Forum IV

[Danny]

I was just looking at the AGF and look what I found: http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=155641

The tops don't dent if you take care of them.

Only and opinion but it's mine!

fred

MMMMMMMM,,,,,,,,

[dermot]

ummmm.... did Danny like the cedar toped Webber too?

I loved Ricky's discription of it, he does way better than me at this;

dermot's cedar/rosewood Webber steel string round body - is one of the most memorable guitars I've every played. I can't believe how warm it sounds.

It's a 10 year old guitar that has traveled around the world several times, and it's crack free, a only a few tiny dings, this box has been around, taken care of, but not babyed... chucked in the cargo hold evey time, cedar's fine in my experience.

now, for me the question is; would Larrivee build with it?

[rpm60912]

Okay.  I'm getting attached to my parlor walnut.   I can't put it down.   Flatpicking, fingerstyle, I hug it, smell it,

search it inch by inch with my naked eyes (okay that's because I really need bifocals and don't have one yet).

I expect to play more git and less time here....... I wonder into the Forum and catch up with what's going on...



Then I see dermot's Webber red cedar/rosewood --- even David Webber himself says dermot's guitar is a "freak of nature."

Thanks to this Forum and this Forum IV discussion (special mention 'bltprf502' Rich, Zohn),

I am positively dreaming about a Webber. As far as "custom built guitars" go, this may be one of the best ones out there,

for a third or fourth of the cost of the MacPhersons, Bourgeois, and other boutique gits.   Scalloped/radiused bracing, Yummy!

So thanks for the picture dermot - I'd forgotten that yours is a cutaway - and do I see a delicious cocobolo binding - whatever

that red binding is.

As Zohn puts it, we are in the golden era of acoustic guitars where so many great luthiers are walking this earth

during our lifetime.   It's such a privilege to actually be speaking to the creator's of these fine musical instruments.

dermot's git definitely has got Mojo and I'm sure lots of stories to tell - if it could speak... I already know it can sing!

ricky

[Danny]

ummmm.... did Danny like the cedar topped Webber too?

d. you know I enjoyed using your guitar. It was very warm and clear. A nice finger style guitar similar to the LSV-11 only it had more resonance and sustain. The build was a 10 out of 10 from what I remember.
               I think it was a 14 fret standard scale wasn't it?

[Dotneck]

Another Cedar top checking in....this one is a Takamine that I rescued from our local craigslist.  Looks like this poor cedar/rosewood was used for rock and roll guitar and the cedar has the scars to prove it...fFrom this angle you cannot even see some of the pick marks left where a pick guard would be....yes, cedar is soft.....

The other unusual feature of this guitar is the neck...1 7/8" nut and the neck carve feels like a big round baseball bat. I love the neck!

[dermot]

               d. you know I enjoyed using your guitar. It was very warm and clear. A nice finger style guitar similar to the LSV-11 only it had more resonance and sustain. The build was a 10 out of 10 from what I remember.
               I think it was a 14 fret standard scale wasn't it?

yup to both... and two things i would change if ordered today ;-)

i have a hard time discribing tone tho... and you and Ricky have a gift for explaining & defining the indefinable ;-)

the best i can say is;
1) if a cedar topped 00 is under discussion for FVI, get thee to a guitar store and try a small body'd cedar topped git against a spruce one and let your ears decide
2) if my Webber is any thing to go by.. after 10 years and alot of air miles it's fine, not mint, but fine.... i would not worry about a Larrivee lasting a lifetime in any case.. it would be there a century after i'm gone....

i'm only playing 30 min a day to give my left hand a rest these days, and most of that time is on the OM19, working on El Mcmeen's "Star of the County Down Waltz" in CGDGAD.. so i spend an hour running the tune in my head and studying the tab, and make the most of the 30 min with strings.. the OM sounds beyond awesome in low C (with a .60 on the bottom)

The Webber is the second choice these days (but that's subject to change at my whim tho)

d.

[prof_stack]

I had a solid-cedar topped Yamaki 12-string for over 30 years and sold it last summer.  The cedar WAS softer and showed impacts quite quickly.  But it seemed to hold up fine otherwise.  Laminated rosewood back, probably sides, too.  Never really played it.

Oh yeah, a 12-string slothead, of all things:



[attachment deleted by admin]

[Zohn]

The best guitar I've ever heard, was an Olson SJ with Cedar and Indian Rosewood, played by Brian Doerksen. It is the same model Phil Keaggy and James Taylor use as well.Olson, Kevin Ryan and Bill Wise of Charis guitars use Ceder extensively with Indian, Madi, and Braz. rosewoods.
I personally would love to own a Taylor 514 with Cedar and Hog, and the Cedar/Indian Walden I own, is my personal favourite to gig with.

[BluesMan1]

   Nothing dents if you take care of it. My only point about that is it will dent even if your nail hits it, it's that soft. Has a nice sound when used right, but I don't know how Larrivee will do cedar, as far as the sound of it. Want to chance it? I just think spruce wpuld be a better sounding top over a cedar one on a OO size. Or a HOG top. They've been used many times by Martin on what was considered a OO size. Sorry for saying it again, but it's true. Has someone started a thread on cedar vs. spruce? That would be a good place to debate this, with the end results being posted here. Everyone doesn't want cedar & don't think Larrivee would go for it as an option. Someone want to send a smoke signal to them & see what their response is? Then the discussion about it as an option can continue seriously. I would wait for an all HOG OO with the specs listed, being one special guitar. Someone have a Larrivee cedar topped guitar that they can post a pic of? And as far as taking care of a guitar, all should be done so with the same care. Take care of your guitars & they will always be nice & fresh looking. And they'll take care of you! Cedar is just needs extra special care.
   And as far as a Webber, nice guitars with a price that fits the builder. Don't think you can really compare a Webber to a Larrivee as far as cost benefits. Like comparing a Larrivee to a Collings or SCCG. Some will hold up, but most won't, for the money. Special guitars all handmade by special builders.
     Jeff   

[dermot]

I'm with ya Jeff, i have my cedar fix already, what i'm looking for is short scale, cutaway & 1 & 13/16 -or- 1 & 7/8....  I was truly impressed with the two FIII's i tried, one  spruce/mahog, and one spruce/irw... and both wonderful

On paper the LSV11 is a great fit for me, or another custom from a local builder with similar spec's, but i am following along with FVI as it might turn out to have spec's i would buy into.. and like i said the FIII's are pretty amazing guitars.... my expactations were exceeded.. i have confidence in John Larrivee Jr's ablity to bring the best out of a mass order on a spec sheet, and turn that into a musical tool that will last a life time, and keep ya smiling.. really... that is why i'm following along   

d.

[magictwanger]

Sheeesh!!!

  12 pages in two weeks,and NO forum OO in sight!!!

[fongie]

   Nothing dents if you take care of it. My only point about that is it will dent even if your nail hits it, it's that soft. Has a nice sound when used right, but I don't know how Larrivee will do cedar, as far as the sound of it. Want to chance it? I just think spruce wpuld be a better sounding top over a cedar one on a OO size. Or a HOG top. They've been used many times by Martin on what was considered a OO size. Sorry for saying it again, but it's true. Has someone started a thread on cedar vs. spruce? That would be a good place to debate this, with the end results being posted here. Everyone doesn't want cedar & don't think Larrivee would go for it as an option. Someone want to send a smoke signal to them & see what their response is? Then the discussion about it as an option can continue seriously. I would wait for an all HOG OO with the specs listed, being one special guitar. Someone have a Larrivee cedar topped guitar that they can post a pic of? And as far as taking care of a guitar, all should be done so with the same care. Take care of your guitars & they will always be nice & fresh looking. And they'll take care of you! Cedar is just needs extra special care.
   And as far as a Webber, nice guitars with a price that fits the builder. Don't think you can really compare a Webber to a Larrivee as far as cost benefits. Like comparing a Larrivee to a Collings or SCCG. Some will hold up, but most won't, for the money. Special guitars all handmade by special builders.
     Jeff   

I'm with you Jeff, I think 'Hog' or 'Spruce' are my choice 
cheers
fongie

[BluesMan1]

   Magicman, I think the longer that goes into the planning, the better the results & our "asking" will be. I think we lucked out on the F-III planning, thanks to someones quickly put together ideas, such as Danny's idea of the IS, others, who know who they are, with their input also. Quickly put together, quickly built (1 & 1/2 months!). If we take our time on this one, get a general mutual consensus on all specs, I think it will be a well thought out guitar that might result in a "new" Larrivee guitar being offered, as the LS is now. Maybe they'll give us a good deal based on the outcome of the F-III, them profiting twice from reintroducing the LS into a series. Maybe we'll be appreciated for what we did for them, since we sure are for what was done for us, & expressed it many times!
   I, too, have faith in the Larrivee clan for bringing dreams on paper into fruition as an actual guitar. We all learned a lesson from the F-III build. Have 250 (?) pics saved on my pc of the build, which I check out every now & then. Pretty cool stuff. And having Jim Holler didn't hurt either. I think he's still recovering from that one, having taken on alot on & hopefully profiting enough to make it worth it. Just wish I had enough money to keep my future plans going, as I plan on getting a Martin OOO-15s if this thing doesn't happen. I still have to sell my Baden, being a great guitar but have enough of those. I want something that will fill a certain need I have, being the perfect blues box. My F-III IS/HOG really meets these needs, but want to be just like my hero, Joseph, & get the ultimate HOG machine! 
     Jeff   

[fongie]

   Magicman, I think the longer that goes into the planning, the better the results & our "asking" will be. I think we lucked out on the F-III planning, thanks to someones quickly put together ideas, such as Danny's idea of the IS, others, who know who they are, with their input also. Quickly put together, quickly built (1 & 1/2 months!). If we take our time on this one, get a general mutual consensus on all specs, I think it will be a well thought out guitar that might result in a "new" Larrivee guitar being offered, as the LS is now. Maybe they'll give us a good deal based on the outcome of the F-III, them profiting twice from reintroducing the LS into a series. Maybe we'll be appreciated for what we did for them, since we sure are for what was done for us, & expressed it many times!
   I, too, have faith in the Larrivee clan for bringing dreams on paper into fruition as an actual guitar. We all learned a lesson from the F-III build. Have 250 (?) pics saved on my pc of the build, which I check out every now & then. Pretty cool stuff. And having Jim Holler didn't hurt either. I think he's still recovering from that one, having taken on alot on & hopefully profiting enough to make it worth it. Just wish I had enough money to keep my future plans going, as I plan on getting a Martin OOO-15s if this thing doesn't happen. I still have to sell my Baden, being a great guitar but have enough of those. I want something that will fill a certain need I have, being the perfect blues box. My F-III IS/HOG really meets these needs, but want to be just like my hero, Joseph, & get the ultimate HOG machine! 
     Jeff   

I'm thinking of culling down my collection to just 4 and have this FIV as my 5th, last, ultimate and perfect guitar. Jeff, so true, careful thoughts and planning is so important to make this dream machine come true.
cheers
fongie

[BluesMan1]

   Fongie, let me know about the Larrivee catalog?
     Jeff   

[fongie]

   Fongie, let me know about the Larrivee catalog?
     Jeff   

Hey Jeff, can you help me out here? I've got this mind block, do you think I can find the post on the catalog? Where did we post? Thanks
cheers
fongie

[magictwanger]

Yes,I admit the "Blue one" is right on....as usual!

  Yet,I cannot help thinking that business must be good at Larrivee,for this kind of absence,with this interest level....In my local neck of the woods,someone would have been on this already.The economy "is" that lousey around here!

  Cash is tight!....I'm gonna have to see a pretty special git(multi options,and a fair price) to jump on that band wagon.....Zohn to the rescue,I'd expect 

 

[dermot]

From Larrivee's site ten years ago;

The Larrivee "OO" style body guitars were originally created for Joan Baez. At first glance, this guitar looks like it would produce a 'smaller' sound because of it's size, but with it's 12 frets to the body it packs a sound comparable to much larger guitars

back then it was only offered in 05/09/10/72 series.... no 03's

So would this be the first time an 00-03 has been done?

d.

[prof_stack]

If the F-IV gets off the ground and is a 12-fret 00, I'll likely be in for the all-hog version.

Now, that wasn't so hard...

[fongie]

If the F-IV gets off the ground and is a 12-fret 00, I'll likely be in for the all-hog version.

Now, that wasn't so hard...

cheers
fongie