Comparison of Larrivee Bracing Systems on 000 instruments by Alamo Music

[William2]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbOzWbv0ERA

[mike in lytle]

Thanks for this.
Mike

[StringPicker6]

Fantastic video, thanks for posting it!! Alamo is a great shop, and they are big fans of Larrivee.

[teh]

Thanks for posting this link William.

Chris and Cooper from Alamo do a nice job of explaining the features and design of each model they review. Since they offer a variety of brands at different price points, they incorporate a positive vibe into their comparisons too. They also bring out the best of each guitar they demo and each of them has their own playing style. I would like to see reviews and hear their impressions about the 24 series and 12 string models offered by Larrivee in the future.

Since returning from vacation last Friday, the bulk of my playing time has been spent with my 00-24 and my 12 string LV-03MT. During my shop tour with Matt Larrivee in Oxnard two years ago, he showed me the braces made from Moonwood Spruce that were used on my 00 which is one of the key ingredients in their guitar building "recipe". It's not a coincidence that each of my three of my Larrivee six string models have a 12 fret neck too.

[StringPicker6]

After watching that video, I picked up my Forum VII which is a 000-03 with a fancy top, and I just love the shape, comfort and feel of it!! The bass is very satisfying also, compared with a Larrivee om.

[William2]

After watching that video, I picked up my Forum VII which is a 000-03 with a fancy top, and I just love the shape, comfort and feel of it!! The bass is very satisfying also, compared with a Larrivee om.

I agree, after watching that video my choice was the 000-03. There is something about that bracing I really like. I can only compare it with my D-03R. The bass on my D-03R is some tight and strong without being overpowering. If I'm playing something like the Villa Lobo Prelude #3, the bass is more defined against the arpeggios in the trebles compared to my 40 series instruments.

[BlueBowman]

With Larrivee, anyway, I'm not so sure I'd be able to guess which bracing system was which based on the ones I've owned. People say the 40 series, the series I seem to favor, has more bass, but I've also owned -03 series guitars that sounded great in the bass department. I posted about my OM-03 WL (cedar/walnut) a while back. That guitar has an amazing bass response and tone. Actually, for the most part, it sounds great everywhere.

Anyway, I think it comes down to the individual guitar. My advice: don't buy a guitar only on specs. 

[StringPicker6]

I've read amazing reviews of Larrivee OM's with walnut b/s. You are definitely lucky to own one!

[William2]

With Larrivee, anyway, I'm not so sure I'd be able to guess which bracing system was which based on the ones I've owned. People say the 40 series, the series I seem to favor, has more bass, but I've also owned -03 series guitars that sounded great in the bass department. I posted about my OM-03 WL (cedar/walnut) a while back. That guitar has an amazing bass response and tone. Actually, for the most part, it sounds great everywhere.

Anyway, I think it comes down to the individual guitar. My advice: don't buy a guitar only on specs. 

For me, when I listen to comparison videos like this one and say a Martin D-28 vs a D-35, I've always liked the D-35 over the D-28 and in the above case the 03, sound wise. That said, if you are a fingerstyle player like me, I find the scalloped bracing gives me more response for the same finger effort. I'll go one further and say an Adi top works best for fingerstyle if you're playing requires dynamics and melodic definition. The top wood is the most important.