Forum Guitar discussion

[Danny]

  Looks just like my LSV-11 case.
                       The RW binding ? was answered and it is not available.

[es-335]

what is so great about the arch top cases?

[iDavid]

  Looks just like my LSV-11 case.
                       The RW binding ? was answered and it is not available.

Ok,

Bummer

Still going to be great guitars...

[gtrplayer]

Specs on the Forum III don't mention fingerboard binding.  Is it white plastic?

[goa]

I'm still scraping together funds, and deciding on which to get.  And it's neat to see all the helpful, enthusiastic supporters. But I have an honest question; Why is this Forum guitar really such a great deal?  I hate to ask, but everyone is saying "this is such a great deal", I feel like the story of the kid that said, "the king has no clothes."

But times are tough, and I gotta know what I'm buying.  I mean, I bought my L-03SP from Notable 6 months ago for about 65% of what a Forum III will cost.  Why is this -03 finish guitar 35% more?  The rarity?  I'm hoping there is a more intrinsic value, like the Italian Spruce.  Is it worth that much more?  I'm sure getting Larrivee to make a custom, non-typical body should cost more.  What I'm asking is besides that, is this guitar worth the asking price or more, relative to the regular production line?  Thanks for understanding the sincerity of my question, and no "downer" intentions.

Garrett

[KY MOOSE]

what is so great about the arch top cases?

I'm sure you folks know more than me, but it was explained to me that some regular cases put pressure on the bridge & saddle, which over time can deform the guitar top. 
An archtop case gives more room & cushioning for the top.

In any event, I don't think it's something to worry about with the standard Larrivee case...The one for my D03R seems to give ample room & cushioning.

[es-335]

thank you KY MOOSE

[Dotneck]

But I have an honest question; Why is this Forum guitar really such a great deal?  I hate to ask, but everyone is saying "this is such a great deal", ... I mean, I bought my L-03SP from Notable 6 months ago for about 65% of what a Forum III will cost.  Why is this -03 finish guitar 35% more? 

The last price list I have from notable is a year old...and shows the price as higher than 65% of the forum guitar price. And I know that Larrivee has had a couple price increases in the past year...so it sounds like you bought right. And buying right is the name of the game .

In my mind...the 03's are a pretty good value...not as much since the recent price increases but they are still a pretty good bang for the buck. One thing is that these are mahogany guitars not sapele. In my mind it remains to be seen if the Italian Spruce is something special or just hyperbole from a wood salesman. Time will tell.

Also, these are special edition guitars...which is cool if its something you want (ie a 12 fret LS model)...if not then pass on it. I've been fence sitting since the specs got nailed down...but I think I'm going to order one...I'm not gaga over it like some of these guys but I think it has the potential to be a cool guitar at a decent price.

Now is that an endorsement or what?

[TimButterfield]

But times are tough, and I gotta know what I'm buying.  I mean, I bought my L-03SP from Notable 6 months ago for about 65% of what a Forum III will cost.  Why is this -03 finish guitar 35% more?  The rarity?  I'm hoping there is a more intrinsic value, like the Italian Spruce.  Is it worth that much more?  I'm sure getting Larrivee to make a custom, non-typical body should cost more.  What I'm asking is besides that, is this guitar worth the asking price or more, relative to the regular production line?

I have been doing some research on tonewoods while trying to figure out which to get.  Petros Guitars has a page on woods that has text about each one.  Of the Italian Spruce, it says it is the "undisputed king of the tonewoods."  Given this, you can expect it to be more expensive.  One of the sites I saw shows AAA grade Sitka Spruce tops for around $50, while the AAA grade Italian Spruce was around $75.  Some of the AAAA grade IS went almost to $100.  This was per top price for single tops.  Of his collection, JCL called his selection of IS to be "unbelievable quality spruce tops."  I would expect these to be 50-100% more than sitka.  As you mentioned, being a non-production/standard run would add to the cost also as the setup would have to be changed to accommodate just this run of guitars.

For others mulling over wood selection, the Petros page linked above was quite informative.  It showed the woods ranging from soft/light to hard/heavy, separated for back/sides and tops and had some descriptive text about the relationship of back/side wood to top wood.  Here is a quick quote from the page:

So, hard back tone woods:

• are heavier,
• vibrate less,
• effectively focus energy to the top and, therefore,
• project powerfully.

Soft back tone woods:

• are lighter,
• vibrate more,
• focus less sound to the top, but,
• contribute to more evocative color and tone.

As I said, it's a very informative page.  It certainly gives me more information to think about.

Tim

[muscmp]

i've also been sitting on the fence as i've seen this thread grow and still i don't have a finalized choice!

i'm with both of you, tim and goa, i've checked the prices and qualities of top woods with the side woods, as well as read the petros article that i found to be quite informative. i noted that they provide the apparent relationship of soft wood tops with soft wood back and sides, and, hard wood tops with hard wood back and sides.   

this really throws me off as i really wanted the italian spruce top but hog on hog really sounds like the way to go based upon the above info.  touch choice!
hopefully, i'll make the choice before 1/2/09!
michaelB.

[TimButterfield]

I think I need to re-ask a question that got buried by the post deluge a great many pages back.  As I would like to play classical music on my LS, having a wood combination that can more easily be driven by light strings might be preferred.  As I only play for myself and my wife, I do not need a great deal of volume.  In light of what I found on the Petros page, I'm guessing that IS/RW may drive the top more than IS/MH or MT (heavier RW back focusing more energy on the softer IS top).  If that is true, a light string may be sufficient on the IS/RW whereas I may need a medium on the IS/MH or MT.  Is this correct?  Does anyone know how would the various wood combinations might respond to light strings versus medium strings?

Thanks.

Tim

[muscmp]

tim, i believe that larrivee would be the party to determine what string gauge to use.  now we are getting down to it!
michaelB.

perhaps i should say, recommends!

[rpm60912]

just hoping for an up- charge otpion 

love that rosewood binding

David,   You seem pretty set on the possibility of a rosewood binding as an upcharge option. I can always ask Jim H.

But, I've done some behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing and requesting him to ask Larrivee - what about this - what about that ...

There are some things that are Vancouver Factory specific (satin - no glossy) and California Factory specific (glossys - no satin).   I don't know if such is the case for rosewood binding.  In my short stint in the Larrivee world, so far, I have not encountered any rosewood binding in an 03-spec guitar.

03-spec guitars are mostly maple binding - at least the ones I've seen -   which speaks very well for Larrivee - as Taylors only started using maple binding in their LTD gits and starting 2007 in their 800 series gits.


I'll email Jim H... or if he happens to be reading this... he may just jump in with the answer.

It's worth asking as you say... you have a 50% chance of a yes and worse you'll get is a No.

ricky

MODIFIED:   I see that Danny already answered your question.  I hope my observation & some explanation above also helps even though you still don't have rw binding.

[rpm60912]

Thanks, everyone, for allowing me to enjoy, albeit vicariously, your pulling together and collective excitement. Ricky, when you first suggested this, I thought it would never get off the ground---just wishful thinking. Congratulations for pushing it along and hanging in there. I'm also looking forward to reading all the reviews after you all receive them.

Bill, I started that "Orphaned Larris, What if" thread because I was waiting for my OO-09 to arrive and I felt badly for those who wanted to have the rare OO.  So I really thought originally, we can order a OO (minus myself) for those who don't have access to it.... then again, I was so new here, so conscious, that others might think I have some loose marbles. 

Tad "Tadol" pretty much nailed the idea of the low bling LS when he suggested LSV-03 --- there was not even a dozen posts, first screen, FG III was roughed in.

The rest as they say is history.   Considering how threads die a natural death around here, it's amazing how the excitement was sustained and continues to build up, with serious bucks involved during heavy shopping and gift-buying season in the midst of a bail-out economy and falling (at least Canadian) dollar.

Really... kudos to early supporters that kept this alive, Randy, Jim H and the polite yet deliberate "be quiet" to nay-sayers. 

If I were to put a subtitle to the Forum Guitar III... or put another way, if I were to put a dedication thing to the FG III

...it would be    "Danny's Guitar"

and what makes this so special is not so much the IS top in low bling 03-spec... it is... Tuffy's 12th Fret 3-dot marker !!!

ultimately...   it's OUR guitar.

ricky        Merry Christmas !!!    All the best in 2009 !!!

[BenF]

Ok... I'm just a 48-year old guy with a delightful acoustic guitar mid-life crisis (instead of German cars)

It is funny how you imagine what people are actually like when you frequent a forum like this.  I guess I didn't imagine you in a white sports jacket, wrap around shades, a bluetooth headset driving a BMW M3 Ricky.  The thought has apparently crossed your mind!!  A guitar based mid life crisis seems so much more dignified!

[rpm60912]

It is funny how you imagine what people are actually like when you frequent a forum like this.  I guess I didn't imagine you in a white sports jacket, wrap around shades, a bluetooth headset driving a BMW M3 Ricky.  The thought has apparently crossed your mind!!  A guitar based mid life crisis seems so much more dignified!

Ok... now that you mentioned it, I'd give up ALL my guitars, yes, ALL my guitars for even the 1st generation M3... sweeter yet, the latest M3.

Then, the M3 would just sit in the garage - because, unless it runs on diesel, I'm not driving it.

No more guitars?  No problem.

I'm a diesel man. The only GAS I drive is the incurable disease of the guitar variety. I'd just start my GAS-ing all over again. 

ricky 

[BenF]

Ok... now that you mentioned it, I'd give up ALL my guitars, yes, ALL my guitars for even the 1st generation M3... sweeter yet, the latest M3.

Then, the M3 would just sit in the garage - because, unless it runs on diesel, I'm not driving it.

No more guitars?  No problem.

I'm a diesel man. The only GAS I drive is the incurable disease of the guitar variety. I'd just start my GAS-ing all over again. 

ricky 

To be fair, I wouldn't say no to an M3 either.  I think the first ones from about 1991/92 would be a far superior head turner though, and a lot more fun to drive.  Cars are too clever to enjoy the art of driving now.

[iDavid]

David,   You seem pretty set on the possibility of a rosewood binding as an upcharge option. I can always ask Jim H.

But, I've done some behind-the-scenes wheeling and dealing and requesting him to ask Larrivee - what about this - what about that ...

There are some things that are Vancouver Factory specific (satin - no glossy) and California Factory specific (glossys - no satin).   I don't know if such is the case for rosewood binding.  In my short stint in the Larrivee world, so far, I have not encountered any rosewood binding in an 03-spec guitar.

03-spec guitars are mostly maple binding - at least the ones I've seen -   which speaks very well for Larrivee - as Taylors only started using maple binding in their LTD gits and starting 2007 in their 800 series gits.


I'll email Jim H... or if he happens to be reading this... he may just jump in with the answer.

It's worth asking as you say... you have a 50% chance of a yes and worse you'll get is a No.

ricky

MODIFIED:   I see that Danny already answered your question.  I hope my observation & some explanation above also helps even though you still don't have rw binding.

not a problem, just a preference.  couldn't hurt to ask and see

david

[Trinity Guitars]

Breaking News

To all Canadian customers opting for direct ship, I will ship your hat to you from here. No on will be with out the custom FORUM III hat!

Order summary   42 guitars on order with Trinity Guitars
14 Rosewood and Italian Spruce
22 Mahogany and Italian spruce
6 All Mahogany
2 lefty's
3 cut a ways
21 herringbone purfling


Be Safe
Merry Christmas Practice PEACE
Jim Holler

[goa]

The last price list I have from notable is a year old......
In my mind...the 03's are a pretty good value...not as much since the recent price increases but they are still a pretty good bang for the buck. One thing is that these are mahogany guitars not sapele. In my mind it remains to be seen if the Italian Spruce is something special or just hyperbole from a wood salesman. Time will tell.

Also, these are special edition guitars...which is cool if its something you want (ie a 12 fret LS model)...if not then pass on it. I've been fence sitting since the specs got nailed down...but I think I'm going to order one...I'm not gaga over it like some of these guys but I think it has the potential to be a cool guitar at a decent price.

Thanks Dotneck.  That's what I was thinking, you sound like you have a reasonable perspective.  I did go back and get a recent pricelist, and I now see the L-03Rs, etc. are at about this price point.  Wow!  What a couple price increases will do!  I'm very glad I got my L-03 before they went up, I would not have sprung a grand for one, I didn't have the money.  Now....I've got to decide on these special guitars.  To buy or not.  I liked what someone said somewhere, "spend time and money practicing if you want better tone" I think men especially like to collect, and sometimes fall into the trap that you can buy yourself to being a better player.  I, too, want a different type of Larrivee, and hope for a slightly different sound and look.  But I'm often amazed at how many board questions quickly get the response, "you need to have one of each - wink"  Well, yeah, if we are going to be true, insatiable consumers and collectors.  But do we all need 6 or 8 guitars?  Anyway, I may get one, leaning towards RW/IS now, and decide if I need to keep the L later.