Has anyone ever compared a Gibson Dove to a Larrivee dread?

[George]

Just curious.  In recent years I have not found a Gibson acoustic that sounded as good as my Larrivee's.  I already have a Canadian shop D-03 FM in cherry sunburst, and it sounds glorious, so I just wonder if I am missing anything by not trying out a mint 2016 Gibson Dove maple back/sides in cherry burst as well?

[photodork]

My dad had a '92 gibson j 200 jr that was pretty nice, but it didnt hold a candle to my 75 L body.. Dad has told me many times he wished he knew about larrivee back then. He loves the 75 L over all his and my other guitars.

[JOYCEfromNS]

so I just wonder if I am missing anything by not trying out a mint 2016 Gibson Dove maple back/sides in cherry burst as well?

Gibson makes a very fine guitar, its just the hunt you gotta endure to find "the one" as they too make a lot of duds IMO

[Walkerman]

Gibson makes a very fine guitar, its just the hunt you gotta endure to find "the one" as they too make a lot of duds IMO

Unfortunately Gibson, like Guild, Fender and others, is not what it once was.  Rather than consistent quality being the standard, it is now the exception.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Unfortunately Gibson, like Guild, Fender and others, is not what it once was.  Rather than consistent quality being the standard, it is now the exception.

I get your point tho I don't totally agree; certainly in their upper electrics that I'm most familiar with. To say Gibson don't make nice guitars anymore - I can't agree with that

[George]

From your responses I would gather what I thought in the first place about acoustic Gibson's holds, which is if you don't play it first don't even consider it.  A store online was/is offering up a (supposedly 2016) NOS Dove for a fairly decent price.  However, I inquired specifically about the nut width, which I suspected was mis-stated in the listing, and is clearly visible in a nut closeup photo with a rule that the seller sent in response to my query.  The seller continues to state the same incorrect width, and as much as I love narrow nuts this one is way too narrow even for me.  I am going to decline his offer and stick with what I have.  Makes you wonder how someone that cannot read a ruler can sell guitars?  I wonder if they even know how to look up the specs on Gibson's website?  I could not find this model listed in the 2016 group either.

Thanks much to all for helping me not make a regrettable mistake...

[unclrob]

I once played 50 or so Gibson as I wanted one in my tone bank,I finally found a 95 Vintage AJ that is a rosewood guitar but was a fine guitar.When I needed money I sold it over my other guitars.Gibson has always been a hit or miss.I have played a few Dove's but always found them ho-hum compared to the maple from Larrivee or even pre Fender Guilds which are the best when it comes to maple body guitars.

[eded]

Agreed Gibson has always been hit or miss.  That said...  when they hit, in my experience, they hit big.

As much of a Larrivee fan as I am, I think passing on a guitar because of brand is as much of a mistake as buying sight unseen because of brand.  I hope that makes sense.  If it is in reachable distance, it's worth giving a go.

Ed

[JOYCEfromNS]

Agreed Gibson has always been hit or miss.  That said...  when they hit, in my experience, they hit big.

As much of a Larrivee fan as I am, I think passing on a guitar because of brand is as much of a mistake as buying sight unseen because of brand.  I hope that makes sense.  If it is in reachable distance, it's worth giving a go.

Ed

[mike in lytle]

As much of a Larrivee fan as I am, I think passing on a guitar because of brand is as much of a mistake as buying sight unseen because of brand.

I wish I had come upon Larrivees a long time ago.
It would have saved me from being open minded about other guitars for all that time.
Mike

[eded]

I wish I had come upon Larrivees a long time ago.
It would have saved me from being open minded about other guitars for all that time.
Mike

[Danny]

My D-02 really is a fine sounding mahogany/spruce dread.

But my first good dread was a Gibson, I got it in 74 or 75. It was a booming great strummer.

Gibsons today are hit and miss though. But their custom shop models are fine guitars. Jackson Browne has a dozen or so acoustics on stage and all
are Gibsons. Everyone he plays just rings.

   I'd like a SJ200 and a 12 string Guild, and a D-28 or 35 Martin. But I don't need them.

[tuffythepug]

My most expensive Gibson was a 2001 Hummingbird.   Although I wasn't overwhelmed buy the tone when I bought it I foolishly thought it would improve over time.  It didn't.  But a much less expensive 93 Gibson Gospel sounded pretty darn good and was the only guitar I played regularly until I discovered Larrivee guitars.   

[George]

Agreed Gibson has always been hit or miss.  That said...  when they hit, in my experience, they hit big.

As much of a Larrivee fan as I am, I think passing on a guitar because of brand is as much of a mistake as buying sight unseen because of brand.  I hope that makes sense.  If it is in reachable distance, it's worth giving a go.

Ed

I agree with your position on this Ed.  My problem is finding a store in reasonable driving distance in rural East Texas that would stock such an item so I could go try it...

[mike in lytle]

 
OK, I will tell you about my Gibson acoustic experience. You won't believe it, but it is true.

As a freshman (1967) in my small Catholic high school, we had a day when we were invited to bring our musical instruments to school. One of my red-headed female classmates brought a Gibson acoustic. Don't know what model. She let me play it before homeroom.

After homeroom, there was a meeting in the auditorium for all students. I lingered behind in the classroom avoiding the meeting.....got out the Gibson and began playing it... after a bit I noticed one of the nuns in the classroom doorway looking at me playing. She smiled at me and then just walked out.

That was one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me.
Can't remember anything about the Gibson. I guess I liked it.

Mike

[Mikeymac]

I have a 2015 Gibson J-45 - they call it a "sloped shoulder" dread - not the same as the Dove (or Songwriter or Hummingbird), of course. Does the Dove have the longer "Martin/Larrivee" scale length? I know the Songwriter does...I have a friend who has a Songwriter with a cutaway, and it's a very nice sounding, well built guitar.  He loves it; it's his "nice" guitar.

But my J-45 sounds very good: it has that nice, dry thumping J-45 short-scale sound, yet it still has nice highs. I think it will open up and be an excellent guitar in years to come (I got lucky, because as a lefty, I had to have the store order it sight unseen and unplayed,  and just take it or leave it). 

I'd like to compare it to an L-05, They're similar in body dimensions (with the Gibby being a bit deeper), but different scale lengths and bracing, which would make some difference. An L-05 with the Legacy/40 series bracing might be close...

[George]

Yes Rev, it does have the longer scale, which I prefer along with the narrow nut width.  If I were to buy one, it would have to sound as good as they look...

[songman2]

As with every other brand you've got a range of guitars going from dud to wonderful. I tried several J45's, even vintage ones, and the same for my Hummingbird, also tried several including vintage ones. I finally came away with two wonderful guitars, both standard and of 2016-2017 build. Actually I hunted for a good Hummingbird because my J45, which is what I got first, was that good. They both give a great different tone as compared to my Larrivee D10 and Martin HD28V, making the palette complete (well almost complete I guess, there will probably always be a reason to get another one  ).

[George]

As with every other brand you've got a range of guitars going from dud to wonderful. I tried several J45's, even vintage ones, and the same for my Hummingbird, also tried several including vintage ones. I finally came away with two wonderful guitars, both standard and of 2016-2017 build. Actually I hunted for a good Hummingbird because my J45, which is what I got first, was that good. They both give a great different tone as compared to my Larrivee D10 and Martin HD28V, making the palette complete (well almost complete I guess, there will probably always be a reason to get another one  ).

Did the vintage models you tried out have the Thermally Aged Adirondack Red Spruce top?  I am curious if they are as good as Gibson reviews say they are...

[songman2]

Did the vintage models you tried out have the Thermally Aged Adirondack Red Spruce top?  I am curious if they are as good as Gibson reviews say they are...

One of them had, I am not sure about the others. Whether or not you find the vintage models better or worse than the standard ones IMHO very much depends on what the purpose is. For me it is purely and only to accompany singing and to compose songs. For that reason I am not all that fond of the slightly more strident or harsher sound which vintage models, especially adirondack topped ones, often have (I know this is putting it too strong), I prefer the guitars to be a little more soft and warm sounding while at the same time ringing out nicely in the highs (those in particular I like to be rounded). Besides that, one of my other main concerns is to have all strings sound balanced and in harmony with one another. That clearly was very much the case with the standard ones I got. All other ones I tried, also some other standard models, had some uneveness, one string sounding louder or more damped than another, or more mellow or more strident, and this was most noticeable with the vintage models.