Alvarez Dana II with the tri-force pickup

been listed on san francisco area craigslist for several weeks and no takers yet.....
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/msg/2620040281.html

$200 sounds like a pretty good deal for that since it includes the original hardcase. Surprised it's still there.

These are nice guitars, but the Westone Dana III Ltd's are nicer! IF you can find one. I'm curious how the Tri-Force sounds... heard mixed reveiws.

I just got a Alvarez Dana II Tri-Force...instantly became one of my favorite guitars.

A Tri-Force w/o the case just went for less $150 on ebay recently:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/220855868365?ssPageName=STRK:MEDWX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1435.l2649

So I'm thinking that $200 via Craigslist (meaning more if you include shipping) just isn't worth the current market value right now...unless you live in SF and can see it in person. I've had a half-dozen successful long-distance transactions via CL, but they all took more time/effort than eBay, and there have been another 100 attempted CL transactions that fell through due to refusal to ship, refusal to answer questions, insufficient communications for trust, and other suspicion-raising elements.

Anyway, to be honest, I don't think the Tri-Force is anything extremely special. I don't know what pickups are activated in what order (parallel/series?) by the switch positions, but I'm guessing it is really just an HSS with the 2 single coils moved closer to the bridge pickup. Obviously, I may be way off, and if anyone can point me to a description of the switching, I'd appreciate it.

But even if I'm right and the switching/pickup is nothing unique, the tones are still really, really good. It has a good "quack" sound, good single coil sounds, smooth HB sound. It works great for 80s hair metal, SRV blues, Metallica-style thrash...obviously, the amp settings have lots to do with what the guitar can achieve, but I'm extremely pleased with the guitars sonic palette. Low action, straight neck, great ergonomics...instantly one of my favorite guitars! (I have 12 that are my #1 favorite now, including this one)

This one is a little different, an earlier model perhaps, but you'll want to see these anyway...





These are from an early 90's Alvarez catalog. I'm not sure what's changed between this one and your model, but probably pretty similar.

Don't you love the feel of these body shapes?! My Westone Dana III is the same shape (for the most part), and it's real comfortable. You also need to find an Alvarez with the DSR-5 harmonic enhancer (on the Westone Dana's with the DSR-5 harmonic enhancer). They sound amazing distorted, really brings it alive. You need to experience it to understand.

I have the Harmonic Enhancer (called a "mid/shape" on the catalog) on my Transition-MIK Corsair (looks like an XA1430, but has 24 frets).

It really lets you adjust your tone, adds a nice sparkle.

Also, where did you get that catalog scan? I've been searching all over the web and can't find any Alvarez electric catalogs...

I also haven't been able to find what the 5-way position switch does in each position (which pickup configuration each position activates). Do you have that available?

Brainfertilizer wrote:Also, where did you get that catalog scan? I've been searching all over the web and can't find any Alvarez electric catalogs...

+1 I would love to see scans of the Rabin Electrics if you got em. The only catalog info I found shows the AER300 is a bolt on, but mine is not so maybe there is another catalog out there with info on mine.

I had thought about your Trevor Rabin, Sarc, and was going to post pics of that, also. I'd gotten these images from a paid site, which I'd paid to have access to for a month. I can't outright name the site because they do searches to see who may be pirating, but you may want to try vvv*iiin*nntttaa*axxx*eee...ccoomm :lol Use your detective skills and figure that out... Anyway, here are the pics.









Brian... As far as your 5 way switch, I don't have any info on that. Try this however... turn the volume up and try each position while tapping the point of a heavy gauge guitar pick on the poles of each pickup, while listening for variance. You'll hear whatever pickup (or group of pickups) are active in each position because it will "knock" while you're hitting the poles. It works for me, anyway.

gittarasaurus wrote:been listed on san francisco area craigslist for several weeks and no takers yet.....
http://sfbay.craigslist.org/nby/msg/2620040281.html

Ive had a few of these, great guitars, not built as well as the Westones thou. The one I got today has the Lic Floyd. Alot of people dont know these (I believe) are 7/8 scale guitars, just a little smaller than the norm. The curved body is pretty cool and fitting. These will be collectors in the future even thou made in Korea.

dang - I didn't follow this thread. So that answers some questions for me. The Westone III was bolt on, the Alvarez is not.

Westone III was a flat back, Alvarez is arched. And it looks like there is no Alvarez II hard tail like the Westone II.

good stuff - thanks eh