Alvarez Laureate LT66e Daybreak (New)

‘Laureate’ is the name of the new high-quality range from Alvarez Guitars in St. Louis, USA.

Alvarez combines the decades of experience of the Japanese Yairi workshop with continuous development work down to the finest detail, from wood drying to the application of a thin coat of varnish. The aim: durable guitars that inspire players and offer excellent value for money.

The new Alvarez Laureate LT Series we selected is a fresh, highly appealing and great-sounding take on the 000 shape. The LT66e combines the traditional 12-fret design with something we particularly appreciate about Alvarez: a commitment to offering high-quality materials and careful craftsmanship at a fair price. Its medium-sized body and full 648 mm scale make it an interesting alternative to the short-scale 12-fret models that are so common.

Materials and Construction

Alvarez uses hand-selected African mahogany for the top, back and sides. This attention to detail extends to the interior: the wood used for the bridges, braces and side reinforcements in the Laureate series is also carefully selected. The forward-shifted FS6 bracing is made of quartersawn Sitka spruce and hand-shaped to optimize response and vibration. 

The mahogany top gives the LT66e a different emphasis from the Sitka spruce top of the LT60e: its sound tends toward warm fundamentals, prominent mids and a relatively dry, direct character.

The LT66e’s appearance is also true to its historical inspiration: the beautiful Daybreak finish adds a distinctive accent to the top and highlights the vintage character of the 000 12-fret design. Ivoroid binding, abalone inlays and open-gear tuners complete the classic look.

The fingerboard, bridge, bridge pins and headplate are made of ebony, while the nut and saddle are bone. Instead of Alvarez’s usual Bi-Level bridge, this model features a traditional, single-level design. For us, value for money is about the complete package: all-solid construction, hand-shaped bracing, ebony, and the excellent LR Baggs HiFi pickup system, which comes pre-installed. The matching AFC30 hardbag is also included. Alvarez has invested in the essentials here and provides an instrument that’s fully equipped for both acoustic and amplified playing.

With a 44.45 mm nut width, the LT66e offers plenty of room for clean fretting and fingerstyle playing. If you’re looking for an all-mahogany 000 with a 12-fret neck joint and prefer a full scale, this guitar offers a distinctive blend of traditional design and modern appointments.

Specifications

Model: Alvarez Laureate LT66e Daybreak
Body shape: 000-12
Neck joint: 12th fret
Top: Solid, hand-selected African mahogany
Back & sides: Solid African mahogany
Neck: African mahogany
Headplate: Ebony
Fingerboard: Ebony
Bridge: Ebony, single-level
Bridge pins: Ebony
Bracing: FS6, hand-scalloped
Inlays: Premium abalone
Binding: Ivoroid
Nut & saddle: Bone
Tuners: Premium open gear
Top finish: Daybreak, gloss
Back & sides finish: Natural, gloss
Pickup: LR Baggs HiFi
Strings: D’Addario XSAPB1253
Number of frets: 20
Overall length: 1,012 mm
Body width: 380 mm
Body depth at neck joint: 100 mm
Body depth at end: 120 mm
Scale length: 648 mm / 25½″
Nut width: 44.45 mm / 1¾″
Case/Hardbag: AFC30
Made in China