Your First Larrivee

[carruth]

LO2, and it is still a spectacular guitar.

[teh]

Special edition parlour followed by a Special Order 12 String.

Some people like to dicker, trade or upgrade in their quest for the perfect guitar, some just like change while still others enjoy the search up front, land on a great guitar and keep what they have. I am in that camp.

"Perfection is impossible to achieve but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence."  Vince Lombardi

[AZLiberty]

Care to take a trip down Memory Lane   What was your 1st Larrivee

Do you still have it

Is it your favorite still

Why can most not just stop at one

1) OM-03RE, bought new in 1998.  Englemann/Rosewood.

2) Yes

3) Favorite might not be the best word.  It's the most versatile, and the one I use for recording or playing out.  My F-III is certainly more "special" but the OM-03RE is a better concert instrument.  My Parlor is a fun guitar but I wouldn't pick it over my OM, and the 12-string is frankly not as good sounding as my Guild (heresy I know).

4) Because different guitars are different.  Duh. 

Oh, pics:



That would be me in the foreground playing the OM-03RE at a charity event.

[Corky]

In 1986 or so I got a five string Larrivee electric bass on the recommendation of a guy I knew who played Larrivee guitars.  A few months later added on a 4 string and then custom-ordered a six-string fretless electric.  In 1989 I had Jean make a five string fretless acoustic bass guitar.  It is pretty much an 09 in today's terminology as I wanted rosewood and very basic appointments, to be as much like an upright as possible.  No cutaway.  In the early nineties, at a time of crisis, I sold off the 5 and 6 string electrics.  In 2009 I added an OM-03 and recently a Forum III (rosewood & IS, herringbone).

I have been searching for the 6 string fretless bass since about 2000.  Midnight blue in color with gold Schaller hardware.  I didn't learn regular guitar until about 2 years ago, although I have played with some amazing guitarists.  Always figured I would leave that to them.  Now that I am retired from the music biz I am learning guitar so I can play alone.  The old Larrivee electric basses are super players with great sound.  The four string has the banana headstock that is so 1980s but the 5 and 6 had one that looked a great deal like a PRS.

 

[leftync]

First of four was a D-03R. It would still be my main guitar if it had a wider fretboard. Gorgeous, lush sound. But I traded it on an older Larrivee D-50 which had a better neck for me. Plan to leave the D-50 to some lucky left-handed grandchild I hope to have some day.

[SMan]

My first, and probably my only as I am hoping to reduce my inventory, is the CS-05 I picked up from photomat last fall.  I am certainly enjoying it.   

[CF Larrivee]

My first Larrivee was a '93 OM-10 Brazilian with a Gypsy Girl headstock.  I no longer have it (sniff).  It now resides in Austria!

[dgrose]

...What was your 1st Larrivee

LV-19e California Edition, followed several days later by a DV-09e, followed several days later by a DV-05e (lesson learned: just because you consistently get outbid on Ebay, don't bid on multiple items - you might win them all...)

Do you still have it

I kept both the LV-19 and DV-09 and sold the DV-05. They all sounded beautiful, but at the time I thought 3 guitars was excessive. - I no longer believe that. The LV-19 sounds terrific, plays incredibly easily and has matured very well. The DV-09 sounds gorgeous, but the dread size is a tad uncomfortable for me for playing any extended period of time.

Is it your favorite still

No... my favourite Larrivees are the LS (or LSV or CS size) guitars for their smaller size and sound. But I still love the sound of the first 2 guitars.

Why can most not just stop at one

They each sound different to me. They all sound fabulous... and they make my playing sound better than it is.

dg

[Chasjax]

"First of four was a D-03R. It would still be my main guitar if it had a wider fretboard."  I ditto leftync - my 2001 D-03R was perfect, but when I discovered the 1-3/4 nut on the L-05 I make the switch.  As others have said, if Larrivee only made a 1-3/4" dread -

Chas.

[dee-ten]

My first was a D-10, which I still have and is still my favorite simply because I'm so familiar with it, but it's getting a lot less playing time since I acquired my second a couple weeks ago, an OM hog.

Hate to admit it, but I've already had thoughts of a third ...

[ST]

Late 70's I think ...
A pair of L-72: a classical and a steel string
Both with Florentine cutaways.

Alas - long gone now. And I didn't even think to take pictures.

Details: My Dream Guitars, then and now

[Zohn]

Both with Florentine cutaways.

Alas - long gone now. And I didn't even think to take pictures.

That is criminal!!!!

[Danny]

   1st was a LV-03R bearclaw. A friend still has it and plays it all the time. I've tried a few times to get it back.

Since then about nine more. My favorites have been in the "L" series and the 00's. I currently have two.

  F-III #1 & F-IV #2

               Not gassing anymore.

[lyric_girl]

2007 PV-09E

Yes I still have her. I doubt I will ever sell.

[Carol]

My first was a '79 L-10. I had it for ages before selling it to a friend. I preferred the OM body and eventually bought the '95 OM 09K.

[wilblee]

My first was a PV-09E.  I wasn't looking to buy a guitar when I played it in the store.  I was just killing time between set-up and playing for a wedding nearby.  After I played it, I tried several other parlors and quickly heard that the Larrivee was far superior in sound and felt that it was far superior in playability, and it was the best-looking to boot.  The next day I went back and made a deal with he manager and took that puppy home.  After playing it for a while I started wondering, "If the Parlor sounds this good, what would a full size Larrivee sound like?"  So, I bought an LV-09E used on eBay.  They'll be the last acoustics I sell and then only in pretty stinking dire circumstances.

[Jonesy76]

My first was an LV-19e Limited Edition with the palm tree inlay but no 'California' inlay at the 12th fret. 

It was my only Larrivee - and I never needed another guitar with it around - until last week when I sold it on to another acoustic guitarist who had similar problems to me over here in the UK as in he couldn't get the sound he wanted from Taylors, and he couldn't get on with the playability of Martins.  He is now utterly blown away by my old LV-19e and loving playing it.

However I am now currently sans-Larrivee 

I'm just waiting on Jean finishing my new C10E with its special 'Baby Dragon' - or 'Draig Bach' as it should be in Welsh - inlay on the headstock.  Now I have no Larrivee I'm starting to get very twitchy as I so miss the thing.  My cheap Ibanez acoustic is no stand-in for a Larrivee so I'm playing my electrics a bit more at the moment as I try to distract myself from the wait for the C10E.

Owning Larrivees is superb..............waiting for them to arrive is torture!

[Mikeymac]

In June 1992 I ordered my lefty OM-05 after playing right-handed Larrivee's at a local shop for several months and falling in love with the tone and workmanship. It was delivered in October '92, and is still my #1 Larrivee, even though I've had 3 other Larrivee acoustics since. 

Larrivee just does mahogany and OM's so well...

[sayheyjeff]

First Larrivee was an L05MT I purchased in late '04.  Beautiful guitar.  Great tone and a joy to play.   It was followed in '08 by a spruce top parlor with maple back and sides which I love.  The L05MT was sold earlier this year.  It was replaced by a Martin 00017s.  The Martin won out when I fell for 12 fretters.  Would have kept both but I can't keep enough guitars to have 2 hogtops.   
Could easily see myself in a Forum IV if I could expand the collection.

jeff
 

[cc407]

2003 D-03R. First, one, and only. Keeper.