Your First Time?

[GAME2003]

I was just sitting here sipping some mate and thinking: Where did I first experience the sound of Larrivee guitars? There are no Larrivee dealers in my area, and it took a while to remember, but I played Larrivee guitars exactly once before I made my purchase. I was visiting my girlfriend, a couple of years ago, when she was living in Boston, and I went into a place outside of Boston, called,  I think, The Guitar Stop. They had a 00 or 000 in the store that some buffoon had left in the trunk of his car and caused the top to lift and split. the guy then promptly traded it in on a new one and the shop had a luthier properly fix the instrument. You could still see the repair, as it had warped and separated from the bridge back across the lower bout, but man that guitar did sound Good. The shop was asking, if I remember correctly, less than 35% of what a new guitar of the same model costs and I almost bought that guitar. Fast forward to now and I am glad I waited to  get the 0000-60! So, what I am getting at is could everyone relate their First Time Experience with Larrivee?

[ducktrapper]

1974, Montreal. Bruce Cockburn playing a very pretty, great sounding, unknown guitar right in front of me. Someone said it was something called a Larrivée. I bought one in 1976. Still one of the best guitars I've ever played. 

[ronmac]

I first saw and heard a Larrivee in the hands of Bruce Cockburn, as well. Boy, who could give you a better introduction to a guitar than he?

The first one I played was late 197x? in a seedy pawn shop on the Halifax waterfront. In a room full of musty and dirty instruments the owner brought out this case and placed it on the counter. The simple action of opening the case was enough to cause the strings and body to start resonating. It was a cutaway and looked just like Bruce's. Of course the pawn shop owner told us that it did belong to Bruce (perhaps a little white Carney lie?  :WNK>). It looked and sounded better than any instrument I had ever been exposed to before. I was smitten, for life.

I didn't have the money to buy that guitar, but when I had the money and spied my '84 hanging on the wall of the Twelfth Fret I got that same feeling and sealed the deal.

[unclrob]

It was 12 years ago and they were purchased from the NAMM show display.I bought a 00-09.That started my addiction.

[joxter]

I read about Larrivee guitars on the web while surfing and trying to figure out what acoustic guitar to buy.

I had to drive an hour to a Sam Ash to play a D-03, an OM-03 and an L-05.  That was earlier this year.  Now I own two.

[Trent in WA]

A good friend and former bandmate has a L-02.  I always liked the way it sounded live, but then I heard it recorded and knew that the next guitar I got was probably going to be a Larrivee.  Months later, when I was doing some "shopping" for a friend (yeah, right) I tried out an OM-03R.   It was love, and I brought it home.

[Teddeo1000]

The first time I played a Larrivee was last month, the day my D03 arrived. I bought it with out ever playing a Larrivee. I did research them and every thing I read was positive. It's a very nice guitar. Teddeo1000

[PortHueneme]

I belong to a folk music club, one of the members set up a tour of the Larrivee factory. I live just a few miles from the factory and decided to go. No one else showed up, but Matthew was a very gracious tour guide. I even got to meet Jean. I had heard of the guitars, but never played one. It was several months later when I decided I wanted a 12 string that I revisited Larrivee. There was a local shop that would special order a Larrivee, but only had a few 03's in stock and no U.S. made models. He called the factory and they just happen to have a D-09-12 in stock. I went over and played it for a few minutes and I was a proud owner. It is a D-09 rosewood with a B-band pickup. The set-up was done at the factory and is unbelievable. I have played many 6 strings that play harder then my 12. The sound is awesome, anyone who has played my guitar is blown away. Having suffered from GAS for sometime I now have added a new SD-60 with a sunburst top. There are not words to explain the sound and playability. My 12 string as aged well and has really opened up, the SD-60 is still new, but seems to be improving everyday, it was great out of the box, but is only getting better.

I am a true Larrive believer, I have yet to play or hear a bad one. Whether you are buying an 03 or a Traditional series, I don't believe you can find a better built or sounding guitar for the money.

I forgot to mention I have a OM-03 koa, thanks to Uncle Rob. My 401K retirement may look sad, but I will have some great guitars when I am homeless.

[Gemnoc]

It was about 8 years ago. I was shopping for a new guitar and the salesman put an L-03 in my hands. Don't recall if it was a mahogany or rosewood one. It was fantastic. Unfortunately at the time, it was a couple hundreds over my budget. Plus the salesman gave me a talk about humidity control and it scared me. I bought a Yamaha and completely forgot about Larrivée.

Fast forward to 9 months ago. Looking to replace the Yamaha that was now unplayable. Told the salesperson what kind of music and playing style I was into. I saw him go to the climate-control room and come back with a guitar, saying "don't look at the price tag and just give it a try". I recognized the headstock. It was an L-03R. I strummed an E chord and was instantly hooked. This time I completely blew my budget going with cutaway and electronics. And I have no regrets. Bought my second Larrivée last week. It won't be the last either. ^_^

[Cowgirlie]

I was at a Muriel Anderson concert, and she asked me to come up to do a song during her show. She handed me a guitar from a stand behind her (she had not yet played it that night) I stepped up to the mic, played an intro, and was hooked. I will never forget the sound, and playability of that guitar, which was her prize for the Fingerpicking Championship.WOW! I have played only Larrivee since then (1999) and have never wanted anything else!

[roknroll]

It was probably about 6 years ago, in the back seat of my...er...oh right, larrivees...um, my friend brandon let me use his L-03 to record some stuff...I was hooked on phonix.

[HangFire]

Five or six years ago I owned a Taylor 710ce and was looking for a guitar for the road. (work related) Some folks on the old Taylor forum told me about the Larrivee Parlors so I drove down to Buff Bros. in SoCal, played a Rosewood and fell in love. Long story short, I ended up selling that Taylor and never looked back;-) ^_^

[fitness1]

I heard John Gorka play one in about '86 or so......I didn't play one (an OM-04) until about '92 or so.  I bought an OM-05 shortly thereafter and the rest is history as they say....

[Calvin]

Ah yes, first time...   ...Awkward at best. :GRN>

What?! oh guitars.  Bah.

[Walkerman]

I belong to a folk music club, one of the members set up a tour of the Larrivee factory. I live just a few miles from the factory and decided to go. No one else showed up, but Matthew was a very gracious tour guide.

Hey PH...I live in Oxnard.  What sorta stuff does your folk music club play?

[PortHueneme]

Songmakers is the club.
Website www.songmakers.org
I am the webmaster, send me an e-mail and I will send you a calendar of events.
I also go to Zoey's Bluegrass Jams on the 2nd & 4th Thursday's, fun group and a couple of Larrivees.