Why the Oxnard slam?

[rockstar_not]

I stopped in at the Oxnard factory one Saturday back in 2002 or 2003; not too long after they opened up.  I happened to be in LA for business and Saturday was a free day so I took a drive north.

2 cars were in the parking lot, an Audi and another car.

I had a faint hope that I might get a peek inside.

As I knocked on the door, a rather short person with a ponytail happened to be in the hallway and came and opened the front door.  Once the door was opened, I recognized Mr. Larrivée from the poster where he is shown picking out slabs of wood.

I said "Your'e Jean Larrivée, aren't you?".  Answer was affirmative and I asked if it would be a big pain to get a nickel tour of the place.  He said he could spare 15 minutes or so and proceeded to give me and my co-worker a good 45 minute to hour tour of the place.  I recall only a few places in the entire facility that could be considered 'factory-like'; those being the cool clamping system that they use to glue braces to tops and backs, and the CNC machine that they use to to rough cutting/shaping of the necks.  Everything else was obviously setup for hand making guitars.

He was there fitting necks to bodies of the California model that they made to commemorate the opening of the Oxnard facility.  Another worker was there buffing bodies.  In the drying room, each body is mated with a neck and kept together as a pair while they dry.

So if it means that mass -produced means that there's a chance that Jean Larrivée has hand-fit your guitar's neck to it's body, well, then I guess that's my kind of mass-producing.  I don't know if he handles this task for all guitars made at Oxnard, but he was there on a Saturday taking care of some of the California models.

The seller was a mis-informed clown, or a liar, or both.

-Scott

[D4ve]

You guys are all being way to nice and easy on the seller - he's got his head up his peaches...

[ducktrapper]

I understand that all Larrivée necks are fitted by either Jean or Matthew. Don't know about Vancouver.

[Cowgirlie]

I'll bet Jean Jr. does those in Vancouver!

[patrickgm60]

[where on earth did the statement that most are being shipped to Japan come from?

I don't feel like scrolling pack and pasting that comment into my post, but will that person please tell me how many guitars a day they think are completedquote][/quote]

Cowgirlie:
If you are referring to my post, I stated that "MUCH" of Larrivee's CA production is exported to Japan, not "most."  Careful what you read into posts.

As to Larrivee's daily production, I don't know (although it's likely been discussed here before.)  If you want my guess, so that you can misquote it later, I'll guess 100 instruments. 

[flaggerphil]

I think "factory" is a misnomer.

No, it's still a factory.  A lot of hands on stuff, but every guitar maker has a lot of hands on stuff, no matter what.  They're not as automated as some, but they're still a factory.

[flaggerphil]

I understand that all Larrivée necks are fitted by either Jean or Matthew. Don't know about Vancouver.

They may have in the past, but they're not now.  Too many.

[flaggerphil]

Cowgirlie:
If you are referring to my post, I stated that "MUCH" of Larrivee's CA production is exported to Japan, not "most."  Careful what you read into posts.

As to Larrivee's daily production, I don't know (although it's likely been discussed here before.)  If you want my guess, so that you can misquote it later, I'll guess 100 instruments. 

I don't know about Vancouver (I think they make a lot more guitars there), but in July Matthew told me that 12 guitars a day leave the Oxnard factory.  He also told me that either he or Jean personally check every guitar that leaves Oxnard.

[Cowgirlie]

Phil is correct about the number of guitars leaving Oxnard...so, Patrickgm60, before you go accusing me of misquoting you, (honestly, much and most...come on!) you said clearly that you guessed 100. It really is  12...the higher end guitars are the only ones being built in Oxnard. How MUCH of that number goes to Japan?

Matthew IS in the shop every day. Jean was in the shop too last time I was there (June 2006).
Matthew does a lot of neck fits...they hold them ready for him.

Yes, there is equiptment, and yes there are employees, and yes, each employee does one or two functions, and it goes to the next "station"....but those of us who have actually BEEN to Oxnard would still consider the term "factory" a loose one, there is no mass production going on.



   

[Walkerman]

No, it's still a factory.  A lot of hands on stuff, but every guitar maker has a lot of hands on stuff, no matter what.  They're not as automated as some, but they're still a factory.

We'll have to agree to disagree.  I see the facility as more of a craft-shop than a factory.  I don't see 12 guitars a day as being "mass-production."

[ducktrapper]

Factory/workshop. Whatever. The guitars still speak for themselves in ways no distracters can change.