One of the Finest Japanese-Made Guitars Around | Yairi FYM70

Alvarez's Yairi series represents and incredible showcase of Japanese craftsmanship and fine luthierie. Take a listen to this Spruce/Rosewood OM with a radically innovative bridge design and beautiful simple aesthetic. We love this guitar, we think you will too.
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0:00 Intro/Specs
7:25 Demo
10:20 Final Thoughts
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[@architypeone8646]

FYM70 stands for F= Folk body-Y= Yairi workshop- M=Masterworks,(all solid wood), 70=Rosewood. I have a 1990 Yairi DY77 that I bought new. It has been absolutely trouble free for 34 years. It is not a closet queen. It has been played almost daily and gone on camping trips and played in all kinds of weather. I had to replace the first 5 frets from normal wear and that is it. I've never even had to adjust the truss rod. The action is still low and fast without buzz. It also is a loud guitar when you dig into it, but it has a quick response when played lightly. These guitars are completely hand made with no CNC machines to be found. My Yairi is lighter than my Taylor 414ce, which is a smaller guitar. Most woods on Yairi guitars have been air drying for several years before turning into a guitar. Mr. Yairi was known for collecting tone woods for decades and letting them air dry.

[@jconner3891]

I’ve always wanted a Alvarez. I’ll soon get Just bought Taylor 814 ce. So Alvarez is next.

[@annunacky4463]

Got a DY67 for bday about 37 yrs ago. Cedar top, so mellow but still expressive. I love it and it’s still in great shape. Plays very nicely. So glad my wife got me this one.

[@texhaines9957]

@@jconner3891 if that 814ce is the Builders Edition, it'll give this Yaiari a run for its money. The Yaiaru will have better resale.

[@josephgiustiniani2834]

...................... I own 3 Yairi's. All from the late 70's and early 80's. I have bought and sold probably 100 guitars, some of which I regret selling, but tastes change, family $$ needs happen and having one bedroom with just guitars gets to be an issue. But as each Yairi came into my possession, others got sold, donated, or pawned off. This included other regular production Alverez guitars. But the Yairi's have endured my buying and selling sickness. They just play too good to get rid of. What amazes me is how inexpensive they used to be. They were never heavily advertised, and for some reason they were under the radar in guitar circles. Until one plays one. Then you get hooked. My CY120 has a crack about two inches from the bridge. I carefully filled the crack with super glue. The crack never spread, the sound is amazing as ever. BTW, I repaired that crack 30years ago. The luthiers who have looked at it says if it isn't broke, don't fix it. I too own Taylors, and have nothing but praise for those guitars. But they are different animals. I can't say what it is, but they are. I have also traded off 4 Taylors over the years. And there on the guitar rack sits - THE YAIRI'S.............

[@MervGinsberg-sc8kp]

Cooper makes every guitar he plays sound like the best guitar I’ve ever heard!

[@davidadkins2563]

Is it me or is that the most beautiful guitar I ever heard,,,like my ears have heard an acoustic for the first time..maybe I’m growing up.

[@frankw.1721]

it’s true they are different and unique; crisper tone via the unique bridge design; different sound engineering. lots of guitars are beautiful but these are uniquely beautiful. this is my opinion based on experience owning and/or playing a large array of acoustic guitars.

[@tjabaley]

Bought a yairi dreadnought 2 years ago. It’s lovely. First guitar was a 1987 Alvarez regent. Still play it. I’ve always been happy with Alvarez

[@johnwashburn3793]

So was I. I have two,a 1978 made in Japan and a more recent 00. I do have a couple of Martins and they are generally played more often but Alvarez are very fine.

[@johnwashburn3793]

I'm fact, of the acoustic guitars I have bought this century, and kept, I have two Alvarez and two Martin. They each have a place and fill a need. I do tend to play the newer guitars more to break them in.

[@astrofire68]

I first used a spokeshave in 1976 at 12 years old. If they’ve shaped the neck using one of these then they truly are masters at their craft. What a stunning looking, and sounding, instrument.

[@josephgiustiniani2834]

There are videos of these guitars being built. And yes, they are masters at their craft. In fact, some of the best woodworkers in the world are from Japan.. They approach wood much differently .

[@user-dc7rt5bh2z]

One of the biggest mistake of my guitar life was selling my Yairi parlor with the old Honduran Mahogany. It was a beautiful sounding guitar. The neck carve is the best I’ve had in my many guitars with a soft V moving into a C up the neck. Amazing. Glad you guys are carrying this brand.

[@mgn2949]

Wow, what a great demo! Loved listening , thanks Cooper

[@yogarich]

Thanks for another great demo Cooper. These Yairi guitars are very nice instruments. Glad you all are starting to work with them.

[@lukesteverything627]

Thank you for the music and I wish you a very wonderful new year from Oxford UK.

[@leelossi1257]

Beautiful sounding guitar! I'm impressed with the guitar and your fabulous talent.......please keep the videos coming

[@charliewelch328]

Glad to see you all on the train. Great guitars own several Yairi and Alvarez Masterworks.

[@lhvent]

I have been an Alvarez player for 11 years. I have an AD66SHB that is amazing for the money. The Yairi models are very well designed. Hand built quality.

[@markseelye8270]

Cooper, thank you for your wonderful presentation. I’ve loved my seriously road worn 1990 WY1 and now have a DYM 60HD. It’s fantastic. Glad to see you add Yairi to your line up.

[@ektalon1]

Beautiful sounding guitar.

[@tammanaq]

The strings does not vibrate in the area around the bridge pins - they vibrate through the saddle. There is no "direct sound transfer" as claimed. The design helps getting a steeper angle from bridge pins to saddle and therefore putting more pressure on the saddle - a good thing - and a thing classical guitarists appreciate. The design is a great take on a reinvented bridge plate. Great video and great guitar.

[@powbobs]

That thing sounds spectacular.

[@merickel1]

Just picked up a Yairi JYM80CE. Cant friggin wait to play it out Saturday night.

[@Tbone1952]

I have a 1983 DY Yairi best guitar I’ve ever played, neck profile to die for!

[@joshuajamesmusic]

Incredible sounding instrument

[@Mandrew99]

Beautiful guitar, beautiful playing!

[@grumpySasquatch]

*Shows off yairi - finally gets my sub after years of watching. Still come back to watch cooper rip it on the Taylor gt vs mini comparison. He should really start offering tabs from his reviews, bet they could make some nice coin if they offered his tabs on their website.

[@ronnelsmith9581]

Great sound even online! And you were all into it!😊

[@anthonyb2334]

Great video Cooper. Not just the guitar but your playing of it. About 3 years ago I missed out on a used Yairi , very similar but I can’t remember the model number. A fellow purchased it before I had the money but was kind enough to let me play it. What a beautiful guitar. I think it was better than the Martin 00018 I owned at the time. I hope one day, I can afford one. Thank you again

[@michaellaverty1844]

Wonderful guitars, well played Coop👍🏻

[@johnwashburn3793]

Yes but Cooper makes the $350 Alvarez sound great.

[@michaellaverty1844]

@@johnwashburn3793 , no doubt👍🏻

[@Mromarcito23]

Alvarez should be on everyone’s radar because they make some seriously banging guitars 🔥🔥

[@timothydardar4909]

Awesome guitar I have yairi DY76 12 string guitar and it's just awesome purchase it 1984

[@opidonorman8833]

Exceptional playing

[@frankw.1721]

I have the dym60hd…and it is fabulous, naturally aged Honduran mahogany from a 1970s stash…this guitar great too…glad to see Alamo promoting these gems.

[@briangreig5985]

Same here. It is other world good. I love me some Martin and Taylor but my dym60hd is the best guitar I've ever played, and I own it, and I don't have to feel guilty about the price.

[@DAVIDMORRISON-mf9hs]

I still have my S.Yairi classical guitar bought in 1971…great .sound and the string clearance has never changed…its done a lot of work in its 50+ years…cedar top and rosewood….clase 800…their second to top model.

[@alexcorll90]

Very underrated guitars, nice crisp tone. I think the bridge design with the sharper angle helps improve it's projection and clarity, adding a little more tension to the strings.

[@Stratman389]

I stumbled upon a Alvarez yairi - yd88 in my home country of England. The jewel of my collection.

[@Ryan_F.]

Nice review and playing. What a beautiful guitar! Would love to see your take on the parlor guitar in that series, the PYM70.

[@CameraLaw]

Two years ago, an ‘89 DY90 showed up on Reverb as part of an estate sale. It looks like a Martin D-45 on top and a D-35 on the 3-piece Brazilian Rosewood back. Very reasonably priced. To me, an amazing find. And it is a velvet canon. Yairi built flawless instruments and it’s great to see the tradition continues.

[@billbrons8993]

Yup, we recently found a 1990 dy90.....It would have been cheap at 3500 dollars !

[@briang768]

I'll be honest, I didn't really care for the guitar when it was played with a plectrum, but I thought it really came alive when fingerpicked. YMMV, but I think it will bring its owner years of joy. My first guitar was an Alvarez, and I've always had a soft spot for the brand.

[@pedropenduko2714]

Blown away how this guitar really sounds well and not restricted into something and makes guitar sound as it should be, though the price is a little high but it’s definitely worth it!!!

[@Commander_Grub]

My Papa bought a Yairi brand new in 1986 (I checked, it is an 86 model), and he has been playing it ever since. In my opinion, the Alvarez Yairi and the Gibson J45 are the two best guitars I've ever played! :)

[@BaktaBak3]

Sounds very nice ! 🎸🎸🎸

[@j.t.2722]

I’m glad you are doing a segment on Yairi guitars. I own an old 12 string Yairi with Brazilian back and sides, spruce top that has a voice like no other in my opinion. I also own a DY-84c. Great instruments.

[@johnhicks7057]

Great job Cooper

[@dharleyfan1]

I have a Yairi DYMR70SB. I've owned A LOT of acoustic guitars, all of the top names you think about, excluding the Boutique Guys, Like Collings, and Bourgeois. But all of the top makers, and their TOP Tier guitars. NOTHING I've ever owned, sounds as beautiful, and full and warm and balanced as this guitar, it draws gasps whenever I play it, especially among other guitar players. It is so loud and full and the sustain goes on forever. It really is amazing. It's a Spruce, Rosewood, 12 fret, Sloped shoulder, Dreadnaught, with a slotted headstock. It just has a sound that I have never heard in a acoustic guitar before. I'm so glad I found it, and bought it. It's a JOY to let other people play it, and see the look on their face, when they strum that first chord, or fingerpick it and hear it come to life. It's a LIFETIME KEEPER.

[@gregallen2960]

Great job Cooper. ....

[@happytrails1963]

Really liking Why did it take so long episodes. Some really great guitars being built japan

[@user-do1cc7mo7m]

Bought my first K. Yairi in 1981 - pre-internet, I was unable to discover anything about the company. All I knew was that the YC-100 I found whilst browsing in a music shop was a great instrument and beautifully made. Since then, I have added a further 4 K.Yairis and 2 Alvarez-Yairis. Great guitars that, in a household containing 18 Martins and 10 Gibson acoustics, hold their own. You might want to discuss a further feature of Yairi steel strings; the neck extends beyond the dovetail joint below the fretboard extension. This helps counteract the forces that frequently result in other instruments requiring neck resets during their lifetime.

[@treetopher9342]

I just got a DYM60HD and holy smokes! Grand piano of guitars. I also have a GYM70CESHB (rolls off the tongue don’t it) and it has a very hauntingly beautiful balanced yet room filling tone. They’re amazing for the price when you consider what the competitors cost for that type of quality.

[@lhvent]

Even with my phone, this guitar is money.

[@3cardmonty602]

Nice playing

[@vonwelch7847]

Absolutely beautiful sound. Crisp and rich. The yapping is not bad as you can jump to the demo easily. You have to love well made guitars. Blue Ridge makes guitars in China. They use premium wood and designs and have beautiful sound on you tube. I have the rosewood Adirondack copying the martin 000 that has wonderful sound. They are sub $1.5K new. I can tell that they use less expensive rosewood because the quartersawn-look doesn't span the back as well as Martins. Just an option that Alamo may not demo anytime soon.

[@viper2148]

That resonance! I could have sworn I was hearing a violin chorus.

[@blakerobertson9162]

Please demo the dymr70sb! I absolutely love mine. I think it is the most under rated guitar out there.

[@kyleharleyanderton]

I would LOVE for you guys to review the JYM80 !! I think it might be a Gibson killer.

[@adamwright6429]

I played a md90 for 20 years which is not a Yairi but it was a great bluegrass guitar. It was very bright. It's intonation got out because the bridge pulled up the top. Originally it was a blem and I paid roughly 500 which was 500 off. If I went back to an Alverez it would be a Yairi dread. I don't know if I'd ever actually need one because my HD28 does it for me. I sold that md90 to guitar center for 600.

[@user-uu1wc6yz5z]

I have a preference to the 60 series for the woods.

[@charliewelch328]

I have Dym60hd, Fym66hd, Brad Davis Signature DYM70 and Wy1ts model. Top quality guitars. Also have several Masterworks whaich are best abng for the buck.

[@richardtaylor2361]

it has an orchestral quality to the sound

[@scoggers1628]

Very nice indeed! The specs are quite similar to the Furch Yellow OM, I wonder how they compare side by side?

[@frankw.1721]

hope you'll review the dym60hd soon. and its om counterpart. aged honduran from the secret stash etc.

[@tonymartino3299]

Yea, its about time I bought my FMY66HD in 2021. I have no desire for another guitar.

[@jimdoner3443]

That was a very smooth sounding guitar, does it do the overtone mush when really dug into ???

[@be.kind.to.animals]

You could make a fisher price guitar sound amazing. That guitar looked and sounded terrific. Hadn't heard of it before.

[@isadorealire5722]

I bought a grand auditorium (GYM70CEShHB) in 2022, and it stands up to any guitar that costs 3 times more that I have played.

[@skateborg]

Loves Alvarez, but never owned a Yairi. This one is really nice. Thanks Cooper!

[@Chirag22ster1]

Can you do a review of Kepma GA1-120. Would really love to see how it compares to a Taylor 414CE Rosewood. Thanks

[@pgrove]

The Martin special 16 style rosewood is probably the best guitar for the price you can purchase anywhere. 1899 for a barely stripped down full sized d28. I think it's GC and Musician's friend only though.

[@adamhill1216]

This Yairi is far superior, without any doubt, these are built with the utmost attention to detail.. 100% built by hand.

[@JohnCaseSlingIn360]

Omg what is that 1st song Cooper played? So beautiful and the sound amazing

[@user-cb8cz1om1k]

I have checked out a few older Yairi acoustic steel string guitars in the past and to my surprise the only solid wood on those was for the top.The rest of the woods for the sides and back were very nice noble wood laminates. Is this still the case.

[@Runoratsu]

Oh, the account balance is frightful But that guitar sounds so delightful And since we're the place to go Let us know! Let us know! Let us know!

[@jeffberdin]

How would you compare material, build quality and value against a Furch Yellow OM which are also great guitars in this segment?

[@bjorncrauwels5628]

👌

[@kotla671]

This song sounds like Day By Day from the Godspell album in very early 70’s.

[@jeffhildreth9244]

What is the nit width, string spacing at the bridge and the fret board wood ? All critical info.

[@cargueone1971]

How is the sound and quality compared to a FG5. I live in Los Angeles. Even though I can find any Martin or Gibson here. Yamaha and Yairi quality models are hard to come by. I finally got the FG5 in October; but i curious about this guitar, and is it worth the extra 1300 dollars than an FG5

[@jmsamborski]

What most impressive to me is that you also played whatever that song is on the “top 5 guitars of 2022” for the number 1…. Your own custom Martin OM28. The song sounds shockingly better on this FYM70.

[@viper2148]

Alvarez makes good guitars, but the Alvarez Yairi is pawn shop gold.

[@moconnor20]

HI There, did you say it had a nitro finish?

[@romysan1]

beautiful guitar. give ne one please.

[@tommy5241]

Cooper your opinion. Yairi wy 70. Vs ac5r Yamaha ?

[@lightfoot413]

Alvarez makes excellent guitars often overlooked.I own a 5oo dollar one and it is well made and sounds better than most more expensive competitors...gr8 video Cooper thanks....

[@1deadtoe707]

Wow, 13K views in 2 days. The only thing more impressive is Cooper's fretting hand thumb. That thing is all over the low E string. I have to give it a try. I would like to play this Yairi but I'm not in driving distance of one.

[@thomasknapp7236]

If i can have this model, or a Martin 000-28 Eric clapton for the same price...which do i get?

[@doglover31418]

Two thoughts; 25" is closer to 24.9 than it is to 25.5, so it's a 000 not an OM. If it's good to separate string anchoring from the bridge, why not go back to a tailpiece design and anchor to the tailblock?

[@anthonydaves4879]

What is the tune you open up the demo with.

[@IndigoJo]

Is the direct-coupled bridge patented? I notice nobody else uses that design.

[@roloah27]

If you are liking Alvarez. You can try the mdr70esb, or the yairi counterpart. They are 12 feet dread that pack a punch and are amazing.

[@walterstreet1467]

How dose that work out when you change the strings and top finish

[@powbobs]

What do you mean?

[@texhaines9957]

Good sounding at a great price, almost too much yapping. Neck profile? Thanks Cooper

[@isadorealire5722]

V neck that transitions slowly into C around the 5th fret.

[@texhaines9957]

@@isadorealire5722 thanks. Sounds like my 1968 Montgomery Ward Airline Royal Dreadnought (Harmony Regal Sovereign H6600).

[@francismaloney8775]

🙋‍♂️🇮🇪👏

[@sithbk0075]

Tempting Coop. Would be interested in comparing to d-28 and Taylor 400 series.

[@RandyBelinda]

A very sweet guitar! It reminds me of my Santa Cruz OM. Not crazy about the aesthetics of the unique bridge arrangement but that’s just me. If I can make a suggestion, Cooper, your playing is superb as always but it sounds to my ear that you would benefit from a thumb pick when playing finger style. Bare thumb skin, evidently you prefer that thumb over thumb nail , attenuates the low end and produces a rather mushy bass. The fundamental is lost. At least through my headphones that’s what I hear. Great review and congrats to you guys on picking up this wonderful line. I hope you do really well with it.

[@Wobbz9413]

One of the very best acoustic players Ive heard, and you are telling him what he should be doing? Come on man. Wake up!

[@powbobs]

Seriously?

[@ColinOBrien]

What does a 92 year old guitar sound like? "The Gibson" (1932) kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHuUd2uJbrmUrtE

[@scottmcaroo2445]

Yairi makes great guitars, have three. The problem is St. Louis music and the lousy service they provide.

[@larrnew]

It sounds like a cedar top….

[@colinclement2752]

From 500-1800$ I've never played an Alvarez that I liked or clicked with me. Idk just me I guess.

[@powbobs]

This is a Yairi. It’s a completely different thing.

[@JohnSmith-ze6mz]

AMERICA!!!

[@powbobs]

JAPAN

[@JohnSmith-ze6mz]

@powbobs wait...didn't we figure this out in 1945?

[@powbobs]

@@JohnSmith-ze6mz What’s wrong with you?

[@cthanks8203]

Buy....AMERICAN!!!!

[@aramancam]

Too bad it’s out of tune. Intonation or just out of tune? Otherwise very nice tone

[@josephgiustiniani2834]

.................................... There is always that one guy.....................................................

[@aramancam]

I’m sure it’s not just me. If you’re going to put out a video, make sure the instrument is in tune. If you don’t care about being in tune, fine. I’m sure there are way more people like you out there.