Alvarez Yairi DY-100

1999 Japan hand made top 0' the line, almost, dreadnought guitar. No electronics, all solid woods, mahogany body and neck, spruce top, multiple maple bindings and back stripe. Glossy finish. The top has a tint on it that makes it look gold and old- beautiful really. Beautiful mahogany body- not as dark a finish as is traditional on say a Martin or Gibson. You can see the grain better and it is a truly gorgeous piece of wood. The tuners are Alvarez' own I think and they are very smooth and easy- better than Grovers and Gotohs, holds tune very well. The neck is wonderful- low, thin, fast frets, low action, truly excellent intonation, I love Yairi necks. Good balance with the light tuners. The bridge is a Yairi exclusive- direct coupled or something like that is what they call it- if I judge by power and sustain and singing overtones ringing throught the body I'd say it works. Rosewood fingerboard- too bad- I like ebony better and for this price it should be, but it's a nice piece of rosewood.

I play different styles- some bluegrass, some finger picking, alternate tunings etc. It plays fine - big dreadnought sound on the crisp side. Elixir strings came on it and they are never super crisp sounding, D'Addarios nice and crisp- fine mahogany guitar sound. I find that choice of picks and strings can vary a sound a lot and if it has a strong clear sound to start you can make a maple guitar sound like rosewood sound like mahogany sound like koa. It has power and rings like a bell. I never played Collings or Santa Cruz, or Goodalls but it sounds as good or better than any Martin or Gibson I have owned.

Beautiful factory set up. The best intonation of any acoustic guitar I ever owned and it doesn't have a compensated saddle. Plays real fast. I am not the most nimble fingered guy that ever came along but this guitar makes me able to play faster and clearer than any other. It has a couple of finish flaws in the lacquer- seems like a thumbprint on the back of the headstock and a little dark spot in the top stain that keeps it from perfection- handmades are never perfect.

Sure it will withstand live playing, well constructed, excellent hardware, fine finish, no strap button at the neck. I suppose if I ever played some important gig on it I would try to have a backup in case I sat on it or something but I can't afford another guitar this good so I would have to have a cheap backup- which I would play lousy on- so maybe if it broke I'd tell everyone to go home. It feels light but tough.

Warranted for my life. Never had to deal with them. My local guitar store will do a free setup anytime I bring it back and it's pretty basic- no pickups etc. so unless it comes unglued I don't think I'll have to worry about it.

I have been playing 36 years off and on- on for the last 6. Own a Gibson J200, Heritage HFT445, National Resophonic Estrelita, Schecter PT, Heritager 535, Tacoma Papoose. Recently owned- Taylor, Tacoma, Martin. If it were lost or stolen I would look at Collings first, then get either one of them or another DY-100. I like the DY-200 with rosewood body and ebony fretboard but not for $800 more so I might stick with this one. I really appreciate a guitar with lots of resonance, singing overtones, harmonic vibrations, whatever you call it when you pick one string and the whole thing sings. This guitar has that in a big way and so it is my best and favorite guitar. Next favorite thing is just to stare at it- the top wood is so tight grained I have never seen a better piece of wood- maybe Yairi's the only one with great wood left. I sure haven't seen any Taylors that look great recently, or Martins. The maple binding is a work of art. It is expensive and it looks it. I didn't like the case it came with and traded it back to the dealer for a better one.