I bought an Alvarez guitar at a flea market today for a ridiculously low price. It has a few problems, but nothing that even a novice luthier can't handle. It was recovered after the May 22, 2011 EF-5 Tornado in Joplin, MO. If you look at my profile on the left of this post you will see that I am also from Joplin, so you can see why this guitar would also hold some sentimental value to me.
I love Alvarez guitars. My #1 acoustic is a '99 artist series Alvarez, which I prefer even over my '73 Martin D-28 (yeah, that's right, I said it.) But I don't know much about this particular model. I did write Alvarez customer support and am awaiting a reply, but in the mean time I was hoping someone here could help me get a little info on this guitar.
It's an Alvarez 5034 model, made in Japan, with serial # 12059. Here's what I already know, it's tiger maple veneer back and sides, I can see the mahogany from inside the body. it also looks to be a solid spruce top with mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard and bridge.
what I don't know is the age. it looks pretty old, but it's also gone through a lot which could have aged it a lot more than it actually is.
If there's anything you guys might know that could help, it would be very.... well... helpful....
thanks
any alvarez experts?
- Ryan Mazzocco
- Posts: 605
- Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:01 pm
- Location: Joplin, MO
- Contact:
- Ryan Mazzocco
- Posts: 605
- Joined: Sat Feb 04, 2012 6:01 pm
- Location: Joplin, MO
- Contact:
Re: any alvarez experts?
Tom at Alvarez wrote back to me first thing this morning. He said they made that model during the mid to late '70s. he didn't give an exact year, but from what I have researched it's pretty much impossible to get an exact year on Alvarez guitars. They didn't really keep any records on anything except the Yairi models. he said it it sold for $255 in 1977.
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- Posts: 9
- Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2012 6:44 pm
Re: any alvarez experts?
hi Ryan, That was a bad day in joplin. not an expert but..
I have two alvarez 6 string guitars both are dred styles.
The one has abalone and maple binding and vine fet board.
the other is a plain jane. both are excelent to play and the sound is as good as any new martin I have played.
Dave
I have two alvarez 6 string guitars both are dred styles.
The one has abalone and maple binding and vine fet board.
the other is a plain jane. both are excelent to play and the sound is as good as any new martin I have played.
Dave