Reddit Style: Ask me anything!

[eded]

Matthew provided this response below to a similar question back in 2011 in this thread.  http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=36143.0  It's also interesting to note that even the standard design has evolved over the years.  So they can and do change the bracing.  I hope that Matthew is able to provide a response on this again since it was 5 years ago and it would be interesting to hear his thoughts now.

"To be a little frank, I have to get say I get a little annoyed by the "larrivee's are overbraced" comments – and here's why:

Every guitar maker faces a dilemma in the design of bracing – Strength, or Tone. One of the key ways that the tone of an acoustic guitar can be "altered" (Notice that I didn't say improved) is by thinning out the woods (back/sides/top/braces), but this comes at a price. Reducing the thickness of wood increases the instruments susceptibility to structural changes due to string tension, impact damage, and worst of all climatic damage. Often times the differences in tones between two different manufacturers comes down to which way they have leaned in the strength-tone dilemma.

I don't believe our guitars to be over or under built – I find them to be a perfect balance of tone and strength. This was my father's intention, and an important lesson that both my brother and I have carefully learned.

I've been reading these online discussions as far back as RMMGA – and as I recall the "over-braced" comment came from someone who was selling brace shaving services (not just on Larrivee Guitars). Then as the internet goes someone read it and repeated it, then someone else repeated it, and so forth. The seller, in my opinion, was an uneducated "luthier" who looked at our bracing and saw that it didn't look like a martin and thus thought it was overbraced – not thinking that parabolic bracing was an intentional design. Often times these types of claims are made by people who have not even built a guitar, or maybe built one or two (and somehow they know better than someone who has built over 100,000 instruments).

Altering the bracing on a Larrivee simply makes the guitar sound less like a Larrivee and less like Jean intended. The JCL guitar that we made in 2007 did not have "thinner" bracing – It was simply an exact replica of the bracing we did in the 1970's. In fact several of the braces are THICKER on the JCL. The bridge plate (directly under the bridge) is thicker and larger than other guitars from the 2007 era. The X-brace is rounder around the sound hole, but that doesn't necessarily make it better – it was replicated because that is the way the original was done – it's just different. More likely, the tone difference noted on the JCL's is a result of the soundboards from Jean's stash – They were master grade soundboards for a reason.
Matt."

Nice!  And, I bet his answer (if he cares to add anything) doesn't chance much, if anything. 

My take (and, worth every penny)?  Every builder builds the way they do, and has the sound they have.  If you don't like a given builders products, there are a ton of other builders out there. 

Ed

[wadehaskell]

Why are some labels oval and some rectangular? It doesn't appear to be about whether custom or date of build as far as I can tell. Just curious, Thanks.

[skyline]

In turn we delivered the -01 series to these markets. The only way it was possible was to leverage the weakness of the Canadian dollar. They were generally very similar to the -03 series, but without binding.

Is the process of "binding" harder or easier? Are there savings for you as luthiers to build without binding?

[Jeff Moore]

I'm a new Larrivee owner and new to this site . I bought serial #250034. It's quite ornate - abalone everywhere. I bought after looking for a recording - gigging guitar with a sound of ragtime (or something like that). This 1977 "series 25" isn't exactly ragtime but lots of character. A normal-good low end, very burly midrange, and a very shimmery top. It wasn't that it fit some preconception of mine, but just that it stands out and gives a lot of opportunity for unique arrangements playing into its characteristics. It sounds like a much earlier era. It perhaps isn't as versatile as your current offerings, but rather a guitar with a very particular voice.
My question is: Were the early presentation guitars getting woods that aren't available otherwise? I haven't had access to other 40 or 30 year old larrivees to compare. Is it the woods, age, or something about the "series 25's" design that creates that sound?
I ask because I wouldn't have chosen such a ornate guitar as a working guitar, but I really didn't think I'd come across such a sound again. Maybe that is the sound of all the "series 25s", inlayed and not?
If so, I'll wait, and not gig it, and try out some other early larrivees with less bling and perhaps trade with someone who would prefer both the beauty and sound I bought. I'm certainly capable of just treating as I would any other quality tool, but I've got at least initial reservations about it.

It's a bit thrilling to be reading these questions and getting information from you. That's above and beyond what anyone would expect.
Thanks

[ducktrapper]

Tell us about "one piece" backs. 

[George]

Were the RS2 solid bodies made of a single piece of mahogany?

[headsup]

what is the difference (if any) in your 3rd Gen pick=ups in the RS4 and the pick-ups in the Malibu?
Thanks.

[Mikeymac]

Were the RS2 solid bodies made of a single piece of mahogany?

Mine was ... but I don't know if they all were.


This one...

[George]

Mine was ... but I don't know if they all were.


This one...

Both of mine appear to be and I seem to remember that being part of the description on the old website...

[Gary787]

Mathew I'll be honest, I haven't completely gotten over Larrivee leaving Canada. In my snit I sold a couple of older Larrivee's and my new P01 ISS but I couldn't sell my "Hunt For Spruce" I love that guitar and the narrative that it comes with. When you announced the closing of the Canadian operation, the company did say that they were keeping the wood sourcing and sawing under the management of John Jr. in Canada.  There was an earlier question about this but I didn't see a response. Do you still have the wood business in BC?

Your Dad is a Canadian treasure and its good that his legacy should live on through his sons and grand children. I hope his Canadian roots will be reflected in Larrivee guitars for the decades to come.

[Matthew Larrivee]

I'll add some update to this thread shortly

[L07 Shooting Star]

Mathew I'll be honest, I haven't completely gotten over Larrivee leaving Canada. In my snit I sold a couple of older Larrivee's and my new P01 ISS but I couldn't sell my "Hunt For Spruce" I love that guitar and the narrative that it comes with. When you announced the closing of the Canadian operation, the company did say that they were keeping the wood sourcing and sawing under the management of John Jr. in Canada.  There was an earlier question about this but I didn't see a response. Do you still have the wood business in BC?

Your Dad is a Canadian treasure and its good that his legacy should live on through his sons and grand children. I hope his Canadian roots will be reflected in Larrivee guitars for the decades to come.

Edgar Munch SR, JCL's mentor, moved to Canada from Germany to build guitars here for what I assume was a good reason.  I wonder how many potential German guitar buyers boycotted his guitars because he moved to a different country.  Had he not made this move to a different country, would there even be such a thing as Larrivee guitars today?

[Gary787]

I was just disappointed. I still have my L03R and I won't part with it until I part with everything else I own. I wish the family great success. JCL is a National Treasure in Canada I hope Mathews son is the same in the USA 60 years from now. Who knows maybe JJR kids refire the Canadian Larrivee business.

[bgfish]

Hello Mathew
Can I get a custom neck profile and fretboard radius?

[ducktrapper]

I was just disappointed. I still have my L03R and I won't part with it until I part with everything else I own. I wish the family great success. JCL is a National Treasure in Canada I hope Mathews son is the same in the USA 60 years from now. Who knows maybe JJR kids refire the Canadian Larrivee business.

Many of us Canadians have moved south. The water's nice so we dove in. 

[rickskyscraper]

Mr. Larrivee,

Would you consider weighing in on the post I have regarding my guitar? I think it's settled, but I'd still really like to get your take on it. Who knows, maybe it isn't settled.

Here's a link, pics are on link to photobucket: http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=50548.0

Thanks!

[George]

I'll add some update to this thread shortly

Matthew, we are all just dying to know what the 50th Anniversary guitars will be like?  I recently heard through the grapevine that the 50th would not be a specific edition model, but instead an upgrade with special inlay/features available on several different models.  We are hopeful that you will elaborate the details to us really soon.  Just gonna have to get one...

[Mikeymac]

Matthew, we are all just dying to know what the 50th Anniversary guitars will be like?  I recently heard through the grapevine that the 50th would not be a specific edition model, but instead an upgrade with special inlay/features available on several different models.  We are hopeful that you will elaborate the details to us really soon.  Just gonna have to get one...

Also, other details regarding the 50th - will they be available through all Larrivee dealers or just some?

What will be the cut off date for ordering one (Dec. of 2017)?

Inquiring, gassing minds want to know!

[headsup]

he's playing "hard to get"