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 5002 MAHOGANY CLASSIC Image

ALVAREZ 5002 MAHOGANY CLASSIC

- classical style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, bound body, wooden inlay rosette, mahogany back/sides, nato neck, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge, rosewood veneer on peghead, three-per-side gold tuners, available...

ALVAREZ 4070 ACOUSTIC BASS Image

ALVAREZ 4070 ACOUSTIC BASS

- single round jumbo style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, three-stripe bound body/rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 23-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge with white black dot pins, bound rosewood peghead with pearl logo in...

ALVAREZ 2551 ROSEWOOD Image

ALVAREZ 2551 ROSEWOOD

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, five-stripe bound body, abalone rosette, rosewood back/sides, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl diamond inlays, rosewood bridge with white black dot pins, rosew...

ALVAREZ RC 10 Image

ALVAREZ RC 10

- classical style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole, wood mosiac soundhole, single black binding, 12/19-fret rosewood fretboard, rosewood bridge, acrylic dot inlays, open tuners, available in Natural satin finish, mfg. 2...

ALVAREZ AC 40 S Image

ALVAREZ AC 40 S

- classical style, rounded body, spruce top, round soundhole, multi-layer black body binding, wood mosaic rosette, rosewood back/sides, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge, three-per-side gold tuners with plastic...

ALVAREZ 5003 ARTIST MAHOGANY Image

ALVAREZ 5003 ARTIST MAHOGANY

- classical style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, multi-layer black body, wood mosaic rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge, slotted headstock, three-per-side tuners with plastic buttons...

ALVAREZ PC 50S Image

ALVAREZ PC 50S

- classical style, solid spruce top, rosewood sides and back, rosewood neck with 12/19 fretboard, rosewood bridge, rosette wood mosiac soundhole, open-style gold tuners, optional System 500 Mk II (1998-2001) or System 600T Mk II (2002 only)...

ALVAREZ 5009 PROFESSIONAL ROSEWOOD CLASSIC Image

ALVAREZ 5009 PROFESSIONAL ROSEWOOD CLASSIC

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

ALVAREZ MC 80 Image

ALVAREZ MC 80

- classical style, solid cedar top, solid mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with mosaic rosette, rosewood fingerboard, green abalone inlays, die-cast gold three-per-side tuners, rosewood bridge with white pins, multi-layer white/blac...

ALVAREZ FCC7103 Image

ALVAREZ FCC7103

- single cutaway chambered classical mahogany body, spruce top, multi-ply body binding, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with no inlays, slotted headstock, three-per-side open-style nickel tuners, rosewood bridge, Fishma...

ALVAREZ AB4102C Image

ALVAREZ AB4102C

- single cutaway bass body, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with abalone rosette, multi-layer white body binding, mahogany neck, 16/22-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with three-piece 12th fret Alvarez inlay, boun...

ALVAREZ RC 20(S)C Image

ALVAREZ RC 20(S)C

- classical style, single cutaway, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole, wood mosaic soundhole, single black binding, 12/19-fret rosewood fretboard, rosewood bridge, acrylic dot inlays, open tuners, three-per-side tune...

ALVAREZ 5201 REGENT CLASSIC (5201 CLASSIC) Image

ALVAREZ 5201 REGENT CLASSIC (5201 CLASSIC)

- classical style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, black body binding, wood mosaic rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge, three-per-side tuners with plastic buttons, available in Vintage...

ALVAREZ AC 40SC Image

ALVAREZ AC 40SC

- similar to the AC 40S except has a single cutaway and a standard piezo bridge pickups with three-band EQ System 500 electronics, mfg. 1998-2001.

ALVAREZ PC 50SC Image

ALVAREZ PC 50SC

- similar to the PC-50S, except has a single cutaway and standard System 500 Mk II (1998-2001) or System 600T Mk II (2002 only) electronics, mfg. 1998-2002.

ALVAREZ MC 90 Image

ALVAREZ MC 90

- similar to the MC 80, except has solid Indian rosewood back and sides, optional System 600T Mk II electronics, mfg. 2003-08.

ALVAREZ FCC7603 Image

ALVAREZ FCC7603

- single cutaway chambered classical mahogany body, cedar top, multi-ply body binding, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with no inlays, slotted headstock, three-per-side open-style nickel tuners, rosewood bridge, Fishman...

ALVAREZ 5014 ARTIST FOLK (MOUNTAIN FOLK) Image

ALVAREZ 5014 ARTIST FOLK (MOUNTAIN FOLK)

- folk style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, multi-layer black/white body binding, black/white ring inlay rosette, tortoiseshell pickguard, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, stylized bi...

ALVAREZ AB4102CBK Image

ALVAREZ AB4102CBK

- similar to the AB4102C, except available in a Black finish with a matching finish headstock overlay, mfg. 2009 only.

ALVAREZ 2552 Image

ALVAREZ 2552

- dreadnought style, spruce top, round soundhole, five-stripe bound body, abalone rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, rosewood bridge with black white dot pins, rosewood veneer on peghea...

ALVAREZ RC 30S Image

ALVAREZ RC 30S

- classical style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, wood mosaic rosette soundhole, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard, black multi-layer binding, rosewood bridge, optional System 500 MK II electronics, available in Natural finish, mfg. 200...

ALVAREZ 5208 N Image

ALVAREZ 5208 N

- dreadnought style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, bound body, three-stripe rosette, black pickguard, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlay, rosewood bridge with black pins, three-per-side c...

ALVAREZ AC 60 S Image

ALVAREZ AC 60 S

- grand concert classical style, rounded body, solid cedar top, round soundhole, multi-layer black body binding, wood mosaic rosette, mahogany back/sides, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret Indian rosewood fingerboard, rosewood bridge, three-per-sid...

ALVAREZ PD 80 S Image

ALVAREZ PD 80 S

- dreadnought body, mahogany back and sides, solid spruce top, rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret diagonal position marker, abalone soundhole rosette, ivory/herringbone body binding, chrome die-cast tuners, rosewood bridge, optional System...

ALVAREZ 5028 MAHOGANY PRO Image

ALVAREZ 5028 MAHOGANY PRO

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, tortoiseshell pickguard, black/white multi-layer bound body, black/white inlay rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays/stylized bird wi...

ALVAREZ MC 90C Image

ALVAREZ MC 90C

- similar to the MC 90, except has a single cutaway and standard System 600T Mk II electronics, mfg. 2003-08.

ALVAREZ FCF7103 Image

ALVAREZ FCF7103

- single cutaway chambered folk mahogany body, spruce top, multi-ply body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret three-piece Alvarez inlay, multi-ply bound headstock with rosewood overlay and Alvarez lo...

ALVAREZ 5019 MIDNIGHT SPECIAL Image

ALVAREZ 5019 MIDNIGHT SPECIAL

- dreadnought style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, multi-layer black/white body binding, abalone shell rosette, black pickguard, mahogany back/sides, nato neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays, stylized bird w...

ALVAREZ MSB 1 TRAVEL BASS Image

ALVAREZ MSB 1 TRAVEL BASS

- small travel-sized bass body, solid Englemann spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with abalone rosette, rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret diagonal inlay, two-per-side chrome tuners, rosewood bridge, passive intern...

ALVAREZ 2555 JUMBO Image

ALVAREZ 2555 JUMBO

- jumbo style, Florentine cutaway, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, five-stripe bound body, abalone flake rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 21-fret rosewood fingerboard with abalone offset bar inlays, rosewood bridge with black white...

ALVAREZ RC210 Image

ALVAREZ RC210

- classical body style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with mosaic rosette, black body binding, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard, slotted headstock, three-per-side open-style gold tuners with pearl button...

ALVAREZ AC 60SC Image

ALVAREZ AC 60SC

- similar to the AC 60S except has a single cutaway and standard System 600T Mk II electronics, mfg. 2002-08.

ALVAREZ PD 80 SC Image

ALVAREZ PD 80 SC

- similar to PD80S, except has a single cutaway and standard System 500 Mk II (disc. 2001) or System 600T Mk II (2002-08) electronics, available in Natural finish, disc. 2008.

ALVAREZ 5030 TIMBERLINE SATIN Image

ALVAREZ 5030 TIMBERLINE SATIN

- dreadnought style, solid spruce top, round soundhole, tortoiseshell pickguard, black/white multi-layer bound body, abalone shell inlay rosette, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with stylized diamond inlay at 12th...

ALVAREZ MC761 Image

ALVAREZ MC761

- classical body style, solid cedar top, solid rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with wood mosaic rosette, black body binding, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret rosewood fingerboard, slotted headstock with rosewood overlay, three-per-side op...

ALVAREZ FCF7103BK Black Image

ALVAREZ FCF7103BK Black

- similar to the FCF7103, except has abalone purfling and available in Black finish with a matching black finish headstock overlay, mfg. 2009-present.

ALVAREZ MSB6102 Image

ALVAREZ MSB6102

- small bass body style, solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with abalone rosette, multi-ply maple body binding, mahogany neck, 17/23-fret rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret three-piece Alvarez inlay, black hea...

ALVAREZ 2555 BK (Folk) Image

ALVAREZ 2555 BK (Folk)

- similar to the 2555, except has folk body configuration, single Florentine cutaway, abalone body binding, abalone rosette, available in Gloss Black finish, mfg. 1994 only.

ALVAREZ RC460C Image

ALVAREZ RC460C

- single sharp cutaway classical body style, solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with mosaic rosette, black body binding, mahogany neck, 14/22-fret rosewood fingerboard, slotted headstock, three-per-side open-style gol...

ALVAREZ 5209 REGENT Image

ALVAREZ 5209 REGENT

- dreadnought style, laminated spruce top, round soundhole, single layer black body binding, black/white ring rosette, tortoiseshell pickguard, mahogany back/sides/neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, rosewood bridge with...

ALVAREZ FCF7403 Image

ALVAREZ FCF7403

- single cutaway chambered folk mahogany body, quilted maple top, multi-ply body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret three-piece Alvarez inlay, multi-ply bound headstock with rosewood overlay and Alv...

ALVAREZ AC460 Image

ALVAREZ AC460

- grand concert classical style body, solid cedar top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with wood mosaic rosette, multi-layer black body binding, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret Indian rosewood fingerboard, slotted headstock, three-per-si...