Have any of you who once owned high-end guitar come back to Larrivee???

[jonlee]

i dunno if this counts... but when i was about to purchase a new guitar around christmas time, i was going back and forth between a LV09E and a taylor 810ce. it took about 3 hours that day (and countless others prior to) to decide but eventually i purchased the taylor.

then i needed something smaller and thought about getting another taylor... maybe a x14ce. but in a short period of time, i grew attached to the OM03 that's at home now (sitting in pieces waiting for new parts...  ). the 40 minutes or so i spent playing the OM made me realize why i spent 3 hours the first time around.

i couldn't have asked for more. well, i could have... but i just didn't have the money to do so.  yeah, it doesn't have as much shiny things as my taylor does but honestly, picking the larrivee up is so much easier than picking the taylor up.

[SteveD216]

I have a limited edition Martin D-42 Koa, and I consider my Larrivee D-10 Brazilian my high-end guitar.

[sgarnett]

My tastes have shifted from high end Larrivees to the understated -03 series. Does that count?

[Jackson]

I have owned a D-03R that was an amazing guitar, but I had to have the action set way too high in order fot it not to buzz. So I sold it. Then I bought an L-05 that had a very beautiful voice but could not handle much strumming without breaking up. Also, the intonation was off on this guitar to an unacceptable point. I also sold this guitar. Then I bought a D-50 which has no issues at all! I love this guitar just as much as the others in its own way, but it has no issues. I recently purchased a Taylor 814ce with englemann top because I have never played a guitar that I could "control" as well as this Taylor. Also the intonation was the most accurate I have ever heard. And finally, the highs are unlike any other guitar I have ever heard. "Clean" is the way I describe them. Others describe this as a crytstal clear sound. The Taylor doesn't fit every bill, but it has a very unique voice and will suit many applications.

TAYLOR TAYLOR TAYLOR.  I thought that would get your attention!!!!

[uke richard]

Wow Walkerman! Nice uke! Do you live anywhere near Calgary? If you do, take a look at this post:
http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=15211.0

Richard

[ducktrapper]

Hey how about this? Jean and Co. make only 1,499 guitars next year and then they will be "really' good.
He only made 200 a year when my L09 was built. Two future "boutique" builders were his assistants. Two bad he decided to share these fine guitars with more people eh?
The thing we forget is that Jean Larrivée was one of these "high end" builders well before those other mentioned.

[uke richard]

Hey how about this? Jean and Co. make only 1,499 guitars next year and then they will be "really' good.
He only made 200 a year when my L09 was built. Two future "boutique" builders were his assistants. Two bad he decided to share these fine guitars with more people eh?
The thing we forget is that Jean Larrivée was one of these "high end" builders well before those other mentioned.

True. And let's not forget that many, many, fine canadian builders started out with Jean Larrivée before going on their own and opening their shop. Jean Larrivée is a fine luthier and a great individual who is not affraid to share his knowledge and his love of guitar making. And it's a good thing for everyone, Larrivée, builders and players.

I used to play on my friend's fine Gordon Barry. Great pleasure playing this guitar. I think it was the second guitar Barry built (and the first one he sold) after he left Larrivée and went on his own. He's now been building fine guitars for about 25 years. Another "high end" guitar I love to play is a Thompson T-1R. If i'm not mistaken, Ted Thompson is another luthier who started out with Larrivée.

I am a vintage Martin guy but I got my first Larrivée in December (2000 O-01 parlor) before getting a 1999 Larrivée concert ukulele. I love my Larrivée tremendeously and I am now contemplating very seriously getting an OM-03R.

Richard 

[D4ve]

I'd have to say my D60 is the best guitar I have owned. It challenged me at first but after I built up the strength for the beast ...it rocks. Lovin it!!

[Walkerman]

Wow Walkerman! Nice uke! Do you live anywhere near Calgary? If you do, take a look at this post:
http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=15211.0

Richard

I live in Oxnard...CA

[Shredkratcher]

I bought a used Larrivee OM-5 almost 10 years ago. My first nice acoustic guitar. A few years ago I bought a Bourgeois JOMC for an unbelievable price in a pawnshop. I sold the Larrivee to a friend shortly after. I'd go over to his place and play the Larrivee and ask myself "why did I sell this?". I ended up buying the Larrivee back from my friend and I've since sold off the Bourgeois. Nothing against the Bourgeois, it was a nice guitar but I just bonded more with the Larrivee. Plus it wasn't too hard to sell off the Bourgeois. I ended up making a really nice profit on it as well as getting to play it for a few years!

[uke richard]

... I just bonded more with the Larrivee.

And that's all about the bonding. Has it happened to you guys, when shopping for a guitar, to try two guitars exactly the same; same model, same year, same set up, and liking one more than the other? I has always striked me how much guitars, even new, have their own personnality. You instantly fall in love with certain or have to get to know another one before you hit it off - or you have to sell one to realize how much you miss it. Good for you, Shredkratcher, that you could get yours back.

Richard   

[jimmyd]

It's interesting to read the reasons people have for their  attachments to a brand name. Some are based on cost/value, retained value, etc, and some are in great part an emotional association.  We develop an affinity for brand names in cars, jeans, sports teams, etc, Why not guitars ? The more I invest myself into acoustic guitars the less I identify with any particular name brand. I have several guitars that I  like very much. It took a lot of horse trading, and some months building two of them myself  to get  the instruments that are right for me. I really don't much care who made them including the ones I've built myself. Each is unique and offers something special to me that inspires me to want to play more.   

[SlowFingers]

Well, I think I understand the question. The best guitar I have owned (and most expensive) was a Larrivee OM-03MT. While I thought it was great, I never considered it high-end. High-end to me would be a Ryan, Claxton, etc. I guess I would also consider the more expensive Larrivees to be high-end, but not really the 03 series. To me, they are more "practical" guitars. They get the job done well without all the bling. Personally, I am at the point I want to move back "up" to the Larrivee from my Seagull.

[JasonA]

I've left, come back, left again... and may come back again. I agree with JimmyD that it's less about brand than individual guitars.

I've had tons of Larrivees. I don't miss most of them at all. Probably the two I miss most were my very first Victoria OM-09, and an old 00-09. Just something about those two that I really liked and hasn't been duplicated in similar models. Same with my Collings OM1A that I sold to Tuoti. That was a mistake. But that's the lot of an acquisition addict!

[DreaminColor]

Sound is subjective, and I might be crazy by some because I also chose sapele over same thing in rosewood and walnut.

Sapele is a fabulous tonewood - many lament it because it's being substituted for mahogany, which is a break from tradition. However, it is used by many builders and produces a wonderful tone. I have a Martin 12-fret dread with sapele back/sides that I love dearly.

My *next* guitar will have its roots in Larrivee - it's going to be a handbuilt Paragon. As for Larrivees, I think they're great guitars.

[247hoopsfan]

I have not owned any other high end guitars, but have played many Santa Cruz, Collings, Weber, Bourgeois not to mention Taylor and Martins.  The "boutique" guitars are all fabulous players.  I'm not saying my Larrivee D10E is better than the others, but it has a certain tone that I just love.  It is deep and rich, yet hits the highs beautifully.  The great thing is I can strum or flatpick the heck out of it, or fingerstyle on it and it always sounds incredible.  And you won't find a prettier guitar than the 10 Series abalone inlays.

[Acoustickler]

Let me add my non-answer to your question.  (I will preface this by saying that tone is very subjective and myopinions are my own.)

I mainly have 3 acoustic guitars.  The one I play the most is my Martin D-17.  Why?  Because it is my gigging acoustic.  It is also my band practice acoustic.  It is sturdy and I don't care if it takes a few knocks.  It has a pickup installed in it.  It sounds good in the band mix live, but has inferior tone to the other 2 acoustics.

The one I play the most at home is my Froggy Bottom F (Koa/Adirondack).  This is my dream guitar.  I love the tone.  I will never let go of this guitar.  This guitar will leave my home to be recorded and then will return to my home.

The middle one is my Larrivee D-10 Brazilian.  This guitar is growing on me slowly.  At first I wasn't convinced.  After much tweaking, I like it more now.  The other guitarist in my band loves this guitar above all the ones I own.  So when we jam on acoustics at my place, there is no fighting  .  He has a great ear.  I say this to illustrate that tone is subjective.  This guitar has never even had a strap pin, so it is an indoor guitar too.

I have played a good many "boutique" guitars that I like better than the Larrivees I've played.  However, many other "boutique" guitars are not (to me) worth the extra cash - in some cases I preferred Larrivee regardless of price.

[ducktrapper]

My experience playing a Ryan? Nice guitar. About $6,000.00 too much, however. I thought it was almost as good as my 1975 L09 though to be fair, my guitar had longer to open up. I played a couple of McPhersons at the Podium last year and couldn't figure out why Paisley would choose one over his D10. Must be the interesting design because they didn't exactly thrill me. I preferred my D05. 

[Mikeymac]

I thought Walkerman's photos said it all...

...Larrivee's are just great PRODUCTION guitars; my experience is that they're more consistent in quality of woods and tone than Martin, Taylor and (definitely) Gibson, while usually costing MUCH less.  So they're a great value. 

I don't want to get rid of my Larrivee's to move up; I'd end up regretting it (done that too many times with too much gear involving too much money...).  Call me crazy, but the one non-Larrivee I'd like to get someday is a Martin Johnny Cash signature...and I know it's just an emotional, signature artist thing; I'm sure just about any Larrivee D style would sound as good or better, and I know I'd like the SD-50 or SD-60 much better because of their specs (slot head and wider nut, sloped shoulder).  So I'd also like to eventually get one of those. 

All in good time...

[el guitana]

I've had Martin and Taylor, Middle of the road models, but I like the D-03R better.