LSV-11

[RKV]

Anyone here have this fingerstyle guitar?

Do you like it?

Randy

[CF Larrivee]

I have had one for a little over a month. It was rather stiff when I first got it, but it is loosening up some, now. Still has quite a way to go, though.   The guitar feels really nice. The combination of the the short scale and 1 &13/16" nut really works for me. Action and intonation is very good on my LSV-11. I've been keeping it in open tunings for most of the time. The tone of this guitar seems to shine better in alternate tunings. Maybe as it opens up it will come around for standard tuning. All in all, I'm quite happy with it.

[RKV]

Thanks for the comment. I hope you continue to enjoy the guitar.

Randy

[RoundLakeDT]

I've had an LSV-11E for about a year now, and it's fantastic.  Traded in my beloved OM-03 to get it and have no regrets.

I would second the comment above about the instrument being "stiff" when I first got it... i.e. not as loud as the well broken-in OM.  However it deepened & 'loudened' in a few months in an extraordinary way, and has a great balanced, ringing tone. (Did I mention I like it?)

Had been looking for shorter scale and wasn't disappointed in playability.  Compared to a Parlor I used to have, the difference between this scale (24.8 or so) and full scale (25.5) hits you more on a subconscious level -- your playing becomes better or easier, but you can't say exactly why.  In contrast, the Parlor scale (24.0) led to a quite conscious adjustment in one's playing when switching.

The wider fretboard threw me off a bit when I test drove it at the dealer (it's just 1/16" wider than an OM, but enough to surprise your fingers on some moves).  It soon become ingrained, and actually rather important to me.  Wide positions and complex bass/lead picking are easier with the broader space to work with -- probably the reason why Classical guitar fretboards are traditionally about 2" wide.

I have the dual pickup system with preamp and EQ module on the side.  Like that a lot too; great sound and useful contrast between the undersaddle and soundboard transducer pickups (knobs varies the mix from one pickup to the other).  Can also change the battery w/o removing strings (unit pops up out of the side).  At the same time, the "body-thump-sensing" effect of the soundboard transducer (I-beam) is not as pronounced as in other guitars where I've had I-beam's installed, even when the mix is 100% I-Beam.  Which means you have to a bit work harder to get "percussive" noise out of this guitar a la Tommy Emmanual (www.tommyemmanuel.com).  Just saw him in Montreal on Saturday and was blown away -- probably the most captivating and astounding guitarist I've ever seen.  Now my wife understands why I like to "slap and pound" on the instruments, even though she's convinced I'm going to destroy them

I'm digressing, but my overall opinion on the guitar is very positive.  At the same time, though, Larrivee makes quite a lot of good guitars with very different feels between them, so you'll want to try out many side-by-side if possible to see what feels right to you.  Don't forget that the Slope-dread's have a 1 7/8" fretboard (as do a few other models, I think), so there might be some surprising ways to get what you want (since you CAN play great fingerstyle on a dread).

I replaced the tuners on this guitar with Gotoh's a few months after purchasing it, because the stock Ping's just didn't have great feel or precision to them, but that's about the only real negative.  And I feel that way about most Larrivees with Ping tuners, anyway.

If you have specific questions, feel free to post up.  I'd be interested to hear what my fellow Larry-ite's think as well.

DT

[RKV]

Thanks for the great review. I hope to try one of these guitars someday. I probably won't buy one but I was curious to know how people felt about them and how good they really are for fingerstyle.

Randy

[Tony Burns]

They are an excellent instrument ( yes ive played one , but dont own one ) its shorter scale is prized by most players , but i have very long fingers and i like the sound of a longer scale - their is a noticable difference - i decided on a OMv60 ( OM cutawy ) The Om has a totally different sound , not better just different ( which is what I liked ) One thing i noticed about Larrivee guitars is that they take a few months to break in and they start to mature - My OMv60 is just opening up , and i got it the day after Easter - The two Ive seen had pretty stiff action and needed a pro-set up , you might need it set-up and get those gosh darn Medium Cleartone strings off the ding dang thing - set it up with either Custom Lights or Ex-lights ( I like Dadarrio PB ) good luck !                   Believe me when they open up its like a light turned on -

[JoeInLex]

   on the D'Addario EXP light PBs.  Now playing them on my L's and there's a world of difference over the rather bland Cleartone strings that come with the guitars.   Elixir Nanos are also terrific.