Low volume in my new Larrivee OM-03

[LoMa]

Well, I've never played an OM-03, but I know my nylon string Francisco Navarro cedar & cypress flamenco guitar is much louder than my small bodied Larrivee Parlor rosewood & spruce steel string and it certainly has a much broader tonal palette. If they were both nylon string guitars, I would expect the spruce to be significantly louder than a cedar top, but I think comparing nylon string guitars to steel string ones is like comparing apples to oranges...

My friend has rosewood & spruce Martin dreadnought (a huge guitar!) that competes well in volume with my flamenco guitar, but my flamenco still has a broader and more colorful tonal palette. It also takes a lot more force for a steel string to drive its heavily braced top than it does for a nylon string to drive its lightly braced top.

I love nylon string guitars and I love steel strings too, but they sound different and require different technique. My steel string technique is frankly pretty lousy, but I am having fun anyway.

[BluesMan1]

   I have to agree with Jeremy about the height. If you don't hear any buzzing when played harder, as you have not mentioned, I would throw on a set of the EJ-16's, the cheapest thing first. They give all of my guitars, including the OM's I've owned, more low end & a great overall sound. Try this first & play them in. Then take it from there. Sometimes the easiest & cheapest things can work, so it's worth a shot. Play it by ear after that! And welcome to the Forum!
     Jeff   

[TokyoNeko]

I would echo the recommendation of a "Traditional Series" model for larger volume, if you want to stay within the Larrivee family and the OM size.  Try an OM-50 or an OM-60 if you can get a chance, but keep in mind that the price will at least double from an OM-03(R).

If you want something even louder, then you pay even more and start going the "boutique" route (e.g. Goodall, Collings, Bourgeois, etc.)

[zurdillo]

Thank you very much for all your replies, all are very usefull. First I will change the strings, and now I'm sure this guitar will be with me for years.

I have recorded some videos with my OM-03 and now are uploaded in Youtube. If somebody is interested in ear the sound of my OM-03 for compare I will be grateful. These are the links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dOndKxnepE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7wbKoDya7Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxUun6Kxp2Q

Thank you! 

[petesmithguitarist]

Hi Guys, I think I`ve mentioned this before but it`s worth mentioning again, Jean built me 3 LV10 customs to use for the UK Larrivee clinics, all MR with Vine inlays...like 3 peas out of the same pod. I used #1 for every gig I did for 18 months, ( approx 700...3 a day at guitar shows!!!!) #2 was used in an open tuning for a couple of numbers per gig and #3 was a spare in case of string breakage.
18 months later and #1 is MUCH louder than #2 which is significantly louder than #3.
The outcome is that they get louder the more you play `em.... cheers, Pete

[obe-wan]

The outcome is that they get louder the more you play `em.... cheers, Pete

As another thread suggests here, "play the snot out of it". My OM-03R is just starting to find it voice. Ive owned it for 1-1/2 years.


Cheers, Scott.

[GA-ME]

If you want a bit more volume, just sand the hard right angles off of the bracing. Use about 100 grit sandpaper and use some spray adhesive to attatch some sandpaper to a stick so you can reach the outer edges. You will get more volume and sustain.

[zurdillo]

Thank you, very valuable info in the last replies. The experience of petesmithguitarist of course has convenced to me, 700 gigs is a good chance to the guitar to obtain a good performance level!

Greetings