Happy with my purchase;

[jojo123]

Greetings Larivee forum -

I just bought a P-03 Parlor (from Guitar Adoptions).   I am very pleased so far.  I felt compelled to check in since this seemed like a pretty cool forum. 

It came with D'addario's EXP ('11's I think) which seemed waxy at first, but after few days I was happy with the sound.  I had been using Elixir's on previous guitars so it took getting used to I guess.    Best regards.   

 

[leerichards]

Welcome, Jojo. Yes it is an excellent forum with heaps of freely shared advice and at times some very robust debate. But give what you can, take what you need and one thing for sure is that you'll find a passion for Larrivee guitars here. The parlour is a delightful little guitar than punches well above its weight. It was a P-05 that turned my head Larri-wards before I finally settled on an L03-R. Look forward to reading your posts.  Rick

[Strings4Him]

Dave at Guitar Adoptions is great to work with!

[Randy_R]

Welcome to the Forum JoJo.

The parlor can be fun small guitar...

[mas music]

I really want a Parlor guitar! Welcome to the Forum. 

[jojo123]

Thanks for the welcome!  I added my sig guitars.  After not buying a guitar for many years, I had a serious case of GAS this year.  It started when I walked into a Guitar Center after a few beers to buy some picks and ended up walking out with a sweet sounding used Ovation.  Then my daughter wanted to learn to play guitar so before she changed her mind I ran out and bought her a Baby Taylor, which is easy and fun to play.   Then of course, I rationalized that I needed a smaller guitar to play along with her and got the P-03!  I think my urges are under control now.     

Out of the box, the P-03 was was a little tight and green but it is sounding better every day.   It is more of a challenge to play then the Baby Taylor, but more rewarding I think and stronger tone.  And it has this wonderful fresh wood smell (the spruce?) when I take it out of the case.  Best Regards.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Thanks for the welcome!  I added my sig guitars.  After not buying a guitar for many years, I had a serious case of GAS this year.  It started when I walked into a Guitar Center after a few beers to buy some picks and ended up walking out with a sweet sounding used Ovation.  Then my daughter wanted to learn to play guitar so before she changed her mind I ran out and bought her a Baby Taylor, which is easy and fun to play.   Then of course, I rationalized that I needed a smaller guitar to play along with her and got the P-03!  I think my urges are under control now.     

Out of the box, the P-03 was was a little tight and green but it is sounding better every day.   It is more of a challenge to play then the Baby Taylor, but more rewarding I think and stronger tone.  And it has this wonderful fresh wood smell (the spruce?) when I take it out of the case.  Best Regards.

Larrivee really needs a Baby Larrivee to both get in at this price point and capture newbies allowing them brand consciousness of Larrivees. You are very fortunate ( & so is your daughter) to connect on this level

[teh]

Good idea  on a baby Larrivee if they can figure out how to do it with a laminate back and sides. Maybe a 3/4 size.

Hard to imagine it was only five short years ago that I walked out the door with a flamed maple special edition all wood parlor and an upgrade to a hardshell case for $500.

[Mikeymac]

Greetings Larivee forum -

I just bought a P-03 Parlor (from Guitar Adoptions).   I am very pleased so far.  I felt compelled to check in since this seemed like a pretty cool forum. 

It came with D'addario's EXP ('11's I think) which seemed waxy at first, but after few days I was happy with the sound.  I had been using Elixir's on previous guitars so it took getting used to I guess.    Best regards.

So does that mean the strings are lights (with the high E being an .11)?  If so, try a set of mediums on that thing to really hear some tone!  With the shorter scale length, the mediums really play easily, but also bring a lot more sound out of the guitar!

[jojo123]

When I called the gentleman at Guitar Adoptions (don't recall his name) about the shipping timeline (they were selling fast), he said I was very fortunate to be able to buy an all wood premium quality guitar for approx. $800.  And I agree with him 100%. 

I think it would be great idea if Larivee could keep a guitar option at this price point (plus it alleviates my GAS guilt that I didn't spend $2K).       

I asked him about the strings they were shipped with, and he said they were .11's (high E) but didn't seem positive.  The tag that came in the case only said they were D'addario EXP's.  Let me know if there is easy way to determine if they are '11's or '12's!  Regardless, I will try Mediums next time.  I am really starting to like the D'addario's.  At first they seemed waxy but after few days they really resonate.  My other guitars got Elixir's which last forever, almost too long!  Thanks.

[Jerry K]

I got one of those same P-03's from Guitar Adoptions.  I was under the impression that they came with medium D'Addario Exp's.  When I changed them out for John Pearse PB mediums, the truss rod needed to be tightened a bit (the first time you use that crazy wrench some choice vocabulary will probably emerge from your mouth but after a few tries you get the hang of finding the hole!  Don't try to do it in a hurry.  The truss rod works well once you get the dang wrench to connect and a surprisingly small twist - like an 8th of a turn clockwise to tighten - has a huge effect) so the original strings were significantly lighter than JP PB mediums.  To my mind the guitar sounds way more powerful and rich with John Pearse PB mediums, and with the 24" scale the strings still feel like rubber bands compared to a 25.5" scale guitar.  Those EXP's are some sort of coated string, which damps overtones and volume somewhat, IMO.

[Miata13]

 
I've had my two Parlors for several years and they really open up and produce sound way in excess of their size. Like you I initially purchased the Rosewood for my daughter but she didn't take to guitar playing so shucks, it's home with me.

I use Mediums on the Koa and Lights on the Rosewood so I've tried both.  I find I'm a bit more articulate playing with the lights and the rosewood has sustain forever; the mediums on the Koa really bring out the woody tone of that guitar.

Enjoy your Parlor..they're ....GREAT ! (I know..lousy Tony the Tiger impression really didn't come through did it?)

Rick

[jamesb1101]

I have a P-09 and have been back and fourth between lights and mediums, but have finally chosen to stick with the mediums as they due project more and bring out more of the sound I am looking for...

-James