
( Brand: Alvarez ), ( Manufacturer Part Number: PD-100 ), ( Model: ALVAREZ PD-100 ), ( Body Type: Dreadnought ), ( Body Color: Natural ), ( Neck Material: Rosewood ), ( Set Includes: Gig Bag ), ( Series: Professional ), ( Handedness: Right-handed ), ( Type: Acoustic Guitar ), ( Body Material: Spruce ), ( String Configuration: 6 String ), ( Country/region Of Manufacture: Korea, Republic Of )
The Alvarez PD-100, also known as the PD100, is a mid-1990s Korean-made acoustic guitar from the revered Alvarez brand. This particular model falls under the Professional Series, which is recognized for delivering high-quality instruments at affordable prices, making it an excellent choice for musicians looking for a reliable and versatile instrument.
The PD-100 boasts a solid Korean Sitka Spruce top, which is known for its ability to produce a rich, full-bodied tone with excellent projection. The back and sides of the guitar are made of laminated Mahogany, adding to the instrument's durability and resilience while maintaining a warm and vibrant sound.
One of the PD-100's most striking features is its proprietary Alvarez concert-shaped body. This distinct body shape concentrates the sound towards the player, offering a more focused and engaging playing experience. The guitar's scale length measures 25.3 inches, and it features a 12-fret neck joint, providing an optimal balance between stability, playability, and tonal response.
The PD-100 comes equipped with a traditional Dortmunder-style 6-in-line headstock, featuring a distinctive inlay design. Its walnut bridge and compensated saddle add to the guitar's rich tonal character and ensure optimal string vibration transfer, promoting accurate intonation and improved overall sound quality.
Additionally, this model features a Pau Ferro fingerboard, which is both visually appealing and durable, resisting wear and tear and exhibiting a luxurious dark brown color. The fretboard features 20 frets, with positions 3, 5, 7, 12, 15, and 17 receiving inlays for ease of navigation during performances.
Other features include a classic rosewood headcap and bridge pins, as well as open-gear chrome tuning machines with polished brass buttons. The guitar comes with high-quality Aquila Super Nylgut strings and a complementary hardshell case to ensure safe transport and storage.
In summary, the Alvarez PD-100, a mid-90s Korean-made model in the Professional Series, provides players with a solid Sitka Spruce top, laminated Mahogany back and sides, and a characteristic concert-shaped body. Its classic design, rich tonal characteristics, and reinforcement of durability make it an exceptional choice for both beginners and seasoned musicians seeking a versatile and engaging acoustic guitar experience.
The Alvarez PD-100 PD100 Natural Acoustic Guitar, specifically the mid-90s Korean edition, is a popular choice for novice and intermediate guitar players. Like every musical instrument, it comes with its unique set of advantages and disadvantages. Here's an in-depth analysis to help you understand whether this guitar is the right fit for you.
Advantages:1. Superior Craftsmanship: The mid-90s Korean Alvarez PD-100 PD100 Natural Acoustic Guitar features a solid spruce top, scalloped X-bracing, and a duty-graded mahogany back and sides. The construction allows for superior sound quality and durability.
2. Tone: This guitar produces a rich, warm, and balanced sound, making it ideal for various music genres. Its projection and sustain are impressive, especially considering its price range.
3. Playability: The PD100 Natural comes with a C-shape neck, which is comfortable for most guitarists. It also has a 25.3-inch scale length, making it suitable for different hand sizes.
4. Affordability: Compared to some guitars in its class, the Alvarez PD-100 PD100 Natural Acoustic Guitar is relatively affordable, making it a popular choice for beginners and budget-conscious musicians.
5. Consistent Quality: Alvarez is a reputable guitar brand, and the PD-100 series has been known for maintaining consistent quality throughout its production years.
Disadvantages:1. Straight-Pinned Bridge: Some players might find this bridge less desirable as it restricts string height adjustments, which could impact intonation and tuning stability.
2. Limited Fingerboard Radius: The guitar features a shallow 12" radius fingerboard, which can take time for users accustomed to flatter fingerboards to get used to.
3. Picks Scratch the Top: The pickguard does not fully cover the top, and careful playing or string switching might scratch it when new, leading to potential cosmetic damages.
Conclusion:The Alvarez PD-100 PD100 Natural Acoustic Guitar (Mid-90s Korean Edition) offers a unique blend of value, sound quality, and craftsmanship. Its advantages far outweigh the minor inconveniences and are a testament to its popularity. It is an excellent choice for beginners and those on a budget looking for a high-performing acoustic guitar with excellent tone, durability, and playability.
Recommendation:If you're considering purchasing the Alvarez PD-100 PD100 Natural Acoustic Guitar, it's essential to keep in mind the challenges of the straight-pinned bridge, shallow fingerboard radius, and pickguard protection while shopping. This will help you make an informed decision and potentially seek a custom solution, such as an aftermarket bridge, to address the bridge issue. Ultimately, the PD-100 Natural provides impressive value and is worth considering.
Sounds amazing. The tree of life fret board was replaced which appears to be ebony and nothing else that I can tell. Full binding and abalone inlays. Back and sides are solid rosewood the top is spruce.
Factory refurbished and stamped almost perfect. Comes with a like new Gator semi-hard model GL-DREAD-12 case, which was $129 from Sweet water. It does have some sun fading in the finish on back and sides. Very rare and very beautiful.