L-09 Madagascar RW Special Edition

[topographic]

A friend of mine wanted to buy a guitar for her husband's birthday, so I helped her choose one today. After playing several Larrivees and slew of Martins, we decided on this one:

http://www.wildwoodmusic.com/LarL09Mad.html

The interesting thing is this; the top is very rare red sitka. The woman who owns the shop (Wildwood Music in Coshocton, Ohio) spoke with Jean himself about this guitar. Evidently, the top wood is a hybrid of sitka and another type, which in some ways is even more resonant that Adi. This guitar is a gem, and Dave (her husband) has no idea he's getting this next Saturday. Total surprise.

The RW pattern is pretty nice too.

This is a great shop to visit, BTW. Very friendly and knowledgable people.

[immelman]

WOW!!! What a wife!!! I think she needs to become a consultant (to other wives)

[topographic]

Or divorce him and move in with me

For his 40th birthday she bought him a killer Martin D-42. Cindy is rare in the best possible way. (This is his 50th)

I played that guitar for about twenty minutes straight. It's a daisy. The only other guitar, to my ear, that was close was a very, very nice Martin OM-35. I might drive back up there and get that one. Played an Eric Clapton that was only average( but still nice  ). Another one that was in the running was a OM-09.

[LarryDelux]

That is a super guitar indeed. I don't think the top is that rare. Adirondack spruce is being used alot these days. The Madagascar rosewood is quite the novelty these days though. Nice combo. I had inquired about that guitar but felt that Wildwood was asking too much for it.

[dermot]

I don't think the top is that rare. Adirondack spruce is being used alot these days.

i think the top is Red Sitka, not Adi... and that top wood is quite rare - from a post by JR last October;

I asked Brian Trepanier that same question last month when I saw an L-09 MR similar to mine at Guitar Adoptions which was described as having a red sitka spruce top. Here's Brian's response:

A bit of research later, this is what has been found out:

The spruce used on those particular guitars is from one very special log. Obviously, we work with a fair number of spruce logs (as we cut our own wood). We had never seen a Sitka log that was so red before. As you can tell from your guitar, it borders on the color of cedar. However, unlike cedar, these tops were extremely rigid. Rigidity is a highly desirable trait in a guitar top as it allows us to get the top as thin as possible while maintaining strength. We were able to get about 300 premium soundboards out of the wood. 100 of them were used for a special edition for our Japanese distributor, and many were used for a Canadian dealer named Long and McQuade. 120 of them were used on a set of guitars we called the "Roadshow" guitars which were a series of guitars (L-09's of varying wood species) what were made for our German distributor and were toured throughout Germany on a "Roadshow". We also built the 12th Fret limited's out of this wood. As it stands we have about 25 soundboards left, and we haven't decided what to do with them yet. We often refer to the wood in house as "Red Spruce" which clearly confuses it with Adirondack, of which it is not.

The most amazing thing about Brian's response to me, other than it being very interesting, is its length! All the other times I've asked him questions, his replies have always been so succinct - no more than one or two sentences!  I've always admired his skill at doing this, but I really appreciate the research he did to answer this question!

i saw it online, and it really got me thinking.... i have a red sitka topped OM already, and it's a winner... but red sitka over Mad it could be a really special guitar, i hope so for your friend - it is an amazing and lovely gift....

Here's hopeing he makes great music with it for years to come!

Ta,

d.

I'm working with a luither on a custom instead....

[blued03r]

i think the top is Red Sitka, not Adi... and that top wood is quite rare - from a post by JR last October;
Ta,

d.

Boy, if you really want to beat a dead horse, take the above quote from Brian and paste into the, "THIS BEAR HAD SHARP CLAWS" post.  That should keep 'em talking for a couple more pages!   

More importantly, 

[topographic]

Larry, my point was this:

"Evidently, the top wood is a hybrid of sitka and another type, which in some ways is even more resonant that Adi.

Dermot, that's the wood Marty was talking about on the phone with Jean. It does sort of have that Adi look. Thanks for posting that quote.

[LarryDelux]

Well this is true. All red spruce is not Adirondack, of course. I assumed it was Adi because there is so much Adi (at least out of Martin factory) these days. I just assumed it was Adirondack. Kinda looks like adi too. Anyway, I think that guitar is really nicely thought out. I have a JCL, and it is an amazing guitar, very different from other L rosewood guitars. And though it satisfies all my demands and then some for an L series, I am going to buy the L-09LE! It's a winner. I just hope the two will be far enough away tone wise from each other.

[axmaster]

Hello people,

I've owned Larrivee guitars since 2001, but only recently found out about this forum! Great lurking here, and now it's time for my first post.

Interesting info on red spruce. I bought an OM-09 MR recently. It wasn't until I inquired after the date of manufacturing that I realized the top had a different colour then my previous 2001 OMV-09. Other then the MR the specs on this guitar are different from regular -09 series guitars: inlay on the headstock, gold tuners with white striped plastic (ivoroid?) buttons, and of course the reddish top. The pics posted by Topographic of the wildwood L-09 appear to have the same appointments.

Luke from Larrivee informed me that red sitka spruce is Larrivee's own designation of a very red piece of sitka, and that my guitar was probably a custom order. I wonder how it made its way to Europe (I'm from The Netherlands). Reading Brain's info on the red sitka spruce makes me wonder if the top of my guitar comes from this special log. My guitar was built in December 2006. Does anyone else have a Larrivee with a red spruce top and the aforementioned appointments that was built around that time?

Regards,

Peter

[mika]

WOW!!! What a wife!!! I think she needs to become a consultant (to other wives)


I second that.  Where do I sign my wife up for lessons?

[billybob308]

heres is  my L-09MR made in Nov. of 07 It has the red sitka top to.

[dave42]

Hello all! First post here, though I've stopped by to read a few times in the past.

I am the lucky person to receive the L-09 Custom Topo is talking about. 

I'm pretty much a Martin guy, but the 'L' Larrivee has always been a favorite of mine. So this Larrivee is a great gift! What a nice, rich sounding guitar! And beautiful...wow! I going to send it out in a couple days to be setup. I can't wait to get it back!!

I fully intend to put it to good use! And, yes... I am trying to get my wife to be a consultant for your wives!

See you good folks on the forum!

Dave

[topographic]

Yeah, I think your surprise party worked out pretty well, Dave

[rrgguitarman]

Hello all! First post here, though I've stopped by to read a few times in the past.

I am the lucky person to receive the L-09 Custom Topo is talking about. 

I'm pretty much a Martin guy, but the 'L' Larrivee has always been a favorite of mine. So this Larrivee is a great gift! What a nice, rich sounding guitar! And beautiful...wow! I going to send it out in a couple days to be setup. I can't wait to get it back!!

I fully intend to put it to good use! And, yes... I am trying to get my wife to be a consultant for your wives!

See you good folks on the forum!

Dave

Welcome to the Forum.   
A very nice gift indeed!
I am already blessed with a wife that spoils me with guitars so my wife will not be needing needing any consultation.

[Mr_LV19E]

  to the forum Dave. That is one 


   

[Mikeymac]

Beautiful guitar!  But it just reinforces my belief (personal taste?) that L body Larrivee's don't look right with traditional pickguards on 'em...JMHO...

[dave42]

Thanks for the welcome folks!
I see I forgot something us newbies are to do here! So here ya go! 

[axmaster]

Hello Billybob,
What can I say, you have a great looking guitar! The appointments of your L-09MR appear to be the same as my OM-09MR! I love the Larrivee aesthetics.

I noticed one difference, my label states OM-09MR, with the by line 'Madagascar rosewood', whereas your label reads 'L-09' and has the byline 'custom'. Interesting difference!

As soon as I have enough posts I'll post some pics.

Regards,

Peter

[dave42]

Hello, all!
I have settled in with my Larrivee, and it is a wonderful sounding guitar!! I had to have the 18th fret worked on as it was a little high on the treb side.

I added bone bridge pins and added new tuners. Nothing to do but play it now!

[topographic]

Dave, those tuners look spectacular!

Is that the same pickguard? I don't remember it looking like that way....oh well, it looks great regardless.

Now I absolutely have to swing by and play it sometime.