Since the middle of the 1960s, Alvarez Guitars has produced consistently excellent instruments at a great price, as some of the artists that use them would attest. Bono, Joe Bonamassa, and Ani DiFranco, to name just a few, all play Alvarez guitars. The fact that Alvarez can create instruments of this calibre while keeping the cost reasonably low is, however, their most remarkable achievement.
Perhaps not the first company that comes to mind when thinking about acoustic guitars. It’s possible that Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Yamaha, or even Fender first come to mind. However, Alvarez enjoys a solid reputation in some guitar communities. They began as St Louis Music in 1965 and made acoustic and neo-classical guitars. They started working together with Japanese master luthier Kazuo Yairi in the late 1960s. The Alvarez brand has survived despite numerous takeovers and buyouts that have occurred since then. In the Yairi factory in Kano, Japan, some of the guitars are being produced by hand today. Some are produced in a controlled factory in China.
The entry-level Regent series was created for the young, beginning gamer. The Artist series is designed to give the professional feeling to people with a bit more expertise. The Masterworks are the next level up, with a higher specification and all-solid wood construction. Finally, the Alvarez-Yairi series is at the top. These represent the pinnacle of the Alvarez line. Made by hand in a Japanese factory to the finest standards.
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Alvarez Artist Series AJ80CE Jumbo Acoustic
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The Alvarez Artist Series’ large guitar is the AJ80CE. Although jumbo guitars may not be the most comfortable to play, they make up for it with a massive tone. Jumbo guitars are large in size and sound. That most definitely applies to the AJ80CE. This Alvarez acoustic guitar is not suggested for beginners due to its size.
Alvarez’s acoustic-electric Artist Series AJ80CE guitar features maple back and sides (as opposed to the more common mahogany). Mahogany is softer than maple, which produces a rounder, fuller, but also brighter tone. The solid A+ Sitka Spruce top, which is also a well-known bright-sounding guitar wood, contributes to the clear sound and projection of this instrument.
The AJ80CE is built using the same FST2 bracing design, which is essentially a forward-shifted X-bracing pattern, as all instruments in the Artist Series. FST2 creates a bigger soundboard area by moving the axis of the X closer to the soundhole, which increases the amount of energy and vibration that can be captured. This kind of pattern uses a scalloped design to amplify and clarify the instrument’s overall sound. The AJ80CE has a maple neck with mother-of-pearl inlays, a rosewood fingerboard, a scale length of 25 1/2 inches, and 21 frets. Real bone was used to create the saddle and nut (1 3/4′′ each).
Alvarez equipped this giant guitar with the AJ80CE LR Baggs StagePro EQ and Element pick up for more accuracy as well as a chromatic LED built-in tuner to ensure that the massive sound of this guitar can also be heard in a live situation. The D’Addario EXP16 strings that come with this gigantic guitar are beautiful and large, and it sounds just as great.
Naturally, not everyone should use gigantic guitars, especially not novices. However, the AJ80CE is a huge guitar with a loud sound if you’re looking for one. This is the Best Alvarez Guitar in 2023.
Alvarez Artist Series AD60 Dreadnought Guitar
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The Alvarez Artist Series guitar AD60 is a Dreadnought-sized instrument. This is one of Alvarez’s most well-liked series since it has a fantastic cost-benefit ratio and has recently earned multiple honours. The top of the Alvarez AD60 is made of a solid piece of hand-selected Sitka spruce. This type of wood provides the instrument a general impression of longevity and has a lovely natural grain.
Mahogany is used for the sides and back, giving the instrument a warm, deep sound that adds depth. This dreadnought guitar projects fairly well and loudly enough to fill a small room when combined with the Spruce top. Alvarez’s distinctive FST2M bracing technology is used in the body construction. This X brace design includes a scalloped pattern.
The AD60’s fretboard is composed of rosewood and has mother-of-pearl and abalone inlays. This guitar’s wide neck makes it most comfortable for individuals who have larger hands or prefer a neck like that. Alvarez chose solid Mahogany with a maple plate for the bridge and a bone nut and die-cast tuners for the headstock. As would be anticipated from an Alvarez guitar, the polished wood neck is adorned with the company name and lovely emblem.
A nice-sounding guitar with a rich, warm tone and excellent sustain can be created by combining all of these elements. This instrument has excellent build quality, especially for the price.
Alvarez Regent RD26 Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar
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The Alvarez Regent Series is a premium series of entry-level guitars featuring many of the same features and characteristics as professional-level Alvarez models. Alvarez’s offering of an entry-level instrument suited for the youthful performer just starting out is the Regent series. The Alvarez Regent RD26 Dreadnought guitar has a respectable sound and playability for the price. Our top pick for this list in terms of value is this Alvarez acoustic guitar.
The Alvarez Regent RD26 features mahogany on the back and sides for a pleasant projecting tone and is constructed in the traditional dreadnought design. Spruce was used to make the top, which, at this price point, also helps with tone production. This instrument’s Rosewood fingerboard is attached to a Mahogany neck. The body, top, and neck are all given a satin finish, and the rosewood bridge has an Alvarez bi-level design.
Naturally, some compromises were made in order to keep the Regent guitars’ price low, as they are Alvarez’s most affordable instruments. One of these is the substitution of synthetic material for actual bone in Alvarez’s more expensive guitars for the nut and saddle. Despite this, the Alvarez Regent RD26 continues to live up to its promise of being a user-friendly instrument for novices in terms of both tone and playability as well as appearance.
In other words, the Alvarez Regent RD26 is one of the greatest selections available if you’re searching for your first guitar or just a budget instrument in general. This is one of the Best Alvarez Guitars in 2023.
Alvarez Artist Series AD30 Dreadnought Guitar
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For novices who want a steel-string acoustic guitar, the AD30 is a fantastic option. For a low cost, it has a sturdy build, is long-lasting, and has a decent tone and playability. We believe this is the greatest option for novices. The AD30 from Alvarez Artist Series is a traditional dreadnought with no cutaways or electronics. It has a mahogany back and sides with a solid A Sitka spruce top. Despite the fact that this guitar is primarily for novices, it sounds far better than its price and intended use would imply.
Alvarez’s choice of woods and their FST2 bracing system, which increases vibration to generate a larger overall sound with greater bite and projection, are both partially to blame for this. This guitar’s neck is made of mahogany, with a 50/50 semi-gloss finish, a techwood fingerboard, and a scale length of 25 1/2 inches. This Alvarez guitar has a dovetail neck joint, just like many others.
The tilted headstock is an intriguing design element that, in combination with Alvarez’s bi-level bridge, enhances string tension by sharpening the break angle of the strings from the saddle to the top. The tone, feel, and response of the instrument are thus improved by the tighter string tension, which is further enhanced by the use of genuine bone saddles and nuts. The actual bone nut (1 3/4) and saddle, the Natural/Satin finish, and the black ABS biding are further standout elements on the Artist Series AD30. This is the Best Alvarez Guitar for Beginners in 2023.
Alvarez AG60CE Artist Series Guitar
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The Grand Auditorium style guitar from Alvarez’s Artist Series AG60CE is similar in size to a dreadnought but has a smaller waist that makes the high notes sound a little clearer. To accentuate the high frequencies a bit more, this Alvarez acoustic guitar has a thinner waist and a rounder body.
The Alvarez AG60CE has a little more bite because of its tighter waist, which highlights the highs. A+ grade Stickta spruce was hand-selected from quarter-sawn wood for the instrument’s top to ensure consistent quality. Mahogany is used for the back and sides, which results in a warm, robust tone with a well-balanced bass and treble.
The Rosewood fingerboard on the AG60CE has 21 frets and a 25 1/2′′ scale length. A real bone saddle and nut (1 3/4′′) as well as superior die-cast chrome tuners, ABS binding, a dovetail neck joint, Paua abalone, mother-of-pearl inlays, and a bi-level Alvarez Bridge are further features. The Alvarez Artist Series AC60CE has good playability, a balanced and projecting natural tone, and is responsive to the guitarist’s playing style.
This Alvarez acoustic guitar is equipped with an L.R. Baggs Element pick up and StagePro EQ for incredible sound during a live performance whether plugged into a PA or anything similar. D’Addario EXP strings and a case are included with the Artist Series AC60CE.