Show Full Spec Comparison
| Alvarez MPA66ESHB | AP66SHB | |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Brand: | Alvarez | Alvarez |
| Year: | 2022 | 2018 |
| Strings: | 6 | 6 |
| Made in: | China | China |
| Series: | Masterworks | Artist |
| Colors: | Shadowburst | Shadowburst |
| Left-Handed Version: | No | No |
| Body | ||
| Type: | Hollowbody | Hollowbody |
| Body Material: | Solid African Mahogany | Solid African Mahogany |
| Sides Material: | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Back Material: | Mahogany | Mahogany |
| Bridge: | Bi-Level Indian Laurel/Rosewood | Bi-Level Indian Laurel/Rosewood |
| Neck | ||
| Neck Joint: | Set | Set |
| Tuners: | Premium Die Cast Gold w/Ebony Buttons | Premium Die Cast |
| Fretboard: | Indian Laurel/Rosewood w/12th Fret Inlay | Indian Laurel/Rosewood w/12th Fret Inlay |
| Neck Material: | One piece mahogany, 50/50 Semi gloss finish | Mahogany |
| Decoration: | Abalone/Mother-of-pearl Design at 12th fret | Mother-of-pearl Design at 12th fret |
| Scale Size: | 24.016" | 24.016" |
| Shape: | Acoustic Alvarez | Acoustic Alvarez |
| Frets: | 18 Medium Nickel Silver | 18 Medium Nickel Silver |
| Fretboard Radius: | 14.96" | 14.96" |
| Nut: | Bone | Bone |
| Nut Width: | 44.5mm (1.75'') | 44.5mm (1.75'') |
| Electronics | ||
| Pickups: | LR Baggs StagePro EQ and Element Pick Up (Preamp / Active) | |
| Hardware | ||
| Strap Lock: | No | No |
| Hardware Color: | Gold | Chrome |
Reasons to Get
Alvarez MPA66ESHB over AP66SHB
Reasons to Get
Alvarez AP66SHB over MPA66ESHB
Other Key Differences
Alvarez MPA66ESHB vs AP66SHB
Shared Features
Alvarez MPA66ESHB vs AP66SHB
Common Strengths
- Solid Top Wood
- High-Quality Nut
- Expensive Wood
Common Weaknesses
- Pickup Alter Switch/Knob
- Locking Tuners
- High-Quality Frets
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- From a High-Quality-Standards Country
- Luminescent Sidedots
- Strap Lock
- 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- Active/Passive Preamp
Price History Comparison
Alvarez MPA66ESHB Prices
Alvarez AP66SHB Prices
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Hand Size Comfortability
After taking into account the scale length, nut width, neck profile and fretboard radius, we can conclude that both favor small hands .
Alvarez MPA66ESHB:
Alvarez AP66SHB:
Beginner Friendliness
Both meet 5 out of our 8 criteria items for beginner friendliness. This takes into account the type of frets, scale length, nut width, bridge type, fretboard radius, and neck profile to determine the easiest combination for new players. If you're looking for your first guitar to learn how to play, you can't go wrong with either of them.
New Player Friendliness
Alvarez MPA66ESHB- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Short scale
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Soft Strings
- Locking tuners
New Player Friendliness
Alvarez AP66SHB- Comfortable shape
- Easy-to-use bridge
- Tall frets
- Short scale
- Comfortable neck
- Comfortable fretboard
- Narrow nut
- Soft Strings
- Locking tuners
Sound Quality Comparison
The most important thing that will determine the tone of an acoustic guitar is the wood. Let's take a look at the differences between both .
Woods Used in Both
Mahogany is a fairly rare wood nowadays. It's used mostly for bodies due to its relatively lightweight. Gibson popularized it with their Les Paul guitars during their golden years, so this wood has a lot of good reputation behind it. The most expensive type comes from South America and it's still used by Gibson even today. Find out more about Mahogany.
There are many types of Laurel, but East Indian is the most common for guitar building. Its color can vary from dark to light brown with black lines. Many people find its tonality similar to Rosewood, which favors the warmer frequencies. Find out more about Laurel.
Winner: Tie.
Electronics
The Alvarez MPA66ESHB comes with a preamp that allows you to connect it to an amp, unlike its competitor. This allows it to have more versatility and sound quality if you want to record with it or play live.
Winner:Alvarez MPA66ESHB.
Final Sound Quality Scores
Build Quality Comparison
When it comes to build quality, we like to take into account everything used to build the instrument. This includes materials, hardware and the quality control expected depending on the country where it was built. Let's see how the Alvarez MPA66ESHB compares to the Alvarez AP66SHB.
Country of Origin
The manufacturing country can tell a lot about the build quality of an instrument. Both in this comparison where made in China.
China has a bad reputation when it comes to building quality. However, times have changed and now respectable brands use China's cheap labor to build good instruments for a lower price. Don't discount a guitar only because it was built in China, but also expect more quality from countries like Korea.
Winner: Tie
Nut Material
If you want your guitar to stay in tune and sound good, you need a well cut nut. Nut quality can be inconsistent even when comparing two copies of the same model. The best way to make sure you're nut will be well done is by getting a nut made by an expert company like TUSQ or Micarta.
In this case, both have Bone nuts. It's a type of nut found in high-quality instruments. They sound similar to Ivory since they give a lot of sustain and a bright sound (at least when striking open strings). The only problem they can run into is that you may get a bone piece that simply doesn't sound as well as others because that's just how natural materials are.
Fret Material
Most fret wire is made of nickel silver. This material eventually wears down after a lot of use and most instruments end up needing a complete fret replacement. However, some expensive models come with stainless steel frets. This is what you should aim for if you can afford it.
Unfortunately, none of them come with stainless steel frets.
Winner: Tie.
Tuners
Both come with regular tuners. The Alvarez MPA66ESHB's are Premium Die Cast Gold w/Ebony Buttons while the Alvarez AP66SHB's are Premium Die Cast
Winner: Tie.
Here is the list of features that were considered when choosing the winner in the Features subcategory:
Alvarez MPA66ESHB
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Electronics
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Solid Side Wood
- Solid Back Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Alvarez AP66SHB
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Bone Saddle
- Solid Top Wood
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Locking Tuners
- Made in China
- No Top Brand Pickups
- No Electronics
- Laminated Side Wood
- Laminated Back Wood
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
Final Build Quality Scores
Playability Comparison
Let's now compare their playability. Bear in mind that the instrument will feel different depending on your hand size and play style. That's why you should always test before buying. But if you can't or want a second opinion on it, we can still take a look at each of the important measurements of the instrument for you. This way, we can predict how easy a guitar might be to play, or how different it will feel compared to the other.
Remember that, even though the difference might seem small, every inch counts when it comes to feeling of the instrument in your hands. Any variation can completely change how comfortable a guitar feels in your hands.
Nut Width
The nut width will affect the separation between strings at the nut. In this comparison, both have a nut width of 44.5mm (1.75'').
This is within the most common range of nut widths for a 6-string guitar. It offers a good balance of string separation at the nut. It's the size that most guitarists prefer as it gives them just enough space to play open chords without muting the strings, but without spreading the strings too wide and making bar chords difficult to perform.
Scale Length
The scale length is one of the things that influences playability the most. This is the distance between the nut and the bridge and will affect everything from low action allowance, difficulty to perform bends, fret separation, and even tone.
In this case, both have a scale length of 24.016".
Lastly, remember that you can also affect the tension of the strings by changing your string gauge. You can use a thicker gauge for more tension and a lighter one for less tension.
Neck Profile
No single neck shape is better than others. However, most people tend to prefer a thinner necks because it doesn't get in their way when playing fast and most hand sizes can adapt to it pretty well. However, some people still prefer thicker necks for a better grip, especially if they have big hands.
Both the Alvarez MPA66ESHB and the Alvarez AP66SHB have a D-shaped neck. This is a thin and flat neck that is made for playing fast. If you prefer a neck that doesn't get in your way when soloing, this is the shape you should use. Guitarists that prefer to have a bit more grip won't like this type of neck.
Fretboard Radius
Most guitar fretboards are not flat; they usually have a curve or arc across their width. A curved fretboard will make it easier to perform chords without muting strings, while a flatter one will make it easier to play single notes, which is good for bending and soloing in general. The best fretboards have a compound radius that varies across the fingerboard, but they're not common since they take a lot more work to build.
Both the Alvarez MPA66ESHB and the Alvarez AP66SHB have the same fretboard radius of 14.96".
Fret Size
Both have a Medium fret size. If you like feeling the fretboard when you play, but also appreciate some easiness to press down the frets, this size offers a good balance for that.
