When did the RS4 pickup change?

[hag99]

from Lollars to custom?

[Mikeymac]

I can't answer this with any authority, but it seems to me that RS-4s started shipping with Larrivee pickups about 8-12 months ago - giving myself some margin for error there!

If you're interested in a Larrivee with Lollars, there are still some out there at some dealers (some NOS/new old stock guitars); I believe there are still one or two at Guitar Adoptions (I know he still has a lefty or two with Lollars; I don't know for sure about his righties, but it's listed in his description of each guitar), but you could also contact Jason at Notable Guitars or any other Larrivee dealer who stocks electrics and ask if they still have any "pre-Larrivee pup models" still in stock.

I haven't heard the Lollars, so I don't really have an opinion on them, other than their good reputation. So when I got ready to order my RS-4, I was suspicious of the change to Larrivee built pickups as just a cost cutting measure (which, in these financial times, makes business sense, of course). But I talked with Matthew Larrivee on the phone (at his invitation, and we talked for a good 20 minutes or more) about the new Larrivee pickups, and he really knew his stuff when it came to building pickups.

Then, when I received my guitar, I was "converted"! I became a true believer in the Larrivee humbuckers, and I'm looking forward to ordering an RS-2 with a set of their P-90's as well.

[bel]

The very first ones were made December 2008 and were the Generation 1 pickups. The later generation wound on the vintage coil winder started around May 09.

[hag99]

Thanks for the replies.

So there were 2008 models with custom pickups.  Any difference between the Generation 1 (?) pickups and the newer ones?  I've been eyeing a 08 RS4 which the owner claims has the custom pickups.

[bel]

i think the primary difference was the use of the vintage coil winder. the parts are the same.

[macsmojado]

]Regardless of the use of the VINTAGE PICKUP WINDER that Matthew now uses I can tell you that Matthew's "Research,Sourcing parts and materials and pickup knowledge" along with some "Major connections with some Major Heavyweights in the Boutique Pickup Industry" have
all come together to create what could easily end up being some of the "FINEST HB and
P-90's" available in the Electric Guitar Pickup industry!


Oh Yeah! Just for the record I have a brand spankin new LEFTY RS-4 with that "Stunning Rootbeer
Finish"! I can tell you firsthand that the current LARRIVEE HB's are 100% modeled and designed in
every measurable way including all the materials required for the build ground up (Even the metals
and alloys used in each individual piece of the pickups down to the screws)after an original 1957
PAF pickup! :wacko:This is varifiable by Matthew Larrivee!

Matthew stated in a long interview with I believe "GUITAR ADOPTIONS" that he wanted to build a
Custom HB that was closer to the original 57 PAF because it was a cleaner more articulate pickup
with a lower gain structure or impedance than the Lollar HB's which equates to pickup that has better string to string
definition when overdrive and doesn't get as harsh when overdriven like higher output humbuckets
tend to do! The original 57 PAF's allow you to tweak the overdrive and gain and still have a very
articulate slightly overdriven tone instead of them going from clean to instant saturation or crunch
hence the lower output from 57 PAF's versus higher output HB's!

I am "TOTALLY STOKED" with my RS-4 and the attention to detail is "AS GOOD AS I'VE SEEN" on any
electric! I can't wait to get either another RS-4 with the Larrivee P-90's are for sure an RS-2 with
the P-90's!

If Matthew wasn't custom building the Larrivee HB's I would be totally cool with the Lollar HB's as they are
very fine pickups!Collings Electrics also chose to use LOLLAR PICKUPS extensively in their guitars!

Mac

[JOYCEfromNS]

The P90 by Larrivee are every bit as nice as the HB by Larrivee in quality and attention to detail. The P90 sound these PUPS deliver are the best in the industry IMHO

[Mikeymac]

The P90 by Larrivee are every bit as nice as the HB by Larrivee in quality and attention to detail. The P90 sound these PUPS deliver are the best in the industry IMHO

Pulling up this old discussion to ask...what other P-90's have you tried - to what are you comparing the Larrivees?

And also, we need MORE PICS of your RS-4 with P-90s!!! 

[macsmojado]

Yes as the "REV" stated we want some pics of your RS-4 with P-90's!

I am still waiting on some pics from Matthew of my Amber RS-2 with P-90's!

Mac

[JOYCEfromNS]

The P90 is just so sweet and just soo easy to get that great High-End. My familiarity is mainly with the standard Gibson P90 as also have a Gary MOORE BFG Les Paul it's a nice Git but no where near the Larrivee. Comparing a Chevette to a Cadi ( no offence to the Chevette owners).

May post some pics again but just have a cheap point and shoot Nikon combined with my photography talent leaves a pretty brutal photo - pretty embarrassing actually considering the subject

Will do a P90 sound comparison of the RS4 and the Les Paul BFG & post soon maybe Mississippi Queen or something of that sort

[macsmojado]

JOYCEfromNS,

Thumbs up on doing the Mississippi Queen song for a comparison between the RS-4 and the
Gary Moore BFG Les Paul!

Mac

[hag99]

The very first ones were made December 2008 and were the Generation 1 pickups. The later generation wound on the vintage coil winder started around May 09.

Are the first generation Larrivee custom pickups essentially the same as the newer ones or is there a significant difference with the vintage coil winder?  I'm eyeing the used market and have seem a couple 2008 models that claim to have the Larrivee pups, though I didn't think they were around at the time. 

Thanks

[bel]

There were some of the Larrivee pups around in 2008, though most really shipped in 2009. There were only about 50 sets of the generation 1 pickups made. The majority of the pickups are the generation 2 pickups. The current and final version is the Generation 3 pickup which has the Butyrate Bobbins started shipped around April. Here's a quick run down:

Generation 1
Wound on the homemade winder
Double Black Bobbins
Polysol Wire (copper color)
Custom Slugs
Alnico 2 bridge
Alnico 5 neck

Generation 2
Wound on the Leesona Winder
Double Black, or Zebra Bobbins
Plain Enamel Wire (Purple)
Custom Slugs
Alnico 2 bridge
Alnico 4 neck


Generation 3
Wound on the Leesona Winder
Larrivee's Butyrate Bobbins in either Black, Zebra, Reverse Zebra, or Double Cream
Plain Enamel Wire (Purple)
PAF style Slugs
Alnico 8 bridge
Alnico 6 neck

[hag99]

Thanks for the reply bel.  Anyone know of any noticeable tonal differences between each generation of pickup?  Has Matthew Larrivee improved the pickup each time or are the differences practically indistinguishable?

[hag99]

I decided to go to the source to answer my question, and I was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from Matthew Larrivee.  He confirmed that Larrivee started using custom pickups somewhere around mid-2008.  He says that those pickups are great but the latest generation is the best by far.

I'd be interested in hearing from those who have had to test the different custom pickups.

[JOYCEfromNS]

I
I'd be interested in hearing from those who have had to test the different custom pickups.

I have the new versions on the way - with gold hardware I too am anxious to compare

[Mikeymac]

"Better" at this point will be incremental (although I suppose it will still be noticeable); the Larrivee pickups in my Dec. '09 RS-4 are excellent - I can't imagine them getting much better!