Neck Profile: US v. Canada

[dogboy]

Hello,
    In 1996 I bought a Canadian made D-09.  Very fond of this guitar, but had some problems with fret sprout that were not easily resolved with The Dealer which made it difficult to bond with the instrument and so sold it just a few years later.

    I have large hands and tend to prefer at least a 1 23/32nd nut width, and neck profiles that really fill the hand.  Skinny flatback necks make for sore wrists and shorter (then might be desired) practice sessions.  Have owned a variety of factory guitars over the years, but now have only a few early 60's era Kays and Harmonys with quite substantial neck profiles. 

   Wandered into a Guitar Center last year and picked up a used LV-03RE to try out, and just picking her up felt like old home week.  Left hand felt really very comfortable and tempted me to start looking for another Larrivee.   Found a listing for a LV-03 Walnut Maple Leaf Ltd. Ed. recently. Ad shows that this guitar is "100% built in the USA".

   Would like to ask those with more experience than myself about the current state of Larrivee necks.  Could I reasonably expect a USA built LV-03 to have the same neck profile as a 1996 Canadian built D-09?   One of the hallmarks of the Larrivee brand is it's consistency of quality.  Is it too much to hope that this particular design feature might also remain the same?

   Thank you kindly for your consideration.  Fare well,  db

[Mikeymac]

I'm assuming your old D-bodied Larrivee had a 1 11/16" nut width. The LV-03 you're looking at most likely has a 1 3/4" nut width - that's the Larrivee standard these days on everything except (maybe?) their dreadnought models.

Other than that width difference, it's hard to say whether you'll like the profile. It will be a "C" shaped neck - not a baseball bat like some of those old Harmony's - or like a recent Gibson J-35 I got recently - but still I find them comfortable to play (I even like 1 3'4" nuts on my electric guitars - have several Warmoth necks like that).

There's no difference between Canadian and USA made necks on Larrivees - they all use the same profile.

[B0WIE]

I think Mikey is probably correct about the nut difference.

Regarding Canada and US necks, they've felt the same to me when all other things are equal. That includes late 90's Canadian builds and 2012-2014 US models. But, if the nut is different you're going to feel it. Especially if you have large hands like I do. Even 1 3/4" is a little slim for me and my left hand gets cramped at times compared to 1 13/16 or 1 7/8.

[headsup]

I might have to disagree on this point.
over my years a Larrivee owner I have had ( and still own a few different neck profiles.

My 1981 L10 is a lot different (it has a V shape )and is definitely "chunkier" (not much but it is)) than my mid seventies L-09 (doesn't have a V contour).
My C-20 (mid eighties) has the thinest neck I've ever owned on ANY acoustic.
while the early 90's C-09 isn't as thin.

Both my Oxnard OM's are more similar to the C-09 (but have a wider nut)
my mid eighties OM-10 is the same as the C-09.

thats the problem with these damn hand made instruments- pre C & C?
dunno, don't care, they have "personalities" and that's what i love about them....

[B0WIE]

I might have to disagree on this point.
over my years a Larrivee owner I have had ( and still own a few different neck profiles.

My 1981 L10 is a lot different (it has a V shape )and is definitely "chunkier" (not much but it is)) than my mid seventies L-09 (doesn't have a V contour).
My C-20 (mid eighties) has the thinest neck I've ever owned on ANY acoustic.
while the early 90's C-09 isn't as thin.

Both my Oxnard OM's are more similar to the C-09 (but have a wider nut)
my mid eighties OM-10 is the same as the C-09.

thats the problem with these damn hand made instruments- pre C & C?
dunno, don't care, they have "personalities" and that's what i love about them....

Wasn't Larrivee was a pretty small builder until the late 90's? I believe that's why you'll see much greater consistency in late 90's through current production Larrivees. In fact, I don't even see many 70's and 80's Larrivees for sale so I didn't give them much consideration in the context of what the OP was talking about.
I do believe you though in you having many differences in your older Larrivees.

[headsup]

yup, very small shops in Toronto, until the move to Victoria BC (late 70's until 82 i think).
Then Vancouver, larger shop, more staff, higher profile, more staff, distribution etc.

it' very well documented on their website, with some terrific interviews with Jean.
so, some of us have their guitars from the different shops, meaning, different specs etc.

Maybe some-one else with more technical knowledge than me about things like C & C machines- which took over even the small builders as far as neck shaping etc., can speak to when and how with regards to the brand.

I can only speak to how the instrument feels as i play it.
and for me- there is a good deal of difference over the years- certainly with body measurements and neck profiles.

[dogboy]

Hello,
    Thank y'all kindly for sharing your insights based on your own history with Larrivee instruments.  Of course what I was hoping to hear was "There's no difference between Canadian and USA made necks on Larrivee - they all use the same profile."  However once you temper that with, "there is a good deal of difference over the years" we end up pretty much where we started.

   Speaks volumes for supporting your local brick & mortar music store 'cause as usual it comes down to "you can't tell what you've got until you get it in your (greedy little) hands" and online stores can barely be bothered to give you scale length and the nut width, much less any in depth detail like profile info.

   Thank you once again for taking the time to answer.                   

                                                                              Fare well, db

[dlsteel]

every neck is shaped by hand at the finish. the final carving is done by hand. in oxnard there are maybe 2 or 3 people who do this. jcl is one. so what im getting at is of course the profiles are slightly different. sometimes from day to day. overall id say they are consistent coming out of Ca.

[AZLiberty]

There was certainly no intentional difference between Oxnard and Vancouver necks.   The CNC machines ran the same files.  After the CNC carve, they are hand finished.

Older guitars, before the CNC carves, could certainly vary.  My wife's 76 is really chunky.  
Hers is a classical, but it's much thicker than their current classical necks.

Post late 90's (say 97 or so) I don't think there is any real difference.  Early 90's and 80's are their own thing.

[J M Larrivée]

Hi Folks,  

A brief history on neck carving persons. I think this is how it all went down over the years. Dates are close estimates and I may be missing someone between Jean, Dave , and Murray. I will find out and correct if so. 

 Jean Larrivée 1967 - 74
  David Wren 1974 - 77
 Murray Drew 1977 - 80  "D" profile
 Michael Jones 1980 - 83  "V" profile (Wendy Larrivée's brother)
 David Iannone 1983 - 86 "C" profile (David became "Morgan Guitars")
 John Larrivée Jr 1986 -93 "C" profile (Custom carves thru 2013)
 Various staff 1993 -95 "C" profile
 CNC carved/hand finished 1995 - present "C" profile