Alvarez mandolin

[Southside]

Hello

Bought this at a local pawn shop because it sounded good and the price was what I thought was a heck of a deal. Has the original case and is in very good condition. I believe it has a solid top and laminated back and sides. It is really loud with a great chop. Brought it home and adjusted the bridge and put new strings on it and it plays great up and down the neck.

I've been jamming with people before and seen Alvarez mandolins before, but I have never seen one with "The Alvarez" on the headstock before. I'm thinking it is late 70's but I'm not sure. I thought it was worth the gamble to buy it and I'm glad I did.

169355
169356
169359
169360

[fatt-dad]

Yeah, I'd say with that serial number it's made in Japan. I've owned a few Alvarez. They're not bad, but in some instances I've had a few carved too thick.

Enjoy!

f-d

[Steve Ostrander]

don't know what you paid but that looks like a nice pawn shop prize.

[Southside]

I paid $250 total out the door...which was a super deal imo

[Dave Greenspoon]

If it sounds great to you, you got a great deal for the money. That said, the MIJ shops of the kaye 70's and early 80's generally turned out decent instruments. Occasionally a really special one pops up. Alvarez, Aria, and a few others tend to be underappreciated and undervalued in the vintage market.

[Southside]

Thank for the responses!

[Timbofood]

Great deal!

[CES]

Nice deal!

I own an Alvarez Yairi guitar that’s basically a D-28 copy from ‘77. It’s one of the best sounding guitars I’ve ever heard/played and one with which I’ll never part. They’ve made some excellent instruments through the years...

[Boge Quinn]

That is a late 70s model A700. You got a great deal!

[Bill Kammerzell]

These photos I have from the early 1980's aren't that good. But of what you can see this is a late 1970's A-800 that I owned during that time. Bought it around 1979. Recall paying around $400.00. The guitar in the photo is a Gibson I paid around $100.00 for in a Charleston SC Pawn Shop. Last photo is an A-500 Alvarez from the same era. Bought that around 1976. Sold all three around Spring of 1993. Never picked up an instrument again until August 2015.

[pops1]

Nice deal!

I own an Alvarez Yairi guitar that’s basically a D-28 copy from ‘77. It’s one of the best sounding guitars I’ve ever heard/played and one with which I’ll never part. They’ve made some excellent instruments through the years...

Alvarez Yairi is a different animal. Those were hand made and had lifetime guarantees. They were great instruments. I had a Yairi when I could still play a dreadnought, it was a wonderful, light, great sounding guitar.

[Timbofood]

Right Pops, the Yairi line was pretty darned nice, had a nice “D-28” of theirs back in the old days, it was a very nice guitar but, it was really hard to sell, it was weird, people liked it but, took forever to sell!

[Skip Kelley]

Nice find! Enjoy that mandolin!