2009 Alvarez-Yairi DY-45 "Wood Ridge" amber sunburst, Excellent, Hard, $695.00
When Kazuo Yairi began designing and hand-crafting these guitars in the 1960’s, he was deliberately competing with Martin, Gibson, and Guild for the higher end guitar market in the U.S. This DY-45 “Wood Ridge” model is an example of the quality and sound which he was able to produce using the highest quality materials, the best Japanese craftsmen, and his own modifications of the best American designs. Today, the prices of the Alvarez-Yairi acoustic guitars range from $1200 to $5000 and beyond, and grateful owners will tell you they’re worth every penny.
The label clearly says that it is a Model DY-45, which was initially manufactured from 1975-1998. However, the model was apparently re-issued, because the number on the neck block—0909 288—means that this particular guitar was the 288th guitar made in September of 2009. In other words, we have an 8-year-old guitar just entering the prime of its acoustical career.
This newer DY-45 has a dreadnought style body with a solid spruce top, apparently maple back and sides, and a solid mahogany neck in a cool glossy Amber Sunburst finish introduced for this new model. There is full black binding on both top and back, a multi-stripe inlaid rosette, a tortoise tear drop pick guard, a rosewood bridge with black white-dot pins, a 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot/fleur-de-lis inlay and a 25.5” scale, and a mahogany headstock inlay set off by the inlaid pearl Yairi logo and gold-colored enclosed tuners. This is one impressive-looking guitar for the money.
Even more impressive is its playability and its huge sound. The frets have visible wear on them but are quite playable, and the neck is surprisingly comfortable for my kind of small hands, measuring 1 11/16” at the nut. The eight years of seasoning of the quality solid spruce top and maple back and sides make this about as resonant a guitar as you will find for anywhere near this price, with great big bass and clear ringing trebles.
Unlike most 8-year-old guitars that have been played, there are very few dings in the top or elsewhere, and no cracks at all in the top, back, or sides. There are no cosmetic or structural issues with this guitar: the neck’s straight, the top’s flat, the tuners are tight, and the finish is a real head-turner. The action is set at a low and fast hair under 3/32” at the 12th fret low E, and it is ready to play.
The hard shell case is structurally excellent but probably not original. The hardware all works (one latch has been repaired), and the interior is clean and fits this guitar like the proverbial glove. While it does have a few dings on the edges, they don’t detract from the protection the case provides for this valuable instrument.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have tried to be perfectly clear and accurate in describing this instrument, so its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy it.
Thank you for your interest in this fine guitar.
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.