Damaged in shipping but repaired but our professional tech. There is a crack that runs from the end of the bridge to the lower bout edge that needed to be cleated. It is hard to photograph or see but you can feel it if you run your hand over the area. There is another crack near the sound hole but it is only a finish crack an not structural. Still plays great and is a good solid wood guitar for the price.
Local pick up only.
With clear purpose Alvarez set out to build a market leading, all-solid Dreadnought designed for the flatpicker and powerful strummer in mind. The MD60BG’s deliver on all fronts.
These superbly dressed guitars are super responsive with clear, powerful bass and sparkling trebles. It’s cosmetics pay tribute to traditional Bluegrass guitars with open gear nickel tuners, classic inlays, high quality tortoiseshell style pickguard and even a slightly extended fingerboard.
Nothing can really match a guitar made from all-solid wood. The deflection of the notes is quicker, the quality of the sound is better, you can obtain optimal response and the sound of your guitar will improve as it ages.
However, just because the guitar is made of all solid tonewood, it only performs to its full potential when it is designed to get the best out of its materials and components. As the tops we use in Masterworks are very high quality we can make them a little thinner to heighten vibration. The radius of both the top and back are also refined to help increase volume.
Each guitar is designed to get the best out if its components, and for them to work together. These components include our FST2 bracing system, bi-level rosewood /Pau Ferro extended bridge, real bone nut and saddle, carefully seasoned tonewood and a thin finish.
FST2 is a forward shifted X brace design, this means the axis of the X is closer to the sound hole and therefore creates a larger soundboard area allowing for more energy and vibration to be harnessed. Both the X braces and asymmetric tone bars are carefully scalloped. The scalloping design was the result of years of continual development in our Yairi workshops.
The Masterworks personality is open and powerful. FST2 also creates very good balance so both the treble and bass registers are clearly present and balanced in relation to each other. All of the tops are selected by our team and graded independently of our suppliers. If it isn’t worthy, we won’t use it. Top quality in Masterworks is at least AA grade.
Along with a more angled headstock, the bi-level bridge increases string tension by making the break angel of the strings from the saddle to the top more acute. Improved string tension adds to our sound, feel and response, which are also heightened by the use of real bone nuts and saddles.
Masterworks Series also demonstrates Alvarez's great finishing capabilities; the gloss models have a clear deep shine from a finish that is applied as thinly as possible, again to help optimize tone.
Specs:
Series: Alvarez Masterworks
Top Wood: Solid AA Sitka Spruce
Back & Sides Wood: Solid African Mahogany
Shape: Dreadnought
Neck: One piece mahogany, 50/50 Semi gloss finish
Bracing System: FST2M - Forward Shifted, Scalloped X
Bridge: Bi-Level Pau Ferro/Indian Laurel
Inlays: Paua Abalone & Mother of Pearl
Fingerboard: Pau Ferro / Indian Laurel Extended
Nut & Saddle: Real Bone
Tuner: Nickel Open Gear
Binding: Herringbone
Bridge Pins: Ebony
Strings: D'Addario EXP16
Pickup / EQ: LR Baggs VTC
Overall Length (mm)1042
Body Width (mm)395
Body Depth at Heel (mm)100
Body Depth at Base (mm)124
Scale (mm)648
Scale (inches)25 1/2"
Number of frets21
Nut Width (mm)44.45
Nut Width (inches)1