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Larrivees Owners Club

BB
July 22nd, 2009, 12:09 PM
Here is pic ( in the middle between a Seagull S6 Folk and a 40's Supro) of my 1978 ( as close as Larrivee can date it due a fire that destroyed their records ) Larrivee L-09. My sister in law bought it used around 1985 or so and never really played it. I took semi-permanet possesion in 1992 and she formally gave it to me when she moved to Mexico in 2001.

While somewhat of a plain model in appointments, the wood is amazing. The spruce top has the tightest grain pattern I've seen. The Indian Rosewood on the back and sides is just stunning. The best thing about it though is the tone. Rich, lush, sparkley and detailed......very even across the entire tone spectrum and enough volume to hang with my buddies dread sized Martin and Taylors. While it's not a 'cannon' like a few Martins I've owned, I actually prefer the even tone respose it provides. It's a wonderful finger picking guitar and romping on it with a pick is like kicking in a boost on an electric......just more of everything without compression. I like that!

The neck is fantastic. Wide enough for finger picking yet using a pick for chords and/or leads is very comfortable. The build quality is a study in precision excellence. In the nearly 20 years I've had it, I've not had to touch the truss rod or do any adjsutment on it. It just stays the same year in and year out....except it sounds better now that it did when I first got it.

I helped a buddy out on his acoustic project a few years ago. He has a beautiful Brazilian Rosewood 1984 Taylor 810, a sweet vintage Guild huge body 12 string and a killer FatDog D-18 copy. The engineer for the session was floored by the tone of the Larrivee and how sweet it recorded. I've loaned it to another buddy several times for his recording projects also as he and the fella doing the recording prefer the tone of the Larrivee to the Taylors, Martins and Guilds in his studio. Don't get me wrong, I love all those other guitars mentioned, but the Larrivee just has a sweetness that sits in the mix unlike the others.

You can tell I'm still smitten with this guitar. I plan on passing this one down to one of my grandkids. I should play it ever day, but due to it's pristine condition, I keep it in it's case and use the Seagull, my old Lyle or a cheap Peal electric/acoustic as my on stand nearby grab and go guitars.

I know there is some Larrivee love here, so lets see em and hear about em!

battleminnow
July 23rd, 2009, 03:43 AM
I love my 2005 Larrivee OMV-05e. It in an orchestra body, spruce and mahogany, beautiful curly maple binding, Venetian cutaway, and has the b-band blender system, which sounds excellent. I swear, Taylor and Martin owners that have never played a Larrivee have no clue what they are missing out on. I have put a lot of miles on this guitar, but only recently opted for a fret dress as the 2-6th frets were significantly flattened. My local luthier extrodanairre saved it, and she has a lot of miles next. Wish I had a better pic!

Pete

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc297/battleminnow/IMG_2334.jpg

mepst
July 24th, 2009, 09:02 PM
I'll join. I have a mid-90's Larrivee D-10 that was purchased by my dad. He gave up playing guitar to focus on woodworking, and passed the Larrivee on to me a couple of years back.

BB's post was so well put, that I can't think of much to add. My D-10 has an incredibly balanced sound, and most people that play it never want to put it down. Mine's also been great in the studio -- loud rich sound, but not too boomy or overpowering. Here are a couple of pics:

http://files.me.com/mepstein/szaomw

http://files.me.com/mepstein/r8351r

battleminnow
July 24th, 2009, 09:34 PM
I love the neck inlays mepst!

When I had my frets crowned last month the luthier said that in 30 years he had never seen a neck as straight. He put ink on each fret and ran a radius sanding block once up the neck to check for low spots and ALL the ink was gone. He said it was so clean he thought he made a mistake and had to do it over.

I love Larrivee guitars!

Pete

Radspin
July 24th, 2009, 10:56 PM
No picture, but I have a Larrivee 2002 D-03R that is a Mojo Hand guitar. My local music store had gotten a few in and out of curiosity I played them. I fell in love with the D-03R and it haunted me for a week, until I returned to the store with a bunch of guitars (Harmony, a Fender Mustang and a couple of other cheapos) and made an even swap for it. The guitar is just one of those magic, off-the-meter good instruments.

Lawn Boy
July 24th, 2009, 11:34 PM
Pete Anderson sig here, I love it. Maple body spruce top 12 fret neck join,
great sunburst. Perfect for me. LB

mudshark
July 29th, 2009, 08:01 AM
I've got a 2000 D-05, and a smokin' spruce top, mahogany guitar it is.

StankyUncleJ
July 29th, 2009, 10:27 AM
Count me in. 1995 Larrivee OM60

http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/stankyunclej/Larrivee%20Guitar/DSC00422-1.jpg

http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/stankyunclej/Larrivee%20Guitar/DSC00431-1.jpg

http://i435.photobucket.com/albums/qq77/stankyunclej/Larrivee%20Guitar/DSC00430-1.jpg

VerySlowHand
September 7th, 2009, 03:09 PM
OM-O3R and flamed maple P-09 – the latter currently on UK eBay if anyone's interested... possible swap/cash either way, for nice Tele.

9irontele
September 8th, 2009, 05:56 PM
I'll post a picture later...I have a J-03R: Jumbo satin...hard to find but oh so sweet

JDRNoPro
September 14th, 2009, 11:58 PM
Just came across this thread.....bought my "unfancy" D03R a couple of years ago and couldn't be happier. It has totally redefined what I consider to be excellent tone, quality, and value in an acoustic guitar.

studio1087
September 17th, 2009, 12:34 AM
My L03R

http://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k106/johnlg-2006/L-03RSide.jpghttp://i86.photobucket.com/albums/k106/johnlg-2006/L-03RFront.jpg