Anyone Have Any Experience with an Alvarez RD20S ?

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Permalink Reply by Mark on October 7, 2010 at 11:12pm

Hi Archie... Weird coincidence, I was just coming in to post a comment about my Alvarez and I stumbled across this thread.

I have an Alvarez RD20SC. ( It's the guitar in my avatar photo) I bought it in June of this year on Ebay. It was purportedly a new, "factory second" due to finish flaws. But for the life of me I cannot find a single flaw in the finish anywhere on the guitar.

I got it for a very low price, and for that reason was not really expecting anything special. But...... I love this guitar! it looks gorgeous, feels good, sounds great! And here's the weird part...

It never goes out of tune!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This is the part that I really don't understand. I've been playing this guitar almost every day since I bought it, and I think I've had to re-tune it twice in five months! It's kind of scary actually... The guitar has an onboard tuner built into the preamp which isn't as accurate as my electronic tuner, but whenever I check it with either one, it's spot on! my other guitars all seem to need constant tuning.

I originally bought it with the idea that i was going to re-sell it at a profit, but now I really don't see myself ever parting with this sweet guitar.
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I'm telling ya, if their "entry level" guitars are this nice, I cannot even imagine how special the more expensive Yairi's must be.

On the other hand, I might have simply got hold of an abberation. Who knows? I have a friend who makes his living performing with his guitar. The guitar that he always uses for his shows is a cheap Yamaha that he bought at a pawn shop. He somehow makes that guitar sound amazing! I guess it's not always the brand, model, or price you paid that establishes how a guitar performs.

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Permalink Reply by Archie S. McLeod III on October 8, 2010 at 5:31am

Mark, we both must have acquired "ghost" because this is one of the best guitars I've ever played at any price. (with the exception of a McPherson which is scary gorgeous). I like the finish and single cutaway of the one you have. They are definitely keepers :)

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Permalink Reply by Mark on October 7, 2010 at 11:20pm

Wow! lot's of typos, and no "edit button" Just a little tag that says "ten minutes left to edit your comment" but no way to actually edit it that I can find...

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Permalink Reply by Mark on July 27, 2011 at 7:25pm

Sooooo....

 

Just a follow-up.  

A year later and I still love my Alvarez.   Actually I love it a little bit too much.  it's still pretty pristine.  with the exception of a few light scuffs on the pickguard from playing.   the problem is, I have been so afraid of anything "bad' happening to it that it never leaves the house!  It just sits there on it's stand and only gets played here in the comfort of my living room.   There have been many times when I would have loved to take it to a party or something and actually play it in front of people, or even let my friends play around with it,  but have been too afraid to.  

 

My solution??????

 

I found the same model guitar on craigslist, only a bit older, rougher, and needing some repair.   I paid next to nothing for it due to it's condition. I re-glued a broken brace inside, re-adjusted the action, cleaned it up,  (There was a TON of schmutz on the fretboard!) vacuumed a bunch of ash out of the inside  (I think it must have been owned by Cheech and Chong)

I now have a wonderful playing and sounding guitar that I am very comfortable taking anywhere, and letting anyone play !!  With the added advantage that I can plug it in... you know,  just in case I have a sudden attack of stupidity and decide I'm ready to jump up onstage at an open mic or something equally humiliating...  (Fortunately, I don't think I could ever physically drink THAT much beer!)

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Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on July 28, 2011 at 6:43am

Hey Mark! ... I jumped up at on a whim at open-mic nite just last week.  My first time back on "stage" in over 30 years!  Intimidating?  Sure.  But, TWO stiff bourbons, led to ONE quick run through of "Mellissa" by Greg Allman and I was off.  The audience was kind and the experience gave me a chance to clear away the cobwebs and chase away the butterflies.  Huge psychological hurdle cleared!

 

BTW, did you ever find the "edit button" ?? :-)

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Permalink Reply by Mark on July 28, 2011 at 7:01pm

Awesome Jud !!  What a gorgeous song that is !  One of my personal favorites. 

Did you use your own guitar or borrow one that was already up there?

And more importantly.. are you "hooked" now?

 

Regarding that edit button. that was just a glitch in the website on that particular occasion,  hasn't happened since.

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Permalink Reply by Jud Hair on July 28, 2011 at 7:11pm

Well, I took my second guitar which is a Seagull that has no pick-up, instead of my Martin acoustic/electric because it was pouring rain when I left the house and I wasn't all that sure I was going to participate anyway.  I wish I'd have been able to plug in instead of just mic'ing my guitar, but other wise it was fine.

 

I really like doing "Mellisa" now, but it took a good while for me to get it all down pat.  The verse with the cool riff that everybody immediately recognizes is a piece of cake, but the chorus and particularly the bridge are much tougher for me to play and sing.

 

I am definitely going back, but I'm not going back until I have a 3-4 song set "nailed" ... most of the people who performed were pretty good and all did several songs.  Not all professional grade, but more polished than me for sure. 

 

 Now that I've done it once, I have confidence and I think I just need to practice.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on July 28, 2011 at 9:40pm

Hey, at least you showed up with a cool guitar!  It seems like everyone and his brother has a Martin or a Gibson at those things.  But I bet you were the only Seagull there.

 

Yeah,  I tried to learn Mellissa a while ago, and while the intro is pretty easy,  those tough parts  pretty much kicked my butt.. I set it aside until such time as I am adept enough to tackle it.

 

 

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