Not in the market, but I was at Sam Ash (Lombard IL) to look at acoustic amps and a wild looking OM-03 caught my eye.
I've never played a Larrivée OM, but am familiar with Martins.
This OM has a wild bear-clawed top. The patterns in the wood remind me of crinkled up aluminum foil, only in spruce!
Nice light toned mahogany with just enough character to it's looks.
Then I played it. Set up seems perfect. The sound is just amazing.
I hear that Larrivée mahogany touch everyone talks about. The sound is amazing on this guitar - really alive. I could get a serious case of lust. And I can hear what the OM lovers are all about! Nice.
Anybody in the area - this one's a killer.
While I agree with you Larrivee/mahogany assessment, I would suggest you give a pluck or a strum to a rosewood Larrivee OM. Whether it's an OM-60, OM-09 or even the simple OM-03R, Larrivee does rosewood right. I don't know how many times on this forum that I've read about people either buying or trying the OM-03R and realizing that there is no better deal out there when it comes to a well made OM with rosewood back and sides.
I haven't seen an OM-03 in my neck of the wood yet to try but I have tried an OM-05 before(drool, drool) and an L-05 (DROOL, DROOL!!!). They are right when they talk about Larrivee and mahogany.
Don't have to sell me on Larrivée rosewood - already own and love a D-03R! But this OM is going to make somebody real happy.
QuoteDon't have to sell me on Larrivée rosewood - already own and love a D-03R! But this OM is going to make somebody real happy.
I went to one of the two local Larrivee dealers this morning. I tried a D-03 and a D-03K. I also tried a bunch of Gibsons they have there that go for 2 times the price. The D-03, mahogany, kicked butt. What a great sound. Then there was an L-03...again, awesome. Even the "cheapest" Larrivees are rivals for more expensive guitars.
I've tried both the OM-03 and OM-03R on separate occasions and both are great guitars. I'm amazed at the big voice these little guitars have and the high quality for such a relatively low price. For me, the rosewood model has a little more sparkle in its tone which I like. I have nothing against mahogany/spruce but it just didn't own itself up to my technique at the time.
I had had my all mahogany OM-15 for a couple of years and decided I needed something different, something in a rosewood flavour when the mahogany wasn't doing it for me. Not that the Martin isn't a nice guitar. I still play the OM-15 as much as ever but the Larrivee has such a different voice. Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't, right?
Neil, I hope some money falls out of the sky for you and that you can someday soon, buy an OM-03R. They are worth every red cent.
Man if that were in the Sam Ash in Clearwater I would be on my way over there right now. Does SA deal Larrivee? No ther dealers in the Tampa Bay area that I know about.