Alvarez Yairi DY-62

i posted earlier - a few years ago in fact. my original is the 2nd post and first i must correct a miss-statement. the top is solid cedar not spruce - duh!

same as original post but with proper intonation and neck setup (for d'addario phosphor bronze light gau. there is considerable improvement in the intonation and attack edge of the envelope. much cleaner and easier to play (action is set below the martin standard).

after this rework by mitch cigainero of fort worth, some of the less visible areas were brought to my attention: to wit, the machine heads are weak (which is what i suspected and will replace them myself) and the bridge-saddle unit is made of plastics which wear and are not the best sound/vibration transmitters for the 6 piezos under the bridge. mitch is consulting with me to redesign a full custom saddle-bridge that should improve the sound while preserving the integrity of the setup.

the setup work mitch did was nothing short of brilliant. i cannot speak highly enough of his skill! as i was first running a few riffs, i exclaimed, "damn! this is a whole new guitar!" and it really felt like it. not sure if that's necessarily good or bad for yairi but i'll give them the benefit for the doubt since it was factory set for medium strings.

as a result of this, i am down-scaling the guitar by one.

same as my original post.

she's almost 20 years old now and sounds better than ever! since the setup work, plays even better!

made in 1989
made in Japan
stereo pick-up (one for top 3 strings, one for bottom 3)
w/ volume and tone control for each pick-up
satin finished cedar top
slightly smaller than average neck (good for women!)

SOunds reta acoustic or plugged in.

I have made records with this guitar, plugged into amps and/or effects, and people can't believe it's not a solid-body electric guitar!

It's clean, with a great range of tone and tambor.

The thing plays like butta'...

Slightly delicate top, but that's what sounds so great...

Be careful not to drop 'er.

Hve not had direct contact with the company.

I've been playing for 30 years, an own another Yairi, the WY-1, which I also adore, although the DY-62 is my favorite.

This Guitar has a CEDAR top , much of the reason it sounds so nice. Very nice Pre-Amp with built in tuner. Cut away and put together real well, a keeper for sure.

Sound is rich and full, I am experimenting with different types of strings, to try different sounds. It's certainly a nice strummer also. As soon as I strummed the first chord , I knew I wanted this guitar. Cedar has more loudness when unplugged usually than spruce tops...a fuller sound

Action is one of the best I've seen, can easily play beyond the 12th fret with low action, no buzzing and just a pure shimmering sweet sound

Well I'm sure it will last if I do not bang it around too much. You do have to be aware of the CEDAR TOP not to bang it into anything as it is soft. dents easily, as I noticed I did to a Garrison I have with a cedar top.

Havent dealt with the company but have heard good things.

I definitely would be bummed if I lost this guitar. I've owned at least 50 acoustics in 30+ years, and very seldom , one comes around sounding this good. My FIRST High end guitar was a Yairi, I sold in the 80's frustrated from trying to learn to play, How dumb ...and I've owned about every other brand since then. VERY Few could begin to holds candle to the sound this guitar has, especially unplugged...Most guitars either sound good, or they dont, no matter what strings you use. this one sounds GREAT .

Alvarez Yairi acoustic guitars have been made in Yairi's workshop, hidden in the Japanese mountains in the village of Gifu. ? far from the computerized factories of high-volume guitar manufacturers. In fact, when other guitar companies were building even larger factories, Kazuo Yairi, was buying wood. When other makers moved to simpler techniques, Yairi remained resolute in honoring the slower, classic construction methods like the labor intensive dovetail neck joint and hand shaped bracing. It is the fruit of these time-honored techniques that create the exquisite instruments that are rare treasures to hold and to hear, with the Alvarez Yairi hallmark of sweetness and balance that is world renowned as "the Yairi sound."
Stereo guitar if you can believe that. One of a kind.
Golden knobs, beautiful rosewood selected by Yairi himself.
This guitar is not produced anymore and its now an antique jewel.
Ask Monty Montgomery about it.

Each guitar is a one-of-a-kind work of art, with its own unique tone and cosmetic qualities. In fact, every Yairi is as individual as you are.

This guitar was designed by Yairi but with the input received from Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia and colleagues.
Sound is stereo (one of a kind) bass on one side and treble on the other.
Absolutely amazing quality of sound.
Rich full of bright sound. Amplified or not. Bass requires the amp to get the full flavor of its sound.
With Digitech sounds this guitar sound as good as any electric Fender or Gibson.

It's now a 15 year old guitar and no adjustments have been needed and pickup and everything works as new.

No flaws at all and the best selected wood I have seen, in the front, neck, sides and even the back.

Live playing is absolutely the best. Differentiates from any other guitar although you have to take care of it. Wood is very sensitive
Strap buttons are solid.
What more proff I have had it for 15 years and its like new.

Never had to dealt with the company. No need, but I've heard they are a very serious company. Great website and support.

I would buy it again. The problem is that now it is a classic one of a kind. Built by Katzuo Yairi himself. So price should be well over the $5000-$10000 mark

This is a 1988 Signature DY62 cut-away I purchased about that time. Probably the most beautiful guitar I've ever seen - it was love at first sight. Let's see... features, well, it's an acoustic so what do you want? It does have the six piezos under each string at the bridge, with a 2-channel pre-amp and "EQ" built in with switchable stereo/mono out. In stereo mode half the strings play through one channel and the rest play through the other.

Very clean and articulate. I play D'Addario EJ15s on it which seem to best compliment its tonal characteristics and playability without sacrificing too much volume.

Superb workmanship all around. Not the slightest flaw, mis-laid inlay (a piece of work in itself, considering) or warp. The spruce top is rather porous and has, over the years, absorbed the oils from my hand, causing a light discoloration of the wood. No big deal - kinda like my grey hair - it adds character. :)

This guitar has stood the test of time. It's seen practice and live performance for over a decade and, with the exception of needing some minor intonation work, plays as good as the day I bought it. Electrics are just as good - just replace the battery every now and again.

Haven't the foggiest - never had a reason to bother them.

I've owned Gibsons, (just) Alvarezs, Guilds, Fenders, Yamahas, etc.... This is my second Yairi. My first one was sold for cash after my divorce - I was REALLY down and out. Suffice it to say that I miss my first Yairi more than I miss my first wife! I can do without the rest, I can not do without my Yairi. They are a bit on the pricey side, but considering what you get, I don't think you can find a better value in acoustic guitars.

I've been playing guitar since '72. Started with the upright bass and in '74 I bought my first acoustic. I'm no expert when it comes to guitars. I just know what I like. The Yairi is incomparable, in my humble opinion.

By the way, if anyone has figured out how to hard-wire the 6 piezos into the Roland guitar synth, email me!

My Yairi DY62C was made in 1985 and signed by Yairi himself as he commonly did at that time. The guitar arrived to me in great condition and I am not aware of any major work that has been done on it in the past. I got this guitar off of Ebay with a hardshel case for $1000. I am an avid Monte Montgomery fan (a.k.a. Montiac) and this is the model that he uses (a couple years later though). This model has the split output piezo system (as I understand it is called) which has independant tone and volume control. So the top three strings have their own pickup with volume and tone control, and the bottom three strings have another pickup with their own controls. There is a switch to change between mono (each pickup going through each respective output), and there is sterio (both pickups send the signal through each output). This can come in handy if you wanted to play your low strings on a bass amplifier and the hight strings on an acoustic amplifier while in your mono setting for example. Or use different routes to run a number of effects on the separate pickups. The combinations are endless. On top of the great electronics, the guitar is beautiful - the inlay by itself is very impressive, not to mention the beautiful wood pattern on the sides and back (quilted I guess, but not overkill). I give the features section a 9 because they are great, but you do not have as many options as you might if you had current electronics for example.

The sound is unbelievable!!! I kid you not, I was hesitant about getting a guitar that I had never played, but as soon as I played the first not, I knew I would have this for the rest of my life. I play (try to play) like Monte Montgomery and Stevie Ray Vaughan, and this guitar fits in nicely with what i like to do. I run (in the sterio setting) through one of the outputs -> tunner -> Boss Compression Sustainer (CS4) -> Ibanez Tube Screamer (TS9)-> into Fender Blues Deville (4X10, 60Watts) and play in a "bright setting" (button on the amp) and I also play with a lot of bass and middle, less treble, high reverb and presence and I get great sound.

The sound is very rich and full, but has the capabilities to cut through on the solos. With this guitar, I can do neck bends (slight ones though - I don't want to break it), harmonics on the 5,7, and 12 easily, good fret taps, etc. I love the responsivness of this guitar, but I think that it's harmonic possibilites are not as broad as maybe some later editions, or other brands - but that may just be my guitar.

The action fits what I play - It is low like I like it, but I never get any fret buzz. The pickups are fine with me. The neck on this guitar is also amazingly straight for being so old, a definate plus.

This is a great live guitar and the hardware is very durable. I do have to say that the guitar picks up dents and scratches like no body's business. The wood is soft, so with the agressive/percussive way that I play, I have already put a number of pic marks on the face (where the pickguard did not cover) and I have noticed that scratches are easy if you are not careful. Just take a look at Monte Montgomery's guitar - it is a mess, but has a lot of character. Strap buttons are great, and yes I would use this guitar with no backup at a show - unless you don't trust your strings.

never tried

I am almost 21 years old, I have been playing for 8 years and I also own a 93' Fender Strat (US) that I have set up like SRV's version, but the paint is in great condition. If I lost this guitar, I would cry for a long time, and then try to get another one, the older the better in my mind. I have it signed by Monte Montgomery on the front, below the bridge ("Set Your Soul Free - Monte Montgomery") - sweet, and I have everyone tell me it looks great and sounds even better - everyone. If you can get one of these, pay what you can - it is well, well worth it.

I think that my DY62 is from the first year that they were produced and I bought it new in October of 1985 on recomendation of a friend who had played tehm at a trade show. The guitar has a solid cedar top and a laminated back and sides. I think it's really nice looking and have gotten a lot of compliments on it over the years. The finish and features are as listed in the other reviews. Mine has a split output pizo pickup system with the ability to send top three and bottom three string sets through different outputs. Interesting concept and it sounds very nice when run through a stereo compressor or chorus. i rate it as good for the time produced and intended use.

The strong suit of this instrument is that it accompanies a singer very well. Some guitars are made for lead but this one is voiced for vocal support. I have had owners of Martin's demand to play this guitar because of the way it sits around the vocal range. Very easy to play and has required only a bridge re-set and partial re-fret in the 16 years I have had it. Action remains low and it doesn't buzz a bit. Tone unplugged is very rich with good overtones on the high end. I wouldn't say bright but nice and harmonically rich on top. Plugged in it still sounds as good as any other pizo guitar and can be set up to sound pretty big with the split pickup. I have an expensive Taylor and it gets a higher mark in the unplugged category only.

All workmanship is first rate and it has aged very well. Factory setup was re-done by original dealer at my request and has stayed the same ever since. The bridge lifted about 1994 and I had it reglued and everything else is working perfectly.

Bridge reset after about ten years everything else A-OK. I would gig without a backup, but I never break a string so other than that I couldn't see a problem. Change the batery before it goes!

Never tried

I have played for 20+ years and have Guild D-25 and Taylor 710 acoustics. This alvarez is a very nice instrument and worth a try if you want both good unplugged and amplified sound at a reasonable cost. My guitar is in great shape and still gets played regularly. Play on!

Inspired to play guitar once again after years of absentia, I decided my old 12-string (with terribly high action) would not be suitable so I picked-up this 1996 Alvarez-Yairi DY62c, acoustic/electric, signature series, cut-a-way dreadnought. It was previously owned by one other person who took great care of it and in almost perfect condition when I received it (hardshell case included). The details of the guitar are phenomenal for the price considering it is made of burled mahagony sides and back. The top is solid cedar, bound to the sides with maple and oak(?) which also details the headstock. Marblized keys on gold-cast, non-locking, enclosed tuners. Rosewood fretboard and bridge. The soundhole, 12th fret, Yairi logo on the head and top center of the string pegs are dressed with abalone shell. The width of the neck fit my hands and fingers very nicely and is easy to play with low action. However, if I had bigger hands, I would need a wider fretboard. The only fret markers was the typical abalone inlay at the 12th fret, but otherwise has top-side, white, dot-markers along the unbound fretboard. I was just really impressed with the quality of this handmade guitar compared to many others such as Martin, Yahama, Ovation, Fender, Tacoma, etc. Additionally, the top is engraved with Kazuo Yairi's signature.
The active pick-up is an under-the-saddle Alvarez-Yairi proprietary System 500, with treble, midrange and bass controls as well as volume and blend knobs at the mid, top-side of the guitar. Unamplified, the guitar sounds great, but the volume is not that of a similar quality Martin - although the tone is similar. Amplified on my Tech 21 or AR Acoustic Amp, it sounds, louder and better. The guitar is responsive, easy to play and a pleasure to listen to.
Recently, I've begun to use some effects pedals including the Digitech RP100, Boss Super Chorus, Boss Tremelo, Boss Compression/Sustainer and Ibanez TS-9. I have to say that using the guitar with the Chorus, Tremelo and TS-9 together is probably my favorite configuration because the sound just becomes much fuller with slightly longer sustain and provides a bit of scream and bite when needed. This ranges to a rich, softer, vintage sound without using the TS-9. I love the warmth of the sustain from the Boss C/S, but it buzzes a bit through my amp which is annoying. Overall, I would have preferred the System 600 with built in tuner, phase switch and other options, but the overall sound would probably not have changed.
I use this guitar in live performances playing acoustic rythym/lead (utilizing two acoustic guitar players with me being the only guitar "plugged") in a church band once or twice weekly. One word of caution here is BE CAREFUL in handling the guitar around anything else. Due to it's natural satin-type finish and the softness of the cedar top, the top is very suseptible to scratches, dents and other injuries and can easily penetrate the finish. Bumping into microphones or music stands will take a toll. So be careful if you desire to retain your DY62 in top condition. My guess is a more durable finish might dull the sound a bit. Otherwise the top is very responsive and vibrates very nicely with the scalloped bracing beneath.
The case is a hardshell Alvarez, plush-lined case with a blue and beige colored tolex covering that looks and holds up well. It also has a combination dial-lock mechanism for securing the guitar. I had to install strap pins on my guitar. Otherwise, I plan to keep this guitar as long as possible and know that it will sound better with age. I have also tried a number of strings and find the Martin SP lights to have the best tone.

I've played a wide variety of stuff using my Yairi DY-62, blues, folk, rock, contempary gospel, etc. I am now looking for an electric guitar to add to my repetoire of music and sounds and it will be fun to do with all the effects pedals. Amps were previoulsy discussed and I prefer the Tech 21, a 65 amp dual speaker cabinet loaded with features to numerous to mention here, except to say that it can be set-up for guitar and voice mic (combi), but has only one input jack for guitar. My only dislike is the ease of which the guitar top can be scratched, dented or otherwise injured. Some one dropped a mic ont he face of my guitar and would cost to much to justify a complete restoration of the top. It ain't pretty looking, just pretty sounding right now. The pride I had in looking at it, has change to pride in how it sounds when I play it.

I purchased this guitar used. It was in near perfect condition except for two very small scratched that you have to look for to find. Otherwise, it was flawless.

Use it live all the time. It is dependable and I would be lost without it.

The folks at www.alvarezgtr.com allow owners to register their guitar, provide communication forums, list of distributors in your area, information on warranty service, etc. Nice web site. Haven't had to use them, but expect that if I did (St. Louis based), I would expect several weeks or months lead time for repairs to be completed and laying out good bucks for it.

I owned the guitar for 10 months, practice 3-days per week, take lessons once weekly and band practice 2-3 times per week with one to two live performance per week. I am not a virtuoso player, in fact consider myself a novice, but really enjoy learning new techniques, chords, riffs, etc. weekly.
The real reason behind my decision to purchase a Yairi was hearing Monte Montgomery playing his amplified DY62. I couldn't belive the sounds this man was getting from an acoustic guitar. Simply put, he inspired my drive to play guitar again and I had to have a guitar like he had, even if I couldn't play anywhere near his level. My comparisions to other brands came later and I feel I purchased a quality, handmade guitar at a very good price.

1993 K.Yairi, specs seem to be same as on Alvarez-Yairi site for DY-62. Stereo/mono output, PR24S electronics.

Has a big sound, thanks to dreadnought style, but also has intense top end cut-through. Best strings for it are Roto-Sound Country Gold; a fresh set makes it sound like a bright, shimmering 12 string when strummed hard and strings are allowed to ring.

My first acoustic, after years of playing electric, so I wanted something with the closest feel and touch to my favoured instruments (strat/tele). Not a replacement, butnice slim neck, low action. Perfect fit and finish EXCEPT - sanding marks from course grit sandpaper on the top of the neck and nut. Only noticeable if you're inspecting it for purchase.

I have played regularly (amateur) for 8 years, with practice/performance on average 8 times/month. Spruce top, natural finish, is looking very stressed as the small, clear plastic pick guard only covers 40% of needed area. Lots of wear as a result; no effect on playability or reliability (maybe in another 20 years I'll wear right through the top?)

Dunno. No oil changes needed, I just change the strings regularly.

I love it. Beautiful fit and finish, under-stated looks, big sound, wonderful for picking, strumming and lead playing. Never use the stereo outputs, I just bought it for the feel and looks, YES I would buy another if I lost this one.

made by Kazuo Yairi.....definitive specs are at www.alvarezgtr.com

Holy Mackarel! this baby is an unbelievable piece of acoustic equiptment. loud unplugged and full of tone. full rich notes sing out without any noticeable hinderance in the body vibration etc.....

the finish and action was tops and i played it straight outa the box. the Swap-Shop really did an impressive job jiffing this guitar up for me to play. no flaws and no visible problems on inspection.

Ha! this one is solid as far as acoustics go. nevertheless, i will still baby this one so i don't have to suffer the consequences of a minor accident down the line. finsh seems to be well applied and should last the player a long time.....just don't sand it down when you play really hard. its an acoustic for christ's sake.......take care of it properly.

haven't tried em yet.

i highly recommend the Yairi line to players who like quality but don't anticipate on breaking the bank or declaring bankruptcy for a hunk of hollow wood - professional or not. The attention to detail is tops and the result is stellar. i primarily tried a plethora of acoustics and settled on the Alvarez's because they offered a good number of options for a reasonable amount price. Aside from other players that I've admired who happen to play Alvarez's live or in the studio.......Ani DiFranco and Alana Davis exclusively play Alvarez's live. They sound great and if their guitars hold up considering the aggressive styles used then consider me a steadfast Alvarez user for life.