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#1
01-23-2018, 03:18 PM
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Alvarez Masterworks is Dead
Alvarez has slashed its fantastic Masterworks line (once again) and it now consists of 7 all-mahogany (sapele, I'm sure) models and two Spruce/Mahogany "bluegrass" dreadnoughts. I've always thought of Alvarez as more "alternative singer-songwriter/folk" than bluegrass but hey, why not enter new markets?
 http://alvarezguitars.com/instrument...rworks-series/ Alvarez has been taking this excellent product line apart for a few years now (it used to have a wonderful variety) and seems to be focusing more on its lower-mid-priced Artist line. Personally, I'm pretty disappointed to hear it and guess I'm done with Alvarez. I'm sure they're just following sales trends or wood supplies but it's still disappointing to see. For many of us the Masterworks line was a fabulous "best kept secret." Perhaps it was too secretive. The good news is that the Yairi-line is mostly the same, with only the FYM75 appearing to have dropped from the lineup (which is still a bummer).
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Alvarez MC90 Guild GAD-50 w/Seymour Duncan Mag Mic Taylor 352ce Taylor 514ce Zoom AC3 https://linktr.ee/erikjmusic 
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#2
01-23-2018, 05:16 PM
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Having the words Alverez and Yairi on the same sticker pretty much guarantees a dismal resale value, which is fine by me. They really are an exceptional line of guitars but with Kazuo passing on who knows were they are headed.
St. Louis Music has all ready started to perform their economic magic on the Yairi line. I saw a brand new WY-1 I think it was on Reverb that came with a gig bag. What's next? a blister pack maybe?
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#3
01-23-2018, 05:24 PM
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I owned (as in sold) two Masterworks and they were not remarkable. I currently own two Artist series. Maybe Alvarez figured it out too...
Why can't there be a discussion of Alvarez without the Yairi component? Different animals.
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#4
01-23-2018, 05:26 PM
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There's a cedar MD65 going for £420 new that I saw a few days ago. Nice looking thing, but it's too far away to play before I buy. I wonder if I should take a chance...
https://www.mannsmusic.co.uk/guitars...tic-guitar.htm
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Faith Mars FRMG Faith Neptune FKN Epiphone Masterbilt Texan
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#5
01-23-2018, 07:37 PM
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Quote:
__________________
Alvarez MC90 Guild GAD-50 w/Seymour Duncan Mag Mic Taylor 352ce Taylor 514ce Zoom AC3 https://linktr.ee/erikjmusic
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#6
01-23-2018, 07:43 PM
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All I know is I just picked up an AP70 and it is a fantastic guitar. Great tone, fit and finish, and wonderfully playable. I’d wager they’ll add back some other additions to the Masterworks line in the future. Every company goes through lineup changes.
Also, I’d imagine the CITES restrictions on rosewood have something to do with it.
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Treenewt
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#7
01-23-2018, 08:51 PM
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You are correct though. Two completely different animals.
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#8
01-23-2018, 08:58 PM
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I must say I was impressed with my Alvarez baritone, so much so that I’d like to get one of their parlors, the AP70W.
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#9
01-23-2018, 10:02 PM
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Quote:
Why only Mahogany? FYI they list African Mahogany in the specs, not Sapele! This may have something to do with the new CITES restrictions on Indian Rosewood? Eastman is probably their biggest competitor in the all solid wood foreign built class and you see they focus on fewer models. Alvarez has to split their high end offering between Yairi and Masterworks and I think it's hard for people not familiar with Yairi and the relationship to really understand. I don't know why St. Louis Music doesn't just split out the Yairi brand out altogether and make it it's own thing. In other parts of the world Yairi has no affiliation with Alvarez.
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Wayne J-45 song of the day archive https://www.youtube.com/playlist?lis..._Zmxz51NAwG1UJ My music https://soundcloud.com/waynedeats76 https://www.facebook.com/waynedeatsmusic My guitars Gibson, Martin, Blueridge, Alvarez, Takamine
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#10
01-23-2018, 11:02 PM
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"Why only Mahogany? FYI they list African Mahogany in the specs, not Sapele! This may have something to do with the new CITES restrictions on Indian Rosewood?"
This would be my thinking. Our guitar would is changing. I doubt that we will see many lower priced imports coming to the USA with Rosewood components. Game Changer! I'm not sure how this will affect the rest of the world.
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Happiness Is A New Set Of Strings L-20A
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#12
01-24-2018, 03:50 AM
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#13
01-24-2018, 05:16 AM
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Looks like it the bridge is a partial knock off of Yaira's Direct Coupled Bridge. I didn't think St Lois Music would start dismantling Yairi so obviously and so soon after K. Yairi's death.
The Alverez version looks like the DCB bridge but it is actual a 2 step instead of Direct coupled. The Alvarez Yairi Direct Coupled Bridge~ For years luthiers have been trying to improve the sound and reliability of the acoustic guitar. Many attempts have been made and most have failed. Our goal was to design an instrument that would have better volume, sustain and frequency response and ata the same time eliminate the most common reliability problem of guitars, the pulled bridge. With the DCB all of these goals have been met. Directly attaching the strings to the top results in increased volume and tonal range. With this design, the strings attach to a "Direct Transfer Block" that is integrated into the bridge plate and the top of the guitar. The DTB actually permits the pull of the strings to increase the structural stability of the top. This increases the transfer of sound from the strings through the transfer block and into the top itself, resulting in better tonal balance and volume. In addition, the Direct Coupled design eliminaates the possibility of pulled bridges. Since the strings are not pulling on the bridge as in a conventional design, pulled bridges are a thing of the past. More volume, better frequency response, better tonal balance, increased sustain and more reliability. A new generation of guitars are here. The Alvarez Yairi Direct Coupled Bridge system.
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#14
01-24-2018, 06:05 AM
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Alvarez/Framus, Framus/Alvarez? Anyone spot the similarities here: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fr...eKS3XB2uNjKkM:
Same bi-level bridge, almost identical headstock shape, same pickguard shape in both cases. So, if some unknown Chinese factory is building both marques and to the same standard, I would be very interested to know who else they build for...
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Faith Mars FRMG Faith Neptune FKN Epiphone Masterbilt Texan
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#15
01-24-2018, 06:23 AM
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I thought that they had already left the Masterworks series behind since I aint seen any new ones for a while. They were/are great solid wood guitars considering they are mass produced in china. My MD90 is a great sounding guitar that is hard to find anything under 2000$ that can beat it. Fender now offers a Paramount (I believe that's the model anyway) that runs around a grand that sounds pretty good but they are hit and miss. Some sound great and some sound not that good. I did recently pick up a Artist AD65 alvarez that is totally laminate and it actually sounds pretty sweet (regardless of the price).
Id say Eastman has hit Alvarez pretty hard since even I prefer the "Martin look" of the Eastman guitars over the Alvarez and the prices seem comparable. In reality if someone is wanting a Martin D18 and cant afford it the Eastmans look like a better comparison regardless of how they sound. I think Alvarez should introduce a solid walnut back and sides dread to compete with the Gibson J15. Of course since the walnut might have to be shipped to china that may not be an economic solution. Id say in the future we will start seeing a lot more guitars made of cherry too.
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