Alvarez Baritone at a blowout price at Musician's Fiend

[Brian's Twin]

I heard recently that MF has started deducting shipping on returns unless the product is damaged or defective. Not sure if it's true.

[Frogstar]

Mine arrived last night, but it was jam night so I didn't get to spend much time with it since it arrived just before I left. It does indeed have the soundhole-mounted controls for the electronics. But so far it's a satisfying instrument.

[bmish]

Just got mine. Wow, having fun! It's weird..... my mind is expecting different sounds than what's coming out., but it sure is fun! Just ordered the case from GC with the 25% discount, thanks!

[L20A]

Enjoy your new baritone guitars.
They can be a lot of fun.
You got a great price on a nice guitar.

[Brian's Twin]

Mine came as well. Quite astounding what the Chinese can build and ship to your door for $300. It does have two scarf joints in the usual neck locations like every other inexpensive guitar these days, but I must say that the fit & finish is superb. It's a very pretty guitar. I'm guessing that the blowout price is because this model is discontinued as it's no longer on the Alvarez website. But even at it's normal street price of $400 it's a lot of guitar for the money.

The setup is excellent too, right out of the box. I see no need to tweak relief or re-cut the nut or saddle, it plays easily and intonation is good. I have not gotten to playing it amplified yet, but the sound hole controls beckon. I don't expect miracles from an under-saddle peizo, but we'll see. An on-board tuner would have been nice, but I really can't complain at this price point.

The factory D’Addario EXP strings are fine, but I ordered the Martin Lifespan recommended by L20A above, just to see how they sound.

It's interesting playing standard-pitch songs on it, some work and some just lose their oomph. One thing that does seem to work consistently is capoing at 2 or 3. If you strain to hit the high vocals on some songs, it sure solves that problem.

I'm just guessing at this point, but I bet it will excel at adding low twangy single-note fills in recordings. Just add reverb and tremolo and off you go.

More later....

[Mr Bojangles]

Originally Posted by Brian's Twin

I heard recently that MF has started deducting shipping on returns unless the product is damaged or defective. Not sure if it's true.

Yes, they have had that policy for awhile now. If you just don't like your item, they will charge you shipping both ways on a return.

[bmish]

Originally Posted by Brian's Twin

. I'm guessing that the blowout price is because this model is discontinued as it's no longer on the Alvarez website. .

Hmm, Guitar Center now has them as "Just Arrived" http://www.guitarcenter.com/Alvarez/...tric-Guitar.gc

[Brian's Twin]

Originally Posted by bmish

Hmm, Guitar Center now has them as "Just Arrived" http://www.guitarcenter.com/Alvarez/...tric-Guitar.gc

OK, maybe it's too new to be on the website?

http://alvarezguitars.com/instruments/

[Frogstar]

Originally Posted by bmish

Hmm, Guitar Center now has them as "Just Arrived" http://www.guitarcenter.com/Alvarez/...tric-Guitar.gc

Listed as "New" on MF's site as well. I was guessing maybe they had them as a deal on MF to get some out there and build word of mouth/get reviews.

[CT77]

Originally Posted by Brian's Twin

OK, maybe it's too new to be on the website?

http://alvarezguitars.com/instruments/

No - this is a Musician's Friend / Guitar Center special model, like all Alvarez 610 series guitars. It won't be listed on the Alvarez website.

But yes, it's new this year and will likely be a limited run. I'd bet they'll last well into next year or longer.

[AZLiberty]

Originally Posted by Brian's Twin

It's a very pretty guitar. I'm guessing that the blowout price is because this model is discontinued as it's no longer on the Alvarez website. But even at it's normal street price of $400 it's a lot of guitar for the money.

This exact model was NEVER on Alvarez's website.

Their standard baritone is the SBT60, the 610 instead of 60 indicates that it is a custom run for MF/GC, similar to the custom parlors and folk sizes with 610 instead of 60 in the model number.

Says "50th anniversary" in it, so presumably a limited run for this year

Mine just showed up. The shade-burst is prettier in person than on the website. Most pleased.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Brian's Twin

The factory D’Addario EXP strings are fine, but I ordered the Martin Lifespan recommended by L20A above, just to see how they sound.

Opinions can be different.
I have an Alvarez ABT-60 and I didn't like those Lifespans at all.
Very disappointing compared to the factory fitted EXP's.
Tone and feel - very noisy.
But hey .... you might like them!
Here's a picture of some strings I've used and unlike L20A I really liked those lighter D'Addario EJ18's for something different.

[Brian's Twin]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Opinions can be different.
I have an Alvarez ABT-60 and I didn't like those Lifespans at all.
Very disappointing compared to the factory fitted EXP's.
Tone and feel - very noisy.
But hey .... you might like them!
Here's a picture of some strings I've used and unlike L20A I really liked those lighter D'Addario EJ18's for something different.

Well I've liked Martin Lifespan strings on my.... wait for it....Martin guitar, but thanks for that photo, now I gotta try em' all!

Strings are a funny thing, sometimes they're just what a guitar needs, other times meh.

[Wade Hampton]

Originally Posted by Brian's Twin

The factory D’Addario EXP strings are fine, but I ordered the Martin Lifespan recommended by L20A above, just to see how they sound...

BT, another couple of sets of strings you might want to try are the John Pearse baritone sets: the 3260L Light "Standard" Tuning (.015, .022, .030, .043, .054, .068,) and the 3280M Medium Gauge "Standard" Tuning (.017, .024, .032, .045, .056, .070.) By "Standard" tuning for the baritone, a B to B tuning with the same intervals as standard tuning of a regular guitar is what's meant.

I use the medium gauge set on my McAlister baritone. It works perfectly.

You can also get a few low B strings in various gauges and use them in combination with various regular guitar sets, putting the high E string from those sets aside. That sort of experimentation is what led me to the gauges I use, which John Pearse then put into regular production for the medium baritone set the company now sells (I'm a John Pearse strings & accessories artist endorser.)

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller

[Steve DeRosa]

"Alvarez Baritone at a blowout price at Musician's Fiend"

Had some issues with MF, have we...?