NGD: 000-40 Koa

[vchizzle]

Long story short, I've been without a Larrivee for a couple months. I ended up trading both my D-03 Walnut and Tommy E for a 1975 Martin D-35. I played it and thought, crap...I need this. I had played piles of old Martin's - this one moved me and I had to act.

Despite being THE dread for me personally, I felt a hole. Not because the D-35 doesn't sound perfect for me. Honestly, I love the Larrivée brand and started looking around as I've wanted a smaller body guitar for an around the house. Would have loved to find a smaller body walnut, but they're scarce. A dealer put a Koa 00 in my hands and I liked it quite a bit. Went back a few times and played that 00, two 000 and an OM. Of those four in the shop, the OM was the winner. I was ready to pull the trigger but we didn't come to an agreement on price though. This guitar was hung in the shop where it was exposed to daylight so about 1/3 of the spruce was naturally aged darker. I gave him my price but we didn't come to terms. It was noticeable. Whether or not it would've aged even eventually, who knows but it bugged me enough not to buy it.

I found a used 000-40 at pretty good price online. I've never purchased acoustics online but it was a good enough deal that I thought I could get most of my money back out of it if I didn't like it. My initial impression is very good. I like it a lot! It's got great resonance and sustain. A little louder and bigger sounding than I expected, especially with a pick. That was a bonus for me. I restrung it yesterday with D'Addario 12-53 and it came to life. Sounded pretty good with the semi old strings, but even better now. The rosette and binding are super classy on these. This isn't one of the special edition ones with the moon spruce as far as I know. Seems like regular Sitka. Not much flame or fanciness to the koa but I kind of like the more understated look these days. Does have the vine headstock. Enough blabbing...

[jrdavies]

Congratulations!  It looks great.

[Myopic Squirrel]

Congratulations! That koa looks great as does that headstock - very nice!

[B0WIE]

Very nice! Lots of new Larrivees this week. Excited for you folks.

[guitarman001]

I like it and have been wondering about koa as a tonewood.

Btw I'm sorry thinking about a Martin OM18 but I'm so unsure. Would have to trade a few Larrivee and it's so expensive. Has that nice bass oomph but not sure they're worth the cost. How's yours going?

[StringPicker6]

That's a gorgeous guitar, congratulations!  What a good looking rosette around the sound hole!  I've read that Koa ages really well and will sound better and better and better! 

[Queequeg]

Congratulations.
Larrivee 000s are one of the my favorite guitars.
 Holding out paid off for you. That's a very pretty piece of Koa and the sitka is also quite nice. I like the rosette, too.
 

[vchizzle]

Thanks guys!

[vchizzle]

I like it and have been wondering about koa as a tonewood.

Btw I'm sorry thinking about a Martin OM18 but I'm so unsure. Would have to trade a few Larrivee and it's so expensive. Has that nice bass oomph but not sure they're worth the cost. How's yours going?

I'm sure you've probably read in some threads that koa varies quite a bit. First few I played were Taylor's and they were pretty dead sounding. Even of the Larrivée's, while pretty consistent, the two 000's in store, didn't really blow me away. The OM and 00 were more inspiring to me.

As far as my Martin, it's almost 50 years old so I can't really make a comp. It's great. If you find a new one that you love the sound of, I'd say it's worth it. If it's a trade situation you're looking at, ideally, compare what you're trading to the Martin and see what moves you more. I traded 2 that I liked a bunch, mostly because I only want one dread and found a vintage that was THE ONE.

[teh]

Congratulations on two nice guitars. My first good guitar was a new 1976 D-35 and I still have it.

The Larrivee family knows how to locate, select and prepare the best wood choices for guitars. Jean certainly earns his frequent flyer miles and Larrivee players are the beneficiaries. I will be interested to hear your thoughts after you've played this 000 Koa guitar for a few months.

[jpmist]

This guitar was hung in the shop where it was exposed to daylight so about 1/3 of the spruce was naturally aged darker. I gave him my price but we didn't come to terms. It was noticeable. Whether or not it would've aged even eventually, who knows but it bugged me enough not to buy it.

Nice pics! & Congrats on a beautiful koa guitar! I count at least 4 shadows, so can you offer what kind of lighting you use in those pics?

Some years ago I pulled the pickguard off a year old OO-44 and then cut a cardboard mask over the top so just the area where the pickguard was exposed to the sunny window I parked it for several weeks. Eventually the pale area toned to almost the exact same shade as the rest of the top and years later it's impossible to see any seam.



So, just to offer that the guitar you didn't get would have eventually evened out in shade.

To my eye, your spruce top has just enough variety in grain width and color to be interesting to the eye. Have no doubt it sounds great. Lately a OOO has been beckoning with the lame excuse that I play almost always with a capo on II or III these days.

[vchizzle]

Nice pics! & Congrats on a beautiful koa guitar! I count at least 4 shadows, so can you offer what kind of lighting you use in those pics?

Some years ago I pulled the pickguard off a year old OO-44 and then cut a cardboard mask over the top so just the area where the pickguard was exposed to the sunny window I parked it for several weeks. Eventually the pale area toned to almost the exact same shade as the rest of the top and years later it's impossible to see any seam.



So, just to offer that the guitar you didn't get would have eventually evened out in shade.

To my eye, your spruce top has just enough variety in grain width and color to be interesting to the eye. Have no doubt it sounds great. Lately a OOO has been beckoning with the lame excuse that I play almost always with a capo on II or III these days.

Wow, good eye! Nothing special for lighting. Just the fixture on the ceiling with 4 bulbs. I don't really love taking pics that room(my guitar room) because I'm always fighting with either shows or glare. Usually not much natural light except early morning.

I actually considered that with the one I didn't get. It has a sweet torch inlay on the headstock that I loved. I don't know if I'd be disciplined enough to cover the shaded side for a period to accelerate the darkening process. Honestly it's probably not even noticeable enough that most people would care. Definitely can't see the pickguard shape on yours!

[jpmist]

vchizzle - Wow, good eye! Nothing special for lighting. Just the fixture on the ceiling with 4 bulbs. I don't really love taking pics that room(my guitar room) because I'm always fighting with either shows or glare. Usually not much natural light except early morning.

LOL, your pics are great and the one showing the headstock is where the shadows popped a bit. I wondered if that was a new technique I hadn't heard of . .  thx   

[StringPicker6]

I get frustrated seeing the satin finishes on the beautiful headstock inlays on the lovely ebony. I wish the headstock ebony overlay plates could come standard in gloss to show off the inlays and wood grain.  Oh boy, I'm starting to complain, I think I need a coffee. 

[vchizzle]

Wow, good eye! Nothing special for lighting. Just the fixture on the ceiling with 4 bulbs. I don't really love taking pics that room(my guitar room) because I'm always fighting with either shows or glare. Usually not much natural light except early morning.

LOL, your pics are great and the one showing the headstock is where the shadows popped a bit. I wondered if that was a new technique I hadn't heard of . .  thx   

Thanks. Funny enough I barely noticed the shadows and even after you mentioned it, I didn't look super close. I'm curious how much has to do with the lights or the "portrait" camera setting I used on my phone. I use it for most of my headstock pics as they generally turn out pretty cool looking.