Acoustic Guitars/Alvarez Classical Guitar

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Expert: - 12/27/2010


Question

Alvarez acoustic
I have an Alvarez classical guitar that has butterfly rosette or inlays around the soundhole and there's a strip down the headstock, a strip across the bridge, and a final strip that runs across the guitar's back. It also has square-ish tuners that look like some type of pearl. On the inside of the soundhole it has the brownish paper "label" with a floral type background design. On the "label" it says "Alvarez hand made Classic Guitar" under that it has Model No which says 5011. It has lines for serial number and an "Inspected by" line, which are both blank. At the very bottom of the paper it says made in Japan. And the serial number which is inside the guitar body by the neck heel says 30586. I was wondering what year this guitar may have been built in, what type of woods it is made of, and an approximate value of the guitar.

Answer
Hello Luke,

Photo isn't great, but from your description it sounds like the 5011 Bardo.  All laminate guitar with spruce top, Nato Mahogany back and sides, Nato Mahogany neck, Rosewood fingerboard.  From the description of the label, I'd have to go with mid 1970's to 1980. This was a student or economy model (second from the bottom of the line) and was around $99 in 1976.

With luck you might get $125 for it, if it's in very good to excellent condition with no structural issues.

Regards,
D.Hughes

Acoustic Guitars

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D. Hughes

Expertise

Alvarez/Alvarez Yairi, K. Yairi, S. Yairi, and Yairi and Son. There are also a few export models, Wilson and Samick by S. Yairi. NOTE: Due to very limited info available on K. Yairi, S. Yairi, and Yairi and Son models, without photo's I won't be able to do the research necessary to try and find the answers you want. Even then, we are talking about 50+ Years of guitar manufacturing, with hundreds of different models. A lot of which were exported to other countries, where info is even harder to find, so, I can't guarantee that I will be able to pinpoint your EXACT model! I will do my best to gather as much info, and answer your questions. PLEASE, if you have questions in regards to OTHER BRANDS, use the Guitar-General catagory, as I won't be able to help you. http://yairiguitars.spaces.live.com/

Experience

Research over the past 4 years, and have been answering posts on both the Alvarez Message Board (over 500 up to now), and, the Yahoo Yairiguitars group. Opened new Alvarez (guitars and banjos), Alvarez Yairi, K. Yairi, S. Yairi Yahoo Group after Alvarez MB stopped working.

Education/Credentials
High School, Empire College graduate 4.0 gpa. 1992
Knowledge limited to ONLY the brands mentioned! Alvarez Alvarez Yairi K. Yairi S. Yairi Yairi and Son

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