Acoustic Guitar Magazine and Larrivée Guitars.

[broKen]

If you can afford advertising, you don't need it! I'm satisfied in JCLs approach: build a good product and let word of mouth carry the story.

f

That's right! Let the product do the advertising. Build the business on a solid foundation, not advertising chicanery.

[Danny]

   I don't recall which magazine, but one of them is what got me looking for Larrivees. Once I saw the TSB's and other guitars I knew I had to have one.
   So for me it worked to see them in a guitar magazine.

[ducktrapper]

Teja, over at AG, pointed out that it says "Special Advertising Section" at the bottom of each page. It is easily overlooked by a casual reader, however, and I still think the whole thing is misleading, especially to new readers. 

[cke]

Teja, over at AG, pointed out that it says "Special Advertising Section" at the bottom of each page. It is easily overlooked by a casual reader, however, and I still think the whole thing is misleading, especially to new readers. 

Agree with that! Still, there is a long history of mags like AG, and in the stereo and boating/sailing, and aviation industries publishing "Equipment Directories" which are useful, but really advertising.

[mas music]

Got a stack of old guitar magazines from a friend going back to the 80's. Larrivee had a full page add on the inside of each cover. It seems Larrivee no longer advertises or participates in buyers guides. Since Larrivee no longer sells through National retail chain stores it seems Larrivee has gone low profile. Having said that we live in the internet age, times have changed perhaps Larrivee has changed it's marketing strategy.

[abalone at last]

With advertising...like guitar building...its the quality that really counts...that means you need a team of individuals and lots of money to pull it off....there is an interesting story in Bob Taylors new book about their ads from about 10 years ago that really took them over the top. Plus Taylor even publishes their own magazine "wood and steel" ,that they give free for life to everone who purchases a Taylor guitar. Taylor loves to advertise...Larrivee not so much....seems to be one area of their business plan that is different....

[mas music]

You got to give it to Taylor. There marketing and customer support are superb. In my opinion Wood and Steel is better then any of the major guitar magazines. They use this publication to make there customers aware of all special edition guitars, this no doubt drives sales. I would never have known about my specail edition Bubinga Larrivee had I not walked into store that just happen to have one.

[teh]

I subscribe to both AG and The Fretboard Journal because I am interested in acoustic guitars and other instruments and find them to be interesting to read and then I pass them along to my son. Is AG trying to sell something and catering to those who support them with advertising? No question about it and I am ok with that. In the end, entreprenuership, marketing and sales are what keep the world going round and round. Fretboard Journal takes a different approach and I read every issue cover to cover too.

I don't know if Larrivee seeped into my subconsciousness through AG ads or if it was the recommendation of a co-worker to travel to a shop that sold Larrivees. Maybe just a combination of events but now I own two of them.

Not to change directions here but if I rekindled my interest in hunting, I would re-subscribe to Field and Stream and Pennsylvania Game News which I read back in the days when I hunted. Now all the places I used to hunt when I was a kid are either posted, developed into housing or a mall or otherwise off limits to me so I turned my attention and disposable income to other things. I still have the L.C. Smith 20 gauge double barrel shotgun that belonged to my grandfather and the single shot Ithaca 20 gauge shotgun that my father bought me for Christmas for $35 when I was 12. Like my guitars, these are two things I enjoy owning and find hard to let go of but I don't mind sharing them with others. I let my sons borrow my guitars and/or shotguns all the time.

[ducktrapper]

All I can add is that that  is why some people think Taylors are better than Larrivée when in fact they only cost more due to the shiny advertising. I prefer JCL's approach and  his guitars.    

[JOYCEfromNS]

All I can add is that that  is why some people think Taylors are better than Larrivée when in fact they only cost more due to the shiny advertising. I prefer JCL's approach and  his guitars.    

Yep quite prevalent in society - if it costs more it must be better  Advertising and endorsements are not cheap they can be rewarding to the Company and costly to the consumer. From a Business viewpoint one approach that works for one may not be the choice of preference for another for a host of reasons BUT how it effects the bottom line is ALWAYS considered to some degree.

[Mr_LV19E]

It all started with toy ads when we were kids. Some people still need the ads to tell them what they want, the rest of us grew up.

[DPprofessor]

From having spent a good portion of my adult life in advertising and marketing, I know that a great product and good word of mouth are absolutely the best things that a company can have.  But I also know that lack of top of mind awareness can also seriously hurt a company.  Consider the guitar buyer coming into the market with some money to spend who lacks familiarity with the major players.  All that person has to do is look at a couple of guitar publications to know that Martin, Gibson and Taylor are the major players.  With that knowledge, when he or she walks into a music store, those brands are, in a way, "pre-sold."  Other brands, that might be equally good or even better, are more or less unknowns.  I own a Martin D-28 and two Larrivees, one significantly more expensive than the Martin.  If I bring out the Martin, someone invariably says, "Ooh a Martin."  If I bring out the C-10, most people say "Nice guitar, who makes Larrivee?"  When they hear it or play it, they love it, but when they first see it, they don't know much about it.  That's a function of brand recognition, and recognition is simply a function of exposure.  It's not a matter of growing up.  The less you know about something, the less likely you are to buy it.     

[Danny]

All I can add is that that  is why some people think Taylors are better than Larrivée when in fact they only cost more due to the shiny advertising. I prefer JCL's approach and  his guitars.   

Yep quite prevalent in society - if it costs more it must be better  Advertising and endorsements are not cheap they can be rewarding to the Company and costly to the consumer. From a Business viewpoint one approach that works for one may not be the choice of preference for another for a host of reasons BUT how it effects the bottom line is ALWAYS considered to some degree.

After having two very nice Taylors, I disagree that they are somehow inferior to Larrivee. If that is the point stitched into the posts here.
      Bob Taylor and Jean Larrivee actually build a very similar guitar in many respects. After all they are close friends and shared many of there building methods with one another. The bracing seems to be the biggest diversion to me, as far as the sound produced form either instrument. Of course Taylor also chose the bolt on neck, but so does Collings and they have a waiting list still today in this foul economy.

      All things considered Bob Taylor is a true success story in every way. And there are some of his guitars I would take in a heartbeat, if I could afford them. Anyway I believe JCL would only say good things about his friend B.T.

[rockstar_not]

      All things considered Bob Taylor is a true success story in every way. And there are some of his guitars I would take in a heartbeat, if I could afford them. Anyway I believe JCL would only say good things about his friend B.T.

Actually, in my one-on-one tour of the Oxnard Larrivée factory, given by none other than Jean himself - he did have nice things to say about Bob Taylor - unsolicited.  Specifically, Jean mentioned how he learned about CNC milling of neck blanks from Bob Taylor.  He mentioned how they share ideas with each other in general.

I don't own any Taylors, not because I don't like them, but because of financial constraints and my wife not understanding the love one wife, love many guitars concept to the extent that I understand it

And honestly I don't NEED other guitars, I just WANT them.

[abalone at last]

And I'm sure Bob Taylor has only good things to say about Jean Larrivee....sharing ideas is a great way to improve.

[Mr_LV19E]

  It's not a matter of growing up.  The less you know about something, the less likely you are to buy it.     

My point is that grown ups should have enough experience in life to know "not" to believe everything they hear or read and that they should do research to gain the knowledge necessary to make an informed decision before making a purchase.
Advertising is a way for businesses to get the weak minded and those who need instant gratification to give them their hard earned cash. Obviously its good for the business, it just doesn't say much for mankind.
JMO yours may vary.

[hadden]

Most of the guitar buying market doesn't have the experience or musical sensitivity or self-confidence to make an independent decision, the Brand push gives re-assurance. I was in a shop last week with someone playing a rather mediocre sounding big name guitar, and they had a Santa Cruz D around the same price he'd never heard of which ate the other git for lunch. I handed it to him to try and he played it with this strange passive indifference. Mind made up. I am thinking I should have gently pushed him to keep playing it and maybe the penny would have dropped -- but I just had one of those moments where you get dissappointed in people.

[ducktrapper]

Other than stating my preference, I never said that one was better than the other. Only that there is a perception of that in some minds. What I did  say is that Taylors are, on average, more expensive and offered a rationale. I will never apologize for preferring Larrivées, on this forum.  

And, of course, I never said advertising isn't effective or necessary only that it isn't free and the cost will be passed on to you, the consumer.      

[JOYCEfromNS]

Other than stating my preference, I never said that one was better than the other. Only that there is a perception of that in some minds. What I did  say is that Taylors are, on average, more expensive and offered a rationale. I will never apologize for preferring Larrivées, on this forum.  

And, of course, I never said advertising isn't effective or necessary only that it isn't free and the cost will be passed on to you, the consumer.      

" I disagree that they are somehow inferior to Larrivee. If that is the point stitched into the posts here" NOT SURE WHERE THIS COMMENT came from Another late night I guess   As we were only discussing obvious different marketing strategies not better just different

[DPprofessor]

My point is that grown ups should have enough experience in life to know "not" to believe everything they hear or read and that they should do research to gain the knowledge necessary to make an informed decision before making a purchase.
Advertising is a way for businesses to get the weak minded and those who need instant gratification to give them their hard earned cash. Obviously its good for the business, it just doesn't say much for mankind.
JMO yours may vary.

I think you have a very biased idea of what advertising does.  Advertising exists because people's lives are much too busy to do "research" on everything they buy.  It allows manufacturers to showcase what they feel are the attractions and benefits of their products, and often it is what makes a consumer want to research and find out more.  People are more comfortable with products they feel they know.  That's why the hardest thing in advertising is the introduction of a new brand that no one has heard of.  Whether it's toothpaste, or clothing, or a car or a guitar, people are simply naturally cautious about spending money on products they don't know well.  When you're in a music store with a thousand bucks burning a hole in your mid-life crisis jeans, you're probably going to buy something. You're not going to leave the store and go home and do a bunch of research when you're surrounded by products whose reputation you know and trust.