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Description

When Kazuo Yairi began designing and hand-crafting his steel-string 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-55 “River Wind” 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 A-Y owners everywhere will tell you that they’re worth every penny.

This guitar (serial # 22078) has the date 2/12/78 printed on the label; however, it also has an additional number imprinted on the neck block (5210119), which according to The Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars indicates that it was actually made in October of 1977, the 52nd year the Japanese emperor Showa had been in office (No, I’m not kidding). I assume that the date 1978 on the label simply means that the company was getting a head start on their export production. Unfortunately, neither the Blue Book nor the Alvarez website includes the DY-55 in their current listings, presumably because of its rarity, so I’m dependent on what I can see and on guys from Harmony Central and other sites for specs and such.

Apparently, this guitar is from the first of two brief issues of the DY-55; the second version is supposedly in highly figured black jacaranda laminate, but this dreadnought style body has what looks to me like straight-grained mahogany back, sides and neck. Like the solid spruce top, all of it is in a bright reddish high gloss finish. There is ivoroid and black binding on the body and rosette, a tortoise tear drop pick guard, a rosewood bridge with white abalone-dot pins, a 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay and a 25.5” scale, and a rosewood headstock veneer set off by the inlaid Yairi logo and the chrome Alvarez-Yairi enclosed tuners. This is one impressive-looking guitar!

Even more impressive is its playability and its huge sound. The frets have surprisingly little wear on them for a 39-year-old guitar. The neck is quite comfortable for my kind of small hands, measuring 1 11/16” at the nut. The almost forty years of seasoning of the quality solid top and mahogany back and sides make this about as resonant a guitar as I have played, with big bass and clear ringing trebles. The action is set up at a fast and comfortable 3/32” at the 12th fret low E, and it will be ready to jam as soon as you get it out of the box.

I can’t resist including one quotation from a very enthusiastic on-line DY-55 player:
"I've never met a Yairi I didn't like and own a number of them - dollar for dollar they are the best value in the marketplace - particularly some of the older examples. The River Wind is a cut above all of the Yairis I have except the Silver Harp (DY-53) - and it is noticeably stronger in the bass region than the Silver Harp. This guitar is truly inspiring sonically. It sounds sort of like a harpsichord when it is strummed (incredibly complex harmonics and overtones) and each string is in balance - it is level across the entire sonic spectrum all the way up the fret board to the 14th fret. Not too bright, not muffled in any way, but the trebles are really crystalline and pure. Truly a profound instrument for the fingerstylist, bluegrass picker, and even sounds great playing some classical pieces (heresy, sheer heresy)."

A bit much? I don’t know: it’s an awfully nice guitar....
Unlike most 39-year-old guitars that have been played, there are very few small dings, and just a hint of play wear on the bottom edge of the sound hole. In addition to that remarkable cosmetic score card, there are no structural issues with this guitar: the neck’s straight, the top’s flat, the tuners are tight, and there are no cracks in the top, back, or sides. I would consider it a 9.3 out of 10 for a vintage instrument.

The original brown hard shell case is structurally perfect: the hardware all works, and the plush interior is intact and naturally fits this guitar like the proverbial glove. It looks vintage and authentic but very clean, and it certainly provides outstanding protection 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 purchase it.

Thank you for your interest in this fine vintage guitar.

ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS

ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS

1978
Alvarez-Yairi
Excellent
Original Hard
9 Years
ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS
ARTHUR H LUMPKIN
803-731-0515
Online Only
11:36 AM
24/7 by e-mail: akmgj@bellsouth.net. I'm old; I don't sleep much.

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.