Resonating Over The Parlor?

[Fredmando]

Happy Monday--Here's the deal. My Florida Correspondent and string advisor, Unclrob made me aware of something that was bothering me about the Larrivee Parlors I've tried. He likened their sound to a resonator, of course he was more poetic than I can be. So, he put his finger right on it. That's the sound that kind of hits me when I try these. Maybe I am expecting too much from a small guitar with flatpicking on my brain?
So, my question is this. Have people who own Parlors gotten used to the sound or tried to change it with strings? I am going back and forth between a Gibson Blues King or a Parlor. Plus, there is a nice Norman Folk that keeps drawing my untrained hands.
This just goes to show you how much help you can get on this forum. For some of you who have been playing for years I imagine this all seems trivial. But, I bought my first guitar less than two years ago and I am learning a lot because of the patience of the people at Larrivee and this Forum.
--Fred

[freeindeed]

Hey Fred,
      I don't own a parlor myself but have played quite a few. Fun little guitars they are, but I'm like you...I expected a little more I guess. Judging by their immense popularity and loyal fans I'm guessing they are an acquired taste. I followed some threads about parlors and noticed alot of people use them for travelling and also experiment with different/heavier/lighter string combinations. Bottom line for me was I couldn't justify spending the $$ on a guitar that didn't have a sound that suited my ears.

                     just my .02
                        Chris

[Fergy07]

I don't know, I guess I'm in the opposite camp. I can't put mine down and it has very quickly replaced my other guitars as my main practice guitar. The sound does grows on you. Maybe the tonewoods effect it more than on a larger guitar, so at least on my koa I like the sound. I wasn't that impressed with some of the others I have played...but then again I didn't buy them, but if I had, I'm sure the sound would have grown on me as well.

It also sounds really good plugged in. I installed an Ibeam in it, and that really brings it to life when I play in church and makes a nice counter sound to the other guitarists who typically play Taylors. I think the pickup brings up the bottom end of the guitar more than it otherwise is.

Andy

[markanthony]

Hi fred I will give you my two cents.I one both a parlor and a blues king I love them both,but It would be like trying to compare a OM and a Dread, the king will always have a fuller sound no mater what you do to the parlor. For my parlor I use med. strings and tune down a half step which has given it a fuller sound.
       I have seen more than a few neg. comments on the blues king but that does not bother me,it looks great and sounds good.

[Fredmando]

Thanks Guys! Mark, have you taken your Gibson on any trips? I was amazed at the similarity in size.
Plus, the Koa and the rosewood Parlors seem to be the best sounding to me.

[honkytone]

Anyone expecting a Larrivee parlor guitar to sound any bigger than it does is trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents.  As a matter of physics the parlor sized body is limited sonically, no question about it.  I think the resonator comparison is justifiable--they certainly sound more boxy than a D, L, or OM body.

Having said all that, I think the Larrivee parlor reputation is well deserved.  When they first came on the market in the no frills version you could easily buy one at Guitar Center for right around $350, sometimes less.  Where else could you find an all solid wood guitar for that kind of price?  Nowhere.  That's how Larrivee sunk their hooks into the market.  Over the following couple years they started dressing the parlors up with some finer details--fancier tonewoods, maple binding, fretboard inlays, etc.--and the price went up accordingly, justifiably.  And the marketplace went right along with them, snapping up the snappier appointments, until now where they're only available in gloss finish.  

Perhaps it requires plunking down the $400-600 for a really nice, pre-owned satin finish Larrivee parlor guitar and spending time with it in order to acclimate to the sound.  But once you do--and the testimony is abundant--you come to love the sound, hearing the subtlties in it, all the while digging the superb playability, overall build quality, aesthetics, etc.

No one could ever expect a parlor guitar to be a player's only instrument--one's main stage axe--but it certainly is the couch potato's wet dream.  I still think it's one of the most brilliant guitar entries the market has ever seen.  More power to Larrivee.

[HangFire]

Very well put honkytone, I couldn't have said it better.  I think once you own one of these little jewels, you quickly find certain styles and songs that cannot work with anything else.  It wouldn't be my first choice if I could only own one guitar but it comes in close for number two.  

Nothing barks like a Parlor! B)

[Ratishna]

I think the rosewood parlor has the least 'resonator-like' tone, the maple parlor the most.  But its the small body more than anything else.  The new high prices make this a moot point as you can buy a larger body for comparable money.  So it really comes down to whether you need or want a small guitar.  Lots of people use them for travel so they do have a place.

E. Shoaf

[Fredmando]

You guys make some excellent points. I'm not looking for a small guitar that sounds like a dread, I just wanted something with a little bigger sound so if I am going to play with someone at the other end of a trip, I can.
I have a Washburn Rover and, while it doesn't compare with a Larrivee, it is still a good sounding guitar. It's my camping guitar and I can leave it in the trunk without too much worry. At first it took some getting used to and now I like the sound.
A friend of mine has a folk size guitar that he gate checks if he flies and otherwise that is his road guitar. He also has a Baby Taylor for his small guitar.
Thanks, I'll keep you posted. I needed something to fret over today.
Fred

[Randy_R]

Fred,

There appears to be great body depth variation in the parlors. So far, the deeper bodied ones sound much better to me (although there might be other reasons for this, like woods and string choices).

I will have 4 parlors soon; maple, mahogany, koa, blackwood (on the way). SO I should be able to do some serious a/b'ing. So far, 3 different body depths, with the koa having the deepest body, and the best tone (to my ears).

I know, I need a rosewood and walnut to complete the set.  ;)  

[Fredmando]

Randy, you mean a difference in the Larrivee body depths? Wow, I never thought of that. I'll have to take that into account the next time I go hunting.  I've already figured that strings would make a big difference and Rob pointed me in the right direction. You must really like these little guys, Randy. That's a cool collection! I thought I was going to stop after I bought my D-03 until I played the LSV-05 and it followed me home. That puppy is too nice to take on the road.
Thanks for the education.

[honkytone]

I need a rosewood and walnut to complete the set.  ;)

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/...ead.php?t=58083

;)  

[honkytone]

There appears to be great body depth variation in the parlors.

I remember folks discussing that a while back.  How much variation are we talking about?  Does it correspond with when they were made?

[Randy_R]

I need a rosewood and walnut to complete the set.  ;)

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/...ead.php?t=58083

I remember folks discussing that a while back. How much variation are we talking about? Does it correspond with when they were made?


;)

Thats Steve Lawson who's a member here too.

I think he may have posted pix of it at one time.

I really don't need another parlor....

What I need to do is pick out the one I like the best, and sell the rest...


Body depth varies from 3.5 to 4.5 (I don't have a 4.5 but had one confirmed to me with that depth) Here's the thread I tried to start on variations.
http://www.larriveeforum.com/forums/index....=3937&hl=parlor

[Fredmando]

Ok, now you  guys are getting into Rocket Science...this is what I like about this forum. What a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for that link, Honkytone. I had no idea they made a walnut version.
My small brain can only absorb so much, but I'm living this. :lol:
Thanks!
Fred

[honkytone]

What I need to do is pick out the one I like the best, and sell the rest...

Body depth varies from 3.5 to 4.5 (I don't have a 4.5 but had one confirmed to me with that depth).

Amen to that.  Gotta stop all this buyin' and sellin'.

I had gone back and found your thread on parlor depth and was surprised by that 4.5" measurement.  Was that a satin or gloss finish?

I'm gonna measure my two parlors, along with one I sold to a buddy of mine, and report back.

[Fredmando]

Randy, if you are going to have 4 parlors soon you could be a valuable resource. Think of it, you could test strings on all 4 and charge us all for your results! :D
My wife would kill me if I had 4 parlors. In fact, what if she catches me on the computer even thinking about a new parlor? :o
I talked to Brian (what a great guy) at Larrivee and he told me he likes the rosewood the best. He told me Koa is a show wood, rosewood is for performance.
What a cool company.
Thanks for the interesting info everyone.
--Fred

[Miata13]

Fredmando....I've got a satin all-Koa and this summer, also purchased a satin rosewood for my daughter.  I feel the all-Koa and Sitka/Rosewood difference is mainly due to the Sitka top on the rosewood.  The all-Koa sounds overall, warmer and "woody-er"; the rosewood has a bit more crispness to my ears on the high end.    An interesting comparison would be Sitka/Koa and Sitka/Rosewood.

I don't know about all the reported variances in parlor depths..I've seen both 4" and 4.5" quoted in various places.  I just measured my all-Koa and it's 4" deep at lower bout; 3 5/8" at upper bout.  Sorry, don't have the rosewood here with me..it's off at college getting educated..yeh, right!

Your ears may vary of course.  Rick

[norton]

Fredmando,  My daughter and I have owned several Blues Kings.  I've heard good and bad, but our experience was great and I'd certainly recommend one if that's the sound you're after.  I was trying to duplicate an original L-00 and preferred the Gibson re-issue over other versions - some 2 or 3 times the $.  One main reason I don't still own one is my Larrivee Parlor.  On anything that doesn't really require a large guitar, the size, feel, and sound of my mahogany is just about perfect.  I also own an old resonator, but more often than not I reach for the parlor.  I'd agree that the maple version has the most resonator-like sound - to me a great thing.
If the parlor is close but not quite big enough, a Blues King might be an excellent choice.

[Fredmando]

Norton, I really would like to own both--a parlor and a Blues King. This is all very interesting because I always envisioned myself having three guitars max! I figured a Martin, a Gibson and a Larrivee. That dream has gone a little crazy and now I keep "finding" a reason for just one more.
Thanks again everyone...
Fred