A stunning combination of select tonewoods and unparalleled hand craftsmanship.
Handcrafted in an old-fashioned workshop in a Japanese mountain village under the personal guidance of master luthier Kazuo Yairi, Alvarez Yairi guitars are made with extremely choice tonewoods. The woods are naturally air dried and crafted into instruments with individually hand-shaped bracing and dovetail neck joints. This WY1 model is constructed of premium Hawaiian koa for a completely unique look and warm, powerful tone.
Yairi's brilliant design innovations include an extended neck tenon for a wider range of rod adjustment and no neck/body irregularities. A unique coupled bridge design removes the forward pull from the bridge itself for greater stability and lighter bracing, leading to freer tone.
This Virtuoso model comes with the expressive System 600T MK II electronics for premium acoustic-electric amplification. Other enhancements include a bound ebony fretboard, abalone rosette, multiple body binding, bound ebony headstock veneer, and gold die-cast tuners with amber buttons.
Reviewer's Background: Active Musician, Recording Artist
Reviewer's Play Style: Rock, Blues, Acoustic Jam
This review is not intended to be negative. I am an Alvarez owner. I own one 6 string acoustic and one 12 string acoustic, both Alvarez and both of which I absolutely love. Here's what I didn't like about the guitar:
Since it's a folk guitar it's much smaller than a dreadnought, and you lose alot of sound from that. Some of the reviews I have read mentioned a full deep sound, it didn't hear that at all. The size of the guitar made me feel like I was playing a kid's guitar, and with the cutaway feature the low end just doesn't hold. The action, which can be fixed, was very unimpressive. I have played cheaper Taylors and Martins with better and more level action. Lets face it, this is a $2000 guitar. I expected more for the price that I was paying.
On a good note, the electronics were awesome and the craftsmanship was even better, from a visual aspect. But I returned this guitar cause I firmly believe it isn't worth the money you pay for it.
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Yairi does it again
Posted by allthumbs1955 from Pineville, MO on Aug 31, 2008
Experience w/product: I have used it
Reviewer's Background: Hobbyist
Reviewer's Play Style: Christian, country, old rock, fingerstyle
Ever since seeing the first ads for the Yairi WY1 series a/e guitars I have been wanting one, particularly the koa model, but have lacked the scratch. Recently, a co-worker bought one from a local music shop, and I persuaded him to bring it to work so I could check it out. My expectations weren't let down in the least. The gorgeous koa wood grain, fine lacquer finish, eye-catching gold hardware, and modified 000 body shape are irresistable-and even more irresistable is the tone from this work of art. After ripping out some flatpicking stuff unplugged, I tried some delicate fingerstyle numbers. This axe was SWEET both ways; and plugged in, it blew me away!(Even through the 15-watt practice amp we used.) The Alvarez 600T pickup/preamp system has to be among the top tier in the business, sounding as good as-if not better than-the Taylor Expression system. I now want one of my own more than ever. Kazuo Yairi, who contracts sales of his fine guitars through Alvarez, has one of the best old-fashioned luthier shops in the world, located in old Japan, hand-building all models. He and his
helpers turn out some outstanding instruments at great value prices, much more within reach of players than comparable Gibson, Martin, Taylor, Larrivee, etc. models, all the while rivaling them all in sound, fit-&-finish, and playability. The Yairi WY1K is as superb an instrument as you will find for the price. Buy one and I'm sure you'll be proud every time you open the case-IF you can put it down at all!
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Can a guitar be perfect.
Posted by MandoMark from Seattle on Nov 27, 2007
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Gigging musician
Reviewer's Play Style: Folk, rock
Yes. This one is. From the second you open the case, this guitar enchants. The beautifully figured Koa jumps out at you and makes you want to play. The signature Yairi styling cues such as the bridge and single neck inlay let you and any observers know that this is not a run of the mill instrument. It sounds as beautiful as it looks, and believe it or not, sounds even better plugged in. If there is a guitar anywhere in the world that sounds better amplified than the WY1K, I would love to hear it. I have listened to it next to high end martins and taylors, and they honestly don't compare. Better still, since Yairi is not as well known as Martin, Taylor of Gibson, you don't pay anything for the name. Every penny of the price is for the quality and craftsmanship, not for advertising and reputation. If Gibson or Taylor could make an instrument this fine, it would cost at least three times the price. This will be the last acoustic guitar you ever need.
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Best guitar I've ever played!
Posted by Zebulan Hundley from Frederick, MD on Feb 12, 2007
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Active Musician, Home Studio Owner, Worship Leader
Reviewer's Play Style: Metal, Rock, Blues,
Hands down this is the best acoustic electric guitar I've ever played. The action is perfect and the tone is simply unbelievable. I've been playing on various Taylor models and in my opinion nothing I've played has come close to this WY1K!
This will be the only acoustic electric I'll play. It is now my primary acoustic instrument.
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Perfect Tone
Posted by JBLR4485 from South Carolina on Sep 4, 2006
Experience w/product: I own it
Reviewer's Background: Active Musician
Reviewer's Play Style: Country/Light Rock
I can only describe the tone of this guitar with one word...perfect. I have many guitars including some big names....Martins, Taylors, and each has it's own distinct sound, and they are truly quality instruments. But, when I look through my music, and work with each guitar to determine which sound most closely matches the original music, I keep coming back to this Alvarez Yairi WY1K. The tone is warm in the mids to lows, and perfect...striking, but gentle at the highs. People should give this WY1K a try, and even some other Alvarez Yairis. You'll be leasantly surprised at the quality of sound these guitars have.
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