Larrivee Parlor vs Froggy Bottom Parlor

[LoMa]

Has anyone A/B'd a Larrivee parlor with a Froggy Bottom Parlor? What were the differences tonally and dynamically?

I know, a very large difference in $$$, that's for sure.

[teh]

The short answer is no.

The longer answer is that is like comparing a top end Acura with a Honda Civic. Both are great cars for the money but the Acura is probably judged by most to be a superior vehicle in a straight up comparison. I bought my Larrivee Parlor new in 2004 and if I read the price list correctly the base (list) price for a new Froggy Bottom parlor is over 15 times what I paid for my Larrivee. Could my ear tell the difference between both guitars? Maybe. My wallet could for sure though.

[cke]

"Perceived value." "if it costs more it must be that much better. "

I have been VERY impressed with the Froggy Bottom guitars I have had a chance to play. Are they worth 15 times more than Larrivee? If exclusivity and conspicuous consumption are meaningful to you then yes. Strictly as instruments?... well... I would expect them both  to be a really good guitars.  Equal? That is a subjective measure

To me my P-09 equals the Collins and Santa Cruz competition I have played, pretty close to the Martin 0-28VS, though the Martin is darker toned. 

These companies follow different business models. Margins on Larrivee's are so much lower, but their output is much higher. Larrivee has always kept his prices lower than the competition

Best is always to play the guitars you are interested in.

[Strings4Him]

"Perceived value." "if it costs more it must be that much better. "

I have been VERY impressed with the Froggy Bottom guitars I have had a chance to play. Are they worth 15 times more than Larrivee? If exclusivity and conspicuous consumption are meaningful to you then yes. Strictly as instruments?... well... I would expect them both  to be a really good guitars.  Equal? That is a subjective measure

To me my P-09 equals the Collins and Santa Cruz competition I have played, pretty close to the Martin 0-28VS, though the Martin is darker toned. 

These companies follow different business models. Margins on Larrivee's are so much lower, but their output is much higher. Larrivee has always kept his prices lower than the competition

Best is always to play the guitars you are interested in.

Well-said   

[steam-powered]

Never played a Froggy Bottom but I can say outright that comparing a Larrivee parlor with a Froggy Bottom is like comparing apples to oranges. Probably be safe to assume that the FB has a fuller tone due to the lighter bracing.

My P-05 sounds just fine to my ears. It's the least expensive guitar I own yet definately NOT "cheap" sounding/looking. You can't find a nicer sounding parlor for under 2500 bucks (believe me, I tried quite a few before choosing the Larrivee).

[prof_stack]

The Froggy Bottom I played blew me away with the volume and quality of sound.  That sucker vibrated!  I don't remember the model, but it was smaller than a dread.  13-fret maybe?  The Larrivee parlors I've played have sounded nice, a bit boxy usually, but pleasant. 

Yeah, comparing them makes no sense.

[Zohn]

Yeah, comparing them makes no sense.

[ryler]

I may be the only one who sees value in comparing dissimilar things.  What's so wrong with that?  It's not like it's a boxing match with a heavy weight going up against a welter weight where one will most assuredly lose...and likely get quite injured.  A winner is declared and nothing about it was fair. 

The question implies to me that the OP wants to hear others' opinions on what tone you might be getting for your multiples of thousands of dollars in the FB.   An overwhelming improvement in tone?  A slight difference in tone?  Since there most likely is a difference, can you describe it?  Stuff like that.  I believe they can be compared and discussed, just like you can compare and discuss the differences between a dread and a parlor.

Having said all that, I've never played a FB parlor and can't discuss it.  Heh!  (Though the OM I played was the best thing I've ever gotten my hands on.)

[LoMa]

I've played a number of modern parlor guitars, including Larrivee, Goodall, Santa Cruz, and Blueridge, plus a couple of other brands that didn't make enough of an impression on me to remember. I have an appreciation for them all, but I'm looking for another parlor companion to my Larrivee. Something that will complement it, not take the place of it.

I think it is always interesting to compare and contrast different makers, both expesnive, mid-range, and expensive. It's not to say one is better than another, but I do expect them to be different. And I don;t have access to a real live Froggy, so was wondering what others might think.

[singbird]

Ah-hah

[jwhitcomb3]

I owned a Larrivee maple parlor special edition for a few years and never bonded with it. It was fine, but did have a boxy sound and the neck never felt right to me.

I have played two Froggy Bottom parlors, and they were both outstanding in every respect. Not a hint of boxiness, uncannily loud for the size, comfortable, rich, detailed and nuanced. World class guitars. I have never played a guitar under $2000 that could hold a candle to them.

I bought the Larrivee parlor hoping to get a guitar 90% as good for a fraction of the cost. For me, it wasn't worth keeping at $700, so a dozen of 'em certainly wouldn't be worth keeping. I ended up buying a Huss & Dalton 00SP for just over $2000. Very different from the FB, but also a world class instrument.

From all this, I have formed the opinion that it takes particular skill to make a parlor sized guitar sound great. Not so much for larger guitars, as every once in a while the right combination of woods and design will line up and you'll find a great $800 dread. That'll happen maybe one out of a few hundred guitars. But for a great parlor, everything has to be perfect. The woods have to be carefully selected, the braces shaved, the top tuned, and all the other bits that only a master luthier can do, and that costs money (or maybe it is the one out of a thousand factory built parlors, and I just haven't found one yet).

[gtrplayer]

  I've compared a Larrivee and Froggy and obviously the Froggy won out.  It was lighter and sounder better.  No doubt about it the Froggy was a beautiful instrument but it sure didn't make my playing any better.  Is it worth the extra money, depends on the individual and what he's looking for. 

  I've heard some players make a decent guitar or a very inexpensive guitar sound like a million bucks.   You wouldn't notice a whole lot of difference if the same skilled guitarist played the Larrivee or the Froggy Bottom.  My advice; save your money, get a decent guitar (a Larrivee certainly fits the bill), and practice, practice, practice.  With time and effort YOU will sound better and that's what it's all about.

[jwhitcomb3]

A good guitar won't make a poor player sound any better. A good guitar will reward good players by bringing out what they do well. A good guitar will also showcase the sloppiness in your playing, so you can notice it and, if you work at it, help you improve.

A good player can make a cheap guitar sound good. A good guitar can make a good player sound great.