NGD: Alvarez Masterworks MD65

briluster · #1 02-21-2015, 09:27 AM

I had a separate thread asking about the MD65. The guitar finally arrived a couple of days ago. My first thoughts, having put in only about an hour playing it:

- The tuners sure are heavy. Hopefully they hold the tuning well because while I'd read about guitars that are headstock heavy before but this is my first time playing one. It's so heavy that it makes me want to change them, but I likely only would if they don't hold their tuning.

- I usually use a medium pick. In this case it sounded pretty shrill, which surprised me, as I expected a warm sound with the cedar top and large, dreadnought size. In switching to a heavy pick, it definitely warmed up the sound. Again, I'd never noticed such a big difference in pick thickness but it was very apparent in this case.

- Although it has a 1 3/4" nut width, the string spacing at the saddle feels pretty narrow. Maybe I'm just spoiled with my Epi, since the string spacing at the nut on it is great for fingerstyle. I probably won't do much fingerstyle on this guitar.

These are just my initial, first impressions. Time will tell, and I'm looking forward to what I've read about cedar tops opening up quickly compared to spruce. Since my main purpose for this guitar was to have a guitar (the Alvarez) for strumming, etc., while leaving my Epi mostly for bottleneck playing in open tunings.

(obligatory NGD pics forthcoming)

briluster · #2 02-21-2015, 11:42 AM

http://s292.photobucket.com/user/bri...tml?sort=4&o=0

with OHSC: http://s292.photobucket.com/user/bri...tml?sort=4&o=1

with its older brother: http://s292.photobucket.com/user/bri...tml?sort=4&o=2

StrumFu · #3 02-21-2015, 01:09 PM

Congrats on the new guitar! Hopefully you end up bonding with it. What kind of tuners are on it? All the ones I see recently are pretty standard tuners. Not big, huge, heavy tuners. I would play around with some different strings and I think it will warm up to your liking. Normally I like the sound of most of the Martin PB strings on the Alvarez guitars I've had. They have all been spruce topped. I, like you, would think the cedar top would lend itself to being warmer yet. Hope you find something you like. BTW, I don't know why, your pictures show up as a little x for me. Can't see them.

Derick · #4 02-21-2015, 01:45 PM

Congratulations on your new guitar.
It is a good make guitar.
When you have had it a little longer, you will bond with it.
First you have to set it up the way you like it.
Fit new strings that you and the guitar like.
Hope it gives you many years of fun.

briluster · #5 02-21-2015, 01:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrumFu

Congrats on the new guitar! Hopefully you end up bonding with it. What kind of tuners are on it? All the ones I see recently are pretty standard tuners. Not big, huge, heavy tuners. I would play around with some different strings and I think it will warm up to your liking. Normally I like the sound of most of the Martin PB strings on the Alvarez guitars I've had. They have all been spruce topped. I, like you, would think the cedar top would lend itself to being warmer yet. Hope you find something you like. BTW, I don't know why, your pictures show up as a little x for me. Can't see them.

Hopefully clicking on the links you can see the pics now. I'm not sure why copying & pasting the link using AGF's instructions didn't work.

Here is a (poor quality) closeup of the tuners. They're about twice as big as most I've seen, but I don't know if they're the normal "premium chrome die cast tuners mentioned on the Alvarez website. They look like it, though.

http://s292.photobucket.com/user/bri...tml?sort=4&o=3

StrumFu · #6 02-21-2015, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by briluster

Hopefully clicking on the links you can see the pics now. I'm not sure why copying & pasting the link using AGF's instructions didn't work.

Here is a (poor quality) closeup of the tuners. They're about twice as big as most I've seen, but I don't know if they're the normal "premium chrome die cast tuners mentioned on the Alvarez website. They look like it, though.

http://s292.photobucket.com/user/bri...tml?sort=4&o=3

Yep, that link worked. Looks nice. Kind of looks like a spruce top. The cedar tops I've seen are typically darker than that. Could lust be the lighting though.

Glennwillow · #7 02-21-2015, 02:11 PM

Congrats on the new Alvarez guitar! Very nice!

- Glenn

briluster · #8 02-21-2015, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrumFu

Yep, that link worked. Looks nice. Kind of looks like a spruce top. The cedar tops I've seen are typically darker than that. Could lust be the lighting though.

Thanks! It's probably the lighting, as the top is much darker than the typical spruce top.

StrumFu · #9 02-21-2015, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by briluster

Thanks! It's probably the lighting, as the top is much darker than the typical spruce top.

Sweet. Just know they switched and had the MD65 in spruce and in cedar in different years. Just making sure. Congrats again. Once you find the right strings, I think you'll be in love.

briluster · #10 02-21-2015, 02:47 PM

Since I prefer the look of dreadnoughts with pickguards and I don't want the soft cedar wood to get damaged, I need to decide which color pickguard to put on it. I think I'd prefer tortoise, vice black. But I don't like the black, "smashed jelly bean" one that came with it.

rosborn · #11 02-21-2015, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by briluster

Since I prefer the look of dreadnoughts with pickguards and I don't want the soft cedar wood to get damaged, I need to decide which color pickguard to put on it. I think I'd prefer tortoise, vice black. But I don't like the black, "smashed jelly bean" one that came with it.

Would you consider a clear pickguard?

briluster · #12 02-21-2015, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rosborn

Would you consider a clear pickguard?

Using a clear one would be similar to not using one at all, as far as aesthetics. I don't know why, but to me, a dreadnought without a pickguard just looks bare. I know others really like it, so it's purely subjective.

rosborn · #13 02-21-2015, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by briluster

Using a clear one would be similar to not using one at all, as far as aesthetics. I don't know why, but to me, a dreadnought without a pickguard just looks bare. I know others really like it, so it's purely subjective.

I understand. I have an Alvarez MD70 and a Taylor D-18. The MD70 does look kind of naked with the clear pickguard but, in a way, it's difference because of that kind of distinguishes it from my Martin.

Andromeda · #14 02-21-2015, 03:36 PM

Congrats!I love Alvarez Guitars and that is a beauty. Love guitars with a cedar top. I took the standard black pickguard off my Alvarez baritone and put a tortoise colored one on.

evenkeel · #15 02-21-2015, 03:47 PM

Congrats on the new to you Alvarez. Very handsome. Such a nice pic, let's make it a bit easier for all to see.

FWIW I also feel dreads w/o a pickguard look a bit incomplete. But also agree, very subjective.