My new Larrivee!

[BlueBowman]

The backstory: I wasn't looking for another guitar, never mind another Larrivee. My plan was to buy only one guitar this year (how naive of me...I'm up to three already ). And with a couple of exceptions, I've been moving away from factory guitars over the last few years. There are just so many makers in the world -- some known, some unknown -- building wonderful guitars these days. I really enjoy visiting these makers' shops to try out, and sometimes buy, their lovely instruments.

All that to say, I wasn't expecting a great Larrivee to jump off the wall last week. The guitar in question is a 000-40R ("moon"/Euro spruce over EIR). This was the third "moon" spruce 000-40 I've played (the other two were koa b/s and mahogany b/s, and they were both excellent). It was finished only this past March, and the shop owner said it had just been delivered. Fresh out of the oven.

Some guitars betray their responsiveness before you even play the first chord. Simply handling them, you get a real sense of how a light touch might be rewarded. I dug it right from the get-go. Having experienced the prior "moon" spruce guitars, I knew what to expect. But this guitar, I felt, had more of everything going for it. It's the Larrivee sound we all know and love, just more of everything: a 3D, thunderously deep bass, wonderfully articulate midrange, and a singing treble. The tone is great, as is the volume, but it's the liveliness and response that really took me by surprise. I don't think I've ever played a Larrivee this lively right out of the gate.

I also was lucky enough to be in a shop with some real heavy hitters from the luthier and boutique world, not to mention three vintage Martin's. It's always nice to have a chance to A/B a guitar you're buying against the upper crust, even with my contention that a great guitar is self-evident. I've long known that the best Larrivee examples can compete with most any guitar, but going back and forth the other day with the 000-40R and these other guitars left my jaw on the floor. It still surprises how good a Larrivee can be. Maybe I'm too skeptical for my own good!

Bottom line: it doesn't really have any weaknesses. Most guitars, even really good ones, do. If I were to be hypercritical, I guess there's just a hint of "jangliness" when I strum chords, but I expect that to smooth out as the guitar gets broken in. Plus, I mainly fingerpick, so really a non-issue.

Lastly, a bit of advice through experience: it's tempting to buy a guitar online. I've bought many, and for a while, I only bought online. But the last few guitars have come from actually getting my hands on them. Playing through hundreds to find the one that speaks to me. There is just no substitute for this. I know probably most everyone reading this agrees with that advice, but I don't think it can be stated enough.

Sorry for writing a novella!

Pics (nothing you haven't seen before). I seem to choose guitars with really straight grain b/s. I like this straight-grained rosewood. Oh, and the new pins look great! I'm very happy I ended up going with them. You can zoom in to see.

[B0WIE]

Congrats! Always fun when an unexpected buy comes along.
Yes, that grain is certainly straight! If you removed the color and pumped up the contrast it could be mistaken for spruce, it's so straight!

[William2]

That is a very beautiful guitar. I have a D-40R with moon spruce. The rosewood on mine looks just like yours. And after 6 years of playing, it is my favorite Larrivee.

[Rockysdad]

Congrats, enjoy it forever.

Now you get to try all sorts of strings to see which suit both you & the guitar best.

[BlueBowman]

Congrats! Always fun when an unexpected buy comes along.
Yes, that grain is certainly straight! If you removed the color and pumped up the contrast it could be mistaken for spruce, it's so straight!

Thanks! I had the same thought about that rosewood being nearly as straight as spruce. In the end, it probably makes no difference tonally, but I sure do like seeing that straight grain on the back!

And thanks again for your argument against the use of plastic pins. Bone was the right call. As a fellow forum member pointed out in that thread, these are indeed made really well. Sleek, smooth and all the same size.

That is a very beautiful guitar. I have a D-40R with moon spruce. The rosewood on mine looks just like yours. And after 6 years of playing, it is my favorite Larrivee.

Thanks, William. The pale top, formerly not an aesthetic I was drawn to, has really grown on me. I'm not surprised your rosewood is as straight as this one. Larrivee living up to the legend of knowing and using great wood.

Congrats, enjoy it forever.

Now you get to try all sorts of strings to see which suit both you & the guitar best.

I appreciate it!

Curious you mention the strings. It came with lights, which worked well, but I tried out a set of true mediums to see how they would fare. Not so well. Not bad, but it seemed to me like a classic case of bigger strings "choking" the top. I've experienced something similar before with a cedar top. So a hybrid light set (lights for the E-A-D-g and mediums for the b-e; one of my favorite string combos) is on at the moment. Sounding wonderful to my ears.

[Queequeg]

Beautiful guitar!
I hope that it brings you years of enjoyment.

Yes, I think those bridge pins look really nice.

[mike in lytle]

It's the Larrivee sound we all know and love, just more of everything: a 3D, thunderously deep bass, wonderfully articulate midrange, and a singing treble.

1. Deeper body.
2. 40 series bracing
3. Rosewood.
I hope your ears do well with your new guitar.
Mike