Alvarez’ extensive line of parlor style acoustic guitars get another mention here at Parlor.Guitars, this time featuring their the “Little Jumbo” guitar called the LJ60. As the name implies, this guitar features the shape of a jumbo body complete with an arched back, only scaled down, resulting in a distinct look and tone.
This guitar is part of the company’s Artist Series, which has been getting good reviews from users and experts alike for their quality and value for money. Like its siblings, the LJ60 features a solid top body with elegant cosmetic details.
The Alvarez LJ60 starts off with a top crafted solid sitka spruce top, which the company describes as A+ quality, which means that these tops were selected for their quality. The back and sides are crafted from laminated mahogany, following conventional tonewood combination, the main difference is found on the arched back, which is normally only seen on a jumbo size acoustic.
Supporting the top are Alvarez designed FST2M forward shifted X braces that complement the arched back in terms of tone and rigidity. Moving the bracing forward essentially makes the soundboard larger, which results in more resonance. This is further complemented by the solid maple bridge plate which both strengthens the structure and helps in the resonance department. All these components features work together to better compliment the mid-frequency emphasis of parlor style bodies, while the arched back and jumbo shape helps improve the projection.
The neck of this parlor follows conventional specs, crafted from mahogany and topped by a rosewood fingerboard. It has a short scale length of 23.625″ and a nut width of 1.75″, which combine together for a comfortable playing feel. The neck joins the body at the 14th fret, while the headstock has a rosewood plate. Other features include chrome tuners and ivory ABS binding.
The Alvarez LJ60 is currently retailing for just under $300, which is remarkably affordable given its specs. And on top of that, it comes bundled with a duo-foam gig-bag, a welcome bonus when you consider how hard it is to find a gig bag or case for uniquely shaped instruments.
