How many guitars per day?

[fantex]

How many guitars does Larrivée build per day?

Under the sub title 'Vancouver 1992-2013' (https://www.larrivee.com/about-larrivee) it says they were building 32 guitars a day. Then they closed the Canadian operation. I wonder how many it is currently.

[Gill]

You could always email the company and ask them,they are usually pretty responsive to enquiries, though I don't know if production figures are available to folks outside the company.

[B0WIE]

I remember hearing a figure a few years ago but I'll bet it's changed a lot since then. They have quite a bit more visibility than even 10 years ago and are carried by quite a few online shops now. I believe they saw a lot of growth after releasing the 40 series.

[magnusvalhalla]

I asked Brandon that last week when I was at their facility. He said 30 - 40 guitars per week.

[Silence Dogood]

30-40 isn't very many compared to Taylor, Martin, et al, but things like this always make me wonder: Where do all the guitars go? 

I know it's a great big world out there, but it's just fascinating to me how all these various guitars find homes. 

At any given time, my local Guitar Center (not to mention all the other local shops) will have a wall full of acoustic guitars, and every single one of them will get sold locally, and then the wall will be full of new guitars again that will in turn be sold locally. 

I mean, considering I hardly ever meet anyone who plays, it always makes me wonder who gets all these instruments?

[StringPicker6]

And in that same vein of thinking, how many guitars get thrown away every day/year?

[Silence Dogood]

And in that same vein of thinking, how many guitars get thrown away every day/year?

Good question.  It's hard to imagine anyone throwing away an expensive guitar.  I've never heard of anyone saying, "Well, this old Marin is worn out, guess I'll put it on the curb for the trash truck..."  I'm sure it happens but I doubt very often.  A guitar is something it seems like people would hesitate to just toss out.  Maybe people feel this way about musical instruments in general? 

[Sandstorm]

30-40 isn't very many compared to Taylor, Martin, et al, but things like this always make me wonder: Where do all the guitars go? 

I know it's a great big world out there, but it's just fascinating to me how all these various guitars find homes. 

At any given time, my local Guitar Center (not to mention all the other local shops) will have a wall full of acoustic guitars, and every single one of them will get sold locally, and then the wall will be full of new guitars again that will in turn be sold locally. 

I mean, considering I hardly ever meet anyone who plays, it always makes me wonder who gets all these instruments?

Yes and a lot of those guitars  acoustic and electric are up there in terms of price...like the LV-09, hummingbirds, even standard LP and Stratocasters...but seems most people I happen across always seem to have the cheaper low end or mid priced stuff.  Who is buying all those 3-5k guitars?  Lawyers and dentists? Lol

[Silence Dogood]

Yes and a lot of those guitars  acoustic and electric are up there in terms of price...like the LV-09, hummingbirds, even standard LP and Stratocasters...but seems most people I happen across always seem to have the cheaper low end or mid priced stuff.  Who is buying all those 3-5k guitars?  Lawyers and dentists? Lol

I have wondered the very same thing regarding high-end guitars.  In over 30 years of playing, I've only met a handful of guitar players and only a tiny number of them played high-end gear.  The rest "didn't want to spend much on a guitar..." 

With the price tag on Gibsons, et al, I don't see how they sell them.  But they sell every one of them and don't even need to run sales.

[Queequeg]

Who is buying all those 3-5k guitars?  Lawyers and dentists? Lol

Empty-nesters and boomers (but the boomers are aging out (read: dying off").

[StringPicker6]

Keep in mind there are about 340 MILLION people in the US alone. Then add in the billions all over the rest of the world. I think once every human on earth has a guitar in their hands, there will be world peace. 

[Myopic Squirrel]

SP6,

In spite of it being an instrument of war, I feel the same way about bagpipes....

[B0WIE]

Who is buying all those 3-5k guitars?  Lawyers and dentists? Lol

 I always find this to be interesting as perspectives vary wildly, even among guitar players. My business caters mostly to the high-end recording market and I've also bought/sold a lot of $5K+ guitars as a hobby. Among my customers who are not professionals, only about 1/4 are wealthy. Over half the people I do business with are just hard working people (some active, some retired) who choose to have nice gear rather than a special car, travel, etc. I don't make much at all but I'm very efficient (make meals at home, modest car, repair and maintain everything around the home myself). Guitars are a relatively "safe" hobby as they hold value and don't bleed you in maintenance $$ like a car or pool. Where I live, a $50k daily driver or a $150k pool are common but a $5k guitar is madness. I can get a lot more use and enjoyment out of that guitar.

 And, I will say that the guitar is very blue-collar in that regard. You can actually touch the ceiling without being wealthy. If you play piano or violin (the two other most popular instruments, according to the internet) you will never be able to afford a high-end instrument. If you like cars, you probably can't afford the muscle car you wanted or had as a teenager unless you are well-off. Even concerts aren't affordable entertainment anymore. But, if you play guitar, most people could eventually own a high-end guitar if they truly wanted one. It feels really special in that regard.

[Silence Dogood]

I always find this to be interesting as perspectives vary wildly, even among guitar players. My business caters mostly to the high-end recording market and I've also bought/sold a lot of $5K+ as a hobby. Among my customers who are not professionals, only about 1/4 are wealthy. Over half the people I do business with are just hard working people (some active, some retired) who choose to have nice gear rather than a special car, travel, etc. I don't make much at all but I'm very efficient (make meals at home, modest car, repair and maintain everything around the home myself). Guitars are a relatively "safe" hobby as they hold value and don't bleed you in maintenance $$ like a car or pool. Where I live, a $50k daily driver or a $150k pool are common but a $5k guitar is madness. I can get a lot more use and enjoyment out of that guitar.

 And, I will say that the guitar is a very blue-collar in that regard. You can actually touch the ceiling without being wealthy. If you play piano or violin (the two other most popular instruments, according to the internet) you will never be able to afford a high-end instrument. If you like cars, you probably can't afford the muscle car you wanted or had as a teenager unless you are well-off. Even concerts aren't affordable entertainment anymore. But, if you play guitar, most people could eventually own a high-end guitar if they truly wanted one. It feels really special in that regard.

This is a very well-thought out post, Bowie, as are most of your posts.  And you've made me see this differently than I ever have. 

You are right about the guitar being blue-collar (the mandolin is too).  I've been a blue-collar worker my entire life, though I have vastly different interests than most of my coworkers. 

The point about the violin or the muscle car (cellos too) is a very good one.  My wife plays violin and cello and good strings for both are crazy expensive, where I can hop down to GC and get a set of top quality guitar strings for $20 or less.  Even all the crazy $40 picks are nothing compared to a high-end bow. 

I don't live a fancy life either.  I live in and old house and drive paid-for vehicles, etc.  Guitar, mandolin, pipe-smoking, and books are my thing (and the bulk of my reading is via the public library).  In the world of guitars, my Larrivee is considered "high-end," but I even paid way less than $1k for it many years ago. 

All said, really great post, sir!

[BlueBowman]

This is a very well-thought out post, Bowie, as are most of your posts.

Agreed on both counts.

I have a soft spot for budget guitars. I own and play several. And we're living through an age of technology where a player can find a playable guitar to get by on in about every price range. But the $3-5K+ (used, in my case ) category can get you something special. A lifetime guitar. They're worth it.

Oh, and I ain't rich. Far from it. Start small. Buy smart, sell and trade smart. It's an achievable goal, if that's something a player wants.

[Sandstorm]

I've always justified to my wife that since I don't have a hobby car or motorcycle...boat or expensive leisure transportation that a few high end guitars and gear is a very reasonable type of enjoyment.  That said, I'd still have a hard time spending the money for suppose an SJ-200 as much as I like those just because sooner or later I'll get the itch for something new once the novelty and honey moon wear off...or if the home needs expensive repair, it's hard to think about borrowing money to fix something when you have something worth that kind of money sitting there.

Seems some internet forums and youtube videos everyone seems to have a collection of USA strats, teles, LP, LP custom, SJ-200...Martin's while, like I said, I've never met anyone with that type of gear...