I just bought a Alvarez Masterworks MFA66CESHB. I have owned a Taylor 214CE, a Takamine (model that the Eagles used on the hell freezes over tour), and the Alvarez Masterworks MFA66CE is hands down the best sounding, and playing acoustic I have ever owned. Wow and for the price I payed brand new at $829.00 was a steal. My wife was even blown away by the sound. I will never get rid of this baby, this is my forever acoustic guitar. Thanks Alvarez!!!!!!!!
My AGE95 is one of the best guitars I've owned. The whole guitar vibrates when you play and the tone as the video demonstrates is up there with the best of all solid instruments. It is also beautiful to look at. For a guitar that is often on offer at under £400 that is frankly astonishing.
I’ve got a 1980 model 5013. Spruce over mahogany all laminate. None of my guitar savvy friends believe it’s all laminate. It sounds that good. I also have a much newer AJ60SC. It is the absolutely sweetest sounding guitar I own. I don’t know what Master Kazuo did with those early laminates…but they are nothing short of amazing.
I have two laminated guitars and I love them. I can still feel the back of the guitar vibrate while I’m playing. They both sound as good as my solid wood.
First I really appreciate your content and look forward to everything you put out! I first want to be transparent and say I don't currently own an Alvarez guitar. However I am so impressed by your attention to detail and passion that I would certainly be interested in checking them out in the future. I currently have three laminate back and sides acoustics (Walden's) with solid tops. Two cedar and 1 spruce top (I also have a Yamaha FG800 w/a spruce top and Nato back and sides, I gave it to my girlfriend but she still insists that it's mine). I also have an all solid Furch Yellow Master's Choice Gc-CR which is an absolutely amazing instrument! While I would to say my all solid Furch is at another level, it is also over 5xs more expensive than my other guitars. It's individually voiced, has AAA cedar top and AA East Indian Rosewood back and sides, LR Baggs SPA, GOTO 510 tuners etc... All that being said, my laminate back and sides guitars sound great and I use them as my primary gigging guitars. The fact is, most venues are less than ideal acoustically. An amp or PA colors the sound significantly as well... so why would I risk my expensive guitar? Everyone compliments how great my guitars sound even those who do bring their high end instruments to the same shows I'm playing.
Many drum companies use plys of wood versus solid because it’s much easier and when done correctly can sound great. Solid shells in drumming can have a unique sound but it’s difficult to work with and needs to be thick. You don’t hear people complaining about a Maple, Birch, or mahogany drum kit being multiple plys of wood. I think acoustic guitars receive bad news for it because before they use soft woods mixed with a thin exotic top but since you guys use a better method that I think translates better
If you bring back semi hollows, I recommend using Seymour Duncan Psyclone pickups for that filertron sound and either Duncan or Dimarzio pickups similar to vintage humbuckers.
Other builders should be as transparent as Alvarez. There's no way you'd be able to find the composition of laminates, especially down to the millimeters from other makers.
The solid top and the size of the solid top which resonates is the one which has major impact on how a guitar sounds. I had a GA solid spruce top - solid pau ferro back and sides and now I have an OM solid spruce top - laminated pau ferro back and sides and is not much difference. Both guitar are rich sounding, responsive and loud. Maybe the full solid one has a bit richer sound, but not very much. The difference is given by the body shape in my case. The GA is a bit fuller, open sound, the OM is full sounding enough, but a bit boomier. I also had a solid spruce top laminated rosewood back and laminated walnut side guitar and compared with a solid spruce laminated ovangkol back and side guitar with simillar shape and value I did not notice noticable difference.
I had a GA solid spruce top - solid pau ferro back and sides and now I have an OM solid spruce top - laminated pau ferro back and sides and is not much difference. Both guitar are rich sounding, responsive and loud. Maybe the full solid one has a bit richer sound, but not very much. The difference is given by the body shape in my case. The GA has a bit fuller, open sound, the OM is full sounding enough, but a bit boomier.
My DeltaDeLiteE with the laminated unbraced back sounds great, shame that the nut wasn't cut anywhere near deep enough so notes at first and 2nd fret played sharp, Amin 1st position was really horrible
I have an ap70 with solid spruce top and laminated rosewood back and sides. like the other folks who commented, I wonder - is the laminated rosewood also setup as rosewood / mahogany / rosewood?
Laminates generally have better durability than solid woods. Cracks won't appear due to temperature or even blunt force unlike solid woods. However, it does compromise on tonality and overall sound quality. (This can be mitigated by using good quality laminates like what Alvarez is doing)
Certainly noticeable differences… I am guessing that using mahogany in the core, as opposed to poplar,(Taylor), is why Alvarez laminated guitars do sound different. Even Bob Taylor says he cannot tell the difference between his different laminated back / sides guitars. So I say, stick to the mahogany core. As you said, mahogany is “musical”, and poplar is not. BTW, after a full setup, and new string gauges to fit my D to D tuning, my 8 string GA sounds and plays great! I still take my RainSong to gigs. But, I take the Alvarez 8 string to open mics, and play it 80%-20% at home… simply more fun! I let other musicians play it at open mics, and it sounds great out in the audience. Thanks!
I just bought a Alvarez Masterworks MFA66CESHB. I have owned a Taylor 214CE, a Takamine (model that the Eagles used on the hell freezes over tour), and the Alvarez Masterworks MFA66CE is hands down the best sounding, and playing acoustic I have ever owned. Wow and for the price I payed brand new at $829.00 was a steal. My wife was even blown away by the sound. I will never get rid of this baby, this is my forever acoustic guitar. Thanks Alvarez!!!!!!!!
My AGE95 is one of the best guitars I've owned. The whole guitar vibrates when you play and the tone as the video demonstrates is up there with the best of all solid instruments. It is also beautiful to look at. For a guitar that is often on offer at under £400 that is frankly astonishing.
I’ve got a 1980 model 5013. Spruce over mahogany all laminate.
None of my guitar savvy friends believe it’s all laminate.
It sounds that good.
I also have a much newer AJ60SC. It is the absolutely sweetest sounding guitar I own.
I don’t know what Master Kazuo did with those early laminates…but they are nothing short of amazing.
Alvarez has really perfected the art of working with laminates
I have two laminated guitars and I love them. I can still feel the back of the guitar vibrate while I’m playing. They both sound as good as my solid wood.
First I really appreciate your content and look forward to everything you put out!
I first want to be transparent and say I don't currently own an Alvarez guitar. However I am so impressed by your attention to detail and passion that I would certainly be interested in checking them out in the future.
I currently have three laminate back and sides acoustics (Walden's) with solid tops. Two cedar and 1 spruce top (I also have a Yamaha FG800 w/a spruce top and Nato back and sides, I gave it to my girlfriend but she still insists that it's mine).
I also have an all solid Furch Yellow Master's Choice Gc-CR which is an absolutely amazing instrument!
While I would to say my all solid Furch is at another level, it is also over 5xs more expensive than my other guitars. It's individually voiced, has AAA cedar top and AA East Indian Rosewood back and sides, LR Baggs SPA, GOTO 510 tuners etc...
All that being said, my laminate back and sides guitars sound great and I use them as my primary gigging guitars. The fact is, most venues are less than ideal acoustically. An amp or PA colors the sound significantly as well... so why would I risk my expensive guitar?
Everyone compliments how great my guitars sound even those who do bring their high end instruments to the same shows I'm playing.
Many drum companies use plys of wood versus solid because it’s much easier and when done correctly can sound great. Solid shells in drumming can have a unique sound but it’s difficult to work with and needs to be thick.
You don’t hear people complaining about a Maple, Birch, or mahogany drum kit being multiple plys of wood. I think acoustic guitars receive bad news for it because before they use soft woods mixed with a thin exotic top but since you guys use a better method that I think translates better
If you bring back semi hollows, I recommend using Seymour Duncan Psyclone pickups for that filertron sound and either Duncan or Dimarzio pickups similar to vintage humbuckers.
Thanks for the insights, Robert, that’s a great point. Thanks for watching 👍
Other builders should be as transparent as Alvarez. There's no way you'd be able to find the composition of laminates, especially down to the millimeters from other makers.
The Artist Series is so broad now. Really top notch. My Anniversary Series Slope Shoulder Model With Acacia is great.
A pleasure to watch and learn as always
Thank a lot sir I has ? Why i buy guitar Alvarez use laminate so Expensive but now understand good quality good sound
I have and love the ADE90CEAR.
the mahogany one sounded great
The solid top and the size of the solid top which resonates is the one which has major impact on how a guitar sounds. I had a GA solid spruce top - solid pau ferro back and sides and now I have an OM solid spruce top - laminated pau ferro back and sides and is not much difference. Both guitar are rich sounding, responsive and loud. Maybe the full solid one has a bit richer sound, but not very much. The difference is given by the body shape in my case. The GA is a bit fuller, open sound, the OM is full sounding enough, but a bit boomier. I also had a solid spruce top laminated rosewood back and laminated walnut side guitar and compared with a solid spruce laminated ovangkol back and side guitar with simillar shape and value I did not notice noticable difference.
I would like to see an A-B comparison between a laminate guitar and and all solid wood guitar with the same wood combination and body type.
I had a GA solid spruce top - solid pau ferro back and sides and now I have an OM solid spruce top - laminated pau ferro back and sides and is not much difference. Both guitar are rich sounding, responsive and loud. Maybe the full solid one has a bit richer sound, but not very much. The difference is given by the body shape in my case. The GA has a bit fuller, open sound, the OM is full sounding enough, but a bit boomier.
Does the AJ 80 CE also have the maple/mahogany/maple laminate?
I was quite surprised with the Maple warmth guys. Not as warm as the Ebony But still nice and warm compared to some maple guitars
My DeltaDeLiteE with the laminated unbraced back sounds great, shame that the nut wasn't cut anywhere near deep enough so notes at first and 2nd fret played sharp, Amin 1st position was really horrible
I have an ap70 with solid spruce top and laminated rosewood back and sides. like the other folks who commented, I wonder - is the laminated rosewood also setup as rosewood / mahogany / rosewood?
Does laminate type wood last?
Laminates generally have better durability than solid woods. Cracks won't appear due to temperature or even blunt force unlike solid woods. However, it does compromise on tonality and overall sound quality. (This can be mitigated by using good quality laminates like what Alvarez is doing)
I would play it.
Certainly noticeable differences… I am guessing that using mahogany in the core, as opposed to poplar,(Taylor), is why Alvarez laminated guitars do sound different. Even Bob Taylor says he cannot tell the difference between his different laminated back / sides guitars. So I say, stick to the mahogany core. As you said, mahogany is “musical”, and poplar is not.
BTW, after a full setup, and new string gauges to fit my D to D tuning, my 8 string GA sounds and plays great! I still take my RainSong to gigs. But, I take the Alvarez 8 string to open mics, and play it 80%-20% at home… simply more fun! I let other musicians play it at open mics, and it sounds great out in the audience. Thanks!
I wonder what Taylor's percentage of each wood they use is? I'd bet poplar is a vast majority of the laminate.
I'd like to know if their laminated rosewood back and sides is laminated rosewood-mahogony-rosewood?
As would I . . . I recently bought a used AD710 that has laminated rosewood back and sides.