Educate me on Larrivee Parlor guitars

Started by Supersonic1414, July 29, 2012, 08:23:52 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

I have been looking to get a SC or Collings parlor guitar, but some friends said I should really look into the Larrivee options.  Admittedly,I am not familiar with them, and would love some help as well as base line used prices for a like new model

Cheers

I was looking for a Parlor and discovered Larrivee. I purchased one new in 2004 and it was part of a special edition run of 100 with flamed maple back and sides. It is truly a versatile litte guitar for a fraction of the cost of a SC, Collings, Martin or similar brand. If money is no object, one of those guitars will be a better guitar but for the money, a Larrivee has solid wood back and sides and clean simple lines. My parlor does not even have an end pin.

If you keep watching this forum, they often come up for sale from people who want to sell them to get something else. I don't watch them that closely but have seen a number of them come in well under $1,000. I paid a lot less than that for mine which is a satin finish (03 series). It's a buyer's market so be patient but I would not part with my parlor.

My only modifications were the purchase of a hardshell case (instead of the gig bag), a bone saddle and removal of the clear pick guard. (some people like the clear pickguard but I am not one of them). I also prefer light gauge strings but many here prefer Mediums (which the parlor will handle).

When I bought mine, I had a choice of two mahogany and two rosewood models. I have since played (but do not own) an all mahogany parlor as well as limited edition lacewood and a quilted maple versions. Every one of them I have played was a nice guitar that I would have purchased if I didn't have one. 

Between my son and me, we have 11 guitars including the ones listed on my page plus his Taylor, Seagull and National guitars as well as a couple not mentioned. My parlor is his favorite little fingerstyle guitar and I keep it at his house since I am visiting or watching my grandchildren 2 or 3 times a week. I also take it on car trips and vacations but do not fly with my guitars (except my backpacker).

The Larrivee Parlor is an excellent value and professional instrument used by Larry Pattis (http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=KfMMFpReP8Y)  and Jason Wilbur (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jirlkMJz-Ng) among many others.

I have played the Martin 0-28VS which is my favorite small guitar so far, but it is bigger and longer scale and a different beast I think, not really direct competition.

I also spent some time with the Collings which is a lovely guitar, but I really thought gave me nothing I wasn't getting from my Larrivee.  And for twice the money...

I mostly play my Parlor in open tunings, but it is super for blues and ragtime, and anything you like. I have flown with it in the overhead before I picked up my Voyage Air, which is much better suited to that role.
Chris
Larrivee's '07  L-09 (40th Commemorative); '09 00-03 S.E; '08 P-09
Eastman '07 AC 650-12 Jumbo (NAMM)
Martin   '11 D Mahogany (FSC Golden Era type)
Voyage-Air '10 VAOM-06
-the nylon string-
Goya (Levin) '58 G-30
-dulcimer-
'11 McSpadden

hi Supersonic-

tons of info on these gems around here if'n you search- i've added a link to a recent thread w/ pics included of a beautiful and recent Larrivee P-09 w/ Alpine top-
check it out! certainly good to know your options- and Larrivee should be on the list  :smile:

http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=40835.0

madhat

Had my Larrivee parlor for about 5 years now and its a gem.  Hard to imagine I would ever think of parting with it.  Mine has maple back and sides and a spruce top.  Flatpick mine as that is how I play.  Keep mediums or 'new mediums' on it and it has a fine sound to my ears.  Put a pick up in (schertler bluestick) it which sounds great too - tho I dont plug in very often.  I play the parlor about 5 days a week.  Comfortable, and I also find that the ease of playing the short scale makes it nice for learning new songs.  Have a hard shell case.  A necessity given the flimsy construction I see in my Larrivee gig bag.  One day I might invest in a more serious gig bag for it as I love the parlor for travel.  I have taken it on nearly a dozen plane trips and even more trips in the car.  I wouldn't compare it too a Collings.  Just not fair.  The Collings is a much more expensive animal.  If I were lucky enough to have a little Collings, I would keep both. 

jeff
Santa Cruz PJ
Martin om28v
Martin 0018vs
Bourgeois 'Alan Simpson' Slope Dread
Martin LXM (on loan)

I have had 4 Larrivee Parlors, I have my dream one now, a P-05MT, mahogany B/S and Top. The parlor guitar is going to sound different than a big guitar, but it is a small guitar at a very small price for what you get, the woods, the workmanship. Even though it is ideally suited for fingerstyle playing I use it with a pick, strum it, pick notes and always love it. I play with 12's not 13's and for me it is just a great guitar, 24 inch scale means easy on your hands. Nice sound, not a loud guitar but a great one.
Larrivee P-05MT, Martin 00-18 custom, Martin 000 Koa custom. I used to be known as guitone on here but somehow I could no longer log on that way, so I am not such a newbie.

Quote from: JRS11 on July 31, 2012, 08:03:20 PM
I have had 4 Larrivee Parlors, I have my dream one now, a P-05MT, mahogany B/S and Top. The parlor guitar is going to sound different than a big guitar, but it is a small guitar at a very small price for what you get, the woods, the workmanship. Even though it is ideally suited for fingerstyle playing I use it with a pick, strum it, pick notes and always love it. I play with 12's not 13's and for me it is just a great guitar, 24 inch scale means easy on your hands. Nice sound, not a loud guitar but a great one.

Well-said

I recently purchased a p-01 made in 2000. For refference, I paid $585. It has a small ding on the front edge of the lower bout.

It is a wonderful little instrument, comfortable to hold and play. It has a smallish, but balanced voice.

Yeah, you could spend much much more, but for my money, these solid woods and  fine, if unadorned construction, mean I've gotten a great guitar and am not spending on bling or prestige.
Larrivee d-03, My first "good" guitar
Larrivee p1 Dec 2000
Larrivee Forum III #31 Mom's estate gift to me
Boulder Creek tenor uke *2
Gibson SG 1980 gift from Dad for my 16th birthday
Yellow labrador

just play a Larri P (love my P-09rw), that's all the convincing you'll need. 
i used to agitate for sedition. now i advocate sedation.

As you can see from the above, these are excellent guitars and far better value for money than some of the more expensive makes. They are quite sturdily built, so playing them in takes a bit longer than some other guitars, but it is worth persisting. I find mine is OK for picking or strumming.

Of course, they are also perfect couch guitars as they don't take up too much space. You can get used to this and start to think of some other instruments as being a bit like "having a shed under your arm".
Larrivée Limited Edition Rosewood Parlor (2003)
plus various other acoustic guitars and one ukulele

I have a PV-09e and I think it's a great little guitar. I put a bone saddle in and had it set up for 13's and it sounds great. I'm actually playing mine while I'm sitting at the computer.  :nana_guitar

Larrivee parlours are small...smaller than most other parlours...but they're purdy, and fitted with mediums, they're as loud as you'll need....







Love mine  :winkin:

Wildwood Custom P-09 with Italian Alpine Spruce

Quote from: Walkerman on August 01, 2012, 11:11:51 PM
Larrivee parlours are small...smaller than most other parlours...but they're purdy, and fitted with mediums, they're as loud as you'll need....








Walkerman that is one absolutely, drop dead gorgeous little parlor!!! i mean outstanding!
i used to agitate for sedition. now i advocate sedation.

When Guitar Emporium in Seattle was still around, I played several Larrivees, from parlor to SD.  The parlors always sounded boxy to me.  There was not much to attract my ears.  The 03 models were by far the best sound for what they cost, and more. 

I would have to play first before considering to buy one. 
Play it daily for best results.

Very pretty!  Mine is not that nice but still a very decent "blonde"



the back


I find them to be great travel guitars for car or plane. Like Walkerman says, when you string them with mediums they sound a lot larger. Besides, due to the short scale you won't notice a big difference in tension and they work great on dropped tunings.
Mine is an all koa and has a full bodied tone. Personally, the price point compared to a Collins and even a Taylor is well worth the savings in so far as you get a comparable sounding instrument IMHO.
Larrivee LC-10 Koa
Larrivee DV-10 Koa
Composite Acoustics Cargo
UnclRob's Parts Telecaster

After looking at your koa parlor and then your list of guitars your username makes perfect sense: KOAMON.

Nice line-up.  What is it about KOA that you like--other than its sheer beauty?

When I used to be a Martin guy, I thought the D-35 and D-28 was the way to go but I over time, found that I found RW too boomy for my taste. Then I read an interesting article in Frets magazine on mahogany vs. rosewood by George Gruhn which gave me some cheap wisdom to control my GAS. Consequently, I picked up a  mahogany Martin GOM D3-18 and my HD-28 sat in the closet. Coundn't have been happier until UnclRob turned me on to Larrivee Koas and Blackwoods. Those tonewoods, I found to be even better than mahogany imho for the sound I was looking for. Airy and crisp like a Hog, but tonally more complex. For me Koa articulates like an aged Hog body and Blackwoods are like Koa on steroids. (hey UnclRob, I should have picked up that Blackwood LV-9 when I had the chance) Besides that, they sure are striking instruments.
Larrivee LC-10 Koa
Larrivee DV-10 Koa
Composite Acoustics Cargo
UnclRob's Parts Telecaster

Koamon a beautiful set of guitars there Friend  :drool:
Larrivee Electrics - My Dream then and Now!!!!!<br /><br />Forum IV     00-03MT       #4      (Treasured)

Powered by EzPortal