A tour of the Alvarez Guitar Shop, showing the detailed setup process each Alvarez guitar goes through before it’s released into the wild.

Dealers welcomed to “Like” and be eligible to win a new guitar

St. Louis Music, which manages the Alvarez brand of guitar, launched a contest on the Alvarez Facebook page that will end with someone winning a new guitar.

SLM will be holding a drawing for a new Alvarez Regent RD12 ($299 value) on December 23rd 2011 if the number of “likes” reaches 7,000. If the number reaches 8,000 by then, an Alvarez Artist AD70 ($549 value) will be given out instead. And if the number reaches 10,000, the winner will receive a Yairi DYK75 ($1229 value). The one winnermust be at least 18 years old and live in the continental U.S., and all eligible friends (including current ones) will be included in the drawing.

“Ever since we’ve focused on the Alvarez Facebook page, we’ve had terrific results,” says SLM senior vice president Chris Meikle. “We’ve more than tripled our numbers in four months to over 6,000, and we’re finding it’s a great way to get direct feedback from the people who play our guitars”

It took a lot of research and development, and many prototypes were rejected, but the new Alvarez Masterworks Series is here.

Completely redesigned and revamped, the high-end high-quality guitars are made up of 11 models in a range of price points, woods, and body shapes. “This has been more than two years in the making,” says Alvarez brand manager Chris Meikle. “These are beautifully balanced, have exquisite separation and articulation, lots of bass, and a sparkling upper register. They are an absolute joy to play.”

All the Masterworks guitars have an open-pore finish to the back and sides allowing the wood to move and sound in a manner associated with much higher-priced instruments. The top and neck feature a satin finish, and every component is made from the finest natural materialsincluding rosewood and maple bindings and purfings. The tops are all hand selected and the line offers AA grad Sitka spruce and perfectly grained cedar soundboards. Green Abalone inlays, ebony bridge pins, real bone saddles and nuts, and Grover tuners combine to create inspiring guitars.

The models available include Dreadnoughts, Folk, and Classical, which are available with cutaways and built in SYS650 EQ electronics with tuner versions. There’s also the Parlor, which Meikle mentions is doing particularly well.

Better woods. Better components. Better sound. Better price. That’s what the all new Alvarez Series is about. We’ve put a demo here on our YouTube channel by Chris Meikle. Check it out!

Chris is a VP at St. Louis Music, and manages the Alvarez line. This all-new Alvarez Artist Series debuted this summer.
“We went back to the basics, starting first with the raw material,” explains says Senior VP Chris Meikle, who personally oversaw the transformation. “Then we made sure every component was better. Finally, we simply have spent more time putting these instruments together to ensure they are done right.” Then he adds that despite all the upgrades, SLM has been able to put these guitars out at up to 25 percent less than the previous models.

The new line features solid, A-grade Sitka spruce and cedar tops; hand sanded, quarter-sawn braces; dovetail neck joints; bi-level rosewood bridges; real bone saddles and nuts; premium die cast tuners; mother of pearl and abalone inlays with rosewood appointments; and a superior high gloss finish that “is not only durable, but looks fantastic.”
Meikle explains that just because a guitar has a solid top, that does not necessarily ensure an automatic benefit to the instrument. “The tone of the instrument only improves significantly when the whole guitar is built correctly to really release the energy a solid soundboard can generate. Acoustic guitars are always a challenging finding that perfect combination between strength and vibration. The all-new Artist Series is built to do exactly this.”

St. Louis Music is shipping the new Regent Series from Alvarez. Completely redesigned and revamped, this new entry level-series is made up of 23 models in a range of price points, colors, and body shapes which MAP from $169.99.

“We have gone back to the drawing board, and we’re glad we did – this new revamped line is being very well received,” explains SLM’s Senior VP, Chris Meikle. “And although our premium instruments are amongst the best in the world, it’s the Regent Series that beggars belief of what we’ve delivered for their price points. Nearly everything usually unattainable in entry level guitars is Here: tone, playability, and an unbelievable quality of finish.”

Each guitar features a premium, electrostatic finish, spruce top and a choice of mahogany or rosewood back and sides. Other appointments include a rosewood, bi-level bridge, rosewood fingerboard, and premium tuners. The Regent Series comes in Dreadnought, Folk and Classical body shapes, with electric/acoustic versions of each body style also available.

For more information on placing an order, please email info@usbandsupplies.com or call at 1-800-727-4512.

St. Louis Music is a division of U.S. Band and Orchestra Supplies Inc. and the corporate owner of Knilling® Stringed Instruments, Perfection® Pegs, Austin Guitars, and Zonda Reeds. SLM is the exclusive international distributor of Alvarez Guitars and the exclusive North American distributor for P. Mauriat Brass and Woodwind Instruments, as well as Suzuki Violins and Alvarez-Yairi Guitars.