1980 Presentation Series

[ST]

Was playing this one last night.





There were half a dozen other guitars in the show last night.  This one sounded huge and dwarfed the others.

[unclrob]

  Very pretty,I see a taylor headstock whats the other on the stand?What show?

[George]

With all that bling, it looks more like a Presentation series than a 10, maybe a 19 or 72?  At any rate, quite the exquisite guitar...  I bet it was a joy to play too.

[ST]

With all that bling, it looks more like a Presentation series than a 10, maybe a 19 or 72?  At any rate, quite the exquisite guitar...  I bet it was a joy to play too.

You're right. Changed the subject

Thanks

[George]

So did it play as good as it looks?

[ST]

Hi George,

It's got some battle scars and needs fret work down near the nut. I don't play in that area much, so this wasn't an issue for me. The intonation and action are fine.

The guitar has a long and storied past. I've since found out, it's one of two Presentation models built in Victoria BC, in 1980.

ST

[ST]

Hi Rob,

Very pretty,I see a taylor headstock whats the other on the stand?What show?

Good eye.  On the left was a 1995 Taylor 914 Cindy. I know this guitar well, and it's a beauty. On the right, a Gibson dread. Didn't catch the model.

It was a house concert/fundraiser.  The venue is incredible. There were about 75 people.

[JOYCEfromNS]

With all that bling, it looks more like a Presentation series than a 10, maybe a 19 or 72?  At any rate, quite the exquisite guitar...  I bet it was a joy to play too.

ST  When I think of Larrivee from my youth its this Bling that screams Larrivee to me. Good call George on the 72. FWIW oddly tho in the Larrivee Model #'s a 19 would have less bling than would a 10. It kinda was always thought of as a 9.5 (just in between a 9 and a 10).

Would have loved to hear ST putting the 72 thru its paces!

[flatlander]

Hi George,

It's got some battle scars and needs fret work down near the nut. I don't play in that area much, so this wasn't an issue for me. The intonation and action are fine.

The guitar has a long and storied past. I've since found out, it's one of two Presentation models built in Victoria BC, in 1980.

ST

I saw one in a shop in Lexington Kentucky probably 1982. They kept it under a glass case. I knew they were rare but I didn't know they were that rare! Did it have abalone purfling down the sides at heel and around the back as well? The one I saw in shop way back and in 1980 catalog did. I remember them being BIG $$$ too! Of course they had the top of the top woods as well.

[JOYCEfromNS]

I knew they were rare but I didn't know they were that rare! .

Was of the understanding they do about 2 a year.

Here's mine from 2012 - sadly a bit of a Case Queen

ST - anything you can share of its storied past  

[ST]

Hi Andrew,

It's definitely a Presentation model. I forgot about the connection to the other one. But I've spent quality time with that one too. It has a Florentine cutaway.  It's a road warrior.

ST  When I think of Larrivee from my youth its this Bling that screams Larrivee to me.

Me too. With the exception of my old C38 (Classical with Florentine cutaway), I'm completely with you about the decorated models.  I used to have a Presentation model Classical with Florentine cutaway. Wrong time of life to keep it. I still look back with a twinge.

I've never completely gotten used to Venetian cutaways either. When I used to wander through guitar stores, my eyes were drawn to the prettiest guitars, and the Florentine cutaway was likely the first asymmetrical shape that I found attractive.

Good call George on the 72. FWIW oddly tho in the Larrivee Model #'s a 19 would have less bling than would a 10. It kinda was always thought of as a 9.5 (just in between a 9 and a 10).

Would have loved to hear ST putting the 72 thru its paces!

Thanks for the kind thoughts.

ST

[ST]

Was of the understanding they do about 2 a year.

Here's mine from 2012 - sadly a bit of a Case Queen

What a beauty! And about the Case Queen comment - That's tragic.

ST - anything you can share of its storied past  

It's been around and so has its twin. Both have been on several iconic Canadian albums. I'll leave it at that.

[ST]

Hi Flatlander,

Yes, it's all pretty in the back too. You can catch a hint of that if look really closely at the picture of the front.

I saw one in a shop in Lexington Kentucky probably 1982. They kept it under a glass case. I knew they were rare but I didn't know they were that rare! Did it have abalone purfling down the sides at heel and around the back as well? The one I saw in shop way back and in 1980 catalog did. I remember them being BIG $$$ too! Of course they had the top of the top woods as well.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Posting this  beautiful 1980 L Presentation to our front page

[Danny]

Quite an example of a top shelf Larrivee.

[L7two]

A very nice L-72.  If it is from back when the model was launched around 1979 the serial number should start with a "72" as mine from 1979 does.  And I believe the two digit month and year should follow.  I know there were quite a few of them featured back in 1979 when they launched.  I have the original Larrivee brochure that showed the 6 different original Presentation headstocks including mine but yours is different than any of those so 1980 seems likely. 

I'm curious about the 2 per year you quoted and where that might have come from as I'm always interested in the historical facts from back then.  I understood there were quite a few more than that including ones that Jean took to Europe and Asia but that could have been in later years.  I've seen one that is in France but can't recall the exact year.  They were referred to as the "Rolls Royce of Guitars" in their marketing material back then for good reason.  No one else did inlay work of that quality back then.