More Episodes

We love mahogany, and we decided it’s time to compare one of our Artist Series OM guitars to a Honduran Mahogany Yairi. While this may not be a direct comparison, each of these instruments have their unique strengths. Today on Alvarez TV we’re looking at what those strengths are, how they perform, and what their characters tell us.

Ready to travel in style? Whether it’s the size, the comfort or the sound, small guitars are becoming a travel essential and we’re celebrating that with two brand-new LJ’s in our Artist Elite Series. Meet the new LJE95CEARSHB and LJP70CEARSHB, two very stylish, beautifully resonant travel guitars that sound bigger than they look.

We’re welcoming ten new additions to our award-winning Alvarez family for 2022, and today we’re discussing two of our favorites from our Masterworks line: stunning, understated, all-solid instruments focused on tone and elegance that sound every bit as good as they look.

Are 8 strings better than 12? Well, we do love a 12-string, but these 8-string guitars have their own unique vibe—and they’re a lot easier to play! The sound of a 12-string guitar is unmistakable, but 12 strings on a neck can be ungainly, and if we’re honest, fretting 12 strings is tough. That’s why we created the Alvarez 8-String Grand Auditorium, bringing you 12-string shimmer with less tension and a standard width neck and nut.

Today on Alvarez TV, we’re discussing two nearly identical guitars…but with different tops, one with Solid AA Sitka Spruce and one Mahogany. Stay to the end to hear tap testing and strumming A/B demos on both tops. What do you hear? Which sounds more tonally broad to you?

All-solid guitars are widely acknowledged as the best sounding acoustic guitars a player can get…but is that always true? And are all laminates created equal? We’re doing a deep dive on all of this and more in today’s episode of Alvarez TV, where we decide who wins the laminate vs. all-solid wood battle, settled once and for all, definitively. (Kind of.)

A classical guitar can sometimes feel too different to a steel string for many of us—this is why we make hybrids. These responsive nylon-string instruments have a narrower nut width, radiused fingerboard and 12th fret neck joint, which make them more akin to a steel string but still deliver that wonderful Spanish and classical vibe. The feel and sound is special, the tone and reference take us to new horizons, and as we all know, reaching for a different sounding instrument can inspire fresh creativity.

Our approach to development comes from a simple goal: To deliver the best guitars in the market at every price point—instruments that are truly amazing value and offer a fantastic player experience. Today on Alvarez TV we’re choosing some of our favorite Alvarez guitars under the $500 mark. What’s your favorite under $500?