ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI – Alvarez Guitars is thrilled to announce the implementation of a new bracing system across its Artist and Masterworks Series. The new MST1 bracing system has replaced the FST2 bracing architecture, and enhances bass frequencies as well as overall volume. Alvarez guitars with MST1 bracing are now in stores.
“There’s probably never a week, maybe even a day that someone in our team is not doing some sort of R&D or looking to build better guitars,” says Chris Meikle, Head of Development at Alvarez and Senior Vice President of St. Louis Music. “MST1 is a result of this culture. We set out to build the best value guitars in the world, it’s a clear strategy for us and one we take seriously, and to stay ahead of the game, you have to embrace continual development.”
MST1 is an X-brace design with tapered scalloping to the X and asymmetric scalloping to the tone bars. The axis of the X-brace was moved 7mm further back from the soundhole to that of the previous bracing system, forward shifted FST2. This gave the name of the design “middle shifted” during its development, and being the first design of three that were developed, it was referred to as “Middle Shifted Type One” or MST1.
Tonally MST1 is more robust with greater bass presence and is capable of producing more volume when needed. The middle frequencies are very clear in most wood configurations with trebles slightly darker than FST2, and could be described as a warmer sound or woodier than previously achieved. MST1 is audibly more responsive to a lighter touch and works more efficiently across most body styles.
For more information or to become a dealer call your St. Louis Music representative at 314-727-4512 or email [email protected].
{Pictured: MST1 Bracing}
St. Louis Music is one of the largest general distributors of musical instruments and accessories in North America. SLM is the owner of Alvarez, Austin and Sigma Guitars, Knilling String Instruments, E.K. Blessing, DEG Lyres, HW Products (maker of Pad-Saver) and Hamilton stands. The company is also the exclusive USA distributor of Dixon Drums and Hardware, Antigua Winds, pInstruments, Mooer Audio and P. Mauriat Brass and Woodwinds. SLM distributes over 250 brands of accessories to music stores across the USA.
