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  #1  
Old 05-06-2004, 06:16 PM
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Default Yairi Guitars

In my search for the perfect first guitar I went to a store today where, in addition to Tacomas, the owner is quite a fan of Yairi Alvarez Guitars.

I hadn't seen them mentioned on the forums since I joined so I wanted to throw the name out there and see what you all have heard about them.
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Old 05-06-2004, 06:27 PM
Play2PraiseHim Play2PraiseHim is offline
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Yairi put high quality laminates on the map. He changed the word from a negative to a positive. Very nice quality tone woods, craftmanship, and tone!!! I find the necks to be too thin and low profile for my fingerstyle of playing. Unlike Takamine's they sound great unplugged and plugged in. Their electronics are tops as well!!! Ani Difranco and Monte Montgomery both play Yairi's . Do a web search on Monte Montgomery for some sound clips and check out what he does with his Yair Dy62c. This a beautiful cutaway dread with laminated quilted mahogony back/sides, and solid cedar top. He is like the Jimi Hendix of the acoustic.
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Old 05-06-2004, 06:29 PM
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I've owned 2 Yairis, 1 was an all-Mahogany Sunburst dreadnaught and the other a Dreadnaught cutaway with the system 500 electronics. Both very nice guitars. Both with solid tops and laminated back & sides. Good quality all around. Yairis were super popular for a while, but have lost some of that popularity in recent years. The one beef I have is the price. I paid $1375 for the DY-74C. Nice, but my Tacoma was half that and all-solid with better tone. I do however wish I had never got rid of the all Mahogany Yairi. It was sweet and pretty, but I thought I needed a pickup and a cutaway and traded up. Everyone has that story.

I came across a DY57S at a job I was doing and tried to talk the customer out of it, but he had it for 15 years and said it was a keeper. Rats, I thought I was going to get that thing.

Anyway, good guitars. Only the high enders are all-solid though and there are cheaper guitars for sure.
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Old 05-06-2004, 06:45 PM
sc morris sc morris is offline
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IMO, Yairi's are probably the most under-rated guitars on the planet. Since they're made overseas, they get the old "import stigma" attached. This is purely out of ignorance! Yes, they are made in Japan....but they are made in Japan by master guitar builders.

I've played several of them and I liked every one of them. They are somewhat rare in these parts with only a shop or two carrying them. One of my old friends has two of those really slim ones....I believe they are the "Fusion series"....man, what an incredible guitar. When you plug these in, they really do come alive. I've also played quite a few dreads that I really liked. They are also fairly inexpensive when buying them used.

Steve314 should be along any minute singing the praises of his Yairi. Go to his website and check out some of the photos of people playing his. It looks like he's used this thing as a weapon in several bar fights! And apparently it's still holding together.
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Old 05-06-2004, 06:54 PM
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Only owned one, a classical, but it gave a lot of sound for the bucks. Kazuo Yairi used to have the best tonewood stash on the planet.
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Old 05-06-2004, 07:24 PM
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I don't think they get the "import stigma" from educated folks. They have always been known as quality guitars. Lot's of famous entertainers used them for a quite some time also. A lot of japanese guitars are and have been great guitars. Some of the Martin clones made years a go are very collectable and highly prized. Tokai made some killer guitars.

Used Yairis can be gotten at a good price, but brand spanking new ones sure aint cheap!
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Old 05-06-2004, 07:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BigMo66
I don't think they get the "import stigma" from educated folks. They have always been known as quality guitars.
I think it's mostly by the uneducted, snob guitar buyers who think if it's not made in the US, it must not be good. I've got a nice, early 90's, Jap Strat that I would put up against any USA Strat.
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Old 05-06-2004, 07:39 PM
JRGill JRGill is offline
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My first guitar instructor had a Yairi Alvarez, and I thought it sounded really good. He told me that having that "Y" in the headstock logo equals a big jump in quality over a regular old Alvarez. Haven't heard anything negative about the brand... you just don't see a whole lot of them around for some reason.
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Old 05-06-2004, 07:44 PM
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My understanding is that the non-Yairi Alvarez guitars are mass produced in Korea or China and not anything like the Yairi which are hand made in Japan.
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Old 05-06-2004, 07:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Abdiel
My understanding is that the non-Yairi Alvarez guitars are mass produced in Korea or China and not anything like the Yairi which are hand made in Japan.
That is correct....not the same at all.
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Old 05-06-2004, 07:53 PM
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I just sold my two Yairis in order to take the Breedlove plunge. They were both great guitars and so underrated!! I wouldn't hesitate with a Yairi. Best kept secret in the acoustic guitar world.
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Old 05-06-2004, 07:59 PM
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This is a tough crowd and all-solid, USA made guitars are going to be received a bit easier for sure. This darn post has re-kindled my desire to have my Mahogany Yairi back
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  #13  
Old 05-06-2004, 08:49 PM
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I came across a Yari at an estate sale. It was a 1983 DY73. I didn't know anything about it but I called a dealer friend and he said if it is in good conditon buy it. I put a low bid in on it and on Sunday PM it was mine. It was the find of the century for me.

It is a mahogany body with a caramel colored spruce top. It was in almost mint condition. The Yari paperwork and the original warranty information was still in the case. It is a great sounding guitar. A setup and new Exlir strings was all it needed to make it come alive. I play my Taylors more, but I play the Yari when I want to hear the very mellow and soft sound it produces. It is a very soothing guitar.
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Old 05-06-2004, 09:28 PM
kilgorekid kilgorekid is offline
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My DY77 turns 30 this year! I had it before I had my kids! It has mellowed over the years and produces a tone that is very pleasing. I highly recommend an Alvarez Yairi-They are truly quality guitars.
Bill
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  #15  
Old 05-06-2004, 09:42 PM
michaelw michaelw is offline
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Default waits patiently for steve314 to find this thread...

and post the pic of his '86 dy66

hopefully, one day, a guitar will have that kind of meaning for me

maybe in another 15 years or so... that would be cool
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