The St. Louis Music Supply Company was originally founded in 1922 by Bernard Kornblum as a violin shop. In 1957, Gene Kornblum (Bernard's son) joined the family business.
The Alvarez trademark was established in 1965, and the company was the earliest of Asian producers to feature laminate-body guitars with solid wood tops. Initially, Alvarez guitars were built in Japan during the late 1960s, and distributed through St. Louis Music.
St. Louis Music also distributed the Electra and Westone brands of solid body electrics. St. Louis Music currently manufactures Crate and Ampeg amplifiers in the U.S., while Alvarez instruments are designed in St. Louis and produced overseas. In 2005, LOUD Technologies, Inc. purchased St. Louis Music, Inc. and all of their trademarks. With this acquisition, the headquarters based in St. Louis was moved to Woodinville, WA. However, the guitar repair and set-up shop was still located in St. Louis. In 2009, Mark Ragin moved Alvarez guitars back to St. Louis Music in St. Louis that included management and distribution. For more information, contact Alvarez directly or visit their website.
Instruments currently manufactured in China, Japan, and Korea. Distributed by St. Louis Music Inc., in St. Louis, MO.

ALVAREZ Acoustic Guitars Models

ALVAREZ RD10VP Image

ALVAREZ RD10VP

- similar to the RD 10 except comes with a gigbag, strings, winder, strap, picks, tuner, and polish, mfg. 2001, 2004-06.

ALVAREZ 5043 BURGUNDY (BURGUNDY ARTIST) Image

ALVAREZ 5043 BURGUNDY (BURGUNDY ARTIST)

- dreadnought style, laminated oak top, round soundhole, multi-bound body, abalone rosette, oak back/sides, mahogany neck, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl cross inlays, rosewood bridge with black white dot pins, oak peghead veneer w...

ALVAREZ AD 60 CK Image

ALVAREZ AD 60 CK

- similar to AD60K except with a single cutaway dreadnought body and standard System 500 Mk II (disc. 2001) or System 600T Mk II (2002-08) electronics, available in Natural finish, disc. 2008.

ALVAREZ 5080 N FUSION DELUXE THINLINE (NATURAL) Image

ALVAREZ 5080 N FUSION DELUXE THINLINE (NATURAL)

- dreadnought style, thinline rounded cutaway body, spruce top, round soundhole, multi-layer black/white body binding, abalone shell rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays/stylized bird wings i...

ALVAREZ PF 90 SC Image

ALVAREZ PF 90 SC

- similar to PF90S except has a single cutaway folk body and standard System 500 Mk II (disc. 2001) or System 600T Mk II (2002-08) electronics, available in Natural finish, disc. 2008.

ALVAREZ RD 20S Image

ALVAREZ RD 20S

- dreadnought style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, multi-layer black/white body binding, three-stripe rosette, tortoise pickguard, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, rosewood bridge with whit...

ALVAREZ 5055 BLUESMAN Image

ALVAREZ 5055 BLUESMAN

- jumbo style, laminated spruce top, two f-holes, multi-bound body, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, stylized bird wings inlay at 12th fret, rosewood bridge with white black dot pins, bl...

ALVAREZ AD 62SC Image

ALVAREZ AD 62SC

- single cutaway dreadnought style, solid cedar top, burled mahogany back/sides, black pickguard, maple body binding, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret diagonal inlay, rosewood bridge, standard System 600T Mk II electronics, go...

ALVAREZ 5086 WILDWOOD Image

ALVAREZ 5086 WILDWOOD

- single cutaway dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, five-stripe bound body/rosette, mahogany back/sides, nato neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, 12th fret has stylized bird wings inlay, rosewood...

ALVAREZ PJ 85SC Image

ALVAREZ PJ 85SC

- single cutaway jumbo body, solid spruce top, solid rosewood back and sides, maple/herringbone body binding, round soundhole with abalone rosette, bound 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret diagonal inlay, bound headstock with go...

ALVAREZ RD 20VP Image

ALVAREZ RD 20VP

- similar to the RD 20 except comes with a gigbag, strings, winder, strap, picks, tuner, and polish, mfg. 2001 only.

ALVAREZ 5072 JUMBO (ARTIST JUMBO) Image

ALVAREZ 5072 JUMBO (ARTIST JUMBO)

- jumbo style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, tortoiseshell pickguard, abalone bound body/rosette, mahogany back/sides, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, stylized bird wings inlay at 12th fret, rosewood bridge w...

ALVAREZ AD 65 BLUESMAN Image

ALVAREZ AD 65 BLUESMAN

- vintage dreadnought body style, spruce top, mahogany sides and back, ivory/black multi-body binding, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, chrome die-cast tuners, f-holes, available in Sunburst finish, disc. 2001.

ALVAREZ 5082 N Image

ALVAREZ 5082 N

- similar to 5080 N, except has laminated curly maple top, curly maple back and sides, available in Trans. Violin finish, disc. 1995.

ALVAREZ 5202 MAHOGANY Image

ALVAREZ 5202 MAHOGANY

- classical style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, bound body, wooden inlaid rosette, African mahogany back/sides, nato neck, 19-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge, rosewood veneer on peghead, three-per-side gold tuners, availabl...

ALVAREZ 5072 C BK Image

ALVAREZ 5072 C BK

- similar to the 5072 except has a single cutaway, standard three-band EQ System 500 electronics with piezo bridge pickup, available in Black finish, mfg. 1995-98.

ALVAREZ AD 65CE Image

ALVAREZ AD 65CE

- cutaway archtop, f-holes, spruce top, maple back and sides, ivory/black multi-ply binding, rosewood fingerboard, diagonal inlay on 12th fret, rosewood bridge, vintage nickel hardware, trapeze bridge, single coil Alnico and Piezo pickup, t...

ALVAREZ MD 90 Image

ALVAREZ MD 90

- similar to the MD 80 except has rosewood back and sides, optional System 500 Mk II (2001 only) or System 600T Mk II (2002-08) electronics, mfg. 2001-08.

ALVAREZ 5224 MAHOGANY Image

ALVAREZ 5224 MAHOGANY

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, three-stripe bound body/rosette, black pickguard, mahogany back/sides, nato neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, rosewood bridge with black dot pins, rosewood v...

ALVAREZ 5088 C (FUSION DELUXE) Image

ALVAREZ 5088 C (FUSION DELUXE)

- dreadnought style, single rounded cutaway, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, tortoiseshell pickguard, three-stripe bound body/rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, pearl curlicue inlay...

ALVAREZ AD 70S Image

ALVAREZ AD 70S

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with white pearl rosette, tortoiseshell pickguard, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret diagonal inlay, rosewood bridge, three-per-side chrome tuners,...

ALVAREZ MD 90C Image

ALVAREZ MD 90C

- similar to the MD 90, except has a single cutaway and standard System 600T Mk II electronics, mfg. 2005-08.

ALVAREZ RD 20SC Image

ALVAREZ RD 20SC

- similar to the RD 20, except has a single cutaway and standard System 200T electronics, available in Natural, Black, or Sunburst finish, mfg. 1998-2008.

ALVAREZ AD 70SC Image

ALVAREZ AD 70SC

- similar to the AD 70, except has a single cutaway and standard System 600T Mk II electronics, mfg. 2005-08.

ALVAREZ MD 95 Image

ALVAREZ MD 95

- similar to the MD 90, except has gold hardware, optional System 600T Mk II electronics, mfg. 2003-08.

ALVAREZ 6010 ELEGANCE SIGNATURE Image

ALVAREZ 6010 ELEGANCE SIGNATURE

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, multi-layer bound body, abalone rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl double A inlaid at 12th fret, rosewood bridge with white pearl dot p...

ALVAREZ AD 80S Image

ALVAREZ AD 80S

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, Indian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with white pearl rosette, tortoise pickguard, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret diagonal inlay, rosewood bridge, three-per-side chrome tuner...

ALVAREZ MD 200C Image

ALVAREZ MD 200C

- single cutaway dreadnought body, solid Englemann spruce top, solid flame maple back and sides, abalone rosette, maple body binding, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with tree-of-life inlays, three-per-side tuners, ebony bridge, black pickguar...

ALVAREZ 6015 ELEGANCE ROSE Image

ALVAREZ 6015 ELEGANCE ROSE

- similar to the 6010, except features a solid mahogany back, multi-layer maple/rosewood body binding, tortoiseshell pickguard, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl rose inlay at 12th fret, rosewood bridge with black pearl dot pins, a...

ALVAREZ RD 20SV/SSB Image

ALVAREZ RD 20SV/SSB

- similar to the RD 20S, except is a slope-shouldered dreadnought body style, available in Vintage Sunburst finish, mfg. 2004-08.

ALVAREZ 5220 C Image

ALVAREZ 5220 C

- single cutaway dreadnought style, spruce top, round soundhole, three-stripe bound body and rosette, black pickguard, mahogany back/sides, nato neck, 20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, rosewood bridge with black pearl dot...

ALVAREZ AD 90SCK Image

ALVAREZ AD 90SCK

- dreadnought single cutaway style, solid spruce top, Figured dao back and sides, round soundhole with white pearl rosette, tortoiseshell pickguard, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret diagonal inlay, rosewood bridge, three-per-s...

ALVAREZ MD 350 Image

ALVAREZ MD 350

- dreadnought style, solid Englemann spruce top, solid Indian rosewood back/sides, tortoise/herringbone body binding, round soundhole with wood rosette, 14/20-fret ebony fingerboard with 12th fret oval inlay, gold three-per-side tuners with...

ALVAREZ 6020 C ELEGANCE CUTAWAY Image

ALVAREZ 6020 C ELEGANCE CUTAWAY

- similar to the 6010, except features Florentine cutaway body, Honduran mahogany back/sides, abalone shell body binding, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with pearl inlay at 12th fret, rosewood bridge with black pearl dot pins, ornate...