Post by Tony Ravenscroft on Aug 22, 2022 16:42:40 GMT -6
For future use: here's a bunch of data from Guitar List about the "four-digit" Alvarez models. If you have any info to add, PLEASE also add it on the Guitar List source page
Alvarez used four-digit model numbers for pre-1999 Professional Series guitars. From 1999 they used two-letter and two-number (XXNN) model names.
5002 MAHOGANY CLASSIC - ended 1998.
5004 ARTIST ROSEWOOD (a.k.a. ROSEWOOD CLASSIC) - ended 1998.
5014 ARTIST FOLK (a.k.a. MOUNTAIN FOLK) - 1995-1998
5019 MIDNIGHT SPECIAL - mid-range dreadnought. Spruce multi-ply soundboard, mahogany back and sides, nato neck. Distinctive 12th-fret "bird wing" inlay. Mid-1980s-1998.
5019 AV - acoustic-electric version of the 5019.
5020 MOUNTAIN DELUXE - 1991-1995.
5020 SB Mountain Deluxe Sunburst - discontinued 1998.
5020 C Mountain Deluxe - ended 1998. The electro-acoustic version of the 5020, with cutaway.
5020 M - discontinued 1995 - 5020 with laminated mahogany top.
5021 - Introduced sometime in the early 1970s, dreadnought 12-string, spruce top with w-b-w-b-w-b binding and black pickguard. There's some debate whether the top is solid or laminated. Mahogany back/sides/neck. Synthetic shell rosette. Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots (some later versions had a "bird wing" inlay at the 12th fret).
5027 WOODCREST
5038 - 1970s. Maple sides and back, spruce top. No cutaway.
5038 WILDWOOD CUTAWAY - Cedar top, ovangkol back/sides. Maple binding and wood multi-layered top inlay. Rounded cutaway. Gold die-cast gears with amber buttons. Satin finish. MSRP 1984 $325.
5038 - a rounded Wildwood Cutaway. Cedar top, ovangkol back and sides. Maple body binding and wood multi-layered top inlay. Deluxe gold die cast tuning gears with amber buttons. Satin finish. MSRP in 1984 was $325.
5040 KOA - introduced in the early 1980s. Distinctive figured koa veneer top. Examples made around 1982 have a brass plaque on the back of the headstock with the serial number stamp which reads "ALVAREZ ARTIST, MADE BY ALVAREZ, COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF SLM (1922-1982)".
5043 BURGUNDY (BURGUNDY ARTIST) - 1994-1998.
5047 - Japan, introduced sometime in the 1970s.
5055 BLUESMAN - 1995-1998. Small body with two f-holes. (Not to be confused with the Alvarez 5055 from the 1970s, a J-200 copy.) Replaced in 1999 by the similar-looking AD65.
5072 C BK - 1995-1998.
5072 JUMBO (ARTIST JUMBO) - 1994-1998
5088 C (FUSION DELUXE) - 1994-1998.
5088/12 - 12-String
5220 C - single-cutaway dreadnought. Spruce top with three-ply binding, black pickguard. mahogany back/sides, nato neck, rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays. Natural finish only. Manufacture ended 1995.
5224 - discontinued 1988
5225 ROSEWOOD - rosewood back and sides version of the 5224.
5227 ROSEWOOD SPECIAL - 5225 with spruce laminate top. Both models had rosewood back and sides. Made from the early- to mid-1980s
5237 CURLY MAPLE - discontinued 1995.
Alvarez used four-digit model numbers for pre-1999 Professional Series guitars. From 1999 they used two-letter and two-number (XXNN) model names.
5002 MAHOGANY CLASSIC - ended 1998.
5004 ARTIST ROSEWOOD (a.k.a. ROSEWOOD CLASSIC) - ended 1998.
5014 ARTIST FOLK (a.k.a. MOUNTAIN FOLK) - 1995-1998
5019 MIDNIGHT SPECIAL - mid-range dreadnought. Spruce multi-ply soundboard, mahogany back and sides, nato neck. Distinctive 12th-fret "bird wing" inlay. Mid-1980s-1998.
5019 AV - acoustic-electric version of the 5019.
5020 MOUNTAIN DELUXE - 1991-1995.
5020 SB Mountain Deluxe Sunburst - discontinued 1998.
5020 C Mountain Deluxe - ended 1998. The electro-acoustic version of the 5020, with cutaway.
5020 M - discontinued 1995 - 5020 with laminated mahogany top.
5021 - Introduced sometime in the early 1970s, dreadnought 12-string, spruce top with w-b-w-b-w-b binding and black pickguard. There's some debate whether the top is solid or laminated. Mahogany back/sides/neck. Synthetic shell rosette. Rosewood fingerboard with pearl dots (some later versions had a "bird wing" inlay at the 12th fret).
5027 WOODCREST
5038 - 1970s. Maple sides and back, spruce top. No cutaway.
5038 WILDWOOD CUTAWAY - Cedar top, ovangkol back/sides. Maple binding and wood multi-layered top inlay. Rounded cutaway. Gold die-cast gears with amber buttons. Satin finish. MSRP 1984 $325.
5038 - a rounded Wildwood Cutaway. Cedar top, ovangkol back and sides. Maple body binding and wood multi-layered top inlay. Deluxe gold die cast tuning gears with amber buttons. Satin finish. MSRP in 1984 was $325.
5040 KOA - introduced in the early 1980s. Distinctive figured koa veneer top. Examples made around 1982 have a brass plaque on the back of the headstock with the serial number stamp which reads "ALVAREZ ARTIST, MADE BY ALVAREZ, COMMEMORATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF SLM (1922-1982)".
5043 BURGUNDY (BURGUNDY ARTIST) - 1994-1998.
5047 - Japan, introduced sometime in the 1970s.
5055 BLUESMAN - 1995-1998. Small body with two f-holes. (Not to be confused with the Alvarez 5055 from the 1970s, a J-200 copy.) Replaced in 1999 by the similar-looking AD65.
5072 C BK - 1995-1998.
5072 JUMBO (ARTIST JUMBO) - 1994-1998
5088 C (FUSION DELUXE) - 1994-1998.
5088/12 - 12-String
5220 C - single-cutaway dreadnought. Spruce top with three-ply binding, black pickguard. mahogany back/sides, nato neck, rosewood fingerboard with pearl dot inlays. Natural finish only. Manufacture ended 1995.
5224 - discontinued 1988
5225 ROSEWOOD - rosewood back and sides version of the 5224.
5227 ROSEWOOD SPECIAL - 5225 with spruce laminate top. Both models had rosewood back and sides. Made from the early- to mid-1980s
5237 CURLY MAPLE - discontinued 1995.