yairi guitars question

[hat]

It was my understanding that a lot of the 1970's and 80's 'Alveraz-Yairi' guitars were laminate back/sides, with a solid top. Still great guitars though.

[PiousDevil]

Originally Posted by hat

It was my understanding that a lot of the 1970's and 80's 'Alveraz-Yairi' guitars were laminate back/sides, with a solid top. Still great guitars though.

All Alvarez and Yairi guitars are laminate back and sides except for the Masterworks lines. Yairi’s laminate process is very good, though I don’t think Alvarez uses the same process.

[Blind Dog]

Originally Posted by jomaynor

S Yairi guitars are quality guitars, but not as high quality as those by K Yairi.

Not sure what you're basing your opinion on, but I would put my S. Yairi up there with boutique quality. I often tell guitar-playing guests, 'It just might be the best guitar in the house.' I would recommend auditioning any one that's available. If it's reasonably priced, could be a real gem among gems.

Feather light, great tone, and flawless materials & craftsmanship.

Some posters refer to K Yairi as lam's, but I think there's quite a difference in tone wood's layered (off axis) and the more plywood-like lam's of many less expensive entry-level guitars. The layering of tone woods actually added to the cost of builds, and was done more to improve durability, without negative impact on tone/sustain/etc. -- imo.

+1 both K & S Yairi are great value -- especially in used market. Hard to find when you're looking, so maybe worth a little timely effort when they do occasionally pop up. Mine are keepers.

[erhino41]

Originally Posted by PiousDevil

Need specific models to compare.

Alvarez Masterworks, the highest quality all solid Chinese made guitars in the Alvarez line are fantastic guitars, but pale in comparison to the Japanese made K Yairi Guitars:

+1 for this.

[PiousDevil]

Originally Posted by Blind Dog

Not sure what you're basing your opinion on, but I would put my S. Yairi up there with boutique quality. I often tell guitar-playing guests, 'It just might be the best guitar in the house.' I would recommend auditioning any one that's available. If it's reasonably priced, could be a real gem among gems.



Feather light, great tone, and flawless materials & craftsmanship.



Some posters refer to K Yairi as lam's, but I think there's quite a difference in tone wood's layered (off axis) and the more plywood-like lam's of many less expensive entry-level guitars. The layering of tone woods actually added to the cost of builds, and was done more to improve durability, without negative impact on tone/sustain/etc. -- imo.



+1 both K & S Yairi are great value -- especially in used market. Hard to find when you're looking, so maybe worth a little timely effort when they do occasionally pop up. Mine are keepers.

We doing Yairis and Sportsters now? I’m game

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[chippygreen]

Here is the K. Yairi headstock of my RF-120, this is the domestic market Japanese brand.

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Many (most?) of the K. Yairi domestic market guitars are solid wood, they don't use the "Masterworks" line designation. My RF-120 is in the "Angel Series".

Website: http://www.yairi.co.jp/ (use Chrome's translate feature).

I was just playing the RF-120 this weekend - several sessions experimenting with how a new arrangement sounded on my Bashkin GC and Carter Poulsen. While each guitar reaffirmed its own sonic traits and why I own each of them, I heard nothing that inspired organ rejection of the Yairi. In fact, I had the same reaction I always do after picking it up, which is I can't believe this guitar cost 1/5th of my Bashkin.

They do not sound the same, and Michael's guitars do some amazing things that I am personally willing to pay the extra $$$ for. But I would absolutely buy that guitar again, even if I had to lug it all the way from Tokyo to Kyoto and back by bullet train, multiple hotels and then finally risk the plane trip home.

I sold two excellent guitars this year, a Northwood MJ and my Avian Skylark. But I kept the RF-120. I agree with the other posters, if you find a screaming value Alvarez Yairi on the secondary market, don't shy away from trying or buying if it suits you.

[Yingyangboy]

Hi all

I acquired a lovely S Yairi 1974 'Concert' nylon acoustic made for B&M, and I love it (much cheaper than anything new in my budget and the build quality is amazing).

I was looking around at S Yairi classical nylon string guitars and see model names like 'Concert', 'Soloist' and 'Virtuoso' (there may be more in the line-up he made?) and I wondered if anyone knew of the meaning of the various names for the guitars in the S Yairi range from the 1970s?

Thanks for any info.

[rmp]

I have a Dy74 built in August of 1978

it's Faaaaaaabulous!!!

[jonbee]

K. Yairi and Alvarez Yairi guitars are the same, but in the past the guitars had different model numbers. I believe the Yairi YW1000 and the A-Y DY-90 were the same guitar except for some bling differences, for instance.
Either way, they are excellent, very well made guitars. Many had laminate back and sides, but used parallel lamination of 2 layers of the same wood, unlike most which cross laminate different woods. Adds strength, but doesn't kill the resonance as much. The sound was not seriously compromised, imo.
I owned 3, a DY-90, DY-95, and a DY74. All very satisfying dreads.

[Dr356]

My K Yairi is a 1982 YW 1000. I had it shipped from Japan after trying it out while in Osaka last year. Its in very good condition for a 42 year old guitar. YW 1000s of this era were copies of the Martin D 45.

Laminated BRW back and sides. The detail work on the binding, etc is of very high quality.

It plays beautifully. Reverb has them on offer frequently.

[jonbee]

Originally Posted by Dr356

My K Yairi is a 1982 YW 1000. I had it shipped from Japan after trying it out while in Osaka last year. Its in very good condition for a 42 year old guitar. YW 1000s of this era were copies of the Martin D 45.

Laminated BRW back and sides. The detail work on the binding, etc is of very high quality.

It plays beautifully. Reverb has them on offer frequently.

Congratulations on your find. Needless to say, it has stood the test of time. and as you say, they have great "modern" playability, which many older guitars do not have.

[jwhelan56]

Originally Posted by Dr356

My K Yairi is a 1982 YW 1000. I had it shipped from Japan after trying it out while in Osaka last year. Its in very good condition for a 42 year old guitar. YW 1000s of this era were copies of the Martin D 45.

Laminated BRW back and sides. The detail work on the binding, etc is of very high quality.

It plays beautifully. Reverb has them on offer frequently.

I recently acquired a 1974 K. Yairi YW800 model from TC Gakki in Japan. It has Jacaranda/Brazilian back and sides and a spruce top. Fabulous guitar!!

[Big - Al]

Originally Posted by jonbee

K. Yairi and Alvarez Yairi guitars are the same, but in the past the guitars had different model numbers. I believe the Yairi YW1000 and the A-Y DY-90 were the same guitar except for some bling differences, for instance.
Either way, they are excellent, very well made guitars. Many had laminate back and sides, but used parallel lamination of 2 layers of the same wood, unlike most which cross laminate different woods. Adds strength, but doesn't kill the resonance as much. The sound was not seriously compromised, imo.
I owned 3, a DY-90, DY-95, and a DY74. All very satisfying dreads.

Yes, the model numbers can be confusing. I own a mahogany Alvarez/Yairi DY45. Mine is a sunburst, but the non-burst version is a lot like like a Martin D18.


The K Yairi DY45 built for sale in Japan is a totally different animal . . . rosewood with plenty of ornamentation, closer to a Martin D45.