Alvarez Artist Elite Grand Auditorium Acoustic-Electric w/Slim Bevel Edge Armrest Cutaway, EQ & Tuner

In conceptualizing Artist Elite, Alvarez' goal was simple: Produce a collection of guitars beyond comparison.

This stunning line of guitars is the culmination of years of R&D that allows Alvarez to produce custom style instruments from amazing tonewoods with a truly radiant vibe. Artist Elite guitars look amazing, sound rich and offer a level of fit and finish rarely attainable at such price points.

The AGFM80CEARSHB is a beautifully designed Grand Auditorium with gorgeous darkly stained flamed maple backs & sides accompanying a fine Shadowburst finish. Excellent tonal qualities with power and finesse make the grand auditorium an all-round versatile instrument for most styles of music.

The gloss Shadowburst finish on Sitka Spruce creates a rich aesthetic that is perfectly framed by the ebony binding. This is a beautiful guitar and would be a great choice for gigging with its stunning looks and LR Baggs electronics.

After 50 years of making guitars, continual improvement through the use of emerging technologies, processes, and materials is still at the heart of Alvarez' culture. Alvarez guitars are constructed correctly in every sense from raw material preparation to construction and manufacturing processes. Alvarez' tone woods are carefully cured; their components such as neck blocks and wood joints are carefully designed. The painting, sanding and polishing techniques they use are continually researched and developed, and their tone is impeccably crafted and married to a stable, designed and lively soundbox.

The term “solid top” of course refers to the soundboard of an acoustic guitar being made of solid wood, rather than being laminated. However, just because the top is solid, it does not necessarily mean the sound automatically benefits from this feature. The tone of the instrument only improves significantly when the whole guitar is built correctly to optimize the energy a solid soundboard can generate. Artist Series is built to do exactly this.

Each model is designed to get the best out of its components, and for them to work together to produce balance, lively projection and great response. These components include a bracing architecture that is specifically designed for each body shape or tonal requirement. Alvarez' Bi-level bridge is designed to heighten string tension and improve sustain and response. Real bone nut and saddle, premium tonewoods, and their crafted attenuated finish all further the quality of construction and positively impact the performance of the instrument.

This caring approach to development comes from one simple goal: To deliver the best guitars in the market at every price point, instruments that are truly amazing value and offer a fantastic player experience.

Features

• Series: Alvarez Artist Elite
• Top Wood: Solid AA Sitka Spruce
• Back & Sides Wood: Dark Tint AA Flamed Maple
• Shape: Grand Auditorium
• Neck: Mahogany w/Semi-Gloss Finish
• Bracing System: MST1 - Scalloped X, Asymmetric Tones Bars
• Bridge: Bi-Level Indian Laurel/Rosewood
• Inlays: Abalone & Mother of Pearl
• Fingerboard: Indian Laurel/Rosewood w/12th Fret Inlay
• Nut & Saddle: Real Bone
• Tuner: Premium Die Cast
• Binding: Flame Maple
• Bridge Pins: PPS Synthetic Bone
• Strings: D'Addario EXP16
• Pickup / EQ: LR Baggs StagePro EQ and Element Pick Up