RS4 then and then?

Started by headsup, March 06, 2016, 08:52:27 AM

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As some folks know, I've been playing JCL acoustic guitars since 1971.
The electrics, obviously not as long.
I have been climbing back into the old single coil regime, again, courtesy of the beautiful 80's RS4, complete with Pick-ups hand wound by Jean.

In the early 70's I was playing a 57 strat hardtail, that literally walked into a gig i was playing while on tour in PEI. The classic 2 tone burst, with the maple neck and all the cool wear marks, just like Eric Clapton's from his Derrick days.
I played that guitar for 10 years with a modified herco pick stuck in the 3 way switch screw to get that out of phase sound (5 way switches hadn't been invented yet). Wrong, I suspect, us folks in the Maritimes just didn't know it yet I suspect....

When the babies came in the mid eighties I sold that guitar and never looked back, having gottten VERY tired of that same ol' strat sound that everybody was using.

Flash forward to now, and my second 80's RS4 (pictured), and after many years of playing other electrics, I have once again been re acquainting myself with that single coil "strat" sound, and honestly, JCL's pups, from back in the days are much clearer and smoother, with many more overtones than I recall my original 57 having.  Of course I could be wrong, matters not, just having a bit of fun with what i feel was Larrivee Creme de la creme from 1983. (see pics)

Flash forward 25 years or so to Matt Larrivee's design concept of his own version of the RS4 (Montery), and again, like dad, he started with using a commercially available pick-up, but decided soon enough he could do better, and set out to design and re create the famous Gibson PAF from the 50's/60's.
Subsequently producing, like his own dad did, a brilliant state of the art guitar, that any owners around here will readily attest to.

Thanks Jean, Matthiew and John and all the folks who have contributed, apprenticed, and helped this family business produce such wonderful instruments!

Here's a couple picks of the old and the new (discontinued)-soon to be old RS4's I'm playing with my morning coffee after a weekend of acoustic gigs (with Larrivee's-of course!
"Senior" member means "old" right?
Like over 50?

Too many guitars to list here.
Too few brain cells to be bothered with...

Quote from: headsup on March 06, 2016, 08:52:27 AM

just having a bit of fun with what i feel was Larrivee Creme de la creme from 1983. (see pics)


Would have thought that older RS4 was from later than 1983  :?

Nice pics as always  :nice guitar: s
Larrivee Electrics - My Dream then and Now!!!!!<br /><br />Forum IV     00-03MT       #4      (Treasured)

Quote from: JOYCEfromNS on March 06, 2016, 09:03:12 AM
Would have thought that older RS4 was from later than 1983  :?
Nice pics as always  :nice guitar: s








let me check on that ok? serial number is 7943 (neck stamp)- i guess i confused it with the earlier tele ones I have.
"Senior" member means "old" right?
Like over 50?

Too many guitars to list here.
Too few brain cells to be bothered with...

Beautiful guitars and I love the finish/stain on each. In a parallel universe, these would definitely be "the classics."  :bowdown:
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

The guitars are definitely classics and IMHO so are the pickups.  I recently purchased a set of brand new Larrivee Generation 3 humbuckers with metal covers from Lang who got them originally from MikeyMac.  Since Larrivee service had told me that all electric "stuff" had been packed up and put away for the time being, I was lucky to find these.  I am building a single piece solid mahogany body strat style with HB's and the plan is to put them in it.  If any pickup could sound as good or better than the original PAF's these certainly would be a great contender.  Their sound and tone is definitely "classic" as well.
George

Quote from: georbro3 on March 07, 2016, 09:10:09 AM
The guitars are definitely classics and IMHO so are the pickups.  I recently purchased a set of brand new Larrivee Generation 3 humbuckers with metal covers from Lang who got them originally from MikeyMac.  Since Larrivee service had told me that all electric "stuff" had been packed up and put away for the time being, I was lucky to find these.  I am building a single piece solid mahogany body strat style with HB's and the plan is to put them in it.  If any pickup could sound as good or better than the original PAF's these certainly would be a great contender.  Their sound and tone is definitely "classic" as well.

:thumbsup

:wave

:donut :coffee
2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992


"Since Larrivee service had told me that all electric "stuff" had been packed up and put away for the time being,"

holy moly! that's some kind of indication of something that's not right.

again, as I stated in a different place, the Larrivee folks have more bills to pay that I do, so they're gonna do what's best for them.


a bit saddened to read that from previous poster though.....
"Senior" member means "old" right?
Like over 50?

Too many guitars to list here.
Too few brain cells to be bothered with...

Quote from: headsup on March 07, 2016, 11:47:53 PM

a bit saddened to read that from previous poster though.....
:+1:  :angry:
Larrivee Electrics - My Dream then and Now!!!!!<br /><br />Forum IV     00-03MT       #4      (Treasured)

Quote from: headsup on March 07, 2016, 11:47:53 PM
"Since Larrivee service had told me that all electric "stuff" had been packed up and put away for the time being,"

holy moly! that's some kind of indication of something that's not right.

again, as I stated in a different place, the Larrivee folks have more bills to pay that I do, so they're gonna do what's best for them.


a bit saddened to read that from previous poster though.....

I suggest we all hope for the best and that this is just temporary, until the acoustic backlog is reduced, or some other event occurs to remedy it...
George

Quote from: headsup on March 07, 2016, 11:47:53 PM
"Since Larrivee service had told me that all electric "stuff" had been packed up and put away for the time being,"

holy moly! that's some kind of indication of something that's not right.

again, as I stated in a different place, the Larrivee folks have more bills to pay that I do, so they're gonna do what's best for them.


a bit saddened to read that from previous poster though.....

Actually, it is not a bad thing.  It is just that they are making so many acoustics something had to give.  Because of Obamacare, they have to limit the number of employees they have.  So, if you need to blame someone for the electrics being back-shelved.... well, you get the idea.

I'm not sure Obamacare or anything like it is to blame. More likely , it is the no tax no spend policies of the current persuasion and the availability of cheaper, CHEAP instruments and the mind-set that anything will do.

Lets stay on track her fellas!
Larrivee Electrics - My Dream then and Now!!!!!<br /><br />Forum IV     00-03MT       #4      (Treasured)

I would love to be a fly on the wall at some of the important meetings of that family.

Certainly, the rise and fall of the electric guitars in the eighties is well documented.

And on a few posts on this forum there has been speculation, (and even my own research from managers of important guutar stores in Canada -Long & McQuade, Twelfth Fret) that they couldn't see stocking any electric guitar with a price tag of over $1,500.00 if it didn't say Gibson or Fender.
Given the continued highest quality and first rate electric guitars the Oxnard shop produced, and people's narrow minded view of what they want (Fender or Gibson) coupled with the price point, as well as an extra production line, it's easy to see where the electric guitar priority has slipped off the radar.

AS many have testified, and certainly me on many occasions, the flagship RS-4 (in both the older models, and the newer ones), are by far, some of the best electric guitars ever made.
"Senior" member means "old" right?
Like over 50?

Too many guitars to list here.
Too few brain cells to be bothered with...

Quote from: headsup on April 08, 2016, 11:10:29 AM
........................And on a few posts on this forum there has been speculation, (and even my own research from managers of important guutar stores in Canada -Long & McQuade, Twelfth Fret) that they couldn't see stocking any electric guitar with a price tag of over $1,500.00 if it didn't say Gibson or Fender.
Given the continued highest quality and first rate electric guitars the Oxnard shop produced, andpeople narrow minded view of what they want (Fender or Gibson) coupled with the price point, as well as an extra production line, it's easy to see where the electric guitar priority has slipped off the radar..............

I think you are on to something there, Kevin.  The Fender/Gibson monopoly on the market is pretty hard to overcome, given the perception of the typical guitar buyer.  Plus many of the other historically successful brands such as Gretsch and Guild are now owned by Fender or Gibson.

There are other makers besides Larrivee that make excellent electric guitars as well.  Collings electric guitars come to mind.  Their instruments are as good or better than the Fenders and Gibsons in terms of value for money.  They just can't establish enough of a following to create the demand required to make their production profitable.
"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

Quote from: L07 Shooting Star on April 09, 2016, 01:02:32 AM
I think you are on to something there, Kevin.  The Fender/Gibson monopoly on the market is pretty hard to overcome, given the perception of the typical guitar buyer.  Plus many of the other historically successful brands such as Gretsch and Guild are now owned by Fender or Gibson.

There are other makers besides Larrivee that make excellent electric guitars as well.  Collings electric guitars come to mind.  Their instruments are as good or better than the Fenders and Gibsons in terms of value for money.  They just can't establish enough of a following to create the demand required to make their production profitable.
Agreed though PRS Guitars sure weakens this position. I truly have no answer why  :?
Larrivee Electrics - My Dream then and Now!!!!!<br /><br />Forum IV     00-03MT       #4      (Treasured)

I have looked at the Collings electric line, pricey items to say the least.

I have also owned a nice PRS 10 top with birds years ago bought from Twelfth Fret, again a rather pricey item, but now, of course they have gone "off shore" to provide the less expensive models.

Certainly one thing Larrivee has never done, and said they won't do, (off shore) and ALWAYS solid woods.

Integrity.
"Senior" member means "old" right?
Like over 50?

Too many guitars to list here.
Too few brain cells to be bothered with...

Quote from: headsup on April 09, 2016, 09:31:02 AM
I have looked at the Collings electric line, pricey items to say the least.

I have also owned a nice PRS 10 top with birds years ago bought from Twelfth Fret, again a rather pricey item, but now, of course they have gone "off shore" to provide the less expensive models.

Certainly one thing Larrivee has never done, and said they won't do, (off shore) and ALWAYS solid woods.

Integrity.

Maybe marketing plan is a better word than integrity--though I am in no way discrediting Larrivee's integrity  :winkin:  Having met Jean Larrivee and spoken with Matthew over the phone, I have nothing but the highest respect for them and the company they work so hard building.

It's too bad they can't keep the electrics available as a "special order" item - kind of like some of the acoustic body sizes/wood options... I would eventually be very tempted to order one each of the Strat and double humbucker Tele models. Don't know what this would do to pricing.

And as mentioned above - they may need all their production labor to keep up with acoustics.

2021 C-03R TE left-handed
Larrivee owner since 1992

Quote from: Mikeymac on April 11, 2016, 02:11:59 PM
It's too bad they can't keep the electrics available as a "special order" item - kind of like some of the acoustic body sizes/wood options... I would eventually be very tempted to order one each of the Strat and double humbucker Tele models. Don't know what this would do to pricing.

And as mentioned above - they may need all their production labor to keep up with acoustics.



I agree, I just love Larrivee electrics.  I had my dealer inquire several times about a custom built Malibu.  Not currently in production was always the response, even to standard specifications...
George

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