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.
The Yairi Honduran Series began when the team discovered a stash of Honduran Mahogany that had been seasoning naturally for over 50 years. The company's founder Kazuo Yairi amassed an incredible supply of tonewoods over the years, and much of it waited decades before it was put to use. He owned a piece of land not far from the Yairi factory, and perfectly conditioned billets of old growth Honduran mahogany had been waiting there for decades.
Part of the 2024 Masterworks Series, the Yairi FYM66HD features a folk-style OM body with a top, sides, and back constructed of that legendary Honduran Mahogany. It also sports Yairi's new FST6 bracing system, which is lighter in weight and designed to strike the perfect balance between strength and vibration. This 2024 FYM66HD produces an open, resonant sound that is warm but not lacking in detailed treble content. It has a 25" scale that helps to bring out bass and volume from the approachable, mid-size body. (To be fair, the saddle sits closer to 25-3/16", but the official Yairi spec sheet lists it as 25".)
This 2024 Yairi FYM66HD is gently used. It shows some minor playwear, and there are some marks on the top behind the bridge pins from past string changes (see photos). Fortunately no dings, cosmetic damages, or issues—just a fantastic used guitar. It has a very low setup that practically plays itself, and the nut measures 1-3/4" (not 1-23/32" as listed on the spec sheet). Proudly made in Japan, the Yairi guitars consistently demonstrate a higher level of craftsmanship than most import guitars. The details are just right—abalone rosette, multiplay-binding, gold Gotoh 510 tuning machines, etc—and the Mahogany is gorgeous. It includes its original hardshell case.