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Post by Rich on Feb 13, 2006 9:06:00 GMT -6
After several years of looking for the "right" acoustic, I finally found it. The guitar is gorgeous, plays like a dream, and I can play the hell out of it! I have owned Gibson, Martin, Hohner, Takamine, Gretsch, Ovation, Ibanez, Washburn, and others over the years, and played many others. My son's Taylor was really good, as were some of the others- but they are all eclipsed by this wonderful Alvarez. One never knows when the right guitar will come along... I was lurking in a pawn shop, and this came out of the office as I was standing there... It must have been fate... I had looked at 6 or 7 other guitars that trip, and told the owner that the last thing I needed was another acoustic guitar. So he asked me if I would just check this one more out before I left... When he brought it out, I opened the case to find a beautifully hand crafted, superbly inlayed guitar (in original case) with all the paperwork signed by Yairi, dated 1986. It was strung with super light (.009-.042) bronze strings, and needed a bath, but as soon as I strummed it, I could tell it was something special. Even with the crazy strings on it, this guitar just BOOMED and was so vibrant in my hands that I couldn't believe it. I didn't have any money with me, but asked if he could hold it for a couple of days. He agreed, and I left. Within an hour, I figured out how to come up with the necessary funds.. (Sorry to NI Gas and Com Ed) and I returned to pick up my prize. I took it home, stripped it of those godawful strings, cleaned, polished, and adjusted it, and put on some .011's... It was way better! I took it to the studio that afternoon, and my second student didn't show up for his lesson. Off came the .011's, on with a set of .012-.054 Martin SP's. The guitar remained playable, and just roared like a sonic mortar attack.. For the first time in many years, I have felt the passion to play acoustic guitar- and had the physical ability to do so. I haven't stopped playing it since I got it, and don't think I'll tire of it any time soon. Wonderful instrument. ;D
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Post by Rich on Jun 30, 2007 20:38:07 GMT -6
Just a quick follow-up... After having the Yairi for a while, my acoustic GAS is quelled. It is simply perfect for me, and my playing style. I'm building a dreadnought for a customer, and it looks like I might do another one for myself, but the smaller 000 size.
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Post by mojocaster on Dec 1, 2007 12:26:54 GMT -6
Pics, my good man, pics!
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Post by Rich on Dec 1, 2007 18:26:58 GMT -6
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Post by mojocaster on Dec 1, 2007 19:25:47 GMT -6
If she sounds even half as good as she looks...
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Post by Rich on Dec 1, 2007 22:48:53 GMT -6
Oh yeah.. one amazing guitar, man.. Loud, even response, plays almost like an electric- smoooth. My search is over.
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Post by mojocaster on Dec 2, 2007 13:21:01 GMT -6
I like the design of where the neck flows into the headstock...
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Post by Rich on Dec 2, 2007 17:02:17 GMT -6
I like it too. I took a little of the design into account when I carved the volute on the dreadnought I built. Here's what I carved
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Post by mojocaster on Dec 2, 2007 18:58:29 GMT -6
yeah man, that's hot. I love it.
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Post by Rich on Dec 4, 2007 2:43:35 GMT -6
Oops.. I posted the wrong pic.. that's the Alvarez. Here's the one I carved.. I tried to soften up the transition a little bit, more like a tele.. LOL
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Post by mojocaster on Dec 4, 2007 20:39:35 GMT -6
sweet! Anything that's more like a Tele is ok with me
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Post by Rich on Dec 5, 2007 20:49:19 GMT -6
I've been studying up on top bracing and voicing soundboards. The acoustic I built needed some help to reach its full potential. I'm finally getting a feel for how to manipulate the balance of tensions and structural strength.. Makes my head hurt a little, but it is fascinating stuff. An entire new world of luthierie has opened up to me. It's all related, but very intense.
If I hear another dummy on the internet shooting off their mouth about "Anybody can bolt together a great tele", I'm gonna BLOW!!!!!!!
Almost as dumb as a couple of guys who refused to purchase from me because I choose to outsource a neck. I never just buy a neck and bolt it on. I will order a neck to my specs, then spend a couple of hours sanding/shaping/filing/grinding before I hand finish it, then Chris levels and crowns the frets, hand carves a nut from a hunk of bone, and sets up the whole guitar to work as a unit.... Truth be told, a quality manufactured neck will be closer to specs than a hand made neck- thus a CNC made, hand refined neck is the optimum combination for playability and longevity.
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Post by mojocaster on Dec 5, 2007 21:30:21 GMT -6
Yes, it is unfortunate that some are still confused on these topics. But the word will spread more and more. I'll try and do my part to help achieve that goal!
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Post by Rich on Dec 6, 2007 1:57:25 GMT -6
I know you know the difference. The internet can spawn an awful lot of misinformation, though. Some 16 year old heard from his buddy, then posted it under his aliased name on TDPRI, and it must be so.. Whatta joke.
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Post by mojocaster on Dec 6, 2007 19:38:44 GMT -6
Well, you know what I think of the TDPRI But seriously, though, the Internet is what we make it I suppose. The good news is that we can make our little corners of it and use it to make our point!
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