Yairi DY52

[sandman]

hey guys
thought i would pass along my latest acquisition. ebay surfing got me again. i've been gassing for a nice acoustic for awhile now but my scrooge mentality keeps me from pulling the trigger on a new one.
i found this alvarez yairi on ebay that was damaged. it was in pretty bad shape. from the pics if looked like it had some repaired cracks on the top. but i knew if they were repaired properly it shouldn't effect the sound much at all. so i bid low on it. ended up getting it for $200.
when it came in.....it looked like it had been repaired by bob vila on crack. they had used super glue to fix the cracks and they piled it up. the glue had been allowed to run all over the guitar. there were little drops of glue all over the top and sides. the back was not effected at all. the back of the neck had been sanded for some reason and there was glue all over it as well. then i looked at the nut and saddle. the nut was a twelve string nut that extended over the neck. the saddle was...believe it or not.....a popsicle stick...and believe it or not....with all this.....it didn't sound that bad.
So i decided to restore it as best i could. i popped off the nut and the saddle and cleaned out the saddle groove. then i started sanding the top and sides and neck. starting with 150 grit and moving to 200, 400 and finishing it with 600 grit paper. i then took it to a luthier friend of mine and had him fill in and cut a new bone saddle and nut. there was a loose brace on the top so he glued that too. then he took the buffer and went over the whole guitar and we restrung it with D'Addario 12's.
thing sounds great now rings like a bell. plays wonderfully. aesthetically....its still a beat up guitar.
with the $230 i paid to buy and ship the guitar and the $115 for repairs i have about 350 in this. did i get a deal ?.......well these sell for about 500 on ebay in good condition.....this one sounds perfect.....but it has its road miles. so...i ended up investing about what its worth i figure.
here's some before and after pics

i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52001.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52002.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52015.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52004-1.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52022.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52021.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52018.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52017.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/YairiDY52016.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/RepairedYairiDY52042.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/RepairedYairiDY52034-1.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/RepairedYairiDY52036-1.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/RepairedYairiDY52039.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/RepairedYairiDY52033.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/RepairedYairiDY52032.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/RepairedYairiDY52031.jpg
i81.photobucket.com/albums/j231/sandman72202/RepairedYairiDY52020.jpg

[Jimboe]

Hey Sandman, that was a very ambitious project you completed. Thank for all the pics before and after. Good job resurecting that beat-up AY.

Jim

[JoMan]

a few weeks ago i saw a yairi 9-string guitar!
It was just like a 12-string but without the octave strings on the bass strings, e-e-b-b-g-G-D-A-E.
very cool guitar and interesting sound from those 9 strings.

[sandman]

thnx jimboe, i'm kinda proud of it myself. i've always loved the necks on yairi's, they are smaller and it fits my hand better than alot of acoustics. these are really a good bargain for someone looking for an acoustic. i've yet to play a yairi i didn't like.

hey joman, did you get the model number on that 9 string. i'll look it up
it has to be listed somewhere.

[JoMan]

no, sorry, i didn't.

[Jimboe]

Sandman, I think, more than any other reason, the neck was the main factor when I bought my Alvarez. It fits!

Jim