Well folks after being a short time parlor owner(a couple months) I sold mine. Im still trying to figure out exactly why. It was a beautiful little guitar and very comfortable to play. I guess it comes down to I didnt feel passionate about it like my other guitars. I didnt feel that it was a guitar that I had to grab when I sat down, or was at the computer and needed a guitar in my hands. Of the guitars I have owned it may have been the prettiest but did the least for me. This really surprised me because I am a big fan of Larrivee guitars, and love to hear others when they play there parlors(Larrivee or otherwise). My D-02 sits downstairs in the kitchen waiting  for me. I pick it up and play when I'm waiting for my wife to go out, or after I do the dishes, or when Im trying to write checks its there to tempt me. Like some others I know I'm a dread man. Theres something about holding on to that big ole body and feeling the vibrations against you. I also realized how much I like my little Martin. Sure it made be made out of countertop material but it has such a big booming sound and is so easy to play lounging on the couch or in bed. I did really like the spacing on the parlor felt easier to do fingerpicking on it than on my dread, but that still wasnt enough. I almost kept it but decided if I dont play it then it has to go, and I do hope that its next owner feels the zing for it. It's kinda funny its been through three owners in a fairly short time, all who were searching for something else. Maybe Im maturing and realize Im satisfied with what I have(highly unlikely) or maybe its just GAS for something else. Patrick

Parlors are for playing on the couch during the commercials or for travel so you don't totally jones for lack of a guitar. There's one in my future, either a Larrivee or a Girdis.

"Parlors have specific sound that you either like or dislike."

Lao Tsu

I felt the same way. I had a Little Martin and sold it to buy a satin Larrivee Parlor. SOmething about the Parlor just never felt right to me. So, I sold that and now have no little guitar. I may pick up another Little Martin or I may just forget that idea altogether. But I did like the Martin better.

Jim

Maybe I'm part of the big-body-guitar club, but the parlor guitars I have played (at least 5 Larrivees) have sounded boxy.  That's not what I like to hear in a guitar.

I think it depends on the songs you play with the Parlor. I love mine on blues and some bluegrass, not so good on Beatles, I use my Dreads for that;-)

Little guitars are cute, and convenient to travel with, but there are sacrifices in sound and playing feel.  I wish you could get then with wider necks.  I'll stay with my small-bodied 1930s acoustics.  They have manly V necks.

E. Shoaf

Quote from: prof_stack on January 12, 2006, 07:54:58 PM
but the parlor guitars I have played (at least 5 Larrivees) have sounded boxy.  That's not what I like to hear in a guitar.

The first thing to know about a cat, is that a cat is not a dog.

Quote from: LaminateBoy on January 13, 2006, 09:58:32 AM
The first thing to know about a cat, is that a cat is not a dog.

Seems like a lot of former cat owners thought they were buying a small dog.

I use both my parlours{koa b+s,maple b+s} in place of a resonator,much more appealing to my ears.

Me too!! I've only had her for two month and I just still keep thinkin', "do I keep this or let her go" It's not growing on me like I had hoped. IMO, all the hipe about the comfort and  palyability is true. The sound, not so much. "Boxy" sounding is a understatment. There is no sound comming out of the low E, which isn't unusual I guess, and there is very little separation between notes. Very sloppy sounding. Funny, when I first played it, I thought, Blues Guitar. I DON'T PLAY THE BLUES. I may just keep it for when my daughter get older it can be her first guitar. I really don't think different strings would do much. I hate cats...... :WNK>
Nick

Coated strings on the parlor do suck.   D'ad 16's give the lower end its due.    Parlors also tend to lose the boxy sound in time.  But you have to like it and have the playing stlye that coaxes the sound out of them.

They are not for everyone and I'm very glad others don't make it through the honeymoon.

I want more of them.

Well, I have one on hold at a local store and I've played it for a grand total of about 30 minutes and I can't wait to get it home.  I think they are best suited to fingerstyle and especially ragtime type stuff.  The all mahogany versions must be sweet for the blues but the one I'm getting is rosewood.  I think it sounds great for alternate tunings like DADGAD too. 

ive only played a few of them. in shops, with dead strings. never really did much for me. i figured they just had not been taken very good care of or something. but i was never even close to tempted to buy one. i, like some others here, have probably just not played the right one.

but if i were going with a small guitar, id likely go with the baby taylor. just something cool about that little axe to me.

The parlor does what it is supposed to do very well. But, rest assured that you won't hear any parlors on Windham Hill recordings.

For me, the shortcomings of the parlor have nothin gto do with sound. I thought the mahogany one I had sounded great for fingerpicking. It did break up a bit when I used a pick on it. My problem had more to do with the way the thing felt. It's hard to explain but I never felt comfortable playing it.  Even though I am a fairly big person, the Little Martin just feels more comfortable to me.

Jim

Quote from: jwsamuel on January 13, 2006, 11:43:14 AM
For me, the shortcomings of the parlor have nothin gto do with sound. I thought the mahogany one I had sounded great for fingerpicking. It did break up a bit when I used a pick on it. My problem had more to do with the way the thing felt. It's hard to explain but I never felt comfortable playing it.  Even though I am a fairly big person, the Little Martin just feels more comfortable to me.

Jim

I don't think a pick should ever come near a parlor.  To me a parlor scream fingerstyle exclusively...that's me  though

Actually the parlor records extremely well.

It's not the guitar but the player.  If parlors don't do it for you, cool.  Leaves more for me. 

I gig with mine as well.  Sweet.................through a mic.

just like all guitars, no two parlors are alike.

i've had my hands on four different larrivee parlors and although all were nice in their own way, one was a particular stand out.

Quote from: unclrob on January 13, 2006, 10:30:15 AM
I use both my parlours{koa b+s,maple b+s} in place of a resonator,much more appealing to my ears.

agreed!

Anybody try using the Parlor in Nashville tuning?

Brett

Maybe it's just mine because it's an MT parlor, but I wouldn't describe the sound from it as "boxey". To me it's more of a barking sound, which, for some things, sounds absoutely perfect. It's my guitar of choice for imprompt blues jams, and, as described by others, couch playing.

When I think of boxey, I think of a more constricted sound combined with a lack of response. The Larrivee parlors don't sound constricted so much as slightly limited in range. I'm probably not making any sense here. However, mine has great volume and mid-range punch and is responsive to a fairly light touch with fingers.

The fretboard is definitely a little tighter than my other guitars, but the shorter scale lets me use mediums without a big playabliity hit.

I couldn't put it down for months after I got it. I'm finally getting back to my other guitars, but I wouldn't want to be forced to give it up.

So, in short, I guess the moral of the story is:

"De gustibus non est disputandum"

Paolo

I had a VINTAGE 1897 Washburn parlor that was really sweet.....problem was it was just too fragile. It had also opened up so much that it was hard to put a mic in front of it....pretty boomy.   It was a really cool little collector's item and conversation piece though :GRN>

I like the KOA parlors the best and I hate to disagree with my Bro Denis, but the ones I try seem to flatpick pretty nicely ^_^ ^_^...of course I am not exactly a heavy picker!
Denis, did you get the mahogany?
The only thing that has really kept me from buying a parlor is the Martin 00 and the Martin 000-15's. Sweet! Yup, they aren't as small, but they are sweet!
--Fred

Quote from: Fredmando on January 14, 2006, 07:22:33 PM
I like the KOA parlors the best and I hate to disagree with my Bro Denis, but the ones I try seem to flatpick pretty nicely ^_^ ^_^...of course I am not exactly a heavy picker!
Denis, did you get the mahogany?
The only thing that has really kept me from buying a parlor is the Martin 00 and the Martin 000-15's. Sweet! Yup, they aren't as small, but they are sweet!
--Fred

Fred,

Of course, there are always Larrivee OO's.......

(http://randyrick.us/guitars/LarriveeOO10rwFull.jpg)

Quote from: Fredmando on January 14, 2006, 07:22:33 PM
I like the KOA parlors the best and I hate to disagree with my Bro Denis, but the ones I try seem to flatpick pretty nicely ^_^ ^_^...of course I am not exactly a heavy picker!
Denis, did you get the mahogany?
The only thing that has really kept me from buying a parlor is the Martin 00 and the Martin 000-15's. Sweet! Yup, they aren't as small, but they are sweet!
--Fred

No Fred, I got a satin rosewood on hold and I won't be able to go pick it up for another 4-5 weeks.  I will, one day, own another mahogany Larrivee.  More than likely an L-03.  BTW Fred, was it really necessary for you to talk about that OM-03R-12 string?  As if my GAS isn't bad enough you had to go an open your big fat... :WNK>

I would agree the Parlour fitted with light guage elixirs can sound boxy.

However if you replace the light gauge strings with medium gauge non coated strings, the boxiness is almost gone.

I think it takes medium gauge strings to get the Parlour to sound its best. I use Martin Phosphor bronze strings on mine.

Denis is right about the Parlour sounding good in DADGAD. I happily use DADGAD on my Parlour.

One note here - (forgive me if someone already said this, but I'm scanning quickly -

I have an A&L Ami (solid cedar top), which sounded OK, but REALLY came alive when I put medium strings on it. A short-scale guitar so still really easy to play with the med's

FWIW....

Denis--I am so sorry. I thought you were on medication for your GAS! ^_^
Next time, I'll send out a warning message before posting.
But, while we are on the subject, that was a great guitar!
The people who are suggesting medium strings on the parlors sound right on the mark. I know my D-03 sounds very different with mediums on it--it's like a different guitar all together.
--Fred

I have found that they do not sound as nice as a full-size guitar when playing open chords, but that they sweeten up and sound awesome when playing barred chords and when moving up the neck.

Here's a sound sample (1.6 meg) : http://www.masolar.com/pub/parlor_ditty.mp3

Quote from: Fredmando on January 16, 2006, 01:43:54 PM
Denis--I am so sorry. I thought you were on medication for your GAS! ^_^
Next time, I'll send out a warning message before posting.
But, while we are on the subject, that was a great guitar!
The people who are suggesting medium strings on the parlors sound right on the mark. I know my D-03 sounds very different with mediums on it--it's like a different guitar all together.
--Fred

I've only ever tried one Larrivee 12 string and it was a really beat up D-09 I think.  I'd love to try the OM-03R-12 or even the mahogany version.  As much as the 12 string is a GAS issue, I have recently become enamoured with a mahogany L, an L-05 to be exact.  Problem is, it would be a much longer wait than say an L-03.  I am not too sure how much difference in tone we'd be talking about.  Asthetics are not an issue for me...I love the 03 look anyway.  After I get the parlor, we'll see...after I get the parlor.  I want to spend many evenings with my new/used "couch guitar"first.

I thought he said crotch guitar............

Quote from: Peter Cree on January 16, 2006, 04:51:35 PM
I thought he said crotch guitar............

:wacko: (In my Beavis or Butthead voice) Heheheheh, he said Crotch!

I'm a bit dyslexic so sometimes I misread things.

Did you just say heheheheheh?

Quote from: Peter Cree on January 16, 2006, 06:13:49 PM
I'm a bit dyslexic so sometimes I misread things.

Did you just say heheheheheh?

A bit dyslexic???   :WNK>

Quote from: Peter Cree on January 16, 2006, 04:51:35 PM
I thought he said crotch guitar............

You've got dirty mind Peter!!

Quote from: Peter Cree on January 16, 2006, 06:13:49 PM
I'm a bit dyslexic so sometimes I misread things.

Did you just say heheheheheh?

Yeah, but it doesn't come out as good as the cartoon, you know? If you ever see Beavis & Butthead you know the drill. Those boys get a quick charge out of any word like that.
Seriously, I almost saw "crotch" as well Peter, so you are not alone!

Denis, you and Peter seem to really be into the smaller body guitars.
I thought I was moving that way until I played my Taylor 355 and a couple of other jumbos.
Now,  I think I like Jumbos and OM's better than most dreads. Some of the slope dreads are different and more comfortable to play.
Now you have me thinking about a parlor again. Man, life is not fair!
--Fred

No one ever said it was.

I've got jumbos , I've got dreads, Om's SD's etc.  After alot of years at it the body size doesn't equate to alot of fundamental qualities a guitar should have.  Build, tone woods etc creat a guitar that can be loud, sensitive, etc..  It doesn't matter what size it is.

I've got a Baritone 29" scale, with an M or 0000 configured body thats about the best guitar I've evr owned.  It's little sister, an O body EIR with 16 frets to the body, can equal the tone and volume of any dread.

The 455 is a nice guitar.  I've got the 355.  But its still pretty big.

Ain't the size of the dog in a fight but the size of the fight in the dog.

Peter, I had that wrong. I do remember you talking about your 355. I like my Taylor 12 string.
I seem to like the way the jumbos feel. I played a great Breedlove over the weekend that was their
entry level jumbo. Nice sound, but a little steep in price.
When I spend some time on my Santa Cruz OM it's very noticable going back to a dread like my D-03.
The jump to the jumbo doesn't seem to be the same--maybe it's the waist cut on both guitars.

Hey bud,

Musta been early in the am or something.  I read 455........ anyway the phenomena of sound is an amazing thing.  A guitars size and shape determines certain factors.   Especially the parlor.  I understand that the tone is "boxy" to many people and to many of us it fits a tonal niche especially useful for gigging and recording.  alot of us love those little guys even with the "boxiness".  To my ears I prefer them to resonators as Unclrob suggested.

The jumbo is a very comfortable guitar.  Comfort is such a key factor.  I want both.  Comfort AND sound.  Dreads, jumbos etc depending on the buildrs definition of that size often give that extra boost in volume.  But not always!!!!!!!

Go figure.  Alot of myths surround the guitar world.  One makers parlor is anothers OO.

Just gives us more to do in making choices about which guitar to buy.  The style and size designation cannot be trusted to form an opinion on.

cheers mate

I like my little mahogany parlor, but I have to admit that I'm thinking about letting it go, for two reasons.  One is that I'm thinking of getting a jazz box, which will mean that I'll be trading in at least two guitars to do so, and the parlor is probably my least essential guitar right now.  The other reason is that my 12th Fret Custom OM has really become my go-to acoustic since I got it, and as a result the parlor just isn't seeing as much use.

Having said that, I really find the parlor great for slide, and I agree that it records really well.  I used mine on a studio gig the day after I bought it and was really pleased with the result.

When I picked up my P-09 a few months ago, I really didn't think it would be around long. I just got such a good price on it that I figured I could give it a try, turn it, and not lose much, if anything.

It's not going anywhere.

It sounded a bit on the boxy side, didn't have much umph and felt way too loose for my picking attack...until I put mediums on it. That changed everything. It even delivers a strong bass in dropped D. Is it a huge voice? No, but that's not its purpose. The parlor is for lougning around on the couch and bed, picking fo rmyself. If I want to go play lead lines over my buddy's jumbo and be heard, that's what I bought a Thompson for.

Tim

Tim, this is interesting. I would be flatpicking--or attempting to--a parlor if I ever get one. What medium strings are you using?
It seems like mediums have the magic.
This is a great thread, by the way.