What new features would you wish on Larrivee guitars?

[Edwardtang]

I think Larrivee guitars are just perfect, but "perfection" is just a word.
Ok, I am being extremely picky here, proving how good a Larrivee already is...so here we go;
What I wish for is:
1) Maybe more choices on the neck binding? (bloodwood , snakewood, flamed maple, tortoise..etc)
    I intend to keep my guitar for life and I just hate to see those white bindings get old !
   I personally think one little change such as the neck binding (didn't say body binding cuz mine got a two-toned rosewood binding whick looks great )would make the guitar that much more attractive.  I have the same complaint on this issue also regarding Martin guitars , their neck bindings are even worse unless you pay big $$ for those really high end models, then you get a gloss finish on those cheap looking white binidings. This improvement shouldn't cost the factory a lot more money nor work, does it? I am sure they would make us pay for it, anyways, right? I for one would pay for those options.

2) The fret edges should be smoothed out . Even though it is just a little trouble for me to do it myself or send it to a luthier, I would be more happy if it came smoothed out . I am looking forward to buy more Larrivees but am not looking forward to smooth out the fret edges.

3) I've played more than a 100 Larrivees and found that 99% of them have the same fret wire size. Yes, it makes it sound good , but wouldn't it be great if there were more choices? Like those found on a Martin, the really thin , short frets, on an OM or a D sized?

4) Better stock Tuners
   For me, Larrivee guitars ranks at the top of any guitar ever made and I think it deserves top-of-the-line tuners. Don't you? The ones found on my D-60 are great! They even took the time to engrave it a little, nice job! But on my OMV-10E..that is another story.

Ok...I've tried my best..I can only come up with 4. 
Just little suggestions

[lw216316]

- definitely a CHOICE on tuners
- a CHOICE on neck width, I prefer wide- as in 1 7/8
- a CHOICE in finish - my preference is satin
- a choice in original strings - prefer NOT Cleartones
- a choice in scale length - prefer short
- a choice in number of frets to body , I prefer 12

- Larry

[jeremy3220]

There are areas where I think Larrivee could improve but I don't care if they do or not. Larrivee can run their business however they want. Just because Larrivee doesn't make guitars with bloodwood binding doesn't mean I can't buy a guitar with it.

[JohnM2001]

Options on top wood: cedar, engelmann, etc.  The rest is all good 

[Michael T]

BONE (nut & saddle)! And fully articulated sadles.

[Danny]

BONE (nut & saddle)! And fully articulated sadles.

  The rest is "opinions" Bone nut and saddles are a must...and what would we do withot the comic relief provided by tuners that go PINNNNNNNNNNG in the night

[omozom]

Bone nut and saddles
Tuner upgrade options
I wish they had more short scale models. For instance the OM or 000
But like Larry said if you want those features go find them. There are lots of good guitars out there.

[ducktrapper]

Asking that they come with different strings? Jeepers, it's not like they're hard to change, is it?   

[jeremy3220]

Asking that they come with different strings? Jeepers, it's not like they're hard to change, is it?   

you can change them 

[guitone]

a 00 with a true 00 short scale, 24.9 or 24.75

Also, a 14 fret 00 would be really nice (short scale of course).

[lw216316]

you can change them 

It's like diapers....you don't have to change them but it stinks if you don't   

[Danny]

 Some folks like cleartones and they sound alright for a while when they are new. Anyone who wants a personal sound is going to use ones that fit their taste anyway and that changes with so many factors.
    I thought the shaller tuners were fine by posts I have seen, mine has a decent set of pings believe it or not. I will take them off and replace them some day. But that's not a biggie for now.

           The 12th fret orders Larrivees with Waverly tuners and a lot of these features we are asking for. Just be on the look out for a limited run and you may find one that is exactly what you would want.

[knowspicker]

a 00 with a true 00 short scale, 24.9 or 24.75

Also, a 14 fret 00 would be really nice (short scale of course).

Plus infinity... etc.

[bluesman67]

Nicer tuners would be good but I like the neck binding.  I know very little about guitar building, but I think the primary reason for the binding they use is that the "better quality" natural woods can cause problems over time, introducing a 3rd wood to the neck that has a variable mass due to the relative humidity.  Someone who knows more please shed some light on the matter.  I have seen 'higher end' guitars such as Lowdens with no neck binding at all.

[tadol]

Most of these things sound like we would all like the custom shop to open up and let us order the exact Larrivee we'd want. Choose your own body size, top, back and sides, neck width, binding, top, inlay, frets, etc. - basically taking advantage of the production techniques they've developed to save money on custom appointments.

Unfortunately, everything I've heard Jean ( Mr. Larrivee to me ) say is that isn't the kind of shop he wants to run. He likes making really good guitars at a good price - and he is doing that very well. Doing all this custom will still make some very good guitars, but the price would have to go up a pretty fair bit, and also add a fair bit of headache to the operation.  But that doesn't mean I don't have a few wishes - I just doubt we can get them one at a time -

Tuners, saddles, pins, nuts, pick guards, pick-ups - there are some really good people out there making and supplying these. It would be nice to get a guitar from the factory with some of these upgraded items already on it, but its also nice to let your local tech do these upgrades and keep them employed and available for bigger problems. And you can get frets changed - not simple, but it can be done.

I just hope that they continue to make short runs of special instruments - either through groups like this Forum and the Forum guitars, through dealers and some of their limited editions, or maybe from time to time Jean ( Mr. Larrivee to me ) will just surprise us all and build something really interesting just to try -

And I just hope they announce them on this Forum so I hear about them before they are all sold - 

Tad

[Novalis]

Having a cutaway option on the OM seems like a must. Also, making an OM w/o a pickguard. I'd have a Larrivee OM right now if these had been options. Sure, one can remove a pickguard, but when I buy a new guitar, I don't want the trouble of taking it off nor do I want a tan-line.

When it comes to strings, anytime I get a new guitar I always remove whatever is on it and put on a new set anyway, so the cleartones don't bother me.

[dcarey]

A beer tap in the lower bout.

Dan

[lw216316]

pickguard

yea, PICKGUARD, forgot to put that on my list -
and option to NOT have a pickguard

[ozrufus]

I'd like a lower neck radius for ease of fretting, but that's just me.

[DrLeeDetroit]

a 00 with a true 00 short scale, 24.9 or 24.75

Also, a 14 fret 00 would be really nice (short scale of course).

I'm with guitone (and knowspicker)! I'd love to see this with a 1.75" nut, though, and not the monstrously wide nuts builders sometimes put on these little beauties.

--Lee