Parlor Guitar

[StephenX]

First post. I am now a member of the Larrivee club as of yesterday. I traded my Blues Jr. amp plus $200 and got an unmodeled parlor guitar.
Would like some thoughts on this model. The certificate just says "Parlor Guitar". It is mahogany and spruce from the looks. It has an ebony fretboard and an abalone rosette. There is NO pickguard. Satin finish and Larivee tuners. What is this? The serial is 64xxx.
How do I maintain the body (lemon oil? etc.). There is a strange saddle on this: there is some sort of cutout on the saddle where the B string lies. ????

[eded]

The abalone rosette is a new one on me...  I bet it's pretty.  It sounds like a P-01 made sometime between 2001 and 2003, to me.  If you google up Larrivee serial numbers,  there is a spreadsheet online somewhere.  You *might* be able to find a close number and get an approximate date.  As far as maintenance, a damp cloth would be all I'd use (it's all I've ever used on any of my guitars).  The saddle is normal...  that cutout is the B string compensation. 

Congrats on the new acquisition!  Have fun with it!

Ed

[Walkerman]

No pickguard, or a clear pickguard.  All Larrivees used to come with a clear pickguard.  I know of no models that ceme with no pickguard.
What sort of binding does it have.  An abalone rosette would indicate a better model...I think.
I wouldn't use lemon oil.  If you do a search of the forum, I am sure that soundboard maintenance has been discussed many times.

[Mr_LV19E]

Link to serial numbers

  thanks for the donuts.

[StephenX]

Hi, and thanks for the replies! There is no pickguard or any indication that there ever was one. The abalone is beautiful, and the spruce top is flawless (never seen one without a slight imperfection) but this one is immaculate. The binding is flame maple.
I will post some pics soon. The bonding was immediate and deep.

[gitnoob]

Sounds like a 2003 Parlor.    Larrivee called them O-01 that year.    They seem to change their minds about naming the Parlor fairly often.  

That trim level would correspond to a P-03 this year.

[eded]

I thought only the early early ones (99 and 00) were O-01's but like you say, they've been pretty free and easy with designations for the parlors.  They have also been pretty fast and lose with "appointments" on 'em, too.  (grin). For that matter, there was no real rhyme or reason to the woods in those early models.  There was no R or K or W or M (or FM)...  they were just a Larrivee Parlor.  On the pickguards, there were a fair number of folks who removed them on receipt leaving no evidence of their existence.

Ed

[gitnoob]

Here's an archive of their 2003 website specs for this model:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030609152233/larrivee.com/content/products/guitars/specs/Parlor+-+MH/O01MH0.php

[LoMa]

The early P-01's did not have pickguards - not clear ones either. I had one of the earliest models on the P-01's and it also a 1-11/16" nut, not 1-3/4".

I also had one of the first rosewood and spruce parlors they made - it did not have a pcikguard either. But it did have the 1-3/4" nut.

They didn't have any neck binding either. Just white side dots, and nothing on the fretboard.

There was more variablity in the Parlors than the published specs would lead you to believe...

[eded]

Here's an archive of their 2003 website specs for this model:
http://web.archive.org/web/20030609152233/larrivee.com/content/products/guitars/specs/Parlor+-+MH/O01MH0.php

Nice...  and the index of archived pages:

http://web.archive.org/web/*hh_/larrivee.com/

If you go to the 1999 page and follow the US Price List link, you see what they were advert'ing when I got mine.  Of course the descriptions I had were from friends on RMMGA.  I got the local GC (the only local Larrivee dealer at the time) to special order one.  It turned out they ordered 5, 2 mahogany, 1 rosewood, 1 walnut, and 1 maple.  They weren't going to carry them at all.  If I remember correctly, they came in on a Thursday and were all gone by Saturday.  At the price, I'm surprised they lasted as long as they did.

Ed

[broKen]

Welcome Stephen. Sounds like a very nice guitar. Once you have 10 posts you can show it to us.

broKen

[StephenX]

Thx again for the replies and info. Sooooo, this is the infamous Tusq saddle! There are 3 nicks in which to move the B string. When I got it, the string was in the closest to 1st string position. It sounded unusual there and the spacing looked off, so I moved it to the mid nick. Seems better there. I am really loving this little guitar. I had a Gibson L-00 for 34 years until it was stolen. I couldn't afford the re-issue so I've been looking for a similar guitar and lucked upon this beauty. The L-00 was a "cheap" guitar mass produced for the masses and it's certainly obvious how superior this Larrivee is in construction. I may sleep with her.

[smilodon]

You should think about upgrading to a bone saddle. Also if you give donuts to everyone who replied on this post you should be up to 10 posts and able to post pics in no time.

[StephenX]

The abalone rosette is a new one on me...  I bet it's pretty.  It sounds like a P-01 made sometime between 2001 and 2003, to me.  If you google up Larrivee serial numbers,  there is a spreadsheet online somewhere.  You *might* be able to find a close number and get an approximate date.  As far as maintenance, a damp cloth would be all I'd use (it's all I've ever used on any of my guitars).  The saddle is normal...  that cutout is the B string compensation. 

Congrats on the new acquisition!  Have fun with it!

Ed

[StephenX]

No pickguard, or a clear pickguard.  All Larrivees used to come with a clear pickguard.  I know of no models that ceme with no pickguard.
What sort of binding does it have.  An abalone rosette would indicate a better model...I think.
I wouldn't use lemon oil.  If you do a search of the forum, I am sure that soundboard maintenance has been discussed many times.

[StephenX]

Sounds like a 2003 Parlor.    Larrivee called them O-01 that year.    They seem to change their minds about naming the Parlor fairly often.  

That trim level would correspond to a P-03 this year.

[StephenX]

The early P-01's did not have pickguards - not clear ones either. I had one of the earliest models on the P-01's and it also a 1-11/16" nut, not 1-3/4".

I also had one of the first rosewood and spruce parlors they made - it did not have a pcikguard either. But it did have the 1-3/4" nut.

There was more variablity in the Parlors than the published specs would lead you to believe...

[StephenX]

Donuts for all!
I am almost to 10 posts. I have 2 pics soon.
I heard from Larrivee and the guitar IS a 2003  P 01.

[StephenX]

Looks like I inadvertently offended Uncle Rob by not reading his posts correctly! My apologies.

As indicated, here are 2 pics of my new love (not very good pics, so I will post some more down the road).
hmmmm....I'm used to hitting an icon that says upload photo or something; how do I insert an image?

[gitnoob]

Click "Additional Options..." just below the text box when you reply.    There should be an option of attaching images.