Alvarez Artist Elite AEG99CE Armrest Grand Auditorium Acoustic-Electric Guitar – Shadowburst

Exotic figured acacia, solid AA western red cedar, a hand-crafted flamed maple armrest bevel, Macassar ebony binding, and LR Baggs StagePro Bronze electronics — the AEG99CE is Alvarez's Artist Elite series doing exactly what the name promises.

Who This Guitar Is For

The AEG99CE is built for the player who has moved past the question of whether a guitar is good enough and arrived at the more interesting question of whether it's right for them. The tonewood combination here is genuinely unusual — western red cedar over figured acacia — and it produces a voice that leans warm and complex, with a darker tonal character than spruce-top instruments and a quick, sensitive response that rewards lighter touch playing as much as full-strummed chords. The figured acacia body has some of the most visually striking natural grain of any tonewood in production, and the Shadowburst finish is applied thinly by design, so the figuring shows through with depth and clarity. The flamed maple slim bevel armrest is not decorative — it makes a genuine difference in comfort during long sessions, eliminating the edge of the guitar's body from pressing against your forearm. Macassar ebony binding, an East Indian rosewood fretboard, dual-ring abalone/ABS rosette, and MOP inlays round out an instrument that looks and feels like it costs significantly more than it does. LR Baggs StagePro Bronze and Element electronics handle the stage with the same transparency you'd expect from a boutique acoustic. If you play fingerstyle, singer-songwriter, folk, jazz, or any style where tonal nuance and playing feel matter as much as raw volume, this guitar is worth your serious attention.

Key Highlights

• Solid AA Western Red Cedar top — ATR-treated for advanced tonal response from day one; darker, warmer voicing than spruce with excellent harmonic complexity and fast attack
• Figured Acacia back and sides — a visually stunning, tonally complex tonewood with full bass clarity, shimmering trebles, and instant response; no two instruments look identical
• Slim Flamed Maple bevel armrest — custom-crafted comfort feature that removes the body edge from contact with the forearm, dramatically improving long-session playability
• Macassar Ebony body binding — rich, dark-grained ebony that frames the body with a finished look found on instruments far above this price point
• East Indian Rosewood fretboard, bridge, and headstock facia — consistent tonal character and premium visual presentation from nut to saddle
• African Mahogany neck with Soft-V-to-C profile — begins with a fuller V near the nut, transitions to a rounded C through the upper positions, fitting comfortably for all playing styles
• FS6 forward-shifted, scalloped X-bracing — maximizes the vibrating soundboard area for greater projection, balance, and dynamic range
• Real bone nut and saddle — genuine bone for improved sustain, intonation, and natural string resonance
• Bi-level Indian Rosewood bridge — stepped design increases string break angle and improves tension, response, and sustain
• LR Baggs Element undersaddle pickup — film sensor technology reads full soundboard movement for natural, quack-free acoustic translation
• LR Baggs StagePro Bronze preamp — side-mounted, low-profile unit with large backlit tuner, volume, bass, treble, and phase controls
• Battery in endpin jack compartment — one-push, tool-free access
• Dual-ring abalone/ABS rosette — elegant soundhole detail that pairs with the MOP fretboard inlays
• Alvarez 20:1 chrome-plated tuning machines — precision tuning with a refined look
• ATR (Advanced Tonal Response) wood curing — Alvarez's proprietary torrefaction process applied to all tonewoods for accelerated resonance, stability, and tonal maturity
• Shadowburst gloss top finish, Shadowburst gloss back and sides — rich dark-to-natural gradient that showcases the figuring of the acacia across the entire instrument

Why You'll Love It

Great Fit For

• Fingerstyle and fingerpicking players who want cedar's sensitive, warm response and an armrest that disappears during extended playing sessions
• Singer-songwriters and solo performers who want a stage guitar with distinctive visual presence and professional LR Baggs electronics
• Intermediate to advanced players ready to own a truly premium-built acoustic-electric that will last a lifetime
• Players who have played dreadnoughts and want the grand auditorium's tonal balance — narrow waist for accentuated trebles, wide lower bout for full bass response
• Anyone drawn to exotic tonewoods who wants figured acacia's remarkable visual character and tonal complexity
• Players who perform regularly and want an all-in-one instrument that requires no additional outboard gear for live sound

Sound, Feel, and Use

Western red cedar is one of the most responsive tonewoods available for acoustic guitar tops. It produces a distinctly warmer, darker tonal character than Sitka spruce — the low end is full and round, the mids are expressive and present, and the trebles have a softer sheen rather than the bright sparkle that spruce delivers. This makes cedar particularly rewarding for players with a lighter touch or a more nuanced technique, and it responds to dynamic variation in a more pronounced way — the difference between playing softly and playing forcefully is more audible with cedar than with spruce. The ATR curing process brings the cedar to a state of tonal maturity that usually takes years to develop naturally, so the guitar sounds open and complex from the beginning. Figured acacia contributes complexity and resonance across the full frequency range, with clear lows, a warm but defined midrange, and high overtones that give individual notes a sense of depth and dimension. The grand auditorium body shape balances all of this well — its narrow waist keeps the treble side articulate while the wide lower bout gives the bass frequencies room to develop. The Soft-V-to-C neck profile is one of the more universally comfortable profiles available — the V near the nut gives the thumb a natural resting point for open chord playing, and the gradual transition to C through the upper positions feels natural for single-note work. The 21-fret East Indian rosewood fretboard is smooth and responsive, and the 1 3/4" nut width is standard enough to be familiar across playing styles. The flamed maple armrest bevel changes the ergonomic feel of the guitar more significantly than most players expect until they try it — the absence of a hard edge against the forearm allows the picking arm to relax in a way that benefits both comfort and technique. Plugged in, the LR Baggs Element and StagePro Bronze reproduce the cedar-acacia voice faithfully and naturally. Phase control manages live feedback, and the backlit tuner means one less piece of gear on the floor between songs.

Specifications