On 2003-01-13, Christopher gave this Alvarez Acoustic Guitar a 5...(3940)
Purchase: I found this guitar while wandering through the mall. I normally prefer to support the smaller independent music stores, but I was there and I was interested in replacing a Fender Stratacoustic that was damaged on a plane trip. So I stopped in and was absolutely floored by the Alvarez. The black model I bought had a minor finish blemish, so they gave me about 35% off, making the price around $390. But even if you have to pay full price, the guitar is a steal at the list of around $600.
Pros: Everything about this guitar is great. The playability, sound, looks, feel, and all around build quality are great. The box is bigger than I was used to with the Stratacoustic, but the difference in sound quality is immeasurable. Not to mention the wide array of onboard electronics. One of the nicest features is the on-board tuner, which cuts sound to the amp when use it. So you can adjust tuning in the middle of a gig without having to mess with volume knobs, etc...just hit the button, tune up, hit the button again, and you're set to go.
Cons: As I said, this unit has a small blemish in the finish, but I couldn't beat the price. The guitar is still fully warranted, and it would have been nice if it had come with a hard case. But I got a good deal on the case too, so there's no room to complain.
Quality: This is one of the most solidly built guitars I've ever played. It's not light, but it's not overly heavy either. The neck is nice and thin, and the Elixer strings sound great. The action is quite low, which makes it fast and easy to play, The guitar sounds best when it's played with a soft or medium strum...if I play it too heavy, there's quite a lot of pinging.
Summary: If you're looking for a high quality acoustic/electric, this is definitely worth a look. It has a sound similar to much more expensive Taylors or Martins, at a price that's much less. I don't expect to outgrow this guitar for another 10 years.
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