the body come together but not enough foe me to be concerned with.

Seems to be pretty well made and I think it will serve me well for as long as I own it, which will be for quite a few years.

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I picked up the guitar again about 5 years ago after about 30 years of not playing. I primarily play electric, own a Fender CP50 and several Squiers that I play through a Blues Jr. I was looking for a decent but inexpensive acoustic to knock around with, this one fits the bill prefectly and with a hard case included it was a real deal.

The spec on this guitar has been covered over the last 3 pages and so need to add anymore in this area

What can I say.. unbelievable sound in the top end.. I always listen to the sound it's the main priority for me when buying a new guitar. I was shown this in Sound Control Salford by one of the staff there.. I was looking for something around ??200-??300 and had tried the Avalon and a cheap end Takamine.. I actually had my heart set on a Takamine after selling my EN10 in favour of a Martin recently.. don't get me wrong I love the Martin, but had grown up with that 'Tak sound!!'.. However the only Takamine that caught my interest was priced at ??700 and I just didn't have the money.. I was introduced to this guitar and couldn't believe my ears, what a sound.. it's not a ??700 Tak (possibly a personal taste thing here!) but this guitar sounds wonderful.. I love it.. and at a cost of.. wait for it.. ??99 inc hard case.. what a steal..

Straight out of the store it was set up really well as far as I'm concerned, top strings to boot.. I don't have any plans to have this altered (unlike my Martin!!) no need it is well set up the action is really low.. It also looks really nice with nice markings around the sound hole and polished off beautifully.. no flaws and the neck is just right for me.. not to fat but not thin either.. very nicely put together guitar.. I also had a Fishman pick up fitted in store (??150.. more than the bloody guitar!!) but I had the money to spare owing to the cheap cost here.. and so it is now an electro acoustic.

It all seems solid enough but have only had it a few days so can't really comment more than that really.. It seems dependable and I would have no hesitation gigging it although my main aim is to use it in recordings.. and yes I would defenitely record with it, as stated above I have had the pick up built into it so I can mic and direct inject this guitars signal.. early tests are very positive..

Not had any real dealings here, I was able to register the guitar on line which was simple enough.

I have been playing acoustic and electrics for 25 years and have owned some nice (and expensive!) axes, including Martin, Takamine, Rickenbacker and Fenders.. and if it were to go missing I would buy one of these guitars again tomorrow without a second thought.. (if only for it's sound quality).. I swear there is no exageration here.. this guitar is great and CHEAP.. well done Alvarez.. I'm sold..

Finish: Natural
Body Style: Dreadnought
Tuners: Chrome Die Cast
Neck: Rosewood fingerboard
Accessories: Hard shell case w/ lock and 2 keys, Elixir light gauge strings
Frets: 20
Top: Solid select spruce
No electronics, tuner or EQ
Body/Neck Woods: Mahogany back, sides and neck. Spruce top and Acrylic

Pretty much the same as everyone else's.

This is the best sounding 200 dollar guitar I have ever come across. Has a great tone. The one flaw that kind of kills me is the sometimes inconsistent tunning. However, I am a stickler when it comes to these things, so it's only natural that I complain. Moreover, you really only notice it when you use a capo.

I lowered the action and shaved down the frets to make it a little better in the playable area. However, out of the box, this guitar is awesome, and it looks classy enough to hang on the String Swing.

This is a super durable guitar. Mine has taken quite a few beatings, and you would never be able to tell from both perspectives of sound and looks. I bought this guitar when I lived in Santa Barbara, CA so I can't really speak to the durability in the face of weather. I now live in San Diego where the weather isn't any different. Yet I do pay attention to when any guitar should go in the case.

Never had to deal with it.

I have been playing for almost 4 years now, and this was the first guitar I ever bought, after using my mom's old '60s Yamaha for a year. I have no regrets whatsoever and I would replace it in a heartbeat. Before I bought this guitar, with the help of a friend who had been once been a luthier and had been playing for some 20 years I tested out a lot of guitars in the 200-300 dollar range. This easily blew the competition away. I love that it's simple and tough, and has a great sound. The only drawback, as I mentioned above, is the sometimes inconsistent tunning. The hard shell case is awesome, though I have long since moved away from the Elixirs.

Now that I am definitely hooked for life with guitars, I am looking to buy a really nice guitar, namely a L'Arrivee LV-09E, but I can guarantee that this guitar will stay with me until either the end of my days or the guitar's - whichever comes first.

With a dreadnought body and OK finish, decent tuners overall- but the D tuner began bugging and i saw no way of fixing this rattling sound. maple neck and came with a really nice case, 22 or so frets, no pickups or any electronics, just a simple dreadnought

though i have read scattered opinions, i found the sound to be warm and loud as hell. sound-wise it was louder than a friends yamaha, a friends epiphone and a friends gibson. though there isnt much justice for the high frets, this guitar sounds very nice for basic chords/open tunings etc.

its just a very very basic guitar that does what a guitar needs to do

the action was never wonderful, a little too high for my liking, but im too afraid to try and alter it. other than that it seems to be doing well.

if the bridge didnt give me trouble id be very confident in using this guitar live, but sadly after a year and a half of using it for small cafe shows non-stop, the tuning gave out on it, and i moved on to my seagull s6+folk

as far as denting/wear and tear i couldnt have been happier

Features have been mentioned

6 - I don't understand why everyone is saying this guitar sounds so great, especially compared to more expensive guitars... It sounds like a beginner's guitar. The frets buzzed all the time, and the tone was dead sounding. Nobody in the audience would notice that this guitar doesn't sound great, but if you buy this guitar, then play a friends nicer guitar or go to the store and play them, you'll get guitar envy.

It looks nice, but I don't believe it is well constructed. Mine broke (see below), and

The bridge came off of mine while playing normally, it is now unplayable. It lasted for a good 2 years though.

n/a

I wouldnt buy this guitar again, and I wouldn't recommend it to a friend, even in the $200 price range.

Finish: Natural
Body Style: Dreadnought
Tuners: Chrome Die Cast
Neck: Rosewood fingerboard
Accessories: Hard shell case w/ lock and 2 keys, Elixir light gauge strings
Frets: 20
Top: Solid select spruce
No electronics, tuner or EQ
Body/Neck Woods: Mahogany back, sides and neck. Spruce top and Acrylic Pearl soundhole rosette

I bought this guitar at the advice of my instructor. I don't have a style per say but I do enjoy blues and finger picking type music. This guitar presents no problems in accomplishing this.
The sound is remarkable for the price of the guitar. It's tone is warm in full with no jags in the treble and it's bass end doesn't sound muffled or mudded up.
My only dislike about this guitar is it's so comfortable and easy to play that I can't put it down.

The guitar came inside it's hardshell case and was packaged very well. The strings were just a hair out of tune and the action is perfect. Hardly any effort goes into fretting chords.

I'm not a perfectionist and I'm realistic about the price and who this guitar is meant to be marketed to so I'm not going to trash this guitar in the finish respect. There was some laquer drips that dried in the soundhole that might catch the eye and some glue that wasn't wiped away properly near the bridge and 21st fret along where the body meets the neck but otherwise it's beautiful and these are flaws that unless you really like looking at guitars an average beginner wouldn't even notice. I actually unboxed the guitar in front of 3 guys who don't play and they were blown away with how nice it looked.

I don't think this guitar is or would be good for live playing. For the price range and target player it's aiming for I don't think it's ever intended for that.
The hardware seems solid. Average at best.
The finish is buffed to a high gloss and very very nice. I purchased some polish cloth and polish to really keep on top of it and ensure that it stays looking like new.
I would say for lessons this guitar can be counted on for whatever you throw at it.

I've had one dealing with customer support and it was fast, prompt and very helpful.
When I bought the guitar it didn't indicate it came with strings so I emailed Alvarez's parts guy and he told me the spec'd out strings and didn't make me feel like an idiot for asking.

I've been playing for a little over six months on a 2001 Fender MIM Fat Strat and needed an acoustic for the lessons I'm taking. I was also unaware that a well made, good sounding acoustic could be purchased so cheap.
If this guitar was stolen I'd probably buy another in the sunburst finish or upgrade the model.
I was playing my sisters Yamaha F310 before this and this thing is like dating Cindy Crawford after being married to Rosanne Barr.

All the features are WELL covered below and at the Avarez website! The guitar is a simple dreadbought. It is tastfully built with just the right amount of FLASH! Not overdone but certainly not cheap looking either.

I have been playing guitar for almost FORTY YEARS! I played electric for most of that. I felt it was time to get back to basics. I wanted a simple, yet effective, great sounding Acoustic! I didn't want to spend alot of money. Not because of my ability, but because I been playing electric for so long that I didn't know if I would actually use the Acoustic after a few days! Wasn't hard to figure out that great acoustics were mainly the one's with the $1000 and up price tags. I played many of the Gibsons, Martins, Guilds and Taylors. They all make wonderful high end guitars! But I wanted to spend $200 give or take a few bucks. So the REAL SEARCH begain. As I said, its not hard to find geat sounding guitars for a Grand! Just pick up ANY Gibson! But for 2 and under? After playing MANY junkers with No-Names that I kmow. I started sticking to names that I was familiar with and that represented QUALITY! I found that its difficult to hear the tone I was hearing for Two G's on a 2-hundred dollar guitar. BUT....I found a couple acoustics that were not bad! I liked the Yamahas for the money and the Taylor BiG Baby. But the Big Baby was already at $350! Then I found the Alvarez RD8. First off the looks of the guitar caught my attention. The OLD SCHOOL Sunburst looked immediatly like the color of Robert Johnsons sunburst. Old School BLUES came to mind immediatly. So I picked the guitar to play. It was way out of tune and it was LOUD in the store. So I bought it and took it home. The price was excellent w/OHSC. I figure I would return it if there was nothing there for me Tonally! At home, tuned up! The guitar sounds amazing! Definatly right up there with high end acoustics. And it has a very expensive FEEL to it! The Laminated Spruce top resonates like a Solid Top-for sure. Of you weren't told you would think it was SOLID SPRUCE! This guitar sounds EVERY bit as good if not better than EVERYTHING in the $700-$1100 dollar range. And as as MANY in the $1500-$2200 range! Thats saying A LOT for a guitar that could be bought for $119! I love it. Swear by it, And would buy another in a heartbeat if needed. I would and DO recommend it to ANYONE in search of a acoustic with great Tone!

This one [MINE] was perfect right out of the box! No sharp fret ends, which I found a lot of on guitars in the $350 and under price range. The action is very impressive on this one? I don't know how consistant Alvarez is! But if THIS RD8 is a indicator. Then they do very very good work!

THE ALVAREZ APPEARS TO BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND CONSTANT DAILY USE! That would also apply to LIVE playing! But this is a acousic guitar! You will need to take care of it in the weather. and watch for banging it up! Definatly buy a HSC for it!

No-OPINION here. my first Alvarez and I never dealt with them!

Absolutly love the guitar! I know that people, myself included have a tendancy to speak of this guitar in terms of dollars. I say, for the MONEY its a great guitar! Fact is......This is a GREAT GUITAR PERIOD! Has just the right looks. Comes with just the right Hard Shell Case! And the projection of this guitar is nothing short of UNREAL! The ACTION of the Alvarez right out of the factory is amazing. I did not have to do anything but TUNE this guitar! As I said earlier, I have been playing electric since I was Ten in 1966! The action on this acoustic isn't as good as a electric. But its MUCH closer than 97% of the acoustics I played/ And that includes the Gibson, Martins, and Taylors! I really wamted to buy a Tatlor since my last name is Taylor I felt it was only right. But I just could not over look the obvious! This Alvarez sounded better than the Big Baby!

My Father bought me my Alvarez in 82' ...I begged him for a guitar and not a cheap one. I promised him I would learn to play, and like most 12 year olds I played for 2 months and lost intrest. 5 years later I pulled it out of its case...suprisingly still in tune.
The laminated top still had the showroom finish as it does today 19 years later. Only now it has a few character marks. Rosewood fretboard 14 frets - Straight out all acoustic no electronics or pick ups...you gotta love it. I did learn to play ...6 years after I promised him if he bought me a real guitar. My Alvarez was more than any new guitarist could have hoped for. It came with a hard case...not airport luggage but sturdy enough. It (the case) has since been destroyed from various road trips to lessons and gigs and campfire sit-ins. I now use a gig bag for any transporting....but it mostly stays on the stand as a conversation peice. A beutiful addition to any room and man does it get played. a handful of picks with Alvarez stamped across them , a guitar strap and Mel Bays beginning guitar book was my package of 1982. I carried the guitar picks with me everywhere, it was the next best thing when I could not carry my guitar. (at least for a twelve year old)

I love to play classical on it and I love to play heavy metal power chords on it...Metallica and Godsmack.
My Father use to tell me anyone can bend the strings on an electric and add distortion and giggle the wha wha bar (what they called it in his day) ...but the acoustic forced you to play correctly...it would display all your mistakes and sound out your disrespect for music. I believe to this day he was on to something. My Alvarez has been in my possesion for 24 years now and next to my cousins Fender and my best friends Takamine it sounds proud and true and not only holds it's own next to them...it actually sounds better, cleaner and clearer than them. It may be the age of the wood, it may be the light gage Martin strings. (I prefer the elixirs) What ever it is My beginner's Alvarez not only is respected by other musicians more established than me it is the only sentimental possesion of mine that will always remind me of my Father keeping his promise to his son and everytime I play it, I remind myself that I kept my promise to him.

Starting out I did not know what action was.
It wasn't until I could play well I was bold enough to play others guitars..A freinds or in the music store. I then learned that my Alvarez was a bit more demanding than some of the other top models I played. However it was that demanding action from my beginners guitar that made the easy action on the better guitars even that much easier for me to play. In short..the action was not as great , but at the same time I didn'y know that so to me it was fine. Also the neck seemed a bit large for my hand at the age of twelve...mnaybe why I put it down for 5 years. hard to fit my hand around it and make the chords.

I would never use any guitar on a gig without a backup. If you play hard you never know what will happen.
My Alvarez is solid and has standed the test of time 24 years to be exact. I love it and would not trade it for the world...well at least not half the world...more sentiment than value.
I do not believe in luck or superstition, but I do believe in assigning value to things. My Alvarez is one of those things.
However it has never been refurbished and needs a new bridge and nutt...after 24 years and about 20 sets of strings my G sits lower to the fret board from cutting into the nutt and makes a buzz when playing cewrtain chords, but only if you play it hard. All else is fine. It is 24 years old and played everyday.

never needed it , called on it, or wanted it.

My Father passed away a year ago. As stated earlier in my review he bought me this guitar 24 years ago ...I had no input or knowledge of it until he brought it home as a surprise. I promised him I would learn and I did. I am fortunate to have learned enough to see him smile and even make him cry. He told me he was so dissappointed in me for putting it away for the 5 years after taking lessons for only 2 months. Then later in life he told me how proud he was to see me pick it up again and hear me play in front of an audience as well as I did without lessons. ...and that I had taught myself the rest of my music abilities without lessons. He would bragg to his friends about his son... That meant more to me than anything. We all want our parents to be proud of us and I know all parents want the best for there children. I suppose that is why he bought me an Alvarez. This guitar reminds me how Family will do everything to ensure the success and dreams of the ones they love. Its more than a guitar it's my Family.
There is no mistake in my ALVAREZ when I look at it on its stand, pick it up to play a song, and say..."Father, where ever you are this one is for you".
My Guitar is and always will be an Alvarez.

Same features as all the other RD8 reviewers have written about. The noteworthy features on this guitar are the tuners. They are chrome and really hold their tuning well. Much better than similar priced guitars. Hardshell case is decent but not top notch - probably accounts for about $50.00 of the value of the package.

Sounds very good for a laminate. It doesn't come close to a high-end Martin or Gibson (store owners trying to move product?) but it is much better than others in its class. Does compete with guitars in the $400-$500 range, though. I would characterize the tone as "bright" with pretty rich bass. Bought it for my 11-year-old niece and expect it will last her until she: a) quits or b) upgrades on her own after playing for a few years. I wanted to get her started on something playable that sounded decent. Why cut somebody's legs out from underneath them when they are just learning how to walk? That's what you're doing if you buy those horrid Esteban's off HSN or the boxed off the shelf models at Wal-Mart or Target. This Alvarez is a fine guitar for a beginner.

All good. You don't get a museum piece for $200.

I think for the casual player this guitar would last about ten years. Someone really dedicated might wear it out in five. It's not a professional-level performance guitar but it might hold its own in an informal jam session. It would make a great picnic/camping guitar for someone worried about taking a high-end guitar outdoors.

Limited lifetime warranty. The shipping costs to get it repaired may be better applied to a new guitar.

I've played for 21 years and own a Martin D-28 and three electrics: Gibson SG, Jackson DKMG and a Kramer Focus 1000. The only other guitar in this price range I would consider would be the Epiphone DR-100. It costs less but you don't get a case so in terms of instrument quality they are about even. I choose this one because of the case on that store did not have many Epiphone's in stock.

I have owned my RD 8 for two years now, and am very happy with it. Fact is I was not even shopping for an instrument, but looking for one for a student. Eventhough it is a Laminated drednought, it performs like a a solid wood axe. There is real quality in the build of this instrument, from it's stylish rosewood bridge, and solid mahogony neck, and beautiful finish. The neck, by the way has a most comfortable playing radius. The machine heads seem to be of decent quality, but I do have to tune this instrument a little more often than my Martin. Another fabulous feature is the hardshell plush case that sets this baby off.I paid just $200. for this guitar and have never regreted it.I do feel the fret edges could be dressed a little more.

I own a 1953 Martin D-18, and that baby sings. I am spoiled with that sound. I try guitars $1000 and more and most times just put them down and shake my head. The day I picked up this RD 8 I could not put it down. I used the excuse that I needed an instrument to take where I did not want to haul my Martin, and walked out the door with this one. I have not regreted that purchase for a moment. Oh yea , my old Martin is still my first choice, but I'd choose this RD 8 over some new Martins, especially for the price.

I teach band and class guitar at a local High School. Unfortunately we just puchased another brand of budget acoustics before I discovered the RD 8, and those other guitars were not even close to my RD8. I had to set up those other guitars, and many of them are developing buzzes and rattles. The RD 8 has need no set up at all and the intonation is decent, and this thing is solid. Oh yea the finish is an absolute knock out. I have gone out of my way to pamper this special instrument.

I have had no problems at all with this guitar. The hardshell case really protects it too. I have had absolutely no concerns of deterioration at all, but I also take very good care of my instruments, and don't dance on bar-room tables playing the guitars behind my head anymore either.

I have not had to call on any support for this is a quality reasonably price instrument. However, I use to manage a music store and delt with St. Louis Music who handles the Alvarez line. St. Louis Music is a dependable supportive and reliable company.

I am 52 years old and have been playing since I was 9. I currently own a 1953 Martin D-18, a 1983 Fender Stratocaster Elite, and a 1964 Danelectro Silvertone, and soon to own an Ibanez Jazz box Artcore AF 85. I have owned more instruments than I can remember, and had an earlier Alvarez back in the 70's that I let slip through my fingers. I won't let my RD 8 get away from me. It takes the stress of my 1953 Martin D-18. I even got my brother to purchase one. Nothing can replace my Martin, but hardly any or no reasonably priced acoustic guitars can come close to the Martin, but the Alvarez RD 8 does, believe it or not!

I rated this guitar 2 1/2 years ago. Gave it a good rating then. Nothing has changed about the guitar except a few minor changes I made to the guitar recently. Dreadnought, plywood, entry level guitar. Action was high when bought which made paying difficult, but this guitar sounded good, with excellent intonation. As my skills returned after 20 years of not playing I realized how hard this guitar was to play with high action. So I pulled the saddle out and shaved it down with a dremel hard sander. I didn't worry about ruining the saddel because I could get a new one through Stew-Mac for a couple of bucks. What a difference. I lowered the action at the higher frets (7-12) by about 1/4 inch. This guitar now has low to mid action with no buzz on any strings. Tuners still hold tune with no problems even though they are the cheap thin type that never seem to hold tune on an electric. Case that came with guitar is better than $60 to $70 dollar types sold.

I primarily strum and sing pop/pop rock songs with this guitar. I generally use a pick with guitar but I'm currently re-learning travis picking so I can play some more difficult tunes. This guitar is a better strummer than picker as most dreadnoughts are. I just bought a Washburn Grand Auditorium Acoustic/Electric as my finger picking guitar. This guitar does not buzz and has a full sound it just isn't loud enough un-miked. I like everything about this guitar as an entry level acoustic guitar. Plywood just doesn't get any better than this. And like most plywood guitars the sound hasn't changed much in 2 1/2 years.

Set up from the factory was good but higher than I liked. Thats why I shaved the saddle down. 30 minutes of work with the right tools and now the action is near perfect. Guitar still looks great and the case that came with guitar still looks new. No complaints here.

I play this guitar as hard as I can with a pick. As I said before one of the only complaints I have is I cant make this guitar loud enough thats why I bought an acoustic/electric and a 30 watt acoustic amp. If you just want to play in your living room in front of friends this guitar will last years no matter how hard you play it.

2 1/2 years no problems have not used them at all (that's a good thing)

Been playing 2 1/2 years after a 20 year layoff. I own this guitar, a Washburn acoustic/electric, Epi Les Paul Classic, 2 Kramers (new Korean models) and a Hamer short scale bass. If this guitar were stolen I would buy something better just because my guitar playing has improved alot in the last couple of years, but as a entry level guitar you can't get anything better under $300. Above $300 dollars you can get a solid top which will sound better but will take several years to break in (unlike a plywood guitar) and if you give up and call it quits before you decide you want to be a guitar player, its alot better to have a $200 Alvarez sitting in your closet collecting dust than a $2000 Martin.

This guitar is Laminated top, laminated sides, rosewood neck etc. Cheap materials, cheap price tag... none of that matters in this guitar... i don't know how it works, it doesn't make sense... but some way some how, this cheap guit-box 3 years old, plays as well as my $2500 taylor. This guitar came with a brilliant hard case, which I now use for my taylor as taylor gave me just a cheap black standard case, and I got the faux crock-skin case with plush molded protection inside. I would have gladly paid 5 hundred to a thousand for this thing.

I was very impressed with this guitar. I had been playing a $500 solid wood ibanez for a year or two and went into the shop with 3 grand to buy myself a martin or a taylor. I spent an hour or so playing guitars in the back room when i saw this $150 used RD-8 in the front room. I picked it up and played it and was blown away. The sustain and fullness of the sound was incredible. I'm a singer, so I look for a strong low E string to back my vocals bass wise, and this guitar gave those 2500-3000 guitars a run. I use it with my pick up and it gives a rich vibrant tone that's very clear and good for picking and hard strumming.

I loved the play of the action when I got it. I didn't buy it new, so I can't speak to the factory set up. The tuners, bridge, etc were all great. Alignment was perfect and the action was perfect for my preference. The guitar was two years old when I bought it and I could only tell by wear in the pick guard and impressions in the plastic bridge. I had the bridge replaced with a bone piece, a job that cost my 20 bucks. worth it and the only repair my trusted workman recomended.

The guitar is now 3 years old, I bringit everywhere with me without a soft case or gig bag, I just sling it over my shoulder. I have dinged it, banged it, hit it against hand rails, subway doors etc etc, and the thing still looks new. Laminates are strong. When I play with coated strings, I don't have to restring until they break. holds tuning great. I love this guitar. I've played it at gigs before over my taylor.

I have been playing for 8 years, I own a taylor, a washburn 12 string, a guild, gibson hummingbird, martin, and takamine, les paul, SG, and tele. I love my alvarez. If any of these other guitars was stolen, lost, damaged beyond repair, I would NOT bother to replace it. Of cours the hummingbird would cost me 8 grand to replace, but if I had it, I wouldn't because My RD-8 sounds good enough to forget the gibson. I would buy this guitar again, and have bought this guitar 4 times for gifts to my brother and my friends. They love it ALMOST as much as I do. Give them a year or two and when they still have it and it's still amazing, they'll come here and write reviews describing their disbelief.

Overall Nice looking guitar, comes with a hardshell case and is much nicer than many guitars costing 2X the price

Sound is amaizing. Especially when you consider the price of the RD8 and compair it to other guitars.

The guitar comes perfectly intonated and have veryt good action. The action is better then most guitars in the $400-500 range.

The guitar i bought is 2 years old and is in perfect condition. Everything seems like it will last a lifetime- Perhaps one might want to upgrade the tuners- but the factory ones still do the job.

Havent delt with Alvarez- But guitar comes with lifetime waranty

This guitar is great for the price and wont let you down. I read these reviews before i decided to purchase it and the guitar outperforms my former acoustic- A washburn Millenium Edition Acoustic Electric at a price of $550. Guitar is very warm sounding and loud with good bass tones. I highly recommend this guitar especially if you are limited on funds. I work at guitar center and i secretly recommend the RD8 to people looking at Ibanez guitars(ew)

The Alvarez RD8 is a standard acoustic guitar dreadnought using laminate spruce as for the acoustic guitar top and laminate mahogany for the back and the sides. The neck is mahogany, and the fretboard and the bridge are rosewood. The tuners are "cheap" generic tuners that do a decent job. The guitar comes with a plastic strap-pin on the body, but none on the heel. The nut and saddle are plastic, and a luthier I took it to really wanted to point out how "soft" the plastic was. Nothing spectacular, but then again, nothing wanting.

The Alvarez RD8 has an amazing sound, especially when considering two factors: laminate woods and the cheap price point (due to the cheap laminate woods). In comparison with other guitars, this guitar has a great low end and plenty of volume (once again, unheard of for a cheap laminate). It compares very well soundwise to many high-end models I've played in direct comparison.

The volume of this guitar is amazing, and many have commented to how great this guitar sounds unplugged. This guitar is not at its best fingerpicking, though. This guitar sings in full glory when it is used with a flatpick. This guitar has plenty of headroom, so you can strum as loud as you want. This guitar also has a sensitive site as it plays individual notes and light strumming very well.

When I purchased this guitar from the pawn shop, the action was set-up a little high and the intonation was pretty bad. I took it to a luthier and he noticed that the saddle was too small for the bridge and was therefore bending toward the soundhole when it was played. He placed a small "sliver of something" in the bridge to make it stay in place and the intonation has been good. A friend of mine rented this guitar, and he loved the sound, but didn't want to deal with the higher action and bad intonation. If you get this guitar, it's worth the extra $30 to get the guitar properly set-up.

The finish of this guitar is decent, but nothing spectacular. Once again, though, what do you expect from a cheap guitar.

The great thing about laminate guitars is you pretty much know that they are going to be durable guitars. I'm sure that if I keep this guitar around for a while, the only thing that I may change will be the tuners. Beyond that, though, this seems like a very durable guitar.

I did not have to deal with this company yet.

I have been playing guitar for 5 years, with two years playing bass before that. I play guitar at church every Sunday, for retreats and with my band (an all-acoustic band). I have not played this guitar in a band setting, but at church and for retreats, this guitar gives me everything that I need. The sound of this guitar is amazing, and I cannot say this enough. The pawn shop had a price tag of $375 on this guitar, and it sounded very much like a good value at that price range (used). They had other guitars there that I compared this to, and none of them could match the sound. In particular, I compared this guitar to a Seagull S6 and an Alvarez 5022. None could compare in volume or tone to this guitar. I did some research on the internet, and realized that this price was way too much and I was able to get the guitar for $150.

I have recently compared this guitar with other guitars, and I found that this guitar can hold it's own against many high-end guitars. After I had the set-up done, this guitar has been the a pleasure to play, and I have been playing this guitar regularly while my other acoustic guitar (which shall remain nameless, but it is an all solid-woods guitar) has been getting repaired. I wish I could say that I miss the other guitar, but at this moment, the only reason why I miss it is because of sentimental reasons.

This guitar is not for collectors, does not feature "solid wood" anything, and is not guaranteed to get better with age. None of that matters because this is a good, cheap acoustic guitar that is meant to be played and sounds extremely good doing it. This guitar is a tremendous value.

First of all,I am a Professional singer,songwriter,musician,,,so I have played and own,MANY,MANY expensive name brand guitars.So you can imagin how blown away I was with this one!I mean,this kind of quality for such a small price?!I ended up with this one when my neice wanted to learn guitar,so I bought her one of these.The next day i went back and got one for myself as well!(this one I can take on camping trips etc. without fear.}My particular RD8,and hers,is the new 2004 model.It has a dreadnought body,with mahogany neck,back and sides.With a spuce top.The neck is made of mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard.The saddle is rosewood with a bone bridge.It comes with a hardshell case,elixer strings and allen wrench for any neck adjustments need in the future.

I looked at several different giutars before buying our RD8,including gibson,fender,ibanes,washburn,etc.None of those guitars,even the $500.00 ones,have the sound of the RD8!I was really surprised at the sound this guitar is capable of producing.It has a nice crisp,clean,pure sound.It has warm lows and bright highs.And this guitar is LOUD!My RD8 sounds as good as the martins,guilds and the taylors, WITHOUT the high price tag.And when played through a microphone on-stage it is clear and beautiful.There is NO music style that you could not play on this guitar.

The RD8 plays exceptionally well!The action is almost that of an electric guitar.I have been playing for 28 years,I started when I was 6 years old.(yes I'm only 34 !)I am a finger-stylist,so I like a comfortable action on my guitars.And this RD8 is VERY comfortable.I had to make no adjustments at all!(i'm still blown away!)It has a slim,fast neck,(i still like the fatter necks!)which was a plus for her smaller hands,and it has medium frets.After researching the guitar I found out they are designed in ST.LUOIS,but made over seas.But then again almost everything is today!Anyway,then they are shipped here and set-up at the st.louis music factory BEFORE,they are sent out to music stores!Hence,no further adjustments needed.The neck is mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard which has acrylic pearl dots and chrome,covered die cast tuners.And unlike one person said before,we have experienced NO popping or slipping of the tuners.They are tight,no play in ours at all.The intonation,callibration is dead on.The body has mahogany back and sides,and the top,although laminated,is BOOKMATCHED spruce.Bookmatched is important.Just try and find that on any other comperably priced guitar!The body has front and back multi-layer body binding and is completely bound.There is a nice acrylic pearl stripe around the sound hole and the pick gaurd has a nice shape also,I'm told these are new features.It has a rosewood saddle with a bone bridge.And as if this is'nt enough, it comes with a nice hard shell,LOCKING case with the alvarez name on the front,(this is included FREE!)an allen wrench, incase you have to make any truss rod adjustments in the neck in the future,and elixer strings.ELIXER strings!!Those strings go for $30.00 a set!!

This guitar is great for a beginner,because you dont have to step up to a better guitar later on as you progress in your playing level.And I "DO" play this one on stage,no question about it!I also use it in the studio.This is a Very solid guitar.It has a really strong body,A beautiful,durable finish that will be around after years of playing.The hardware is built to last,the strap button,(it only comes with one in the rear)is very solid.(i put another strap button at the neck so I can play it on-stage.You can depend on this guitar,the only reason you would need a backup on-stage would be because you broke a string in the middle of a show.

I have never dealt with the company for repairs and really dont expect to.But it does come a lifetime warranty.That does not however cover,any cracks that may appear in the finish,this is caused because of humidity,and temperature changes to the guitar.The best way to avoid this is not to expose the guitar to rapid hot and cold temp changes.Always leave your guitar in its case for about 30 minutes after going from hot to cold,or cold to hot enviroments to avoid this from happening.It will give it time to adjust to the temp changes slowly,because wood will expand with humidity and temp changes.That is what causes one to"crack" the finish.But this will happen to any guitar if not properly "exposed" the right way,,EVEN one that cost $4,000.00!!

AS I said before, I've been playing for 28 years.I am a professional singer,songwriter,musician and own many high dollar name brand guitars.And for the cost,the RD8 can't be beat.Not even by the $500.00 "favorite" brands out there.Over the years I have discovered that for any guitar under about $800.00,you are only paying for a "name".And this RD8 has MOST of the guitars under this price range beat by a long shot.I swear you will think with the sound this guitar has that it has a solid top,not laminate!If my RD8 were lost or stolen I would definately replace it with another RD8,no doubt.But as I said before, it does need one more strap button,,and I still like the fatter necks!But you wont find another guitar for the money that will make you as happy as the RD8. GOOD LUCK with your music!

Made in China 2003, dreadnaught body, gloss finish all around, laminated top. What you'd expect in an inexpensive guitar.

Of all the entry-level guitars I tried, this one sounded the best and actually outdid some much more expensive guitars. It has almost as much volume and bassiness (is that a word?) as my Martin D16GT for less than 1/4 the price. It has an amazing tone for such an inexpensive guitar.

The action is great, and the finish is beautiful all around. I am amazed that a guitar of this price range can look so good. I couldn't find any flaws.

This guitar seems pretty tough, and it stays in tune amazingly well. I can play it for 2 hours, put it away overnight, pick it up the next day and it is still almost perfectly in tune.

Has a lifetime warranty, but I just bought the guitar and I haven't had to deal with them.

I have been playing for 6 years, and my other acoustic guitar is a Martin D16 gloss top. I bought this one as a take-around guitar that I wouldn't have to worry so much about being damaged or stolen. I am impressed by the tone of this guitar, its looks, and its ability to stay in tune even after being played for long periods. I am literally amazed that one can go out and buy a new $190 guitar that looks and sounds so good. If it was lost or stolen i'd definitely buy another one.

This is a standard deadnought; however, it has a thin (fast) neck. The top is laminated spruce (book-matched) and mahogany back & sides. The fretboard is rosewood. Chrome, enclosed tuners.

I just bought this in July, 2003.

The sound is actually incredible. Sound is the biggest factor for me when I buy a guitar; playability is next. The sound is full, deep, crisp, clear and bright. Lots of sustain and loud volume. (see Overall Rating, below, for more comments).

Action is low and fast. I cannot detect any flaws other than the plastic pickguard. The outside curve of the pickguard is not cut in a perfectly smooth radius. I must admit, I am being extremely critical here. The binding on the body & neck is flawless, and the frets are smooth. Intonation is right on.

Hardware seems quite good - the tuners are accurate and don not have excessive slop. I have already played live with this guitar and it seems to be well amde and sturdy.

I have never dealt with Alvarez before, therefore I cannot access the warranty. I don't expect that I will ever need to use the warranty.

I've been playing since 1964. I currently own 15 guitars, some electrics and some accoustics. My last purchase ( 1 year ago) was a Taylor 614CE (spruce top, maple back & sides). When I bought the Taylor 614CE last year, I felt as though I must have been deaf forever --- I had never heard such an incredible sound as produced by the Taylor. It put my Guild & Ovation to shame.

When I bought the Alvarez, I was shopping for another guitar, and I had sampled several Taylors, Martins, and Gibsons, as well as several cheaper guitars. I was not in the market for anything in particular, and I also tried a Baby Taylor since I could use a traveling guitar. As usual, I didn;t find anything that really grabbed me. Then the salesman brought me the Alvarez...

I have always basically considered Alvarez to be a mid-level guitar; nothing special, but adequate if you don't want to spend a lot of $$$. Almost instantly, I fell for the RD-8. I couldn't believe how easily it played and I was blown away by the sound. The more I played it the more I needed it.

I brought the Alvarez over to my friend's house for a little jam session. He has a new Taylor 814CE (spruce & Brazilian Rosewood). He couldn't believe how nicely the RD-8 played and sounded.

In summary, if you want an acoustic, you can't go wrong with this guitar. I thought somehow it was a fluke, or that Alvarez had made a mistake and labelled a premium guitar as an RD-8, but after reading the other reviews, I see that I'm not alone in rating this guitar so highly.

Made in China-2002
Dreadnaught-21fret
Chrome enclosed tuners
Thin neck rosewood fingerboard

Seems to me to have great sound and sustain. Bold and bright

Great action, fit, and finish.
I replaced strings with Elixir xtralite guage nanowebs.
Have not noticed any flaws.

I don't do live or band playing. Can't comment on that.
Finish seems very good and buttons are solid.

Had no factory contact.

I was first attracted to this guitar by the price and the free case.
When I played it I was amazed at just how good it sounded and how easy it played. Later I found it had a laminated top and was even more surprised. I thought laminated tops were out. I have to agree with all other comments about this guitar. It looks and sounds like it should cost 5 times as much especially with the case. I would love
to see a blind test with this guitar and a $1000 guitar.

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.