In the small town of Kani in the hills north of Nagoya, the Yairi factory has produced some of Japan's finest guitars for more than 80 years. Built with pride, tradition, and the finest materials available, Alvarez Yairi guitars are beautifully presented, wonderful sounding, luthier-made instruments.
Part of the Masterworks Series, the Alvarez Yairi FYM70 features a folk-style OM body constructed of a AAA-grade Sitka Spruce top and East Indian Rosewood back and sides. Made in 2023, this FYM70 produces an open, balanced sound with detailed a top-end that shimmers. But fortunately it's not lacking in warmth and richness to balance out the sound. It has a 25" scale that helps to bring out depth and volume from the comfortable, mid-size body. (To be fair, the saddle sits closer to 25-3/16", but the official Yairi spec sheet lists it as 25".)
The label on this FYM70 is marked as "Almost Perfect," which is Alvarez's version of B-Stock. Looking over the guitar, there's a cosmetic blemish on the bass side of the bridge (see photos). It looks like some kind of finish defect that was filled with a little extra lacquer. Apart from that, the fit and finish all looks nice and proper. The Sunburst has a gorgeous, consistent color fade, which the Herringbone trim accents nicely. In your hands, this FYM70 feels like a well-made, high-spec option for its price point, and that's consistent with the Yairi reputation. Fine-sounding guitars with strong playability, style, and character that is all their own.
This 2023 Alvarez Yairi FYM70 shows some minor signs of ply and use, but it's pretty clean all around (see photos). It has low, approachable action, and it plays nicely up and down the fingerboard. The Gotoh 510 tuning machines are a nice bonus, too—they keep everything honest and stable. This 2023 Alvarez Yairi FYM70 includes its original hardshell case.