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 AF410 Image

ALVAREZ AF410

- Grand Concert folk-style body, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with white pearl rosette, multi-layer white body binding, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with three-piece 12th fret Alvarez in...

ALVAREZ MF 90 Image

ALVAREZ MF 90

- similar to the MF 80, except has rosewood back and sides, optional System 500 Mk II (2001 only) or System 600T Mk II (2002-05) electronics, mfg. 2001-05.

ALVAREZ RF 8 Image

ALVAREZ RF 8

- folk style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole, black/white soundhole rings, black pickguard, multi-layer black binding, 14/20-fret rosewood fretboard, rosewood bridge, acrylic dot inlays, covered three-per-side tuners,...

ALVAREZ AJ 60-12 ARTIST MAPLE JUMBO 12-STRING Image

ALVAREZ AJ 60-12 ARTIST MAPLE JUMBO 12-STRING

- dreadnought style, koa top, round soundhole, black pickguard, ivory body, white pearl rosette, koa back/sides, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with stylized Alvarez slash inlay at 12th fret, rosewood bridge with white...

ALVAREZ MF 350 Image

ALVAREZ MF 350

- folk 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 ebony...

ALVAREZ RF 8C Image

ALVAREZ RF 8C

- similar to the FD 8 except has a single cutaway and standard electronics with a two-band EQ, mfg. 2008 only.

ALVAREZ AJ 60 S Image

ALVAREZ AJ 60 S

- jumbo body, maple back and sides, solid spruce top, rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret diagonal position marker, white pearl rosette, white/black multi-ply body binding, gold die-cast tuners, rosewood bridge, optional System 500 Mk II (d...

ALVAREZ MF 350C Image

ALVAREZ MF 350C

- similar to the MF 350, except has a single smooth cutaway and standard System 600T Mk II electronics, mfg. 2007 only.

ALVAREZ RF 10 Image

ALVAREZ RF 10

- folk style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole, black/white soundhole rings, black pickguard, multi-layer black binding, 14/20-fret rosewood fretboard, rosewood bridge, acrylic dot inlays, covered three-per-side tuners,...

ALVAREZ AJ 60 S 12 Image

ALVAREZ AJ 60 S 12

- similar to the AJ60S, except in 12-string configuration with six-per-side tuners, available in Blonde finish, disc. 2008.

ALVAREZ MF 1000 Image

ALVAREZ MF 1000

- folk style, solid spruce top, solid Indian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with abalone rosette, ivoroid multi-ply body binding, ebony fingerboard with 12th fret oval inlay, three-per-side gold tuners, ebony bridge, optional Syst...

ALVAREZ RF 19S Image

ALVAREZ RF 19S

- folk body style, solid spruce top, mahogany back/sides, round soundhole with white/black rosette, 12/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, rosewood bridge, tortoise pickguard, slotted headstock with open style banjo tuners, option...

ALVAREZ AJ 60 SC Image

ALVAREZ AJ 60 SC

- similar to the AJ60S, except has a single cutaway jumbo body, standard System 500 Mk II (disc. 2001) or System 600T Mk II (2002-08) electronics, available in Blonde finish, disc. 2008.

ALVAREZ MF 1000C Image

ALVAREZ MF 1000C

- similar to the MD 1000, except has a single cutaway and standard System 600T Mk II electronics, available in Natural finish, mfg. 2007-08.

ALVAREZ RF 20 Image

ALVAREZ RF 20

- folk style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole, black/white soundhole rings, multi-layer black/white binding, 14/20-fret rosewood fretboard, rosewood bridge, acrylic dot inlays, chrome tuners, three-per-side tuners, opti...

ALVAREZ MJ 80 Image

ALVAREZ MJ 80

- jumbo style, solid Canadian spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with black and white circles, 14/20-fret Indian rosewood fingerboard, 12th fret abalone inlay, die-cast nickel three-per-side tuners, rosewood bridge with wh...

ALVAREZ AJ414CBK Image

ALVAREZ AJ414CBK

- single cutaway Jumbo-style body, solid spruce top, maple back and sides, round soundhole with white pearl rosette, multi-layer ivory body binding, mahogany neck, 12/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with three-piece 12th fret Alvarez inl...

ALVAREZ MSD1 Image

ALVAREZ MSD1

- small dreadnought style, solid Englemann Spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with abalone shell inlay, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard, 12th fret diagonal inlay, die-cast nickel three-per-side tuners, Indian rosewood brid...

ALVAREZ AJ417 Image

ALVAREZ AJ417

- Jumbo-style body, solid spruce top, bubinga back and sides, round soundhole with white pearl rosette, multi-layer ivory body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with three-piece 12th fret Alvarez inlay, bound hea...

ALVAREZ MSD610 Image

ALVAREZ MSD610

- small dreadnought body style, solid spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with abalone rosette, multi-ply maple body binding, mahogany neck, 14/19-fret rosewood fingerboard with 12th fret three-piece Alvarez inlay, bl...

ALVAREZ RF 22S Image

ALVAREZ RF 22S

- folk body style, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, multi-ply body binding, round soundhole with acrylic pearl rosette, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, matching headstock with chrome three-per-side tuners with pea...

ALVAREZ SLM 80 Image

ALVAREZ SLM 80

- dreadnought style, solid grade AAA Canadian spruce top, solid Indian rosewood back and sides, round soundhole with black and white circles, 14/20-fret Indian rosewood fingerboard, tree-of-life abalone inlay, gold vintage style three-per-s...

ALVAREZ RF 30 Image

ALVAREZ RF 30

- similar to RD 30 BK, except in folk body configuration, available in Natural gloss finish, mfg. 1998-2001.

ALVAREZ AJ418C Image

ALVAREZ AJ418C

- single cutaway Jumbo-style body, solid spruce top, spalted maple back and sides, round soundhole with white pearl rosette, multi-layer white/black body binding, mahogany neck, 12/19-fret bound rosewood fingerboard with three-piece 12th fr...

ALVAREZ RF010 Image

ALVAREZ RF010

- folk body style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with two-ring black/white rosette, black body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, mahogany headstock overlay with Alvarez logo, thr...

ALVAREZ RF210 Image

ALVAREZ RF210

- folk body style, spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with multi-ring acrylic pearl rosette, black body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, mahogany headstock overlay with Alvarez logo,...

ALVAREZ RF210C Image

ALVAREZ RF210C

- similar to the RF210, except has a single cutaway with two-band electronics, available in Natural finish, mfg. 2009 only.

ALVAREZ RF300 Image

ALVAREZ RF300

- folk body style, solid mahogany top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with multi-ring acrylic pearl rosette, multi-ply body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, mahogany headstock overlay with A...

ALVAREZ RF4102C Image

ALVAREZ RF4102C

- single cutaway folk body style, solid spruce top, mahogany back and sides, round soundhole with multi-ring acrylic pearl rosette, multi-ply body binding, mahogany neck, 14/20-fret rosewood fingerboard with dot inlays, mahogany headstock o...