Any opinion on flamed maple back compared to the rest?

[mellette]

I am back looking for another Larrivee experience after selling my 1994 L10 Koa back due to a lifted bridge. I have never tried a maple back though I played several violins and cellos. Hope to have some thoughts from owners with maple back experiences. Thanks.    Mel

[George]

Maple, either quilted or flamed, is one of my favorite tonewoods.  Their tonal quality is unique...

[unclrob]

My main guitar is an OM03PA which is 12 fret maple back and side its not as dry sounding as the L09FM that I owned.Neither guitar was/is overly mid rangey tonely as most people think.I have always been a maple fan my other guitar is a Guild Jumbo.Maple Larrivee's are pretty balance with good note seperation,also very different then koa and I owned a koa L09.

[gtrplayer]

I recently purchased a Larrivee LV-10QM (quilted maple) from a pawn shop on ebay.   I never played a maple Larry but I gave it a shot as the price was ridiculously low.  The guitar was stunning in appearance.  The quilted maple was beautiful.   Initially I didn't care for the sound as there were light gauge strings on it and it sounded brash.  It might have been because the guitar showed no signs of use; absolute mint and maybe yet to be broken in.  Anyways I threw on the Tonerite and in between started playing it and before too long the sound really blossomed.  With the addition of some Martin Retro Monels it's become my favorite at least for now.  The sound; very balanced as most Larrys, with sharp bass, good midrange and hauntingly nice trebles. Not the most resonant guitar but still very nice, it's a keeper. 

[Danny]

I had an OO-09FM that was quite a looker and I enjoyed it's bright tone.
I'd still like a maple 12 string.

[mellette]

Not that I've played a lot of different guitars but nothing come close to my last larrivee Koa in terms of balance and the complexity in the same price range. Yes maple looks like the next target when I dont see any koa back that often on sale or the price is that of a missile.

[B0WIE]

Sold your koa due to a lifted bridge? Do you talk to anyone about that first? I ask because that's like selling your car because it needs the rotors resurfaced.

Anyhow, maple is a more "dry" back wood. It doesn't contribute the midrange excitement like koa, or the low end richness of rosewood, or even the top end sparkle of mahogany and walnut. Maple seems to spit back whatever tone the top wood is giving you, and that's not a bad thing. The top is 90% of the sound anyway so don't get too caught up in the back wood. Think more about bracing, body size, things that really affect the tone in a major way.

When considering maple, keep in mind that sometimes, "less is more" in terms of guitar acoustics. Rosewood can often make a big guitar sound congested and lack clarity, whereas the dry nature of maple might allow the clarity to come through and you'll hear the top end clarity that is masked by the overtones in the rosewood. Really depends on the instruments, how you play, what you play, and what you like to hear. No reason to avoid maple though. It can work beautifully, is stable, and looks gorgeous.

[George]

Not that I've played a lot of different guitars but nothing come close to my last larrivee Koa in terms of balance and the complexity in the same price range. Yes maple looks like the next target when I dont see any koa back that often on sale or the price is that of a missile.

Forgive my asking, but what is the going price for a missile?   

[Mikeymac]

Forgive my asking, but what is the going price for a missile?   

If you have to ask, you can't afford it...

[ducktrapper]

Maple works fine. It's a matter of taste and purpose, I suppose.

[mellette]

Sold your koa due to a lifted bridge? Do you talk to anyone about that first? I ask because that's like selling your car because it needs the rotors resurfaced.

Anyhow, maple is a more "dry" back wood. It doesn't contribute the midrange excitement like koa, or the low end richness of rosewood, or even the top end sparkle of mahogany and walnut. Maple seems to spit back whatever tone the top wood is giving you, and that's not a bad thing. The top is 90% of the sound anyway so don't get too caught up in the back wood. Think more about bracing, body size, things that really affect the tone in a major way.

When considering maple, keep in mind that sometimes, "less is more" in terms of guitar acoustics. Rosewood can often make a big guitar sound congested and lack clarity, whereas the dry nature of maple might allow the clarity to come through and you'll hear the top end clarity that is masked by the overtones in the rosewood. Really depends on the instruments, how you play, what you play, and what you like to hear. No reason to avoid maple though. It can work beautifully, is stable, and looks gorgeous.

Bowie,  you are absolutely right, sadly I was in Singapore and the repair done was not to my liking. Indeed, 90% comes from the top, rose wood, maple , mahogany..adds flavour. Some luthiers in South East Asia are using tropical  trees.. like monkey pod, mango and even rambutan..Will be interesting to see new adventure into instrument making away from the old world

[Walkerman]

Did you ever notice how many of the 50-60's rockers and country guys used Gibson maple SJs?  Must be a reason.

[jpmist]

When considering maple, keep in mind that sometimes, "less is more" in terms of guitar acoustics. Rosewood can often make a big guitar sound congested and lack clarity, whereas the dry nature of maple might allow the clarity to come through and you'll hear the top end clarity that is masked by the overtones in the rosewood. Really depends on the instruments, how you play, what you play, and what you like to hear. No reason to avoid maple though. It can work beautifully, is stable, and looks gorgeous.

Interesting, thanks for schooling me on maple. I picked up a Taylor 600 series decades ago, maple back and sides and never picked up a maple guitar since. I still have a lot to learn about tone so will pick up the next one I see to hear how it sounds. . .

[ST]

Hi Mel,

I am back looking for another Larrivee experience after selling my 1994 L10 Koa back due to a lifted bridge. I have never tried a maple back though I played several violins and cellos. Hope to have some thoughts from owners with maple back experiences. Thanks.    Mel

Here's Dermot talking about hearing my Morgan (as close to a Larrivée C10 as you'll ever find in a guitar). It has Maple back and sides with a Spruce top.  I offer this up because Dermot talks about the sound of that guitar in the context of other guitars.

One night ca 2008

I just revisited this thread, sure I'd love to be an armchair critic!

Before ST was on, there was duo who obviously gigged regularly.. the only way they could be so tight is constant playing / rehearsing... a great player with a Guild OM, and the other guy had a Taylor.. they sounded good, but the Guild sounded like an electric more than an amplified acoustic guitar, could have been playing a strat and he would not lost any of the musicality flowing from his hands... the Taylor did sound like there was an acoustic in there somewhere ;-)  

A tough act to follow, glad i wasn't up after them...

So now  ST & his regular gigging partner come on, they have Been playing out for more than a decade together, and it shows in spades, this is the second time i have seen them, and they are lose, fun & spontaneous.. really meaning they don't waste much of a wonderful life on rehearsals, fly without a net, and seeing them pull out of a looming disasters is so much fun... they have fun and it translates to all around

The thing is - when Lawrence started playing his J45 it sounded really gooood, as in Woody Guthrieish jingle-jangle, and then ST's maple Morgan joined the mix, and it was more than "cut through", there was a depth and richness to everything, that it can float above all, dive down low, sting like a bee.. all crystal clear, without seeming to be pushing in the mix at all, you can hear everything played and it's very "musical", very "acoustic"...  sweet!

Then a friend of ST gets on stage he has an older L10, the case looked like it's been dragged behind a car down the Alaska highway twice, the L10 tho is near perfect... when he starts playing i can see why it's in such good shape... he has a strong attack, probably a fairly thick pick on fairly thick strings, but he has control, he's very precise while looking total casual about it..  i think he has done this before, and more than once... that L10 sounded really good on it's own.

He then asked ST to join him, later i was told they used to gig together, but that was more than a decade ago... once again the Morgan floated above without seeming to need to push it's self into the mix, it was just there, clear, and with a depth and sweetness that worked with the L10's  sustain, they never got in each other's way, and that's saying some as this is the first time in years these guys have played together!

I am a maple fan, as noted above i have played two that were memorable... and have heard two more that were stunning, ST's Morgan, and at El Mcmeen's house he played his Italian/maple OM42 a few years ago... now to get back to the point of this thread - I think Bob has a point about hearing nuances of the player more than the instrument with maple....

I'm not in gassing mood these days, my focus is more on playing and i am pretty happy with what i already have, but that maple C19 that went on Ebay for 1K was making my head turn a little bit ;-)

d

You might also be interested in Do you play different things on different guitars.


Here's another related discussion:
Maple Back and Sides, What are your thoughts?

[Danny]

Y'all are stirring up my desire for a Guild 12 string
It's the one maple jumbo that has been used by so many top shelf players through the years. It would have to be a vintage model for me.

[mellette]

Where should I go for a maple back/side with a spruce top..ring the bell in the wanted page other than ebay?

[George]

Check Reverb...

[headsup]

I'm guessing it's not just the back you want of maple?
Like other tone woods, they come in sets of 4, pc back and 2 sides.

For the record, Larrivee have consistently produced some of the most beautiful maple guitars of all the builders.

You probably already know, there is a different sound. attack transience is immediate, with very solid push on the upper frequencies and harmonics.
Not as dark as rosewood, not as sweet as Mahogany, and has more punch that Koa.

I have a pic or two of my own Larrivee FM I'll find it and add it later.
Older OM -eighties.

[headsup]

ST- HOLY MOLY!!!

what is the back story on THAT guitar!???

Here's Dermot talking about one night ca 2008

Here's the guitar I was playing in the story above.

This is my main guitar when playing with others who are using Rosewood or Mahogany backed guitars   - or any time that I need to be really present in the mix.








You might also be interested in Do you play different things on different guitars.

[mellette]

I'm guessing it's not just the back you want of maple?
Like other tone woods, they come in sets of 4, pc back and 2 sides.

For the record, Larrivee have consistently produced some of the most beautiful maple guitars of all the builders.

You probably already know, there is a different sound. attack transience is immediate, with very solid push on the upper frequencies and harmonics.
Not as dark as rosewood, not as sweet as Mahogany, and has more punch that Koa.

I have a pic or two of my own Larrivee FM I'll find it and add it later.
Older OM -eighties.

wow..really pretty! Indeed back and side but with a sitka top as mentioned. I love Koa, rosewood is fine but I hated the look of mahogany, maybe its just me. Saw a few Taylor GA6 and a Taylor XX-RS 20th Anniversary (1994) Rosewood seems within my price range under 2K . Larrivee maple are priced way over 2k beyond my reach. I still prefer a Larrivee.. so hope patience will pay off.