Alvarez AD60 Review: Artist Series Dreadnought Acoustic Guitar

Brand/Model: Alvarez Artist Series AD60

Number of Strings: 6

Hand Orientation: Right

Body Material: Mahogany/Spruce top

Neck Material: Mahogany

Fretboard Material: Rosewood

Price Range: Under $300

Our Rating: 9.6/10

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Alvarez Artist Series AD60 Acoustic Guitar Review

Alvarez is a globally-recognized brand. They’ve been around about a half century, and they’re still going strong. Joining the ranks of their extensive inventory is the Artist AD60 guitar that’s been created to sing loud and proud.

The Artist guitar is a full-size dreadnought instrument. Its solid spruce top is “hand selected from quarter-sawn wood” to guarantee consistent quality. With Alvarez’s state of the art raw material to construction processes, their guitar quality is peerless, and their reputation deserved.

The back, sides, and neck of the AD60 consist of mahogany while the fretboard and bridge are made from rosewood. Alvarez is spot on when they say that just because you have a solid top soundboard, it doesn’t mean you’re automatically guaranteed great intonation and sound projection. Every other element must come together to make a quality and instrument.

That’s why this excellent acoustic guitar has great hardware providing excellent value for a git in this price range. It has real bone for the nut and saddle, premium die cast tuning heads, and Ivory ABS body binding. But, to support the top and the way the guitar sounds, it also has FST2 bracing.

This bracing is a forward-shifted X design with scalloped asymmetric tone bars. The forward-shifted bracing allows for extra sensitivity to vibrations and to further project sound. The sound is bright in the trebles with a distinct register of the bass. It’s fair to say there’s balance when you need it thanks to all the working components of the guitar.

The Artist Series also has a bi-level bridge to compensate for the downward pressure that’s stressing on the saddle but is compensated with extra tension with an angled headstock. Everything about this guitar has been well-thought out from design plans to execution. It’s a guitar that’s been made for a true artist!

Pros

Price
Solid spruce top
Real bone
FST2 bracing
Bi-level bridge

Cons

May require setup

Alvarez AD60 Reviews

As expected, this guitar has not seen a single complaint against it at time of writing. It’s a high-quality instrument that’s been delivered to succeed in aesthetics, sound, construction, and value. However, a setup may be in order if you have a few personal tweaks you’d like to see.

Out of the box, it should be a great guitar to start jammin’ with, but you really can’t go wrong if you customize this guitar for you playing habits and comfort.

There are several aspects that players love about the guitar. To name a few, the aesthetic appeal is flawless. The real paua abalone and mother of pearl inlays add to the character of the guitar.

The sound is loud and crisp, and buyers are the ones who say the trebles don’t overwhelm the bass providing well-rounded balance like how a guitar should sound.

Alternative Acoustic Guitars to Consider

The Artist guitar is hard to compete with since Alvarez is known for their attention to detail. But, the customization of this guitar can also compete against the customization of the Takamine GD20 acoustic guitar.

It strays from the standard with its thick, solid cedar top that pairs with a mahogany body. It also sports a pinless bridge with a split saddle. As an appropriate alternative, it’s also in the same price range of under 300 bucks!

Interestingly, another guitar makes itself known with its unique bridge design. The Ibanez Artwood Series guitar has the brand’s proprietary Advantage bridge pins that also work in a way to ensure great tone and protect string integrity. It also flashes a solid mahogany top with a mahogany body. But, guess what? It comes in under $200 for this beauty.

There’s quite the variety when seeking out unique features that really make a guitar. You’ll have to check out the full reviews to make a well-informed comparison on which one you should buy!

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Alvarez Artist Series AD60 FAQ

What is a Bi-level Bridge?

This is a bridge design that’s incorporated to prevent strings from lying flat against the wooden bridge plate where it transitions over the saddle. The bi-level bridge allows for the string to be held taut in a straight line ensuring the correct amount of pressure is exerted on the saddle.

This also indicates that strings should be straight from the saddle to the string pegs. The result is improved tone and tuning stability.

What is the Scale of the Artist Series Guitar?

The Alvarez guitar has a 25 1/2″ neck scale. It also has 21 frets where the 14th fret joins the body of the guitar with a dovetail neck joint.

What is Solid A+ Sitka Spruce?

This is the tonewood used for the soundboard/top of the guitar. The A+ rating indicates the grade and quality of the wood used.

Is the Mahogany Laminate or Solid Wood?

For this price range and with lack of marketing solid mahogany for the back and sides, we assume that this guitar has laminate back and sides.

Can the Alvarez guitar be Plugged into an Amp?

This is an acoustic guitar, and it can’t be plugged into an amp as it has no electronic counterparts to support it.

Does the Alvarez Artist Guitar come with Accessories?

The guitar doesn’t come with any accessories. The only “added” equipment is the strings the guitar comes pre-strung with and a tool to adjust the truss rod.

Does this Guitar come with Alvarez Strings?

No. This guitar comes with D’Addario EXP16 strings. As far as we know, Alvarez doesn’t make strings or have a string brand.

Where are the Paua and Mother of Pearl Inlays?

You have an inlay on the 12th fret, the dots on the bridge pins, and the rosette.

Hardware/Electronics You’ll Need:

Like many high-end guitars, this one doesn’t come with any accessories and equipment. In fact, most guitars in this price range won’t. This often leaves the beginner to pick up the expenses required to accumulate the essentials you’ll need to explore your talent and improve your skill.

You’ll also need to think about protecting your guitar whether you’re heading out to play with pals or keeping it safe in your bedroom when not in use.

Don’t be one of those players where it gets lost in and among junk, clothes, and food and drinks. Instead, check out our guitar accessories resource on those essentials you’ll need to help your beauty of a guitar last a lifetime. For now, here’s a few things a starter player might want to think about investing in.

Standout Features of the Alvarez AD60

Excellent Value
Custom features
Solid A+ top

Our Verdict on the Alvarez Artist AD60

To strum it up, the Alvarez Artist Series AD60 guitar has a ton of value to offer a guitar player. This guitar is an excellent and high-grade choice for a beginner player, but it’s also an affordable and quality choice for a pro player.

The Artists Series is truly designed to bring out the artist in any avid guitar player!

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