Alvarez Yairi DY-77

I came across this guitar (S/N 4926 made in Japan in 1974) in well-played but good condition early this year. It was displayed along with vintage Gibsons and Martins, but there was something special about this guitar that made me pick it up and play it. The classic dreadnought lines, aged lacquer glow, bright abalone fingerboard inlays, maple and herringbone binding made this guitar very pleasing to look at, but it was the tone and response that sold me.

Other details about this guitar: 25.4 inch scale, rosewood fingerboard (very dark and smooth due to many hours of playing), mahogany neck (vintage c-shape, not too thin), very worn flat-back Grover tuners (I have since replaced with vintage 60's gold Grovers with concentric grooved backs with very little wear I got on Ebay), brick-colored rosewood (probably Indian, possibly solid but possibly laminate) sides and back, solid Sitka spruce top (fairly broad but straight attractive grain), tortoise shell patterned pickguard. The overall theme is that of a vintage herringbone D-28, with a few tasteful trim upgrades. The top has several broad pick marks that sweep across the soundhole, which, to me, are nothing but testimony to some over-enthused playing by some former owner. There was no case available when I bought it. I found a blem (new) Alvarez case on Ebay that fits is perfectly for $40.

This guitar proves that Kazuo Yairi knew what he was doing when he built it. The tone is versatile and woody; more perfectly balanced than a dreadnought normally is. The treble tones are very sparkly, but with a strong fundamental frequency and sustain. The midrange tones are clear and full. The bass strings are punchy and classic dreadnought. Intonation is very good on this guitar also. I do not find myself fighting with this guitar to find a reasonable tuning, which I cannot say about all of my guitars.

As one of the other reviewers has pointed out, the voice of this guitar is very beautiful, but perhaps a little on the delicate side compared to some other dreadnoughts. In terms of loudness, I would rate this one an 8 on a scale of 10. But there are wonderful resonances in all positions, and the dynamic range is great for fingerstyle through reasonably strong flatpicking. Part of this may be the strings (there is a label inside the body that Alvarez put in there that warns not to use string gauges heavier than 11-54). I am so happy with the sound with the current set-up, I do not want to tempt fate (yet, anyway) by putting medium strings on it (as I have with my 1976 Martin D-35S for 20 years with wonderful results and no structural problems).

While I imagine that the set-up was fine from the factory (I am old enough to remember trying these out in the store when they first came out), this guitar has seen a lot of playing time since it left the factory. I think this guitar must have had a re-fretting sometime in the past five years because the good condition of the frets doesn't seem to match the other playing wear on the fingerboard and neck. The nut shape and adjustment looks very professional. The saddle tilts very slightly in the slot, however. It is possible that this is a replacement. I am working on a replacement saddle that will fit better within the existing bridge slot because I had a similar situation on another guitar (1977 Takemine 0-16NY clone) cause the bridge to split along the grain. Overall fit and finish is worthy of the finest crafted guitars. I own two Martins, a Taylor, a Takemine, a custom-shop Gibson and have been handling fine guitars for forty years. There is nothing about the wood selection, joinery, or finishing details that don't compare to the very best instruments I have ever seen.

I know that the instructions for these postings warn against overly generous ratings. For this reason, I am giving only 9's for categories other than 'sound'. But I am very proud of this guitar. I own lots of guitars and amps, but this is the first one that has motivated me to make a posting on harmony central. I think this must be a common situation for many people who write reviews. You are either motivated to write about the things that make you very happy, or perhaps sometimes when you are very unsatisfied with an instrument. The in-between ratings just tend not to be posted.

Anyway, the thing that motivated me to write this review was to say: "Thank you Mr. Kazuo Yairi for your care and dedication to your craft". This DY-77, like most of the instruments that came out of his factory, is testimony to the finest standards of luthery.

This guitar has obviously been played hard for years. It is very stable and sturdy, considering how light and responsive it is. It has been used hard (and will be used frequently from now on). I do not expect to have to do anything but play it and repair things back to serviceability (frets, etc.) as they develop honest wear.

I cannot speak to Alvarez's support other than I appreciate that they have serial number dating information on their website. I have other St. Louis Music products that I have had good experiences with these. I do not think I should expect tons of support for a strong guitar that was originally purchased 30 years ago.

This guitar has everything I look for in a guitar and is currently my favorite among 19 others that I own (which include Martins, a Taylor, Gibsons, Fenders, a PRS, a Takemine, Yamahas). If it were stolen or lost, I would be sad because it has so much personality, I would be afraid I would not be able to really replace it. I was not looking for another guitar when I found this one. It basically sold itself to me. My wife even agrees that I found a real keeper with this one. Now all I need is another 40 years to enjoy playing this DY for as long as I possibly can.

Mine is a completely original 1991 model with rosewood 20 fret neck and just the right amount of inlay. It has a dreadnought spruce top body with no electronics. The finish has aged beautifully (I love it when that happens), and it includes a hardshell case.

If you are an audiophile, sound is why you buy the yairi. The resonance and natural sustain are unique to a limited number of special guitars, and the DY-77 is certainly one of them. Though I've never found the right pickup to do it justice, it performs beautifully through a SM-57.

Fit and finish are just what you would expect from a high-end instrument. Although the action was excellent when I got the guitar, I shaved the bridge a bit and individually adjusted the string height for each string. (I'm a bit old fashioned, but I like to touch strings instead of pressing) The action is excellent.

The guitar is a tank. In spite of the lightweight design, I've never needed any adjustments.

No exposure

I've been playing for over 40 years. I collect vintage guitars and I have 16 that range in all brands and styles from 1938 to 1971. My Yairi is not yet vintage but is my pick for most occasions if acoustic is the order of the day. If I lost this guitar I would begin searching for another one just like it.

Mine is a 1977 DY-77 that my parents bought for me new as a teenager (I'm dating myself). It has a solid top, grovers, nice understated inlays and herringbone pattern trin. I'm not sure if the sides and back are laminated. The neck has a medium feel with fairly thin frets.

All in all, a standard dreadnought.

This guitar has a very balanced tone for most styles of playing. I mainly finger pick or use a dunlop nylon .73mm with Martin light strings. For recording, it can get a little thumpy in the midrange, but I don't use it for recording anymore, just mainly as my go-to guitar for writing. It's like an old friend to me at this point (after 28 years!)

This guitar is REALLY well built. It has been through the grinder over the years, used at many live shows, knocked around the house and my studio. Now I have two young children banging on it and it still holds up.

The top is really beautiful. The color is a rich honey and the grain is wonderful. The back and sides are also wonderfully grained. The neck has a fairly thick slad of very dark rosewood.

This is a very attractive acoustic!

See above

N/A

This was my first "real" acoustic guitar, and I have gone on to make a good living as a full-time composer and songwriter. So I guess you could say that I'm biased.

I currently own a dozen or more guitars, including an awesome vintage Gibson Dove (for recording), but still the Alvarez just remains my main guitar to have lying around. (By the way, my Dove needs a set up at least once a year, and my DY-77 never needs a set up).

So - I have to give this wonderful guitar top honors.

Mine is a DY-77N, The N stands for natural. I believe the top has antique finish applied because it looks as yellow as a forty year old guitar (A good thing!) Replica of a Martin D-28. Made in 91. Solid Spruce top and laminated Indian Rosewood back and side. This guitar has a built in pickup with two knobs (Looks factory) Mahogany neck with Ebony finger board. Grover tuners. Bought on Ebay for $469.00. A little beat up but still pretty functional. Oh and it has snowflake inlays on the fret board.

Here is where this guitar shines. It may be a little ugly but it booms like a Martin! Sounds almost as good as my Santa Cruz "D" What a steal! I've got to get it down to my Luthier and get the Truss rod adjusted. I'm sure it's never been done and it buzzs a little when pushed.

Low action that needs a little work but very playable. Great tight grain flat top and straight, if too flat, neck

This guitar had a tough life before I bought it and came out sounding great. When I bought it the neck was dinged pretty good and the top, sides and back had nicks through the finish. But again it sounds like a champ. I get the impression a pro owned this thing and it traveled!

N/A

I've had some very nice guitars. Martin J40 black, Santa Cruz "D" and I loved them. I wanted a guitar for every day and this guitar fills the bill. Yairis are a great value and high quality!

Made in 1973 in Japan, I actually bought Alison (my yairi) in 1998 when I turned 16 and decided it was time to get out of student-guitar territory. She is solid spruce top (I believe) with rosewood back and sides. Her neck is ebony w/ inlays. Bought her off a guy who was moving and needed space. He bought her off the showroom floor back in the day...

I am a professional songwriter in Nashville, so I am surrounded by a host of fine guitars on a daily basis. My other main acoustic is a blonde Gibson J200 with a pickup system installed. I have to say, that when the walls fall down, I consistently find myself going back to the comfort of my sweet Ali. I have refrained from putting any kind of electrical system in her over the years and am very glad in my decision. It is so nice to be at a guitar pull and pull out my lightweight gem and have her be the best-toned beauty in the bunch. I do a lot of flatpicking, fingerpicking, and strumming and she translates well in all mediums. GREAT overall tone that just seems to get better w/ age.

I thought about messing w/ the action to compensate for my tiny girl hands and my desire to flatpick w/ the boys, but ended up not changing a thing and just adapting. At this point in the game I am glad of this. Everything is put together w/ precision. The back matches well. There are a few nicks, scrapes, and scratches on the top, but she wears her scars well and looks smashing.

She goes on writing retreats to the mountains and the beach w/ me. Partly due to the lightweight aspect (in comparison w/ my jumbo), but mostly because she is as tough as an old boot. I would certainly use it w/o a backup, and have used her for busking on several occasions. She is not too flashy as to scare away kind strangers donating gas money, but she carries in a crowd so that you can be heard by all...

Never dealt with the company, but I am sure they are delightful.

I've been playing about 7 years. I own a Yamaha P80 keyboard, a Fender Artist Series banjo, Gibson J200, Fender Strat, and I am thinking about buying a ukelele. If Alison were ever taken from me I would be devestated. Who steals instruments anyway? How could one go through life playing somebody else's guitar? disturbing. My favorite feature is a tie between the lovely A/Y logo on the headstock (strong and classy) or else the sticker inside that says Kazuo Yairi in VERY seventies-esque writing. I was meant to be a child of the seventies, so Alison resonates well with me.

Solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, herringbone inlays, grover tuners. Simply put, the best combination for a dreadnaught guitar. Try finding these select woods on anything these days for under a grand.

Okay here is where I will go on and on...hold your nose if this begins to reek of self absorbed, musician talk...
I have played thousands of acoustic guitars as I worked in 2 very busy, well stocked and large music stores for about 6 years in the early and mid 90's. Most named brands, you name it....every model form the crap up to the so called best of the best. This 1977 Yairi DY77 ranks in the top 10 percent. Not just because I own one, I own one because it is what it is. Hands down, best Japanese handmade guitar from this era. Martin, Guild, Talyor, etc, take note and go back to the drawing board considering what you are mass producing these days. This guitar has it all. Color, tone, volume, dynamics, warmth, highs and lows, balance and organic je nes sais quoi we all wish we could find

top notch. Can it get any better? This guitar is 27 years old and has ZERO flaws. Beenm played very regularly, not in case or closet all it's life.

Yes.

St Louis Music, if you need it...never needed it.

20+ years. Love it. This is my last acousitc I will buy. No need to look further. If it were stolen?? Irreplaceable.

1975 Japan. Hand Made. A herringbone dreadnought. Not sure abut woods. Came with Grover tuners. I replaced the silver pnes with gold in 1988. Came with a hardshell case. (Since replaced.) 14 frets clear of the body. Rosewood fingerboard. (Wish I had one of those ebony fingerboard models everyone writes about here.) Solid top. Transparent finish.

Suits my style fine. Good for fingerpicking and "bashing". (I can strum very dynamically at times.)
Good warm sound and keeps in tune very well.

Fit up was great from get go. No flaws. I've only had to take it to luthier twice. Once for bridgework (my own fault--left it in a cold place for too long) and once for fretwork.

I play this guitar live ALL THE TIME. It's great.
Hardware is great.
Finish is fantastic. Takes a licking and...you get the point.
YES! I have always depended on it. I've had it in my life longer than anything I own. (Excluding body parts.)
Yes, would use it without backup.

Never dealt with the company.
See above for repair history.
To be honest, I don't know.

Been playing 30 years. Own a fiddle, a Dobro and a concertina.
If it were stolen I would track the bastards down and make them listen to Celine Dion while I poured gasoline on them and set them on fire.
Good wishes always to my buddy, Al Yairi. May we always be together.

Built in 1973 in Japan, bought it new in 1974. 14-fret neck, ebony fingerboard with abalone inlays, solid spruce top, rosewood sides & back (NOT laminated!), wood binding, herringbone purfling, dreadnaught body, Grover machines.

It is a wee bit lightweight for outdoors bluegrass. I had a 1940s vintage Gibson SJ, have played Martin D-18s and D-28s (including a prewar herringbone), and all but the herringbone could wear heavy strings, be played with a 10-penny nail (well, practically), and be heard over a banjo easily. Nevertheless, the tone is richer, more balanced, more nuanced than anything except the herringbone, and will even give it a good run for the money. As a Martin herringbone's worth a staggering amount of money ...

Absolutely nothing wrong with it from day one. Better build quality than any Martin or Gibson I've seen from the 50s through the 70s. Nothing stinted ... even abalone inlays on the bridge pins.

I have put a few small dings in it, and there are a couple of very minor cracks in the finish, but I live in the modwest in a dry centrally-heated house, humid as hell in the summer, and I do not always remember to keep the Dampit wet. It has stood up magnificently for going on 30 years, and sounds better as it ages.

Lifetime warranty, never had to have it looked at.

Have been playing since 1960. I have a '40s vintage Gibson SJ, a Fender steel-string flattop that was given to me, and a Baby Taylor that cost almost as much as the Yairi did. Used to play a Gibson bass. I bought the Yairi because it seemed to offer more for the money than the Martins did, certainly better sound. Never regretted buying it, get a bang out of people not knowing what it is, feeling sorry for me not having a Martin .. until they hear it. I'd definitely buy it again if lost or stolen.

Serial number 8446, have no idea when it was made, but it's a hand-made one from Japan. Twenty frets, solid Spruce top, rosewood back and sides. Herringbone wood inlay around binding and in soundhole rosette. a friend added a pickup a couple of years ago with a plug replacing the strap button. Never use it. Original bridge, bone nut and saddle. Grover tuners.

I bought this guitar as soon as I saw it, before I had it in my hands. Then, I played the first chord and was in love. This guitar has the fullest tone, throughout its range, of any I've played. The lows aren't boomy but rich, the highs are clear and ringing. The midrange is amazing; there is not a dull area anywhere, every note at every fret seems to sing out.

I didn't get the guitar new so I don't know about factory setup. I've only had it looked at once and the tech just advised me on strings and said the rest was perfect. Flaws? There may be some, but I stopped looking.

I've played off-and-on for 30 years, singer-songwriter stuff, acoustic blues, comping for jazz. This guitar goes everywhere and never changes. I had it in the garage once for 4 years and when I took it out it was still in tune. Now, I just play for myself and I admit, I've never been one to 'baby' instruments. This one can take a fair amount of neglect (dirt, too-old strings) and stupidity (leaving it out of case, knocking it over) and still does whatever I ask it to. 'Solid', is the right word.

I played mostly electric guitars, never really liked acoustic. Owned a Gibson once, a Takimine 12-string, a Terada 12-string (still have it, for some reason) and a succession of horrible Fenders. This one will never be lost or stolen. It's the best acoustic I've ever played (limited experience) and I'm about to buy a DY85 from a friend. He doesn't want it (too 'fancy') and he gave me a ridiculously low price.

Made in 1974. Dreadnaught shape. Solid spruce quarter-sawn matched top, laminated Brazilian rosewood sides and back. Two piece back. Ebony fingerboard and bridge. Schaller tuners. Adjustable hidden tension rod. Superior workmanship. Herringbone wood inlay around binding and soundhole. Binding appears to be maple or some other hard wood. Definately not plastic.
Neck is mahogony. Bone nut and Saddle.

I've tried various transducers. Currently using a Fishman under the bridge. Its the best of a bad lot. None reproduce the exact tone.

I bought it brand new from Landrums Guitar Center in Oklahoma City in 1975. I have played professionally off and on (Mostly on) and taught lessons since then. I use it for the singer/songwriter gig and also with a swing dance big band.

Its still got the original frets. the neck has never been adjusted. I play it an average of 30 hours a week and have for the last 25 years. I just use fingers, no picks, hammered the heck out of it when I play, and have worn a hole in front of the pickguard. this guitar has been played hard, traveled hard and I will never trade it or sell it.

There are better guitars out there but the only ones I've seen had price tags of $2000 plus.

Well balanced volume up and down the neck. No string is any louder than the others. It does have a feedback tendency at high volumes when the bass E string is played at the fifth fret.

The open strings ring like nothing else. Playing single notes and chords up the neck have a different tone, not worse, just different. Actually, its handy. I can get a jazz sound, or a country sound, or a great Maury Mehuleson (Croce) sound, depending on where I play it.

I got it when I was just starting out and could barely play. Now I play at a pretty high level and the guitar seems to just play and sound better every year.

I do not use a pick, just meat and fingernails. I only used a pick to play Orange Blossum Special behind a fiddler.
I don't like the sound with a pick, but then again, I don't like any guitar I play with a pick.

I played it for 5-6 years right off the shelf before I ever did any thing to it. But Bill Landrum had The Great Don Teeter doing his set ups.

I have never adjusted the neck. The bridge has been reglued twice. That could have been a temperature problem (hot trunk). The top has stayed pretty much flat. The body has seemed to have wrapped itself around the braces.

The top has various cracks due to misuse, but repair well on the stage using super glue. I bang on it pretty hard

It is the most reliable guitar I have ever seen or played.

There are no rattles or buzzes and has never had them.

I've never had to use it on this guitar.
I owned a music store from 1980-1985 and dealt with St. Louis Music Co. (the distributer). One of the best. I never had any questions asked when I returned an instrument.

I buy every older Alvarez Yairi dreadnaught I can find. Have one you want to sell?

1992 model hand crafted in Japan by Kazuo Yairi. Standard Dreadnaught model, very much a cross between a Martin D-28 Herringbone and a D-35. Solid, matched (I hate it when it doesn't match) spruce top w/herringbone binding, rosewood sides and 2 piece rosewood back. Neck is mahogany with creme binding, snowflake inlays and Schaller style tuners. Rosewood bridge, white pegs w/abalone inserts. I have added a L.R. Baggs double barrel pickup system to it. I'm giving this 9 because the only thing it lacks is a cutaway, but that probably would have messed with the tone.

Mostly I play folk, singer/songwriter stuff and this is perfect for that. Flatpicking is also good but it doesn't respond real well to hard strumming. I bought it primarily due to the rich articulation of notes, especially the low E which is the richest sound I've ever heard. The tone is very well warm and well balanced, a quality Alvarez-Yairi's are known for.

After a proper setup, the guitar's action is quite low, as low as some electrics, and doesn't buzz at all, even with a capo! As mentioned before, one of my pet peeves is the lack of care of most American manufacturers when it comes to matching tops. I can't stand when they're two different colors or the grain is nowhere near close to matching. If I'm paying big time buck, or small time for that matter, it better match! The top matching on this is flawless. The herringbone binding is superb. This guitar's fit and finish easily matches or exceeds $2000-$3000 guitars all day long.

This guitar is a lifer. Once you get your hands on it, you never want to let it go. Backup, schmackup. What for???

Lifetime warranty. No experience with them.

I've played for 30+ years, mostly acoustic. In that time I've played A LOT of guitars. I was raised on Gibson and Martin and Guild, so I know a thing or two about quality. I played all of them, plus some Taylors, Takamines, etc. Nothing even came close except for another Yairi. Something about this one just grabbed my soul. They'll (Yairi's) do that you know. If this guitar were lost or stolen I would mourn it like the loss of a loved one. The up side is, Alvarez-Yairi makes a ton of nice guitars. The build quality is very consistent so I have no doubts I could replace it, but it might take awhile. I have become a huge fan. Even their Alvarez line is head and shoulders above the competition. I think they're the best damned guitars on the planet, bar none.

Accoustic dreadnaught, hand-made in July, 1975, in Japan. I bought it new at a music store in Mt Pleasant, PA, that is no longer in business. I had an old Harmony that accidentally got smashed and I wasn't even sure if I was going to replace it. One day my wife and I were browsing around when this guy shows me this guitar whose manufacturer I never heard of, Alvarez Yairi. He didn't even pronounce the name right. Called it a (Ya-rear-i)! It was exceptionally well-made, but not flashy at all. Ebony fingerboard, which delivers a confident feel. In any case, I played it, bought it, still have it, still play it, it's in close to mint condition, and it's been outstanding in every way. He included a hard shell case.

I do some solo playing and singing - strumming, finger-picking, and some leads. By no means is my playing to be confused with Segovia, but the sound produced by this instrument is sweet and true in all registers. It's not necessarily a bright ringing sound that you may get from a Taylor or other make, but it's tenor is full and aromatic. How's that for a description of sound! Not smelly, but aromatic. Big difference.

Flawless and beautifully functional from the factory. At first I thought the action was just a tad high, but after playing it for a while, I no longer have that opinion. Strange, isn't it? Simply a fine guitar.

I've been playing this instrument for twenty-five years and other than a few very minor nicks, it looks like the day I took it out of the case. As time goes on, I enjoy playing more.

Never had to deal with the service people.

This guitar is like my friend. I've been paying for about twenty-eight years and I've got a microphone and amplifier - nothing fancy. Since there's no pick-up, I'm looking for an accoustic electric so I can better balance my vocals with the guitar. I've considered putting a pick-up inside this one, but I don't want to alter it's tone quality. I've been playing some other brands, but after all is said and done, I believe I'm going to look for another Yairi, either new or used. Since this one's been so good for so long, I have a lot of confidence in the manufacturer. Plus, I may save some $ by going with a used one. Know of one?