why aren't Larrivees more popular ?

[DaveyO]

Among dealers,more well known players,and guitar players
In general
Larrivee makes one of the best,I just don't understand it
Thoughts?

[B0WIE]

Given how competitive the market is, they are very popular. But, I think the reason they may have not reached the level of a brand like Taylor, despite being generally better guitars than Taylors, is marketing.

[JOYCEfromNS]

Given how competitive the market is, they are very popular. But, I think they may have not reached the level of a brand like Taylor, despite being generally better guitars than Taylors, is marketing.

Agreed; marketing & Promotion

[Rockysdad]

Too many people hung up on the name on the headstock instead of trying and listening. If you catch some *other* forums on the posts with NGD, everyone responds to the Martins & Taylors and few respond to others, almost like .............. lemmings.

[unclrob]

Why do they need to be popular?Then they'd have to produce more and there brand would decline like others have.I'm a Big Guild fan and you never see them in any store's.I'm an even Bigger Larrivee fan and there isn't a dealer in town anymore.Got 2 Taylor dealers and 2 Martin dealers and the product just seems to hang on the walls very slow turn over,some of the guitars in one shop have been hangin there for 3 years.Let's just leave the BS to other companies.Oh ya the last Guild I bought was a made in China jumbo 12 strig to replace my RI made JF30/12 that I played to death only took 30 years of hard playing and I gig on my OM03PA for all style of music does just fine by me.

[AZLiberty]

Define "popular".

Larrivee is the 3rd or 4th largest manufacture of Guitars in the US.

[tuffythepug]

Look at how many big name performers use Takamine guitars.   I really don't see much in the way of marketing for that name but I see them on stage far more frequently than Larrivee.   Of course Martins and Gibsons are the traditional favorites with Taylor becoming a bigger "player" all the time.  By the way, an unofficial survey seems to suggest that Taylor guitars are favored by Christian music performers.  (the Rev may disagree, however)  Anyhow, I enjoy owning and playing  a quality guitar that many people have never heard of.  You wouldn't believe how many people ask me about one of my Larrivee Forum shirts when I'm out and about.   

[JOYCEfromNS]

Look at how many big name performers use Takamine guitars.   I really don't see much in the way of marketing for that name   

I see their magazine ads far more frequently then Larrivee and their Endorsement Budget I'm sure would connect the above dot you mention. And we all know what Larrivee's endorsement budget is

[JOYCEfromNS]

Define "popular".

Larrivee is the 3rd or 4th largest manufacture of Guitars in the US.

Not that it defines popular but I doubt Larrivee is the 3rd or 4th largest manufacture of Guitars in the US

[Queequeg]

Gibsons are very popular.






(And of course Gibson is in bankruptcy.)

[AZLiberty]

Not that it defines popular but I doubt Larrivee is the 3rd or 4th largest manufacture of Guitars in the US

You are correct.  I should have said "Acoustic Guitars"

Marin in Taylor both make between 100,00 and 120,000 guitars per year.  Well over half of Taylor's production comes out of their Mexico plant.  (Their 100 series outsells everything else combined).  Most estimates put Martin at about 40% from their Mexico plant.

Gibson and Larrivee make about the same amount.  Really depends on how badly Gibson's Montana site is doing on a given week, but they average 200 guitars a week. 

Anyone else actually make a significant number of guitars in the US?

[eded]

They are plenty popular at my house.

Ed

[rockstar_not]

Late 80's and early 90's Takamine must have made a push of black guitars into the country scene and acoustics just weren't cool in other markets. Taylor went after that market and contemporary Christian worship market with a vengeance. Marketing does serve a purpose

[CycleBob]

" Anyhow, I enjoy owning and playing  a quality guitar that many people have never heard of.  You wouldn't believe how many people ask me about one of my Larrivee Forum shirts when I'm out and about. "  

I have the same type response's during Jams and especially Open mic's. Player's coming up to me stating " What a Great/Beautiful/Fantastic sounding guitar" (Many other  positive words). So They "Hear" the quality but still go for the and stay with the "Name brands" Their Loss

[Paraclete]

.... By the way, an unofficial survey seems to suggest that Taylor guitars are favored by Christian music performers.  (the Rev may disagree, however) 

In my church band, three of us play Larrivées, and sometimes it's all three onstage at the same time.  That's where the pic I supplied for GOTM once came from.  (It's not officially a Taylor-free zone, but close....)

[Yippie]

I am happy that they are not more well known for the simple fact that it didn't cost me a fortune to have an exceptional guitar. I still look at the name on the headstock but buy with my ears. 

[rosborn]

I look at the name on the headstock...I just happen to know that Larrivee is the "under the radar" brand that gets me every time. I feel like I'm in on a sweet sweet secret.


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[Mikeymac]

Gibson and Larrivee make about the same amount.  Really depends on how badly Gibson's Montana site is doing on a given week, but they average 200 guitars a week. 

Where did you get this information? I'm not trying to question it, but I'd like a source, because it doesn't seem likely to me.

Gibson is selling a LOT of acoustics these days. My favorite mom & pop shop is an acoustic dealer for Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Alvarez, Ibanez, Fender, Epiphone,  Yamaha and even Larrivee. They won't order Larrivees anymore, because they sit on the wall too long (lack of name brand recognition in the Midwest - even though this is a music town). But he has at least a dozen Gibsons hanging on the wall right now (and usually a dozen Martins and that many Taylors).

[rosborn]

Where did you get this information? I'm not trying to question it, but I'd like a source, because it doesn't seem likely to me.

Gibson is selling a LOT of acoustics these days. My favorite mom & pop shop is an acoustic dealer for Martin, Taylor, Gibson, Alvarez, Ibanez, Fender, Epiphone,  Yamaha and even Larrivee. They won't order Larrivees anymore, because they sit on the wall too long (lack of name brand recognition in the Midwest - even though this is a music town). But he has at least a dozen Gibsons hanging on the wall right now (and usually a dozen Martins and that many Taylors).

I am pretty sure Elderly, in Lansing, MI, has adopted the same business "model" regarding Larrivee. Elderly has used Larrivees but no new ones.


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[flatlander]

I guess my perspective is a little different. I got my first Larrivee in 1980. Talk about no one knowing about them in U.S.! For next 10 years I saw 2 others and heard almost nothing about them except for some ads and articles in the old Frets magazine. So from 1600 guitars or so made over the first 13 years (going by my serial#) to 150,000 + or however many they've made now they are steadily growing. More importantly, quality and popularity and not the same. Beyond that they do generally have a different sound than has been traditional in U.S. and they, it seems to me, have for the most part stuck to their idea of making balanced clear voiced guitars.