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I have a 1990 Yairi DY-77 that I bought new from a dealer that has since closed shop, and 2 yrs. ago I wanted to get a smaller bodied guitar w/ a different voice than the dreadnought. I was interested in the FY or FYM series folk bodied Yairis and wanted to play one before I commited to such an expensive, (for me), purchase. There are hardly any dealers that carry the Alvarez line. I found one dealer here in Louisville, KY and they only had 2 lower end models in stock, but no Yairis. The owner of the store said that since Loud Technologies bought St. Louis Music it seems as though the Alvarez brand is not getting much corporate support and the people he had been dealing with were frustrated w/ their new bosses. He said that Loud Tech. was more interested in the other brands under the St. Louis Music umbrella like Crate and Ampeg. Maybe Alvarez is not a money maker for them. I know that Yairi is a different animal, but if Alvarez doesn't survive I wonder if the Yairi line will still be available here in the states. Alvarez really does make good guitars for the money, and the Yairis are the best kept secret in the higher end market. They are still hand made guitars.
I ended up buying a Taylor 414ce ltd from a local dealer. it is one of the Tazmanian Blackwood models and I absolutely love it. It has such a sweet tone.
I would still like to get another Yairi someday...maybe one of the Masterworks models that are all solid wood.

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1990 Yairi DY-77
2009 Taylor 414ce ltd. Tazmanian Blackwood