World's best electric = RS4

[SharkFM]

I spent a couple of hours (car was in for service) played all the best back to back. PRS, Gibbys, the RS4. Clear winner the RS4.  Going in I thought it would be close. It wasn't.

I'll label it the best "market" guitar in the world. (Gledura once told me his are the best and I do believe him - do a Google)

RS4 is downright amazing. I'll try to put into words what does it for me  - For playing it my subjective tests are: feel, ease of ripping, accuracy, balance, controls, mojo for creativity, does it inspire.
For sound I look at : how it rings out, sustain, flat frequency response, range, clarity, intonation and is it strong enough to hold tune when I let loose on it during hard playing (dynamic and static tune).
And of course quality workmanship and appeal.

This is a $5000 worth of guitar, for (retail) $2499.  The two RS4's that the store had in Victoria BC (Canada) have been on the shelf since I can remember. I cannot understand that. I was going to get the one on ebay but they cut me a deal on an amp so I got the black cheery/charcoal burst one yesterday.

I think I'll do a youtube vid on it the word needs to get out there.

[Mikeymac]

Another convert. 

Welcome to the congregation, SharkFM!

Signed,

The Rev.

[JOYCEfromNS]

feel, ease of ripping, accuracy, balance, controls, mojo for creativity, does it inspire.
For sound I look at : how it rings out, sustain, flat frequency response, range, clarity, intonation and is it strong enough to hold tune when I let loose on it during hard playing (dynamic and static tune).
And of course quality workmanship and appeal.

This is a $5000 worth of guitar, for (retail) $2499.  The two RS4's that the store had in Victoria BC (Canada) have been on the shelf since I can remember. I cannot understand that.

Welcome Shark I agree. Most buying a solid body electric today are buying for reasons other than what you listed. The name on the headstock or they just plain have no idea the RS4 is out there. The dealers are not pushing them. For the most part dealers are knowledgeable of instruments everything you listed is very clear in a one on one comparison so why are they not jumping up and down saying hey try this RS4??? I cannot understand either. I am confident tho this is just too nice of a guitar to remain anonymous for long. I firmly believe Matt LARRIVEE will be everything and more to the electric guitar world as his dad was/is to the acoustic

[Mikeymac]

Welcome Shark I agree.
Most buying a solid body electric today are buying for reasons other than what you listed.
The name on the headstock or they just plain have no idea the RS4 is out there.
The dealers are not pushing them. For the most part dealers are knowledgeable of instruments everything you listed is very clear in a one on one comparison so why are they not jumping up and down saying hey try this RS4???
I cannot understand either. I am confident tho this is just too nice of a guitar to remain anonymous for long.
I firmly believe Matt LARRIVEE will be everything and more to the electric guitar world as his dad was/is to the acoustic

Yes, if the dealers were doing part of their job, it would be to educate their customers about excellent new products (in this case, guitars) that will surpass their expectatons and make them say, "Wow! Where have these been?! This is THE ONE!"

I guess most dealers are too cautious ... or lazy. It's easier to just keep hanging Gibsons and PRSs on the walls, and wait at the cash register...

[GoldTopsRock]

I like the RS4 being in the "space" it's in. Then again, I was an only child and was always adverse to sharing. 

[macsmojado]

SharkFM,

I second your sentiments 100% as I just recently traded a very nice mint condition Gibby LP Stand.
for my Rootbeer RS-4! The Larrivee just "KICKS THE GIBBY" to the curb in every way that you
would judge and compare one guitar to another if you were going for the superior instrument of
the "TWO"!

When you look at the playability,fit and finish and most importantly the tone their isn't a guitar
anywhere close to the RS-4 in its price range! 

Enjoy! Show us some pics of your new RS-4!

Mac

[Cybercanyon]

The problem I run into is when other guitarist see my Larrivee's and then make a funny face and say that a Larrivee is not a Fender, Gibson or PRS.
Well Duh!   I want my Larrivee's not something else.  I like the way my RS4s sound and look.  I understand that other people have their preferences, however some of these guys won't even give my RS4 a second look or even listen to it.  I respect other peoples choices, but at least they could reciprocate. Their loss not mine.   I have converted some to the dark side though.

Larrivee RS4 = Great Guitar,  Great Price!

Larrivee electrics rock!

Mike

[ducktrapper]

My RS-4 is so good that when I listened to recordings of it last night I asked, "I did that?"  

[SharkFM]

Here's the "overture"

Crankin' straight into a new Traynor YCS50 All tube. Canadian made and awesome.
http://twitpic.com/1mm85o

Customer feedback, lettin' her ring
http://twitpic.com/1mm8b6

RS4 body on white
http://twitpic.com/1mm80r

http://twitpic.com/1mm7w2

The upper edge of the body is hard on my forearm. I might put a thin foam pad there and soften the nut a bit too at the top E.

Arriving at the Larrivee goes back maybe 2 years. This is serial # 100108 I was browsing and saw the two RS4's. First reaction was wow, thats a nice pce of work and what perfect neck. Didn't play it more than 10 seconds.  Then I was looking at acoustics - played Martin, Taylor, Gibson and then the guy hands me a D09?? That acoustic just blew me away. What range, love the neck, jam session erupts. Didn't buy it, but kept thinking about it.

Fast forward to now I researched the history of the Les Paul cause Terry our shop manager has a '58 LP Special. The LP's are really a "collapsed" down electric acoustic. I read up on the history of PRS too from my guitar book. Got me thinking I need to go back to my roots (I started on a LP copy I customized).

[Mikeymac]

Thanks for posting pics...nice!

When the RS-4 first came out, the Charcoalburst was my #1 color choice.
THEN I decided I would go "traditional" on this one and get the standard 3-color sunburst.
THEN the Rootbeer burst was introduced, and Matthew said they had some lefties almost done right when I was ready to order...the rest is history.

I used mine this week for the first time in Sunday worship (Wednesday practice and Sunday morning). Gotta say, don't know why I waited so long; I guess I thought some of our songs just required a Strat sound. But this thing played and sounded so great, it's going to be the "go-to" guitar for lots of Sundays to come!

Also used it Sunday evening for our men's group (we're studying Tony Dungy's book UnCommon - around 40-45 guys). The RS-4 worked great again for leading opening worship, no matter what the song...and Sunday evenings it's just me on guitar, a drummer, and two or three of us guys singing...but last night the music sounded so good I thought we were leading worship at a Promise Keepers event! The guitar and amp (Carr Rambler) had a LOT to do with that (as did our awesome drummer - thanks Brad)!

Song set Sunday night was:
Let It Rise
Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing)
O To See the Dawn
Change My Heart, O God

[macsmojado]

SharkFM,

Very Nice pics of your Charcoal Burst RS-4!

That color is much more "EYE-CATCHING" that I ever thought it would be!

Thanks for sharing with everyone! You don't realize how nice the RS-4's look when being
played until you see a pic of yourself or someone else with an RS-4 strapped on!

Mac

[ducktrapper]

I was torn with the colour choice. At first, I thought I wanted the sunburst but I have way too many sb's already, then I figured  the charcoal burst and then I saw the amber in real life. Pictures don't capture the true beauty of the amber RS-4. Anyway, my thinking eventually went along these lines. Cherry burst and gold top = too Gibson. Charcoal burst = too PRS. Sunburst = my sixth TSB instrument. The amber is fantastic when you actually get to see how it reveals the maple grain and to my way of thinking the most "Larrivée" of the choices. It really allows the wood to speak. Visually, that is.



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[SharkFM]

I probably would have given the amber the nod too, that's sweet. you know this cherry burst (or charcoal) was closest to the floor, so that is the one i grabbed and played. I never did try the sunburst one they had there. I had no intention of buying - was going to bid on the one in Georgia, but bought the thing a few minutes before walking out the door. price was getting lower every time I opened it to walk out....  

makes a good partner for the strat I picked up back in the early '80's from steve's music in TO. We were an indie band gigging clubs in TO at the time - El Macambo, Silver Dollar etc. even jamming with Ian Astbury (the cult) one night at Lee's palace, a highlight for sure.

http://twitpic.com/1n0kmh

[ducktrapper]

Cool playing the ElMo! You've tread hallowed boards.   

[JOYCEfromNS]

I was torn with the colour choice. At first, I thought I wanted the sunburst but I have way too many sb's already, then I figured  the charcoal burst and then I saw the amber in real life. Pictures don't capture the true beauty of the amber RS-4. Anyway, my thinking eventually went along these lines. Cherry burst and gold top = too Gibson. Charcoal burst = too PRS. Sunburst = my sixth TSB instrument. The amber is fantastic when you actually get to see how it reveals the maple grain and to my way of thinking the most "Larrivée" of the choices. It really allows the wood to speak. Visually, that is.

I too luv the amber most - now Im sooo fickle tho when it comes to the RS4 colors

[SharkFM]

Shot this vid yesterday morning. Audio was recorded using the cam in front of the amp, using the RS4 straight up, one take no dubs.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUzamJLyKEY

[macsmojado]

Ducktrapper,

Your AMBER RS-4 is definitely a "BEAUTIFUL GUITAR"!! I love the "HECK" out of my ROOTBEER RS-4
but I gotta say I would love to have the Amber RS-4 with P-90's but I'm going to have the Translucent
Amber RS-2 with P-90's so we'll see what happens? Ha!

Fellow Larrivee Forumites I just got a "SMOKIN NEW AMP"! Traded the Little Boogie Transatlantic for
a PRS SWEET 16 Head! I am going to get to the point of this amp tonally and not gush on and on
like we all do when we get a new BOUTIQUE ALL TUBE HANDWIRED AMP! This amp allows you to
crank the gain to the level of overdrive you want and by crankin the Master Volume to about 3 or 4
o'clock you have many shades of "CLEAN TO CRUNCH" all with the flick of your volume control on your
guitar! I have never had an amp that does it anywhere as well as the PRS SWEET 16 does!

Beautiful CLEANS and very nice low-medium gain CRUNCH to cover many grounds of "BLUES,BLUES
ROCK AND CLASSIC ROCK! T-M-B tone controls as well as a "NICE NOT TO BOINGY REVERB" to fatten
up things just right! Check this amp out if you get a chance to play one for sure! I have had 3 very
fine sounding Boutique 6V6 based amps in the last year and the Sweet 16 reigns over all of them!
That's not to say that I think the Sweet 16 is a superior amp to the "BOGNER,PORT CITY or DIVIDED
BY 13" amps that I am referencing to! The Sweet 16 has its own "UNIQUE TONE" for a cathode-biased
6V6 amp but the ability to control the amp from "CLEAN TO CRUNCH" with nothing but the Volume
control on guitar sealed the deal for me!

One loud MOFO for sure considering its 16 watt rating!

Mac



Mac

[macsmojado]

Everyone go and listen to SharkFM's video at YOUTUBE that he just posted!

VERY VERY COOL! It shows just how "TASTY AND ARTICULATE" the split/middle position
pickup setting is especially when played clean!

One of the more "ORIGINAL IDEAS" for a video clip than I've seen in a long time!
HATS OFF TO SharkFM! Great job and playing on the video clip!

Mac

[JOYCEfromNS]

Everyone go and listen to SharkFM's video at YOUTUBE that he just posted!

VERY VERY COOL! It shows just how "TASTY AND ARTICULATE" the split/middle position
pickup setting is especially when played clean!

One of the more "ORIGINAL IDEAS" for a video clip than I've seen in a long time!
HATS OFF TO SharkFM! Great job and playing on the video clip!

Mac

I 2nd that!!!!!

[Mikeymac]

Yes, great video - and song and tone.