NGD OM-03

[Treenewt]

I got my new Larrivee Monday night, but due to a jam packed week of work and evening activities with the family, I was only able to play her a bit here and there...until Friday.  I got off work early and was able to really put her through her paces...and I just kept smiling and smiling. I fell in love with the tone of Larrivee Guitars (and specifically their spruce/mahogany models) about 6 years ago while on vacation in the NC mountains (a visit to the Acoustic Corner did me in).  I purchased an L03 that was great, but I passed it on to a younger guitarist at our church at the time.  A short while later, I bought the OM-40.  I would still have that one, but after leaving my job in NC and transitioning to OK,  I sold it to a friend as I couldn't justify two guitars.  At the time, I had an amazing D18 and the OM-40, and I kept the Martin.  

Since then, I have moved the Martin on for personal reasons. Last fall I picked up an Eastman E1OM as my only guitar, and while I loved the smaller body shape of the OM, the Eastman neck was giving my left arm fits (pain in the wrist and elbow), and I found it excelled at finger style, but was lacking something when strummed.  I wasn't sure what I was going to do.  I was playing all the 000/OM bodies I could find locally, but nothing was striking me in my price range.

I began to kick around the idea of getting a Larrivee again, and was pretty sure I was going to get another OM-40.  That is, I was sure until Shoreline Music announced his moving sale.  When I saw the price John had on an OM-03, I called my wife to be sure she was cool with it, and I pulled the trigger.  I was nervous that the standard Larrivee might not move me the way the OM-40 had, but boy, was I wrong.  Joyfully wrong.  



Pure.  

Larrivee.  

Goodness.



Balance, warmth, tone, clarity, punch, feel, craftsmanship, simplicity, beauty.  All the things I remembered flooded back in.  



The neck on this one has the newer standard 16' radius, which immediately felt more familiar to my hands than the former compound radius.  The neck shape and wider fingerboard fit me better too (no wrist/elbow pain at all!).  I've found that even though the Eastman and the Larrivee have the same nut width of  1 3/4, the Larrivee is much roomier.  I had trouble fretting a clean "A" in first position on the Eastman...no such problems with the Larrivee.  The 2 1/4 spacing at the saddle is nice and roomy, too.  



The bass is powerful and full.  If it differs at all from the OM-40, my memory can't tell it!  It excels at finger style...just so balanced and clear!  And this little boss gives up nothing when strummed!  Just tickles me to get to play anything on it!

It's hard for me to quantify the Larrivee tone, but there is something in the way they build that just clicks every good thing in my brain, especially in mahogany.  I know some folks don't care for the tone, but dang, I love it.  Out of all my fits of GAS induced selling, the Larrivee's I've owned are the only ones that didn't go away for "the quest for tone."  Whatever they have, I like it!

So I sold the Eastman E1OM to a gentlemen locally, and I'm moving the AC320 I had as well.  I've come to realize I just prefer the feel/tone of the OM, and this OM-03 has it for me.  I've owned a lot of instruments the past few years, but Larrivee mahogany OMs have come to feel like "home."  

And it's good to be home!



Soundcloud link:
https://soundcloud.com/treenewt74/larrivee-om-03-sound-test

[unclrob]

Love the wood binding such class.

[Treenewt]

Love the wood binding such class.

I completely agree! That's one of the recent changes I can wholeheartedly embrace. I didn't care for the white binding on the neck mixed with the maple on the body. When I hold and play this guitar it feels like a world class instrument...and so it is!

[Rockysdad]

Congrats, , 
Great guitar, definitely World Class instruments. !

[Davy Vanthuyne]

Congratulations on your beautiful instrument 

[Treenewt]

Thanks y'all! 

[Treenewt]

I was able to record a quick sound clip with the OM-03 the other night.  It's rough, and Garage Band was giving me fits, but it shows a bit of this gem's power and clarity. 

https://soundcloud.com/treenewt74/larrivee-om-03-sound-test

Forgive my sloppy playing!   

[jweave69]

Yep she's a beaut! Congrats and I wholeheartedly agree on the Larrivee tone! I'm so tempted to buy a Martin because of the history and the way they increase in value, but I'm not a collector and I prefer the Larrivee tone to every Martin I've heard so far!

[Treenewt]

Yep she's a beaut! Congrats and I wholeheartedly agree on the Larrivee tone! I'm so tempted to buy a Martin because of the history and the way they increase in value, but I'm not a collector and I prefer the Larrivee tone to every Martin I've heard so far!

Thanks!  I grew up a Martin guy, and I sorely miss my D18, but for the first time since I let her go, I don't feel like I'm missing anything.  Larrivee's tone is just...sublime.  It's hard to quantify.  It's just so dang good!

[jpmist]

I was able to record a quick sound clip with the OM-03 the other night.  It's rough, and Garage Band was giving me fits, but it shows a bit of this gem's power and clarity. 

https://soundcloud.com/treenewt74/larrivee-om-03-sound-test

Forgive my sloppy playing!   

It does sound sweet! Too modest on your playing, I enjoyed it and your OM's rich tone.

Now some tech questions, mic - dynamic or condensor? where are you pointing? I do GarageBand a lot and I'm guessing ridiculously you used the Arrangement track to shuffle the sequence of your playing? For me those vertical dividing lines have to be exactly right or you'll  snip off the beginning of a track. . .

Sounds like love at first sight, just you wait till the darn thing opens up!

[Treenewt]

It does sound sweet! Too modest on your playing, I enjoyed it and your OM's rich tone.

Now some tech questions, mic - dynamic or condensor? where are you pointing? I do GarageBand a lot and I'm guessing ridiculously you used the Arrangement track to shuffle the sequence of your playing? For me those vertical dividing lines have to be exactly right or you'll  snip off the beginning of a track. . .

Sounds like love at first sight, just you wait till the darn thing opens up!

Thanks for the kind words JP!  I'm pretty rusty...getting back into playing again, and the Larri is certainly helping with that!

The mic I'm using is an inexpensive USB condenser I got off Amazon.  I'm pointing it at the 14th fret, though you can tell when I shift and you get more of the soundhole output! I use Garage Band and the mic in, but quite possibly I selected the arrangement track...I'd have to go back and look.  I'd wager you're right.

And I cannot wait to see how this thing blossoms as it opens up! 

[Blind Dog]

Congrat's. 

Mine's my main squeeze, and it's a treat to look at too. Had it three years, and the flawless craftsmanship still catches my eye.

Nice figure in your mahogany.

Enjoy!

[Treenewt]

Congrat's. 

Mine's my main squeeze, and it's a treat to look at too. Had it three years, and the flawless craftsmanship still catches my eye.

Nice figure in your mahogany.

Enjoy!

Thanks Blind Dog! They are special guitars, aren't they? I installed a strap button today, and will be putting a K&K in her later this week. I continued to be drawn in by this one. I can't put her down!

[Treenewt]

I'm going to install a K&K today, and will be playing her this weekend at church.  Pretty stoked to get to do this again!

Also going to put Nickel Bronze mediums on her for the first time.  I've worn out the set she came with trying different tunings and such!

Can I just say again how pleased I am with this guitar?  So dang good!

[unclrob]

Heard and played the Nickel bronze for the first a fw weeks ago on an L01 really nice tone and feel.

[Treenewt]

Heard and played the Nickel bronze for the first a fw weeks ago on an L01 really nice tone and feel.

Rob, I really liked them on my former OM-40, so I'm guessing I'll feel the same on the OM-03.  I haven't liked them on every guitar I've owned (surprisingly did NOT care for them as much on my D18), but the OM-40 sure liked them.  I tend to go back and forth between the NB and reg EJ17.  The NB are more expensive and are SUPPOSED to last a bit longer, but I've found that really depends on the guitar (as well as how much I'm playing said guitar). 

[Treenewt]

Got the K&K installed yesterday (forgot how nerve wracking that can be when you haven't done it in some time!) and played her at church today. No fatigue in my left hand at all, so I continue to be thrilled with the ergonomics of my Larrivée! It's the first time I've plugged in for nearly 3 years, so it was weird at first! But the K&K did great!

Not sold on the Nickel Bronze on this guitar. They may still be warming up, but right now I don't like them as much as the EXP  that we're on her from the factory. Going to give them some time and see if they settle in.

[Treenewt]

Update:

I'm really disappointed in the NB on this guitar.  I'm going to give them a few more days, but they lack the warmth I'm used to hearing.  I've had this problem on other guitars, too.  Same wood combo, as well.  On some, I LOVE the NB strings.  They truly sound dead on this one, and way too bright and trebly.  Oh well, you have to experiment, right? 

[Mikeymac]

Yep - gotta experiment and try new things/strings... I'm not a fan of the D'Addario NB strings, however I like the Martin Monel Retros (which are a DIFFERENT metal formulation, even though they may look the same). YMMV, IMHE, etc.

[Blind Dog]

I'm likely going to include an Ivoroid end pin with my next Larrivée order. I went for the Ivoroid/gold tuners, and a "Vintage" strap with the "Strap Tie-Off". Liked the strap (& t-o) well enough I'll be ordering another set. Tuners took ten minutes to swap, and only a week to ship to Canada. Nothing wrong with the originals, I just can't leave stuff alone.

I don't have a pickup, but I like John Pearse PB 'Slightly Light' strings on my mahogany. I finger pick, with just nail, almost exclusively.

Enjoyed your recording, thanks, Maybelle was one of the very first to play guitar so as to catch my ear--sixty years ago Wildwood Flower made quite an impression. (Blame her Mom.)



Edit: And can I ask, where you got that capo, please?