New Larrivee Electric Guitars Released

[WPete]

That is correct, Larrivee confirmed to me today that they would be offering both pickup configurations as options.  That should make some folks happy!  J

Pardon an newby question, but what is the difference between Larrivee's  P-90 and Humbucker pickup's sound ?
I just read wickipedia on P-90 and Humbucker so I understand single vs. dbl coil (60hz noise cancelling) but would guess that Larrivee would use a single variation that is also hum-cancelling. Thus what is the sound difference, pro/con, etc.,  between the two Larrivee designs ? - Thanks in advance.   

[teacycle]

My RS-4 is easily the best electric guitar I have ever owned and simply as good as any I've played. I think there is an RS-2 with P-90s lurking in my future. "Hey, honey! Look! Another guitar." Oh well, she loves me and drives a new car while I drive one that was built in '95.

I am in complete agreement. My RS-4  renewed my love of the guitar. I was/am thinking about an RS-4 P90 but will wait until I try a RS-2 P90. I ride an old touring bike to work daily while my wife drives the new car so I don't think there will be much of a problem with one more guitar lurking in the corner.

[ducktrapper]

I am in complete agreement. My RS-4  renewed my love of the guitar. I was/am thinking about an RS-4 P90 but will wait until I try a RS-2 P90. I ride an old touring bike to work daily while my wife drives the new car so I don't think there will be much of a problem with one more guitar lurking in the corner.

Ain't love grand! 

[macsmojado]

Ducktrapper and teacycle,

U guys are killing me! Just kidding! carrying on about your RS-4's!

Seriously though my ROOTBEER RS-4 is in route to Jerry's Lefty Guitars as we speak so I
will have it for sure by the middle of next week!

Matt wasn't able to click any pics of it finished before they shipped it out this Tuesday but
he assured me that it was "Beautiful" with a very special flamed top and that it played
and sounded "Killer"!

I am already preparing for one of the RS-2's with P-90's!

Pics for sure to be posted here at the forum ASAP!

Mac

[ducktrapper]

Dicktrapper and teacycle,

I had to kill the last guy who called me that. Just saying. 

[GoldTopsRock]

Okay... I give in...it's a black RS2 for me. I'll probably put chrome covers on the pups though. When can we order? Anyone know?

[macsmojado]

Oh my gosh!

I just saw Ducktrapper's reply to my post! 
Man that's what I get for not using "SPELLCHECK"!

Sorry Ducktrapper!  Please refrain from inflicting bodily damage to me!

Mac

[teacycle]

I was thinking about this today at work and well..... a guitar you love the sound and feel of, you keep for years if not decades. Averaging out the extra cost of a RS-4 over ten years over the cost of a RS-2 is about $1.95 per week, depending on the deal you strike with a retailer . A carved maple top and the extra care and attention to electronics is worth the extra dollars to me.
That said, the RS-2 looks like a great guitar for the price. I just like the maple top. My dream guitar would be a RS-4 Goldtop P90 with a maple neck.

[Mikeymac]

I was thinking about this today at work and well..... a guitar you love the sound and feel of, you keep for years if not decades. Averaging out the extra cost of a RS-4 over ten years over the cost of a RS-2 is about $1.95 per week, depending on the deal you strike with a retailer . A carved maple top and the extra care and attention to electronics is worth the extra dollars to me.
That said, the RS-2 looks like a great guitar for the price. I just like the maple top. My dream guitar would be a RS-4 Goldtop P90 with a maple neck.

To each his own - can't fault you for wanting the top of the line.

I'm not too worried about the RS-2 having inferior electronics or hardware - looks like they'll be as nice as the RS-4's.

[ducktrapper]

Oh my gosh!

I just saw Ducktrapper's reply to my post! 
Man that's what I get for not using "SPELLCHECK"!

Sorry Ducktrapper!  Please refrain from inflicting bodily damage to me!

Mac

De nada, amigo. Once you get to know me, you'll be shocked to find out that I have a couple of detractors around here who call me names on purpose. Not to my face of course ... 

[Mikeymac]

Pardon an newby question, but what is the difference between Larrivee's  P-90 and Humbucker pickup's sound ?
I just read wickipedia on P-90 and Humbucker so I understand single vs. dbl coil (60hz noise cancelling) but would guess that Larrivee would use a single variation that is also hum-cancelling. Thus what is the sound difference, pro/con, etc.,  between the two Larrivee designs ? - Thanks in advance.   

P-90's tend to be less bassy than a humbucker, and may have a more pronounced midrange bite that sounds good overdriven. But they're a lot thicker sounding than a typical Fender single coil. Some people love their tone, some don't. Like lots of guitar related stuff, they're pretty versatile once you learn how to handle 'em!

P-90's were Gibson's original electric guitar pickup before Seth Lover came up with the side by side coil design that 'bucked the hum'. So all those old jazz and blues guys were using P-90's for years before humbuckers came along in '56-'57 or so...

[WPete]

Thanks Mikeymac , I think then I might be safe just trusting Larrivee to do a good sounding guitar with either pickup style and I would not initially be able to tell the difference greatly. Starting with a Larrivee acoustic after a 40 year hiatus has spoiled me for other brands.

[ducktrapper]

I'm thinking that one of the main differences between the RS-4 and 2 will be weight. I love my RS-4 but it suffers from the Les Paul syndrome. It's eight pounds. Doesn't sound like much until you have it hanging around your neck for an hour or so. The RS-2 without the maple cap should be more like a strat or a perhaps a junior. 

[macsmojado]

Hey Ducktrapper,

Just for the records! I had a "GORGEOUS LES PAUL STANDARD" in Heritage Cherry Sunburst that I just traded to
get my Rootbeer RS-4 and it was chambered and still weighed about 7.5 lbs. To me it felt very light and an
extra 1/2 lb. to my thought process will be a minimal weight increase for the RS-4!

I should have my RS-4 by Friday this week!

Mac

[ducktrapper]

When it comes to the Weight, it's all about relativity. Take a load off Fanny. 

[Mikeymac]

I'm thinking that one of the main differences between the RS-4 and 2 will be weight. I love my RS-4 but it suffers from the Les Paul syndrome. It's eight pounds. Doesn't sound like much until you have it hanging around your neck for an hour or so. The RS-2 without the maple cap should be more like a strat or a perhaps a junior.  

Some LP's - especially those 'sandwich' jobs from the mid/late '70s - '80s - could weigh lots more; 10/11 lbs. wasn't uncommon, and 12 or 13 lbs. were also seen. My Larrivee doesn't feel any heavier than my ash bodied Strats ... and I have a cheap Rondo/SX Tele that is heavier than the RS-4 (the body's a BRICK, but it has a surprisingly wonderful bridge pickup tone - amazing for such a cheapy!).

Look forward to your full tone review, when you get your Rootbeer, Mac!    

(Have to throw in a pic or two of my cheapy SX Tele - moded, of course!)

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[macsmojado]

Alright thumbs-Up!

Matthew just sent me an e-mail and confirmed that the first run of RS-2's were RIGHTIES!
That run just came out of "PAINT"! He said they are looking "Mighty Fine"!This was good
news for all of you "RIGHTIES"! 

Now on the latest on RS-2's for all us "LEFTIES"!
Matthew said the lefties would be built in the second run of RS-2's and that they
should be completed in about 6 weeks!

Their it is "HOT OFF THE PRESS"!

Mac

[Cybercanyon]

Here are some new pictures of the RS-2s including black, tobacco, cherry and a amber colored model.   
These are off of Larrivee's Facebook page.

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[WPete]

Matthew just sent me an e-mail and confirmed that the first run of RS-2's were RIGHTIES!
That run just came out of "PAINT"! He said they are looking "Mighty Fine"!This was good
news for all of you "RIGHTIES"! ...........

That was 3/22 so they should be at dealers by mid-April maybe ?  Anyone hear anything ?

[Mikeymac]

The ones in those pics were the initial "show" models, I believe. They're working on the actual first "production run" of RS-2s right now (humbucker versions, I believe), and I have no idea how many are in the initial production run, or when they will ship.

I assume some P-90 models will be next...I'm waiting for a lefty P-90 version.

If you're serious about getting one of these, I'd contact one of the Larrivee dealers who have stocked the RS-4 and ask if they have (or can get) more detailed info than this. They can make a phone call to Larrivee's distributor and get better information, I suspect.