Reddit Style: Ask me anything!

[Walkerman]

How would you compare living in America to living in Canada?

[SMan]

Hi Matthew,

Well this is certainly off topic but as a life long carpenter (and an amateur guitar builder) I was wondering what kind of wood finishes you have in your home (cabinets, flooring, trim etc) and if you do woodworking projects for fun other than guitars.

Thanks, Steve

[AZLiberty]

Ok I'll bite:


1) exactly how many of the O-01 Parlors were made with the narrow 1 11/16" nut?

2) Why didn't you warn me you were going to change the specs to a much friendlier 1 3/4" so I could have waited?

[Matthew Larrivee]

Hi Matthew,

Thank you for making yourself available to all of us. I'm curious as to what extra craftsmanship and higher grade materials go into your higher end guitars (all of us here know that there isn't such thing as a low end Larrivee).

Believe it or not, having "Extra Craftsmanship" go into higher end guitars is something we purposely do; that may sound counter intuitive but let me explain further. Our staff can't help but put more work and care into more expensive guitars. It's the nature of the beast. The problem is that conversely people can end up putting less effort into the low end guitars. We work really diligently to ensure that we don't have what we call the "02 mentality". The "02 mentality" is a term we came up with years ago where a flaw might pass on a guitar because it was a low end -02. It's very easy to assume that because something is low end, that you can get away with more; and this is not the case with us. So we instruct our employees to treat guitars as equally as possible. If you're neck fitting the guitar, give it the same care whether or not it is an -02 or an -09. See my comment earlier that we just can't build a low end guitar to save our lives :>

You spoke to the selection of top wood for different models already. Obviously, scalloped bracing will make a difference. What else goes on in the process for when you have an instrument that is being given even more care to ring out?

Wood selection and thickness play the biggest factor, not just in the back and sides, but particularly in the bracing and the neck/fretboard.

All of the parts feel like they were handpicked to go together with purpose.

Without sounding arrogant, it's because they are.

Also, do you sometimes find an 03 that you expect to pale in comparison to other models with higher graded woods that just wows you and your not sure why it came out that way? Or, can you predict the quality of sound to an extent as it's coming together?

There are random guitars that appear to be divinely inspired randomly when strung up but in general I would say that we've learned over 50 years to control the tone that we want.

[ducktrapper]

Golly, it almost sounds like these people know what they're doing.

[Strings4Him]

Matthew do you all sometimes think Larrivee Guitars is the next Martin dynasty in the making?

[broKen]

Golly, it almost sounds like these people know what they're doing.

The guitars are the evidence

[Matthew Larrivee]

I'm curious about your methodology behind choosing new types of wood to make acoustics. I have a lot of questions because I find the art of guitar making fascinating and the end product of your hard work really put a smile on my face whenever I pick up any one of my Larrivee's.

As an example, there was a run of Swamp Ash guitars made a few years ago that, in my opinion, when played against a Martin D-28, absolutely blew it away in every way imaginable. When someone gets an idea to try swamp ash for back and sides, what do you do to experiment with the wood to find the right cut, thickness, etc, and how long does it take to go from the idea to the end product? How many "test guitars" are made and what do you do with them?

This is a great question. Really when it comes down to it, you can build a guitar out of virtually any wood. Basically if you can find a way to bend the sides, then you can build a guitar out of it. Some woods you wouldn't want to build with because of stability reasons. The swamp ash was a great example. When building telecasters, I was buying this incredibly light weight swamp ash (some pieces less than 2lbs per board foot). We got a few boards that were quarter sawn that I saw acoustic back and sides in (maybe in a strange way how sculptures see an image in a block of stone?). My first stop was googling to see "has this been done?" and really no one had. Then basically I cut up the board and made two guitars. One dreadnought and one OM or Parlor. These two bodies are chosen specifically because this tells us how the wood will bend. The OM waist is very tight and if the wood is going to crack, it's going to happen there. As far as thickness goes over the last 25 or so years we've developed somewhat of a formula for determining back and sides thickness. The sides are always the same thickness regardless of density, but we increase the back thickness as the wood gets softer. From there we build it as normal and my dad and I just check it regularly as it goes through the shop. Particularly at paint we watch how it grain fills. At the end of the line we looks first at if the guitar is stable and not shifting all over the place – Then we listen to it, and ask our employees opinion of it as well. If it sounds good, looks good, and is stable then we say "OK lets build some more"

What have been the wood types you've tried that have given you the biggest challenges? Why?

African Ebony because of nonstop cracking.

What woods have you tried but never could get right? Why?

Tonally we really haven't had any as we can generally make a good guitar out of anything by pairing it with the right soundboard, structurally there are been several different woods that we cant pull off.

What wood types are you currently experimenting with and what woods not currently being used for acoustic guitar production do you think shows promise?

We're currently experimenting with Chechen, Anigre, Malaysian Ebony, Black Limba, Several Walnuts, Sipo, and Yellow Cedar. Sipo shows a lot of promise for guitar necks, Black limba shows huge promise as back and sides, my dad and I are not in agreement yet over yellow cedar.
The recent proposed changes which will list all Dalbergia species on one of the CITES Appendixes threatens the Indian rosewood supply so we are looking to find alternatives for rosewood that are plentiful just in case. Walnut is the natural choice in my mind.

[ducktrapper]

Sitka or Adirondack? Care to weigh in on that controversy Matthew?   

[AZLiberty]

Tonewood questions:

Former Employee Ed Bond seems very fond of Lutz Spruce as a topwood.   Your thoughts on using Lutz?

Breedlove is making some fantastic guitars out of Myrtlewood.  Any plans on using Myrtle in the future?

Any chance of getting any more Englelmann topped guitars like my 1998 OM-03R?  I'd love a OO EIR and Engelmann or Black Walnut and Engelmann sized Larrivee.

[Krugie_Mtl]

Thank you Matthew for all those precious informations !

I would like to know your perspective about the effect of time on your guitars. Do you know how a guitar will age sound wise ? If so, is it related to some specific factors ?

I ask because a seller told me that a laminate back will not age like a solid back would. Afterwards, I thought to myself : does it really have that much of an impact for a back ?

Thanks again ! It is really a good read !

[ducktrapper]

Thank you Matthew for all those precious informations !

I would like to know your perspective about the effect of time on your guitars. Do you know how a guitar will age sound wise ? If so, is it related to some specific factors ?

I ask because a seller told me that a laminate back will not age like a solid back would. Afterwards, I thought to myself : does it really have that much of an impact for a back ?

Thanks again ! It is really a good read !

Larrivee does not use laminates. So it's kind of a moot point. IMHO however, most guitars if they are well built in the first place, get better with age.   

[Krugie_Mtl]

I know that Larrivée doesn't use laminates. But that 'anecdote' was the starting of a bit more reflexion from my part about the concept of aging. I just wanted to know Matthew's experience with that notion as a builder and not as a customer. For example: Do a thinner top tend to age better than a thicker one ? Since they are building new guitars, is aging a part of the equation ? Because sellers use often that argument: 'It will be even better with age'.

[ducktrapper]

Because sellers use often that argument: 'It will be even better with age'.

Not just sellers but builders. I attended a Martin factory show and the rep strummed a chord on a new Martin and asked, "Sound good?" Everyone agreed that yes it sounded great, at which point the rep stated, "That's the worst this guitar will ever sound." It's pretty common knowledge among guitar owners that guitars get better with age and better guitars get betterer.     

[B0WIE]

I know that Larrivée doesn't use laminates. But that 'anecdote' was the starting of a bit more reflexion...

I'm not going to speak for Matthew (and I'm not sure what the question was) but a laminate top is typically structurally restricted, which is why age is less relevant.  The changes which take place in solid tops, especially thin solid tops, have a more dramatic effect on tone since they are more involved in the tone making process than an unresponsive top.  The subject of aging and tone is often tiptoed around because we as humans don't entirely understand how and why it happens, but enough people have observed the phenomena that it's a generally accepted theory. Gravity is similar in that sense.

[L07 Shooting Star]

Not just sellers but builders. I attended a Martin factory show and the rep strummed a chord on a new Martin and asked, "Sound good?" Everyone agreed that yes it sounded great, at which point the rep stated, "That's the worst this guitar will ever sound." It's pretty common knowledge among guitar owners that guitars get better with age and better guitars get betterer.     

I'm on the fence when it comes to guitars sounding better with age and lots of playing time.  Being the devil's advocate, I would say the Martin rep's statement doesn't have a lot of significance.  First, he/she has an interest in marketing guitars, and second, if the guitar sounds the same but not better 20 years hence, then the statement is still true.  I have been playing my L-07 for 31 years now, and I think it has improved quite a bit.  I can't really remember what it sounded like when I first got it though.  Also, I am so used to it's nuances, that I could play it in my sleep.  I am able to bring the best out of it now, so does it sound better because of aging or just because I am so familiar with it?  Just saying.

[B0WIE]

I'm on the fence when it comes to guitars sounding better with age and lots of playing time.  Being the devil's advocate, I would say the Martin rep's statement doesn't have a lot of significance.  First, he/she has an interest in marketing guitars, and second, if the guitar sounds the same but not better 20 years hence, then the statement is still true.  I have been playing my L-07 for 31 years now, and I think it has improved quite a bit.  I can't really remember what it sounded like when I first got it though.  Also, I am so used to it's nuances, that I could play it in my sleep.  I am able to bring the best out of it now, so does it sound better because of aging or just because I am so familiar with it?  Just saying.

Many people have played newer models and compared then to used versions of the same guitar and have noticed differences. Newer tend to be tighter, without as balanced or "open" a tone.  Boomier, less articulate bass. Highs that are edgy rather than sparkly.  Not that new guitars are bad, but they just tend to not be as responsive and pleasant as ones that have played in. 

This weekend I was comparing recordings of my SD50 with some I made 2 years ago. Wow.  The thumpy bass and nasal mid-range really mellowed out.  It's so balanced and behaved now.  I'd been noticing these things for a while and thought it was just me growing used to the guitar, until I compared the recordings.

[L07 Shooting Star]

Many people have played newer models and compared then to used versions of the same guitar and have noticed differences. Newer tend to be tighter, without as balanced or "open" a tone.  Boomier, less articulate bass. Highs that are edgy rather than sparkly.  Not that new guitars are bad, but they just tend to not be as responsive and pleasant as ones that have played in. 

This weekend I was comparing recordings of my SD50 with some I made 2 years ago. Wow.  The thumpy bass and nasal mid-range really mellowed out.  It's so balanced and behaved now.  I'd been noticing these things for a while and thought it was just me growing used to the guitar, until I compared the recordings.

That's what I would call good empirical evidence.  That's what we need more of in these discussions, no?

[Walkerman]

I notice quite a difference pre and post tone rite treatment.  A difference to the better.

[George]

I believe a ToneRite will open up a top, even if it is not permanent on all guitars, where you can certainly hear the difference.  I have not vibrated one to pieces yet...   I am also interested in the aging gained by a torrified top, there seems to be evidence that points to the success of that technology.  I still like the demo where the guy tells the eager audience of the new guitar he is showing off....  This is the worst it will ever sound....  Us old guys can relate to aging gracefully?