American Red River Gum models.

[teh]

Did anyone notice the Larrivee models available through Sweetwater with American Red River Gum back and sides? I saw them included in the Larrivee News link yesterday in my email. I'd love to hear feedback if anyone plays or buys one.

They also announced some nice deals on B stock inventory.

[StringPicker6]

Yeah I saw that, pretty fancy! I always get GAS when I look at the b stock link!!!

[jasonchamb]

They look great in person. I saw them, unfinished, when I went to the Larrivee factory, end of July.

[BlueBowman]

Not many guitars built with Red Gum. I owned a Kronbauer built with Red Gum b/s. It's very beautiful and quite different to any other wood (visually) I've seen on a guitar. 

[William2]

I've never heard of this wood. What are its sonic characteristics? Is this just the 24 series with a different tone wood? I wonder if this was Sweetwater's idea. I've bought a couple of guitars from Sweetwater (Martin's). I'm kind of surprised that for all their Larrivee offerings they don't have one lefty. As far as Sweetwater's lefty offerings, most of the good instruments are either "We can get it" of "on backorder" LOL. The good stuff has been replaced by cheap Epiphones made in China weighing around five pounds. I periodically get a call from the salesman I bought from asking if there is anything I need. I just tell him I'm not seeing anything that interests me LOL.

[jasonchamb]

Yeah, their lefty selection is kind of sad. From time to time there will be something interesting, but never a Larrivee, unless it's Gear Exchange. Better off with Jerry's or Woodstock.

[B0WIE]

 It's definitely not common but I've seen it used a few times. Very striking. All I know about it is that it's not the same as the Reg Gum of Australia, it has interlocking grain (like mahogany) and hardness around the same as African mahogany so I'd expect behavior similar to mahogany. That said, every wood has it's tendencies to emphasize it de-emphasize certain overtones so hardness only tells part of the story. Plus, the builder can make it thicker or thinner which will change the behavior. Larrivee works with so many woods that I'd have complete confidence in their ability to get the most out of red gum.

[jasonchamb]

Interesting that the specs on the Dread RRG shows a 1.75 nut. To me, that's just a little more comfortable than the 1 11/16 on most dreads

[William2]

Interesting that the specs on the Dread RRG shows a 1.75 nut. To me, that's just a little more comfortable than the 1 11/16 on most dreads

I missed this post and didn't see the specs. If there is one thing I'd change about my Larrivee dreadnaught's it's that 1 & 11/16" nut width. I'm used to it, but when I play a different neck with the 1.75 width, I see why most prefer this spacing. I think I may be also preferring a thicker type of neck. For whatever reason, my hand seems to get less tired and feels less pinched over time. Maybe this width was a Sweetwater request.

[jasonchamb]

I missed this post and didn't see the specs. If there is one thing I'd change about my Larrivee dreadnaught's it's that 1 & 11/16" nut width. I'm used to it, but when I play a different neck with the 1.75 width, I see why most prefer this spacing. I think I may be also preferring a thicker type of neck. For whatever reason, my hand seems to get less tired and feels less pinched over time. Maybe this width was a Sweetwater request.

Concur. I played a 1 11/16 dread for years, then played my L03 and saw the light.

[Silence Dogood]

Here are some random thoughts on a Saturday morning that finds me groggy and getting over the flu...

In all my years of playing guitar, I have never taken the time to investigate or understand things like nut width, scale length, bracing, finish material, etc.  I have no idea how long my guitar is (D03BW) or its nut width.  I get that a wider nut allows more space, etc.

Also, who else can't shake the idea of a wood being called "gum" as being a bit weird?  It conjures up images of softness and pliability, not something I mentally associate with wood. 
 

[William2]

Here are some random thoughts on a Saturday morning that finds me groggy and getting over the flu...

In all my years of playing guitar, I have never taken the time to investigate or understand things like nut width, scale length, bracing, finish material, etc.  I have no idea how long my guitar is (D03BW) or its nut width.  I get that a wider nut allows more space, etc.

Also, who else can't shake the idea of a wood being called "gum" as being a bit weird?  It conjures up images of softness and pliability, not something I mentally associate with wood.

Yes, gum just doesn't do it for me LOL. But with the exception of a couple of standard tone woods, I'd never be inclined to buy an instrument based on the tone wood's looks. I probably won't be buying anymore, but a new interesting model might change that. I thought I read some comment recently that it was a shame Gibson and Martin tried to copy Taylor by making their necks thinner. I've never played a Taylor but if their necks are thin, I'd probably not be interested in their models either. I like a full C shape with a 1.75" width.
 

[Silence Dogood]

@William2 - I love Taylor guitars and have owned a couple of them just to flip (which I did very quickly and with great success).  The necks on them feel more like an electric guitar neck to me than an acoustic.  I personally like that but some won't.  But as a whole, a Taylor isn't traditional enough for my Luddite taste.  They are the iPhone of the guitar world with all their gadgetry and forward-thinking, and I'm still very much a rotary phone-type guitar player.  But I also love how the Taylor company grew and blossomed from such humble beginnings to what it is now.  It's a true American Dream type of company.  I do like that. 

[William2]

@William2 - I love Taylor guitars and have owned a couple of them just to flip (which I did very quickly and with great success).  The necks on them feel more like an electric guitar neck to me than an acoustic.  I personally like that but some won't.  But as a whole, a Taylor isn't traditional enough for my Luddite taste.  They are the iPhone of the guitar world with all their gadgetry and forward-thinking, and I'm still very much a rotary phone-type guitar player.  But I also love how the Taylor company grew and blossomed from such humble beginnings to what it is now.  It's a true American Dream type of company.  I do like that. 

LOL! I love that comparison. I don't know where I stand between an iPhone or a rotary. I also admire Taylor and have often thought they might be an ideal instrument for fingerstyle. And I wish they hadn't discontinued the American Dream line. I might have popped for one. I do think I prefer the Furch self-adjusting neck system, however. Anyway, my luthier in Green Bay handles Taylor. The next time I get up there I will hold a Taylor and get a feel for the Taylor neck.

[BlueBowman]

It's definitely not common but I've seen it used a few times. Very striking. All I know about it is that it's not the same as the Reg Gum of Australia, it has interlocking grain (like mahogany) and hardness around the same as African mahogany so I'd expect behavior similar to mahogany. That said, every wood has it's tendencies to emphasize it de-emphasize certain overtones so hardness only tells part of the story. Plus, the builder can make it thicker or thinner which will change the behavior. Larrivee works with so many woods that I'd have complete confidence in their ability to get the most out of red gum.

With my one and only experience, I heard the guitar leaning toward mahogany: less overtone heavy, but also not dry; maybe even more similar to Koa -- an in-betweener.

[Silence Dogood]

With my one and only experience, I heard the guitar leaning toward mahogany: less overtone heavy, but also not dry; maybe even more similar to Koa -- an in-betweener.

This describes my Blackwood guitar.