Anyone want to guess the age of this LV-04e?

Started by Nealtor, August 20, 2013, 05:51:16 PM

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I received my Larrivee today.  The label inside has no model number but the body looks like an LV to me.  The serial number is 41447.

This link has some pics for your review. 

http://www.evernote.com/shard/s188/sh/44d70024-5a50-4c71-be8f-9810be276f04/0eff33e28cd1e88252fc281e286d73e5

Anyone want to make a guess as to the type of wood?  I was told Spruce top and that LV04's are rosewood back and sides, but this one seems older and those, I've read, tend to be mahogany.

Thanks for your expertise.

N.
:donut2 :donut2 :donut2
Larrivee LV-?e
Larrivee OM-03 MT
Ibanez Floral  F300-CS
Seagull S6
The Loar LO-16 Bk (small body acoustic)
Oscar Schmidt nylon string
Lanakai LU-21T (tenor ukulele)
Cordoba Guilele CE (guitar ukulele)
The Loar LM 220 VS (mandolin)
Republic Steel Resonator (parlor, single cone)
Deering GoodTime Banjo
Ibanez Artcore AF-105 hollowbody

It's a spruce top of course.  The back and sides are mahogany, that's for sure.  As far as age, I'm not one to know, but others will chime in I'm sure.  What year was it supposed to be?  You didn't know what wood it was before you bought it?  I'm a bit bewildered.

Cheers, Kurt
"Badges?  We don't need no stinkin' badges."

Became a Shooting Star when I got my 1st guitar.
Back in '66, I was 13 and that was my fix.
Still shooting for stardom after all this time.
If I never make it, I'll still be fine.


:guitar

From the picture and the research I did, I knew it was a Spruce/Mahogany but I thought I'd throw it out to the forum for input.

The seller didn't know the age.  I've heard the serial numbers weren't very well maintained in the early years so it might be difficult to date it.  Doesn't really matter.  It sounds great.  I was just curious.

n.
Larrivee LV-?e
Larrivee OM-03 MT
Ibanez Floral  F300-CS
Seagull S6
The Loar LO-16 Bk (small body acoustic)
Oscar Schmidt nylon string
Lanakai LU-21T (tenor ukulele)
Cordoba Guilele CE (guitar ukulele)
The Loar LM 220 VS (mandolin)
Republic Steel Resonator (parlor, single cone)
Deering GoodTime Banjo
Ibanez Artcore AF-105 hollowbody

From : http://www.larrivee.com/3_products/pickups2.html

QuoteFishman Deluxe SC

The Fishman Deluxe SC replaced the "Fishman Classic 4" pickup and was used only on the now retired -02 Series. It was designed by Fishman to be a low-cost pickup for guitars under $1000. It was a single source pickup with the four primary controls and designed for easy installation by manufacturers. The battery compartment was onboard. This preamp was used from 1999-2001 when we discontinued the -02 series. For more information check out http://www.fishman.com. There is currently no electronic user manual provided by Fishman for this Preamp.

I wish I could help you out more with aging it, but that's not my area of expertise.  I can identify with your curiousity though.  It's exiting to get a new instrument and one wants to find out as much as one can about it.  I'm the same way.  Good thing is, there are lots of forumites here who will be able to help you zero in on it fairly closely.  And like you say, if it sounds great and you like it, that's the main thing.

Enjoy your new guitar and play the crap out of it.   :guitar
"Badges?  We don't need no stinkin' badges."

Became a Shooting Star when I got my 1st guitar.
Back in '66, I was 13 and that was my fix.
Still shooting for stardom after all this time.
If I never make it, I'll still be fine.


:guitar

Based on the history of Larrivee pickups, it looks like your guitar is an 1999-2001 era LV-02E - assuming they were using the numbering scheme back then

Quote from: CJ on August 20, 2013, 07:37:42 PM
Based on the history of Larrivee pickups, it looks like your guitar is an 1999-2001 era LV-02E - assuming they were using the numbering scheme back then

Isn't that a gloss top and body? Were old 02s gloss?

Agreed that it is mahogany...and by the looks of the raw wood through the sound hole I'd say Honduran Mahogany. Was Larrivee still using Honduran Mahog on all mahogany guitars back then?

 :nice guitar: :guitar
P-03R/IS

Spruce on top...

Thanks CJ and Jim and everyone else.  I appreciate the interest. 

When Larrivee responds to my email I'll let you all know the final verdict.  I'm sure CJ is onto something with the Fishman deduction.  Smart thinking.

Side note:  Earlier, last week, I mentioned an OM for sale at a great price but the seller wouldn't respond.  He finally did.  I hope to have news of my second Larrivee in the next few days.   I'd say a pair of them, in LV and OM, should complement each other nicely and provide for a wide range of styles.

I find myself finger picking over strumming quite a bit lately.   

Thanks again,

N.

:donut :donut2 :donut
Larrivee LV-?e
Larrivee OM-03 MT
Ibanez Floral  F300-CS
Seagull S6
The Loar LO-16 Bk (small body acoustic)
Oscar Schmidt nylon string
Lanakai LU-21T (tenor ukulele)
Cordoba Guilele CE (guitar ukulele)
The Loar LM 220 VS (mandolin)
Republic Steel Resonator (parlor, single cone)
Deering GoodTime Banjo
Ibanez Artcore AF-105 hollowbody

I am going to go with:

2000-2002.

Looks like an LV-03 that ha been polished out.  I base this on the fact that the guitar has black binding with W/B purfling stripes whereas all of the old -04 instruments I have seen have white binding with B/W purfling.

No model number on the label.  Larrivee stopped putting model numbers on the label in late 1998, not sure when they started up again.  Electronics appear to be early 2000 era as well.

I disagree with the posters above that think it is an -02.  I recall the early -02 instruments having black neck binding, not white.  (same as the black neck binding on my Parlor.

I'd put this in the late 80's. She's in great shape.

Quote from: dlsteel on August 21, 2013, 10:11:09 PM
I'd put this in the late 80's. She's in great shape.

I hope you meant 90's.  The -03 series didn't exist until late 1996, and the -02 and -4 came later.

From the Serial # ( 41447 ) my guess would be a 2001 model.

Have you emailed Larrivee following their directions here and as well ensure you put "Guitar" in the subject box?  If you don't your email may not get thru their spam filters.

Larrivee of course will be able to provide you with an exact birthdate.
Larrivee Electrics - My Dream then and Now!!!!!<br /><br />Forum IV     00-03MT       #4      (Treasured)

I've sent SN requests to Larrivee 3 times per their web page instruction and have never received a reply. So on the advice of another forum member, I PM'd them here.

Try sending a PM to Mike Kitchen with your SN info. His profile is here: http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?action=profile;u=13422

When I PM'd Mike, he replied in less than a day.

And PS - if the guitar is NOT an -02, then Larrivee's FAQ on the history of pickups they've used is wrong. Per the page, that particular preamp/pickup combo was only used on -02's, guitars under $1000 and from 1999-2001. So if I'm wrong, at least I'm in 'good company'.  :bgrin:

Thanks again CJ.   I just PM'd Mike Kitchen. 

Larrivee LV-?e
Larrivee OM-03 MT
Ibanez Floral  F300-CS
Seagull S6
The Loar LO-16 Bk (small body acoustic)
Oscar Schmidt nylon string
Lanakai LU-21T (tenor ukulele)
Cordoba Guilele CE (guitar ukulele)
The Loar LM 220 VS (mandolin)
Republic Steel Resonator (parlor, single cone)
Deering GoodTime Banjo
Ibanez Artcore AF-105 hollowbody

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