Effect of a cutaway on Larrivee guitars

Started by TonyC, February 04, 2009, 10:35:10 PM

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Quote from: amoore on February 06, 2009, 12:54:52 PM
It's impossible for the cutaway not to make a difference in sound.
He's right......in my opinion, non-cutaway just sounds better and to be honest i think there's a difference in sound even with something as small as a pickup/electronics. but hey, if that's what she likes and is comfortable with that body style, go for it! She won't be disappointed with either of the two.   

Impossible perhaps but also entirely possible that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference in a blind test. When listening to music can anyone here with any certainty say, "That player is playing a guitar with a cutaway?" I don't think so.   

Quote from: ducktrapper on February 07, 2009, 08:02:51 AM
Impossible perhaps but also entirely possible that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference in a blind test. When listening to music can anyone here with any certainty say, "That player is playing a guitar with a cutaway?" I don't think so.   

I'm not really interested in what other people can or can't hear and I think others should adopt that philosophy for themselves when trying out guitars.

Quote from: rpm60912 on February 07, 2009, 02:55:37 AM
Even Bob Taylor commented that part of the guitar top where the cutaway is located does not vibrate much; they don't even put their "relief rout" (the rut-cut they put on the inside of the top near the edges to maximize vibration in post-2006 models)in the cutaway area .  That to say, even one luthier's opinion is that the cutaway hardly makes a difference in sound.

Luthiers don't thin around the perimeter in the upper bout for structural reasons.


I also doubt that the upper bout on Taylors vibrate much.

Frankenstein fugly. The Larrivee bracing looks heavy too compared to some other makers. Maybe the black and white makes that look particularly inelegant.
L-03 Italian Spruce

Jeremy is right about the movement of air within the body. To me, it does affect the sound slightly. I play upside-down, so a cutaway does me no good. I go for sound mainly & the less space for the air to move, you are probably taking something away from the sound. Again, Jeremy's point about the player & their ears, that's pretty much what it boils down to.
I personally think you should consider an OM body. It fits comfortably in just about anyones lap & hands. As to the Martin OM-21, great guitar but alot more. Something to consider on a first purchase.
Sheryl Crow plays Gibson Songwriters, not Guild. :smile:
Good luck either way & let her ears & fingers make the final decision.
Jeff   :guitar
'11 Martin OM18V Engelmann Custom
'11 Martin D-18 Adirondack Custom
'12 Martin MFG OM-35 Custom
'07 Larrivee OOO-60(Trinity Guitars)
'13 Larrivee OM-03 "Exotic"RW Custom(Oxnard C.S.)
'10 L.Canteri OO1JP Custom(IS/IT.WALNUT)


So it seems I have come to doubt, all that I once held as true

Quote from: TonyC on February 06, 2009, 06:52:44 PM
I stopped at the Podium (without my daughter, since I was just passing by and scouting), the owner told me you don't often see performing artists use a cutaway.  TonyC

I think the main reason you don't see many performing artists using a cutaway is that during a performance they are usually being backed by a band and therefore don't often play above the fifth fret and probably never above the twelfth. They have electric guitarists to take care of that.

Now when those same artists are sitting down writing music, they probably don't use the same guitars they perform with. YMMV
Roger


"Live simply so that others may simply live"

You're right. If you check out the back-up guitarists, alot of them have cutaways; have to do more work than the frontman.
Jeff   :guitar
'11 Martin OM18V Engelmann Custom
'11 Martin D-18 Adirondack Custom
'12 Martin MFG OM-35 Custom
'07 Larrivee OOO-60(Trinity Guitars)
'13 Larrivee OM-03 "Exotic"RW Custom(Oxnard C.S.)
'10 L.Canteri OO1JP Custom(IS/IT.WALNUT)


So it seems I have come to doubt, all that I once held as true


Dan- as you probably know, Gibson made a nylon string model with a cutaway named after him.
Jeff   :guitar
'11 Martin OM18V Engelmann Custom
'11 Martin D-18 Adirondack Custom
'12 Martin MFG OM-35 Custom
'07 Larrivee OOO-60(Trinity Guitars)
'13 Larrivee OM-03 "Exotic"RW Custom(Oxnard C.S.)
'10 L.Canteri OO1JP Custom(IS/IT.WALNUT)


So it seems I have come to doubt, all that I once held as true

Larrivee L-03
Larrivee P-03
Gretsch 6120
Gibson ES-335
Fender Stratocaster

   Gretsch made the Chet Atkins "Country Gentleman" model. I just saw one at a pawn shop in a small town in Kentucky. He didn't want to sell it until he was sure if it was one of the five or so that Elvis purchased and gave to friends. He said the S/N was 2 digits off from the one Elvis kept.

  (Here is a pic of one that's for sale on e-bay right now)

[attachment deleted by admin]

Quote from: hadden on February 07, 2009, 09:59:54 AM
Frankenstein fugly. The Larrivee bracing looks heavy too compared to some other makers. Maybe the black and white makes that look particularly inelegant.

Yeah, Larrivee uses a pretty massive upper transverse brace, I think it's 1/2", plus the popsicle brace.


The Taylor pictured above looks like it has two 3/8" upper transverse braces. Compare it and the Larrivee to this 'henkogram' of a 1936 D-18. I know it's just a shadow but you can see how thick the braces are and that it doesn't have the popsicle brace. Its upper transverse brace is only 5/16"


Some guy is still playing that 73 year old guitar.

It's not the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman. It's a newer nylon string cutaway version with his name. Maybe in the 80's ? Mark Knopfler played one also on their collaboration album.
Jeff   :guitar
'11 Martin OM18V Engelmann Custom
'11 Martin D-18 Adirondack Custom
'12 Martin MFG OM-35 Custom
'07 Larrivee OOO-60(Trinity Guitars)
'13 Larrivee OM-03 "Exotic"RW Custom(Oxnard C.S.)
'10 L.Canteri OO1JP Custom(IS/IT.WALNUT)


So it seems I have come to doubt, all that I once held as true

Quote from: BluesMan1 on February 08, 2009, 05:55:31 PM
It's not the Chet Atkins Country Gentleman. It's a newer nylon string cutaway version with his name. Maybe in the 80's ? Mark Knopfler played one also on their collaboration album.
Jeff   :guitar
Yea, I know about the Gibby, I was just showing another one. Chet also Had one made for Him by D'Angelico in the early 50's I believe.

I just found some info on the model I'm talking about. Sorry about the confusion. A friend of mine was given a '60's Country Gentleman by his uncle. What a nice guitar. The Gibson C.A. Model came in a CE or a CEC version, the difference being the fretboard width. It was a solid bodied, chambered git with a piezo p/u.
Jeff   :guitar
'11 Martin OM18V Engelmann Custom
'11 Martin D-18 Adirondack Custom
'12 Martin MFG OM-35 Custom
'07 Larrivee OOO-60(Trinity Guitars)
'13 Larrivee OM-03 "Exotic"RW Custom(Oxnard C.S.)
'10 L.Canteri OO1JP Custom(IS/IT.WALNUT)


So it seems I have come to doubt, all that I once held as true

G'day Tony, growing up in my teens, I saw my first cutaway, my first impression was, WOW!!! No one and I mean no one, can change my thoughts. No sound, looks, colour, bling, shape, of a full guitar would change my mind, no matter how beautiful that guitar was. My mind was set on a cutaway, even if the sound nor feel wasn't as good. What I'm saying is, wouldn't it be better to buy something your daughter likes and will play and get excited with everyday rather then something that might be  thrown in the corner after a week. Especially when your talking about investing a expensive guitar like a Lav. Shes only 15, and once you've bought a Lav. guarantee she'll buy a second eventually, and to think Tony, you and I be long gone when shes bought her 30th guitar, and who knows they could be all cutaways. Remember Tony, you improve much more, with comfort and love.
Cheers
fongie

Thanks, Fongie. Yes, I just hope I'm around to hear my daughter play the first 15-20 of those guitars.  I hear what you're saying about a good instrument.  I had a fiddle made for me before I was good enough to need it.  But I wanted an instrument that I'd have a hand in the making (if only picking out the wood and such).

We're off to try out some Larrivee guitars at the end of the week.  I will dutifully report back.

Tony

Effects of a cutaway on a Larrivee guitar?  ... it can be summed up in these few words, "Less guitar, more money"  :winkin:
bluesman67
HOGTOP CHARLOTTE

www.reverbnation.com/hogtopcharlotte

Howdy.  I'm reporting back on my trip to try out some guitars with my daughter.  She tried a number of different kinds, but she settled on the Larrivee guitars as her favorite in our price range (she tried some Taylors, Martins, and Guilds too).  She liked the OM Larrivee she tried, but she like the L-models more.  She couldn't actually try the LV-03E because it was on layaway.  In fact, it wasn't even coming out for us to hear until the owner of the shop came into the picture.  He played it so we could hear it up against the LV-05E.  All in all, she liked the LV-05E a whole lot and she liked the sound of the 05 a little better than the 03 (again, she didn't get to play the 03).  The difference in price between the two is $700 **deleted by mod**  So now we're thinking about whether to fork over the extra buckos for the 05.  I think she will be happy with either.  Of course, I've seen a number of Larrivee 05 guitars on sale on eBay for quite a bit less.  The owner of the shop was very nice to us and I wouldn't want to take advantage of his time just to end up buying one on eBay (and if the difference in price were so great as to make it plain silly not to buy a used guitar, I'd want to compensate the owner for his time and helpfulness).  In any case, I think we're coming round to the LV-05E, though I do wish she could have played the 03 herself.  Thanks very much for all the advice, input, and help here :thumb. :thumb

TonyC

Tony--

That's good news that you and your daughter have decided on a model.  You might consider starting a new thread in the For Sale Section with a heading something like: WANTED:  Larrivee LV-05e (or whatever) and then proceed to explain your situation.  You never know who might pop out of the proverbial cyber-woodwork with one to sell here.  It can't hurt to try.  You'd save yourself some money, and would likely take on little risk and uncertainty with an established member on the forum.  Buy your strings, capos... from the dealer who demoed the guitars for you to show your appreciation.  Of cource, the only drawback to buying used is you will not be entitled to a guarentee.  Oner might turn up here if you're patient; I'm sure others who have been around longer can advise you better than I.  Enjoy the search. 

         DAVE
-Larrivee LSV11e (sadly sold))
-Lowden S10c
-Taylor 455ce L7
-Guild D40 (donated to science due to terminal      Onthevergeofimplosionitis)
-Brian Fry Custim 000 in the works

Tony, of course you can find a great deal on a used guitar but the prices you were quoted are very reasonable (not supposed to list prices of new guitars on the forum per rules) for new. Did she get a chance to try the OM body style?
Roger


"Live simply so that others may simply live"

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