Anyone else have a CS???

[sfumato]

Hi all,

I recently got myself a beautiful custom CS-09, Engelmann and EIR, and was wondering if anyone else on the forum has one of the smaller CS bodied guitars.  I've seen a few LS's mentioned but even those seem pretty rare.  Apparently, the one I was lucky enough to get was personally built by Jean Larrivee using wood from his special "stash", beginning in 1996....think T**lor 900/presentation and M**tin HD 28/35 woods.

In addition to the trademark balance and sparkle, it also has the most amazing multi-dimensional kind of sound (sort of like how some analog-recorded LPs seem to have a kind of depth that digitally-recorded new albums can't match).  It actually spoiled me on my OM03R!  Prior to the CS, I loved the OM and thought I'd never part with it....but after hearing the CS, the OM sounded downright woofy in comparison.  Which is not a word I'd ever have used to describe the OM before.  I was worried that maybe the CS would suffer in bass response compared to the slightly larger OM body, but wow is there a lot of deep, rich bass in this little guitar!  I still think the OMs are fantastic guitars, but I let mine go to someone else who could enjoy it rather than letting it sit neglected with me.

Anyway, just wondered if anyone else has had a chance to play or owns a rosewood CS -- would love to hear what you think of them!  :mellow:

[Randy_R]

Good catch.

I bought an ebay CS-10 about a year agor that turned out to be a full size C-10. But I got such a good deal on it and the condition was so good, that I kept it. They aren't common, thats certain.

[unclrob]

I had a CS10 a while back,very balance but a J05 was calling my name.

[raft]

I'm not sure what CS means. I have a LS-09 with a florentine cutaway--is the cutaway what the "C" stands for? Mine is unusual in that it is 12-fret. I think it was made in the late 90's. Great feeling and sounding guitar. Here (if I do it right) are pictures of mine, it's on the left next to a Martin 00-18. How does this compare to yours?

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[sfumato]

Randy, too bad about the CS turning out to be a C...but it must have been nice to get to end up in your collection!  (I love looking at your photo gallery, btw - really stunning guitars!  )

unclrob, I hope you get your new 12 string soon!!  And best of luck to you on your solo venture!  -_-

raft, thanks for posting your pics - beautiful guitars!  Mine's a standard 14-fretter, but looks very similar to yours.  Odd that yours is labelled LS-09...I thought the LS was used for the non-cutaway small body model, but I know sometimes custom instruments have gotten unique naming over the years.  It's nice that you were able to get the 12-fret neck.  (I have a Martin 00, too, so if I had a digi cam, I could have made some "twin" pics to yours...my 00 is a 15 though, so just a little bit darker than yours. :GRN>)

Overall, I agree, it's just a wonderful guitar to play.....and mine is going a loooong way in helping prevent GAS for the new LSV-11 :WNK>

I'm going to try to post some pics here that I got before I bought it (the last one is a nice back to back comparison of the CS with a regular L body that really shows the size difference).

front:


back:


front detail:


in case:


nice rosewood headstock


back to back with L

[fitness1]

Hi all,

I recently got myself a beautiful custom CS-09, Engelmann and EIR

So you're the reason that's gone from Wildwood.   I had been considering that purchase for a LONG time now and kept trying to set aside a Friday or Saturday to make the drive (it's not close to anywhere and they have really strange hours - and don't take credit cards!)    Never got around to it and then I noticed it was gone.  If you ever decide to let it go, let me know please :GRN>

[raft]

raft, thanks for posting your pics - beautiful guitars!  Mine's a standard 14-fretter, but looks very similar to yours.  Odd that yours is labelled LS-09...I thought the LS was used for the non-cutaway small body model, but I know sometimes custom instruments have gotten unique naming over the years.  It's nice that you were able to get the 12-fret neck. 
_______________
I think you are correct about the name--in fact the only label on the guitar is the stamp "09."  The dealer called it an LS, but I think you are right that it would have been a CS.  It is interesting to see how Larrivee does the 12-fret compared to how Martin does it (typically). Note that the bridge on your guitar is up closer to the soundhole--On the two guitars the body is the same, for the 12-fretter they just shorten the neck and move the bridge back to keep the scale lenght the same. Martin has a different approach. Compared to your (14-fret) Martin 00-15, my 12-fret 00 has a body that is stretched up two frets, so the body is longer, more sloped. The only Martin I have seen that has a Larrivee-style 12-fret neck on a standard shape body is the Norman Blake 000-28. I recall that he (Blake) said he felt that the lower bridge placement had a positive effect on tone. 

[raft]

...  I was worried that maybe the CS would suffer in bass response compared to the slightly larger OM body, but wow is there a lot of deep, rich bass in this little guitar! 

Your comment about the sound of the S-body and the OM is interesting. I think the Larrivee s-body is a great, unique design. I have a couple Martins and like them a lot, but I was disappointed when Larrivee moved it's line toward the Martin designs, and made the S-body a less-available custom. I agree with you about the sound. The surprisingly rich bass may be in part due to the depth of the body. I'm not sure about the Larrivee OM depth, but the LS body is significantly deeper than a martin 000 (OM).

[sfumato]

So you're the reason that's gone from Wildwood.   ...  If you ever decide to let it go, let me know please :GRN>

Yup, sorry Fitness - it's my fault  ^_^  I actually thought it was sort of strange that no one else had picked it up....I'm sorry I scooped it while you weren't looking.  I promise if I ever decide to part with it, I'll let you have first dibs!

I agree Wildwood has strange hours, but I have to say that I got outstanding service from Don and Marty.  They were friendly, knowledgeable and patient with my gazillions of questions.  I know some people count them out since they don't accept credit cards, but they really seem to have a a treasure trove of great instruments of all brands.

raft, that's interesting that yours doesn't actually have a label.  Since they're not so common, I can see how the dealer might have mixed up the model names.  Yes, I agree that Larrivee's treatment of the 12-fret neck/body is sort of unique...I have heard that same thing about the Blake 000-28 having a richer tone (more bass) because of the lower bridge placement.  I'm glad to hear that you think the bass response on our CS models is both surprising and very nice!  I think the CS might be comparable to the OM depth, but I find the overall the sound is more focused.

Thanks for your comments, guys!

[raft]

raft, that's interesting that yours doesn't actually have a label. 

Well it was a custom (the 12-fret neck), so I guess that's it.  By the way, I got it at Wildwood as well.