A Larrivee Classic

[webberink]

Surfing around and landed here, a Larrivee Classic, guitar and artist.  I love it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGvT5_5GLoM
Dave

[L07 Shooting Star]

Thanks for posting that link.  Valdy, and that particular guitar has a lot of personal meaning for me.  Your link lead me to another one which is an interview he gave in 2012 in Winnipeg.  At the 8 minute mark, he talks about that guitar which he has been touring with since 1979.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2MuVeFEz0A

In a nutshell, I saw Valdy performing with that guitar at a concert given at the school my kids attended in a very small town in Worsley, Alberta.  I got to have coffee with him in the staff room after the concert, and he showed me his Larrivee which happens to be the very same one.  He let me play it and introduced me to Larrivee guitars which I had never heard of before.  He told me about Jean Larrivee and about the pickup system that was in the guitar.  This was in 1984, I believe.  This particular event is what lead to me buying my L-07 about a year later.  So I have had my hands on that guitar for a few minutes at least.

I've posted the complete story in here before:

OK, here's MY story.  First heard a Larrivee being played at a free concert for school kids in Worsley, Alberta given by the Canadian Artist, Valdy.  (Worsley is a very small village in NW Alberta where I worked as a Forest Ranger).  It had individual "sensors" under each string in the saddle and he played it plugged directly into his PA amp. along with his vocal mike.  I was blown away by the sound of that guitar.  I got to talk to him about it after the concert and he even let me strum it.  He told me all about Larrivee guitars, their maker being canadian, woods used, etc.  That was in 1984.

Not long after, in Jan. 1985, I took a musician friend with me to Edmonton to help me choose my "ultimate guitar".  I had a pre-existing bias, based on name only, that I would get a Martin if I could afford one.  But I wasn't adverse to getting a Larrivee like Valdy's either.  We didn't find any Larrivees at the first few places we went.  We ended up at D. A. Cameron guitar repair.  Mr. Cameron had a L-07 model hanging there that he had taken in as a trade on something else.  He strongly suggested I compare it with a couple of Martins and a Gibson he had there.  My friend (who's mostly a fiddler and mandolin player) kept nodding approvingly whenever I would play the Larrivee.  Mr. Cameron also kept steering my toward it too.  He also pointed out that, being used, his price was only half of what a new one went for then, and way less than the Martins he had.  I ended up buying it for $650.00 CAD.  It was the best guitar purchase I ever made.  I am ever thankful for his honest recommendation (since I believe he could have pushed a more expensive guitar on me and made a greater profit).

I've since determined it was made in late 83 or early 84...................

[George]

Valdy is soooo good, so nuff said about that...  Thanks Dave.

[webberink]

Neat story, L07.  When ever Valdy comes to town he makes a point to visit the local guitar store just to shoot the bull with the local guitar crowd.  Such a cool guys and a real player too, not to mention a dedicated Larrivee aficionado.  He really makes his old Larry sing.
Dave

[Mikeymac]

Thanks for sharing those links. Being from "down south" I wasn't familiar with Valdy - have run across his name once or twice, but that's it; enjoyed the video clips and watched several more.

His C-body Larrivee must be one of the earliest, as Bruce Cockburn got the first one not too much earlier than when Valdy says his was made ('79).