Post by Tony Ravenscroft on May 8, 2020 22:05:00 GMT -6
Just about the time I was signing divorce papers (like 1995), I found my "Black Beauty" at Encore Music (Minneapolis) for $250. It's my first serious acoustic guitar. That's when I started actually playing again, for the first time in years, and even discovered that I could play AND sing. Lovely full tone -- the guitar, that is -- a bit bass-heavy, and quite loud for a flat-top.
They were only made for a few years (~1988-1998 at initial guess), and Alvarez first went to a white-bound headstock, then the last year or two eliminated almost all of the inlay work. Which is a shame as the abalone is very pretty.
The logo is probably not a true inlay, more like what Austin used: an inset piece of veneer, with the design painted over. The soundhole is definitely abalone pieces.
The machines are NOT stock; it originally had generic chrome cans. My roommate's ass-hat friend "accidentally" kicked it over, shattering one knob, bending another, and breaking the nut at two points. I was angry enough to chew nails & spit tacks, so I went and whined at Chad (owner of Encore Music, Minneapolis) who, bless him, pulled out a used set of Grovers for $35. These are odd Rotomatics: unique white knobs in collets, and flat backs stamped PAT. PEND. / U.S.A.
The 5019 (of the Artist series) was discontinued in 1998. I've got an earlyish one with the narrow rectangular headstock. This was changed to a bound (also larger, more Gibsonish) head with a fancier shape, and a stylized "A" on the heel cap. Near the end of its run, almost all of the MOP and abalone was eliminated, even the dots, except for wings at the 12th fret. The paper label on later models is the "big black O." Mine has the earlier script "Alvarez." Elderly Instruments had one they dated at ~1992, with ALL the abalone AND bound larger headstock.
I'm still loving mine, even for a painted laminate top. They don't appear very often. The THIRD I've seen listed in the past decade was at GC Online: second version (bound head, abalone inlays).
Looks like the middle era of the Midnight Special was the acoustic-electric 5019AV, made only 1994. Bound headstock (as later 5019 models) but still has all that lovely abalone (as early models). The machines are certainly better than what I got!
As the Fjestad Blue Book confirms, Midnight Special is actually the official Alvarez name for the 5019. Another source says final MSRP was $629, but I've yet to confirm that -- if accurate, that's pretty bold for a plywood top in 1998 dollars!
And it IS also part of the so-called "four digit" Artist Series -- almost all 50xx with at least two 52xx -- which mostly died out suddenly in 1998. Half the 50xx models launched 1993-1994, so I suspect a burst of giddy overexpansion. There was quite a variety within the grouping, like the 5055 "Bluesman" flat-top F-hole (1995-1998). There's no sense at all to the Artist Series model numbers, so quality can't even be guessed by numerical order. General quality (and thus SRP and current value) seem to be tiered, though, and the best indicator I've found to date is headstock detail. Like, abalone vs. opaque screenprint, or bound/unbound. Another clue (on natural finishes) is a back strip. However, the entire line was meant as workhorse guitars, so all have plywood tops of varying coolness, except three (5220/5224/5225).
My experience is that Alvarez makes a totally butt-kicking rhythym acoustic, whatever the number or year. My 5019 has "chunk" that any electric player would adore. Now, as for fine-edge solos... well, okay, not so much. But when you want a solid grounding to play against, Martin should be rightly envious of the solid, inarguable tone that the 1990s Alvarez make, meat-and-potatoes. Not just midrange, but nice cut (I run .012") in the midrange. Having not tried the electrified version, I can't say if that helps, but I do just fine to a mic, sometimes with a Markley pickup.
They were only made for a few years (~1988-1998 at initial guess), and Alvarez first went to a white-bound headstock, then the last year or two eliminated almost all of the inlay work. Which is a shame as the abalone is very pretty.
The logo is probably not a true inlay, more like what Austin used: an inset piece of veneer, with the design painted over. The soundhole is definitely abalone pieces.
The machines are NOT stock; it originally had generic chrome cans. My roommate's ass-hat friend "accidentally" kicked it over, shattering one knob, bending another, and breaking the nut at two points. I was angry enough to chew nails & spit tacks, so I went and whined at Chad (owner of Encore Music, Minneapolis) who, bless him, pulled out a used set of Grovers for $35. These are odd Rotomatics: unique white knobs in collets, and flat backs stamped PAT. PEND. / U.S.A.
The 5019 (of the Artist series) was discontinued in 1998. I've got an earlyish one with the narrow rectangular headstock. This was changed to a bound (also larger, more Gibsonish) head with a fancier shape, and a stylized "A" on the heel cap. Near the end of its run, almost all of the MOP and abalone was eliminated, even the dots, except for wings at the 12th fret. The paper label on later models is the "big black O." Mine has the earlier script "Alvarez." Elderly Instruments had one they dated at ~1992, with ALL the abalone AND bound larger headstock.
I'm still loving mine, even for a painted laminate top. They don't appear very often. The THIRD I've seen listed in the past decade was at GC Online: second version (bound head, abalone inlays).
Looks like the middle era of the Midnight Special was the acoustic-electric 5019AV, made only 1994. Bound headstock (as later 5019 models) but still has all that lovely abalone (as early models). The machines are certainly better than what I got!
As the Fjestad Blue Book confirms, Midnight Special is actually the official Alvarez name for the 5019. Another source says final MSRP was $629, but I've yet to confirm that -- if accurate, that's pretty bold for a plywood top in 1998 dollars!
And it IS also part of the so-called "four digit" Artist Series -- almost all 50xx with at least two 52xx -- which mostly died out suddenly in 1998. Half the 50xx models launched 1993-1994, so I suspect a burst of giddy overexpansion. There was quite a variety within the grouping, like the 5055 "Bluesman" flat-top F-hole (1995-1998). There's no sense at all to the Artist Series model numbers, so quality can't even be guessed by numerical order. General quality (and thus SRP and current value) seem to be tiered, though, and the best indicator I've found to date is headstock detail. Like, abalone vs. opaque screenprint, or bound/unbound. Another clue (on natural finishes) is a back strip. However, the entire line was meant as workhorse guitars, so all have plywood tops of varying coolness, except three (5220/5224/5225).
My experience is that Alvarez makes a totally butt-kicking rhythym acoustic, whatever the number or year. My 5019 has "chunk" that any electric player would adore. Now, as for fine-edge solos... well, okay, not so much. But when you want a solid grounding to play against, Martin should be rightly envious of the solid, inarguable tone that the 1990s Alvarez make, meat-and-potatoes. Not just midrange, but nice cut (I run .012") in the midrange. Having not tried the electrified version, I can't say if that helps, but I do just fine to a mic, sometimes with a Markley pickup.
