Alvarez has been one of the leading acoustic guitar brands in the U.S.A. and around the world for nearly 50 years. Its image is synonymous with quality and innovation. Alvarez instruments are known for their tone and feel and some of the most amazing artists over the last five decades have gravitated towards the brand and its guitars.

Alvarez was established in 1965 by St. Louis Music. In the late 60’s the company began working with Master Luthier, Kazuo Yairi. This collaboration turned out to be a remarkable success and our Alvarez-Yairi guitars are still handmade in the Yairi factory today, in the small town of Kani, Japan.

The bond between SLM and Yairi is underpinned by a desire to produce some of the finest guitars in the world. Our instruments are a mix of tradition and innovation, and our culture is continual development and improvement. We hope you find this attitude evident in all of our guitars from Regent Series to Masterworks, so at each price point true value and quality is found.