Alvarez AFA 1965

Sorry can't help as never played one, but like you, I've only heard good things about the Alvarez, Mahogany solid top guitars.

prsteve,
Looking forward to the new Alvarez guitar, review and photos.
Sure you will like it Alvarez, are great guitars.

The AFA 1965 arrived today. It is still balmy here in Nebraska. 50's or so. I didn't have to let it acclimatize very long before I opened it up. It was room temperature. So I tuned it right up. Played it a while. Very easy to play. Absolutely beautiful to look at. Very bright, but that might be the Elixirs that are on it. I had hoped it would be a bit more mellow since it is supposed to have a mahogany top.

Starting to direct my gas toward non-dreads since I am getting old. Oh yeah, I AM old. Matter of comfort. I prefer the Alvarez Grateful Dead guitar I got a while back. It is deeper and I gave it a go this afternoon and realized why I like playing it. Has a better sound to me than any other OM/000 guitar I have ever played.

All in all a good purchase. Its brightness and loudness will make it a good guitar to use with the little band I play in. The ballads and things I do by myself I will use the Grateful Dead. It was just too good a price to pass on and I am glad I got it.

I haven't ever posted a picture, but am going to try right now.




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Florida, You are absolutely right. I was going by the specs mentioned on Musician's Friend's description, which says it is a solid mahogany top. If you check that out and discover differently, please let me know. The sound of the guitar makes much more sense, knowing that it is spruce. I still plan on keeping it. It sounds a lot better than my old Recording King RO 227 I  used to have. The 227 was really quiet and did not have nearly as full a sound as the 1965. 

I have an Ibanez AW 54 solid mahogany top and laminate mahogany b&s that I really like. Once again a dread, but is the lightest dread (weight-wise) that I have played. And it is very mellow. Even more so than the Grateful Dead. Apparently I like the sound of Cedar top guitars. I have several Seagulls with cedar tops and like them all.

If the truth be known, I like guitars. Period. Each one of them have their own characteristics. I think I will keep the AFA and let it become what it decides it wants to become. Kind of like I did my own kids. They turned out just right by letting them be who they are.

Thanks for setting me straight on that. Let the becoming begin!