Tomorrow's the day I've been waiting for...or at least UPS says my new Larrivee will be here then. It's been a really interesting trip for me this time around,too, starting out with my mind pretty much made up and then stumbling across some Larrivees. Then the reading and asking questions and reading some more and driving 100 miles to get my hands on a few more Larrivees and becoming convinced I needed one. I've owned some nice guitars over the past 45 years of playing, with a twenty year hole in there of not playing and which I'm just now turning around. I can't remember ever being this pumped up over a new guitar. Quite an amzing story when you take the time to follow JC's long road, and that his family is a huge part of things only makes it that much better. A legacy in progress. And they build a really exceptional guitar with the finest woods available. And wonderful people like Don & Marty at Wildwood sell them. Don said his FedEx driver didn't come by yesterday so he drove it over to UPS. The "Martin day" and Good Friday slowed things down last week, and he knew I was looking forward to this, so that's what people like Don & Marty do, they drive it to the shipper when they could've just waited until the next day. He said that he and Marty played a song on it and packed it up, and I have no doubt that they did and that it was a sweet little song indeed. There's so many really nice guitars spread around this great site, from exquisitely appointed to that great oldy from JC's beginnings, his first or second steel string, that's just found it's way into new loving hands. And while mine is my first Larrivee, and she's but an 03 model...she's mine. Tomorrow's gonna be a great day! Italian Spruce and Rosewood you say...I'll take it!
Lovely sentiment, yes Jean, Wendy, Matt and John Jr., have been doing a wonderful job of consistently building high quality instruments, with all solid tonewoods, and not gone to Asia to make things cheaper.
That's a fine testament to craftsmanship, and your post is a wonderful testament to it's appreciation.
bravo! :+1:
Quote from: headsup on April 04, 2013, 07:51:40 PM
That's a fine testament to craftsmanship, and your post is a wonderful testament to it's appreciation.
bravo! :+1:
:+1:
I very much enjoyed reading your post, and I'm excited for you to get your guitar tomorrow. I also ordered a Larrivee through Wildwood Music, and I must say that working with the two of them really sweetens the experience. I haven't yet received my guitar, but I know I'll be just as excited as you are about yours. I hope it becomes a member of your family and you make music together for years to come. :-)
I am interested to know... Any particular reason you stopped playing guitar for 20 years? That's a long time!
:+1: Thanks, Riverbend... your account brings back many fond memories of a road many of us have been down....
I, too, have a WW IS/EIR that I simply love to play... what a joy and I wish you the very best with your's... may it give you many hours of wonderful sounds and playing for many, many years to come... BW
Can't wait for you to get it and post pics! Try and get a little sleep tonight :guitar
Thanks folks...like a little kid at Christmas I am...geez...
And to answer NatalieS, 20 years IS a long time, especially for something you truly enjoy. I had moved from an area where I had several great musical friends and was playing regularly, to an area where it was the exact opposite. And, um...add in a, ahhhh, a bad marriage for good measure (but with the gift of an amazing daughter!) and the guitars got checked on in their cases and closed back up. Travelled a lot for work, too...you know how life seems to get in the way of things sometimes. Trust me on this though, I've rediscovered the joy and don't think that's gonna happen again. As a matter of fact, I remember reading your post about your order from Wildwood, and it very well may have been that post and all the great advice it garnered that pushed me Wildwood! I'll bet you're getting a bit anxious your own self? Hope it happens soon for you, too!
Much love man, I am so pumped for you! Don't forget to sleep after you get it.
I know how you feel. I sent my payment into wildwood for my custom L-03 Monday and should be shipped any day now. Can't stand the wait.
She made it safe and sound and she's gorgeous! Gonna wait a good hour before I test drive 'er...45 minutes to go :drool: :drool: :drool:
Pictures don't forget the pictures :gotpics:
It never happened without pictures
Here's a few pic's and I'll take some proper ones later when I've gotten to know her a bit more intimately...
I especially appreciate it's understated beauty. Nice little maple inlay on the headstock, the maple binding, I'm loving the satin finish so far. The woods are so beautiful...that's what's talking to me visually so far.
Oh yes, and she sounds awesome. Definitely needs to relax and open up some and I'll gladly oblige her.
And thanks for all the shared enthusiasm! This forum is pretty special.
:nana_guitar :thumb :bowdown:
Beautiful, congratulations.
A few more pictures. Trying to capture the incredible colors of the spruce, and the spruce/maple/rosewood transitions, and the tasteful maple border on the headstock.
And an observation: this is the sweetest sounding guitar I've yet owned. It's absolutely living up to my expectations! Suits my eyes and ears perfectly.
Congrats on a sweet guitar!
:nice guitar: Really beautiful. Enjoy!
Your story is much like mine. I began playing in my early teens, with a long hiatus mid-life. Now in my 50's I'm rediscovering my love of music and guitars all over again.
Very very nice. I love herringbone!
Larrivee themselves have put this fabulous guitar on their Facebook pages :thumb
Lovely instrument, and may it bring you many many happy years playing
:bowdown: so epically great. mazel tov!
Simply amazed and completely satisfied with this guitar! The tone of it's voice is very rich and lucid. Responds very nicely to both fingerstyle and pick.
All in all, even nicer than I could've hoped for with reasonable expectations. In this day and age where quality seems to be constantly compromised at every turn, to have discovered Larrivee feels like a blessing of great proportion, and this wonderful instrument is a very pleasant affirmation to their committment and integrity. Count me as one very happy new Larrivee owner! :bgrin: :beer :guitar :donut :donut2 :donut :donut2 :coffee
So beautiful. Congratulations!
Congratulations! That top is cooool. :nice guitar:
Very cool.
I love my L-03, and only with it had a cutaway like yours.
Nice guitar. Play it as much as you can. Promise she will sound better and better as she opens up.
Well carruth, I can't hardly put her down! My fingers are sore...but it hurts so good. There's been a perceptible change already in the sound...a bit louder, some more distinction between individual strings even while they're blending together. The tone puts a HUGE smile :bgrin: on my face. If it gets much better they might have to mop me up from the floor. I'm anxious to share her for the first time tomorrow...other than with my wife who keeps commenting how sweet it sounds...in a little practice session. I have a really awesome friend who is blind and is a fantastic violin player and I want to let him hold it and hear it. He has a very special sense of hearing as you might imagine and I can't wait to have him taste it with his ears. And when I say I want him to hold it, it's because this guitar has the most unique feeling to it...hard to explain though maybe a shared feeling. It's the very best feeling guitar on top of the best sounding guitar I've yet to hold. My appreciation is just leaking out all over the place, eh?
I feel you enthusiasm.
Love the maple inlay, and I think the rosewood/Italian spruce gives a wonderful tone.
I just picked up a P with the same combination including wood inlay except with Koa rather than maple.
I think when your friend plays it he'll immediately sense the complexity of the sound, and feel it as well.
I've never played a guitar that vibrates so naturally, and mine is a Parlor.
What a beautiful guitar! I'm glad you're enjoying it so much. :-) Keep the pictures coming.
I have a friend who is also blind. First time she heard me play a Larrivee, she said that it was the sweetest guitar she ever heard.
Quote from: Riverbend on April 04, 2013, 07:17:59 PM
Tomorrow's the day I've been waiting for...or at least UPS says my new Larrivee will be here then. It's been a really interesting trip for me this time around,too, starting out with my mind pretty much made up and then stumbling across some Larrivees. Then the reading and asking questions and reading some more and driving 100 miles to get my hands on a few more Larrivees and becoming convinced I needed one. I've owned some nice guitars over the past 45 years of playing, with a twenty year hole in there of not playing and which I'm just now turning around. I can't remember ever being this pumped up over a new guitar. Quite an amzing story when you take the time to follow JC's long road, and that his family is a huge part of things only makes it that much better. A legacy in progress. And they build a really exceptional guitar with the finest woods available. And wonderful people like Don & Marty at Wildwood sell them. Don said his FedEx driver didn't come by yesterday so he drove it over to UPS. The "Martin day" and Good Friday slowed things down last week, and he knew I was looking forward to this, so that's what people like Don & Marty do, they drive it to the shipper when they could've just waited until the next day. He said that he and Marty played a song on it and packed it up, and I have no doubt that they did and that it was a sweet little song indeed. There's so many really nice guitars spread around this great site, from exquisitely appointed to that great oldy from JC's beginnings, his first or second steel string, that's just found it's way into new loving hands. And while mine is my first Larrivee, and she's but an 03 model...she's mine. Tomorrow's gonna be a great day! Italian Spruce and Rosewood you say...I'll take it!
exciting
That's some mighty fine rosewood. :nana_guitar
The Wildwood customs are great guitars, love the Italian spruce, Don and Marty told me the same thing, they each played the guitar before they shipped it out, they also gave me the weekend to try it out, if I didn't like it send it back, needless to say I still have it, enjoy what you have its a keeper
:nice guitar:
Quote from: Riverbend on April 05, 2013, 02:44:22 PM
A few more pictures. Trying to capture the incredible colors of the spruce, and the spruce/maple/rosewood transitions, and the tasteful maple border on the headstock.
And an observation: this is the sweetest sounding guitar I've yet owned. It's absolutely living up to my expectations! Suits my eyes and ears perfectly.
Boy, they sure make -03s a lot purdier than they you-ster. My -03 is just a plain Jane but, like yours, the sound is why i bought it in the first place. :nice guitar:
Quote from: Mr_LV19E on April 07, 2013, 09:34:27 AM
Congratulations! That top is cooool. :nice guitar:
:+1:
Looks great, my first Larrivee was the same model and a really fine guitar.
Now I have owned 13 Larrivees total, so be ready for more to come. :nana_guitar