Alvarez-Yairi Honduran Series FYM66HD Folk - Natural Gloss Finish

FYM66HD

The FYM66HD OM is a stunning little guitar made from solid old growth Honduran Mahogany which has been naturally seasoned for half a century in the perfect climate of Kani, Japan. The FYM66HD has a rich voice; very warm sounding with wonderful strong mids and round full trebles. The guitar itself is very light in weight due to the quality of the wood and thin finish; you feel it resonating as it instantly responds to your requests. Its projection is open and its volume for an OM body size is outstanding. Being a Yairi it’s intonation is incredible and the all round spec of the guitar is of the highest level with the amazing Gotoh 510 tuners and ebony bridge, fingerboard and headstock veneer. The Honduran Series are some of the best guitars Alvarez-Yairi have ever made and offer incredible value for such highly specialized, inspiring handmade instruments.

The Wood

Mr. Kazuo Yairi amassed an incredible amount of tonewood throughout his life and although most is in or around the factory, some was stored on a piece of land he owned some miles away. We would go and see the wood on every trip. It became a ritual after lunch, but because most of it had darkened due to the elements we were never sure what all of it was. He may have been thinking, “One day they will realize what is in here…” That day came, and what we found in terms of tonewood was pure gold: Perfectly conditioned billets of old growth Honduran mahogany that had been naturally seasoning for around 50 years…unbelievable.

FST2 Bracing

FST2 Forward shifted type 2. Forward-shifted refers to the axis of the X brace being closer to the soundhole than many traditional placements. Placing the X forward creates a larger soundboard area around and behind the bridge, and when coupled with detailed scalloping generates heightened vibration which can be harnessed and voiced by the tone bars, influencing volume and openness especially in the bass frequencies.

Ebony Direct Coupled Bridge

In the 1980s Mr. Yairi developed the Direct Coupled Bridge. He wanted to raise the string tension of the guitar and take the vibration created at the bridge into the top. The bridge design drops the bridge pins much lower than the saddle—that creates a more acute string angle which increases the downforce on the saddle, thus heightening string tension. This really impacts response and projection. Something you will notice with Alvarez-Yairi is the immediate response, no matter how soft you play.

About Alvarez-Yairi Guitars

Kazuo Yairi

From an early age Kazuo Yairi earned himself a reputation as a talented luthier and guitar designer who believed in simple handcrafted quality and no-compromise materials. Kazuo Yairi's guitars were played and prefered by the likes of Sir Paul McCartney and Carlos Santana.

Yairi Guitar Factory

The Yairi factory lies in the small town of Kani, nestled in the hills north of Nagoya, Japan. Here they have been making guitars for over 80 years. The factory radiates its legacy of master craftsmanship the moment you step inside. Floors are made of mahogany, with walls built of rosewood tongue and groove, and the furniture itself is hand carved by the luthiers. The amount of naturally seasoned tonewood is legendary and the production line marries time-honored, handmade craftsmanship with modern-day design and processes. Every neck is spoke shaved by hand, braces are carved and tops are tuned to perfection. The attention to detail and quality of the build are impeccable.