World-class Japanese Craftsmanship
The Alvarez Yairi WY1 faithfully carries on the Yairi legacy of world-class handcrafted Japanese guitars, all in a supremely versatile OM-shaped package. East Indian rosewood back and sides give the WY1 plenty of low-end power and high-end sparkle, perfectly complemented by the AA Western red cedar top’s warm, touch-sensitive response. Under WY1’s elegant exterior, it’s all performance — a slightly deeper than usual OM body style, deep cutaway, and Direct Coupled bridge give this OM a tonal flexibility and reliability that stand above the rest. No matter what style you play, the mahogany/rosewood neck’s soft “V” to “C” carve delivers easy chording at the base of the neck, with a comfortable flat feel as you go further up. Finally, an LR Baggs Element pickup and a StagePro preamp faithfully translate your acoustic tone when it comes time to plug in.
Related Videos: Yairi WY1 Sunburst Stage Series Acoustic-electric Guitar - Tobacco Sunburst
Premium tonewood pairing
Like all of Alvarez’s Yairi instruments, the WY1 begins with an immaculate pairing of tonewoods. This guitar’s AA Western red cedar top is exceedingly resonant, boasting a beautiful warmth, liveliness, and response. The East Indian rosewood back and sides add some power to the cedar’s sweetness, giving you plenty of low-end and a stunning resonance that shines on the higher register. While this combo certainly delivers in tone for dedicated strummers, Sweetwater guitarists find that the WY1’s ability to make notes bloom with even the lightest touch makes this an exceptional instrument for guitarists of the fingerpicking variety.
Direct Coupled bridges enhance projection and heighten dynamic sensitivityInnovative Direct Coupled bridge
One of the most unique features found on Alvarez Yairi guitars is their 2-piece Direct Coupled bridge — a distinct design not found on any other guitar! By separating the bridge into two pieces and directly anchoring the strings to the top, the Direct Coupled bridge increases tension and downward pressure, resulting in improved sustain, volume, and projection. However, the Direct Coupled bridge isn’t only for tone — this design also prevents the bridge from lifting off the soundboard, one of the most common bridge issues found on acoustic guitars.
Deep OM body shape
No matter what brand you’re looking at, Sweetwater guitarists find that the OM body style is perhaps the most versatile of all steel-string shapes. The combination of a toned-down body size and a full 25.5-inch scale length produces a snappy, robust sound that’s an excellent choice for guitarists who regularly cross over the boundaries of strumming, flatpicking, and fingerpicking. The WY1 takes the traditional OM body shape and expands it with a slightly deeper depth, resulting in a greater bass response and more powerful projection, while still remaining far more comfortable than its dreadnought-sized siblings. This unique shape was originally designed for the one and only Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead — that’s where the W in WY1 originates!
From Yairi with love
Alvarez-Yairi represents the driving force of Alvarez culture: obsessive attention to detail and traditional quality. The result is guitars that nourish creativity for a lifetime. However, these guitars aren’t just instruments, they’re souvenirs of music history and the emotions that shape it. Yairi's formidable team of 24 luthiers still builds instruments the traditional way — sculpting guitars humbly by hand using only the finest materials with a nearly 60-year reputation of building players exceptional instruments at a fair price.
Alvarez Yairi WY1 Acoustic-electric Guitar Features:
- AA Western red cedar top offers a lively, touch-sensitive response
- Rosewood back and sides deliver a strong bass response, powerful highs, and an overtone-rich sound
- Sturdy mahogany neck carved into soft “V” to “C”-shape — great for chording in the open position, while flattening out for performance as you go up the neck
- Beautiful rosewood fingerboard in a flat 15.75-inch radius
- LR Baggs Element pickup and StagePro preamp for plugged-in tones that remain faithful to your acoustic sound
- OM body size with a full 25.5-inch scale length can cover almost any style
- Forward-shifted FTS6 bracing produces an open sound with a strong low-end punch
- Slightly deeper body depth for enhanced projection and bass response
- Deep cutaway for easy access to the upper frets
- Direct coupled bridge increases downward pressure and raises sustain for greater volume, clarity, and sustain
