Your favourite OM03?

[om4me]

Of the OM03's (OM03, OM03R, OM03BW, OM03MT, OM03SP)  which model is your favourite and why?  If this question has been asked before, pls accept my apologies and could you pls direct me to the link?  Thank you for any comments you may have.

[Blue in VT]

This has come up on numerous occasions...particularly the discussion between RW and Mahogany...I have a feeling that you will get a lot of info if you do a search for this topic. 

But I'll go ahead and trow in my .02...I love what Larrivee does with Mahogany...in my book the OM-03 is the best entry level all wood guitar you can get.  Now I haven't played all the other variables (BW, SP, K etc.) but I love the Mohagany...don't forget the hog tops too...they are gonna be a rare bred in the near future and they sound AWESOME...of course I'm a little biased... :rolleyes:

Get out and try as many as possible...thats the best thing you can do...plus it a lot of fun...

enjoy the hunt

Blue in VT

[Denis]

My OM-03R was very nice but I found myself playing mahogany guitars every time I was in the shops.  So I sold it.  Then I got a quote for a sapele OM-03 and thought, deals like this don't come along every day.  Other than the price, the fact that there are only 30 out there kind of makes it attractive as well.  I was pleasently surprised when I got it as well.  Beautiful guitars that every bit as good as any other 03 series even though sapele doesn't have the desirability of other tonewoods.  Sooner or later, everyone may have to get used to it though if mahogany is getting scarce.

Sapele has a lot of the dry, woody resonance of mahogany but also has some of the sustain and overtones of rosewood without the muddy or harsh tones you can get when playing it hard.

I love my OM-03SP but my satin rosewood parlor gets more playing time...I guess I love my little parlor more   :WNK>
 

[ronmac]

http://www.12fret.com/new/larrivee_OM-03_R_SH_pg.html

I'll let the pictures and Dave Wren's description do the talking.  :GRN>

[Trent in WA]

I haven't bought an OM-03 yet, but I tried out several at Seattle's Guitar Emporium on Saturday and have hacked around with a buddy's OM-02 (much like the 03 but with sapele back and sides) before.  I loved the rosewood 03 and really like my buddy's sapele 02.  The mahogany 03 sounded really thin and tinny compared to either of the others.  In fact, it was so bad that my long-suffering wife made a face when I started playing it not unlike the one you might make if somebody sneezed in your soup.   I don't have anything against hoggy guitars;  my Martin 000-16 is mahogany and much loved, as is my Godin, and I tried a mahogany L-03 that sounded just like my Martin, with a resonant bass and bell-like high end.  In fact, if I lost the Martin I'd probably replace it with the L, such was the similarity

I'm probably going to buy the rosewood OM on Wednesday.  It fills the musical function I think I need.  But I can imagine some playing settings in which the mahogany OM would be perfect:  if you're playing with a bassist, say, and you need something kind of nasal and sharp to cut through the mix, or if you're really looking for a '30's country blues sound.

By the way, I really like this forum.  Given that it's focused on Larrivee guitars, there are more discussions about actual music (as opposed to gear) than on a lot of non-classical acoustic guitar forums.

Trent

[tubeornot2b]

Pete Anderson signature model. 12 fret magic. Great maple tone and clarity. Tremendous sustain. Funky appearance.

[Denis]

Hey Denis,

Do you mind my asking the dealer and price you paid on that OM03SP? I just ordered one today. :)

I got mine from Dave at guitaradoptions and the price can't be mentioned here on the forum but if you call or email Dave, I'm sure he would only be too happy to give you his best price.

[sigurdd48]

I've owned an OM-05 (spruce top/hog back) and -03MT (all hog) and have played a koa backed guitar as well

the spruce/hog, all/hog are hard to beat

of course, i prefer a mid-range honk (my ears are bad? *laughs*) and mahogany delivers that to me.
My son has my '95 OM-05, slightly beat, and toneful as hell... sweet and open and woody

I own a newer 03MT... still evolving... but getting really round and sweeter everyday

One player on here spoke of his 05MT as being the guitar that challenges him to play better... good clarity so your mistakes are CLEARER
but that's a good thing

but it's pretty subjective
plus, throw in the string thing (I just put my first set of Newtones on ... and they sound NICE)

[Randy_R]

My OM-03MT-12fret Forum guitar... although the OM-03bw is great too...

^_^

[kwakatak]

I've only played the OM-03 (mahogany/spruce) and OM-03R (rosewood/spruce) but would love to try an OM-03R SH (rosewood slothead), OM-03K (koa/spruce) and OM-03MT (all mahogany). Those are all pretty rare so I doubt that'll ever happen. For now I'd have to say that the OM-03R is my favorite. The mahogany/spruce OM-03 was missing something and sounded a little "boxy" to me (diminished sustain, more mid than bass), but the rosewood seemed to fill the void in the tone somehow. Not to slight the mahogany/spruce combo, but FWIW I prefer the L-03 which has a bit more bass so it's actually what I would call "warm and intimate" in tone.

[jeremy3220]

My favorite is (obvious from my sig) the OM-03MT. It works great when you want a punchy choppy blues sound, or use a soft attack and get soft warm sounds out of it. Sometimes I wished it was more responsive and lightly built, it would be nice if sounded more resonant and could ring like Nick Drake's M-20. The Bass sounds kinda woofy sometimes, it definitly could be more open. It's not perfect, but there is something addictive about the tone.
The spruce/mahogany Larrivee's I've played are too trebley for me. The Rosewood OMs I liked. But didn't think they were great.

[Daysailer]

OM-03   Blackwood     ^_^

cuz that's what I got.        :GRN>

:mellow:

[sixpickn]

OM-03   Blackwood     ^_^

cuz that's what I got.        :GRN>

:mellow:

sure - rub it in!  :mellow: 

[wyodeb]

Pete Anderson signature model. 12 fret magic. Great maple tone and clarity. Tremendous sustain. Funky appearance.

Me too!!

Deb

(Of course, you knew I'd say that!)

[paralentor]

First Post and Glad I found the Forum, that said..

Went to the guitar shop this weekend to check prices on a Taylor 310.  Long story short I was
sold on an OM-3.  The decision was between a D-03 and the OM-03 since the other guitar is
a Martin DM I thought this would compliment well.  A question to other OM owners, this one
was right out of the box and does sound a little stiffer than the floor model, any insights or
thoughts regarding that?  Is there a breaking in time?  I hope. Thx. 

[sigurdd48]

does sound a little stiffer than the floor model, any insights or
thoughts regarding that?  Is there a breaking in time?  I hope. Thx.

give it a chance to break in

[fado]

As far as OM03s go I'd have to say the OM03R-SH. This guitar is so nice I sold a higher end LVO9 because the SH outplayed it to shame.

Rob

[joxter]

My OM-03 is in its 8th week since I received her and it has opened up.  It also sounds better since I put the D'add EXP11's on it. It has great looking wood, fit and finish. Calls me every day 'cause she wants to play.   :GRN>

[paralentor]

These came with Cleartone strings.  I have DAddario EJ16's for the Dreadnaught
but might not be a good fit for the OM.  If wanting to try Elixir which gauge/type
would be a good fit for the OM??

[JohnM2001]

No contest, my '98 OM-03W, walnut with Eng. top.   Nothing else satisfies like this one.




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