Alvarez Model # WY1 1996 - East Indian Rosewood

Alvarez Yairi WY1 Bob Weir Signature Folk/Grand Concert 1996 - Natural (Freeport "The Nomadds" Rehearsal Space Rescue) + Case

Up for sale is a beautiful, highly sought-after 1996 Alvarez Yairi WY1 Bob Weir Signature Model, with an amazing local history! Handmade in the K. Yairi workshop in Kani, Japan. Features a premium solid AA Western Red Cedar top paired with East Indian Rosewood back and sides. It has a comfortable Folk/Grand Concert hollow body with a smooth Venetian cutaway and Yairi's signature direct-coupled bridge.

Comes with hardshell case!

Condition:

This guitar was recently evaluated by a local guitar specialist. Structurally, it is in remarkably good shape for sitting in a time-capsule environment for decades.

• Headstock: There’s a small crack. Experts tell me it’s an easy fix, but please take note.
• Neck: Needs a standard truss-rod adjustment/tune-up to get the action perfect.
• Strings: Will need a fresh set of strings.
• Electronics: The electronics are currently untested.
• Normal cosmetic signs of use, dings, and finish scuffs consistent with a vintage 1990s player's instrument.

Priced fairly to reflect the condition.

Includes the hardshell case. Please see photos for cosmetic details. Ships securely packed and fully insured.

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🎸 The Backstory: A Real Rock-and-Roll Rescue Story

This specific Yairi WY1 has an amazing local history. It was rescued directly from the historic Freeport, Illinois building where legendary 1960s garage rock band The Nomadds rehearsed. The building was scheduled for demolition, and for some reason the band left behind guitars, gear, amps, and music history. Due to a connection with the demo company, a friend and I were personally able to save just 5 guitars from the space before the demolition crew brought the building down.

We don’t know which specific band member left it in the rehearsal space, but this instrument carries a wonderful piece of regional rock-and-roll heritage! The Nomadds are famous for their 1965 self-titled LP recorded at Radex Studios and their massive local following at the Freeport Masonic Ballroom.

To put their legacy into perspective, The Nomadds only pressed roughly 750 copies of their self-titled 1965 album at Freeport's historic Radex Recording Studios. Today, those are highly sought after by garage-rock purists. Original copies often bring in hundreds to over a thousand dollars on the collector's market. This guitar comes directly out of that exact legendary musical lineage!