-02 models

[synkronized1]

I have been reading a lot about these guitars. I have read the description on the Larry site and understand when they were produced. I also get the difference between the -02 and -03 models.

Can anyone shed light on why they were produced and why they were only a short run? I assume because they had a surplus of lower-grade material lying around and didn't want to dispose of it. I play an L-02 and love it. I can't imagine how amazing an upgrade in materials would sound.

[stuco]

 

An upgrade in materials won't really sound better.  It will just look better.

[prof_stack]

Can anyone shed light on why they were produced and why they were only a short run?

It might be related to Larrivee's making some low-cost guitars for Guitar Center to sell.  Or perhaps with the intention of competing with lower cost Asian guitars entering the NA market.

[JohnM2001]

The story I've heard was that Larrivee signed the exclusive 02 deal with Guitar Center, they got all the 02 guitars to sell.  Later on, Larrivee realized that although the volume was there, the profitability was not, and the 02 line took too much of their manufacturing capacity for making other, more profitable guitars.  Some say that the 02 line almost croaked Larrivee.   Dunno if thats true.  I loved it when you could go in to GC and have 5-6 02 guitars to choose from, all for $599, and even blow out pricing of $499 sometimes, thats the lowest I saw them going for.  Of course, they always played their GC games, trying to sell you the case for an extra charge, when it came stock with every guitar.

[synkronized1]

The story I've heard was that Larrivee signed the exclusive 02 deal with Guitar Center, they got all the 02 guitars to sell.  Later on, Larrivee realized that although the volume was there, the profitability was not, and the 02 line took too much of their manufacturing capacity for making other, more profitable guitars.  Some say that the 02 line almost croaked Larrivee.   Dunno if thats true.  I loved it when you could go in to GC and have 5-6 02 guitars to choose from, all for $599, and even blow out pricing of $499 sometimes, thats the lowest I saw them going for.  Of course, they always played their GC games, trying to sell you the case for an extra charge, when it came stock with every guitar.

That's interesting and would make sense. I bought mine new at Long & McQuades in Vancouver BC. Maybe it wasn't new afterall.