Larrivee guitars are rubbish

Tannin · May 2023

Not worth the paper they are printed on.

The tops warp, the binding comes off, they are over-braced, the necks are rubbish, and people ask way too much for them, especially second-hand.

Honestly, jokes aside, I have never played a good one. Not even once. Every single none of the no Larrivee guitars I have played didn't make any sound at all.

(Let me know if this helps, @thomasross20.) ;

thomasross20 · May 2023

Hahaha it was love at first strum the first time I went to pick an acoustic. Spent about 3 hours trying different guitars and had that magic moment with the OM02 I have still got.

Local dealer says there are some new interesting ones coming in but some are hitting the £3200 mark which is high for a Larrivee, considering resale. Good for them, though - I do rate them. But that price level makes me think twice - for any guitar. The Bhilwara tonewood I just got is stunningly good & different.

Other interesting ones I tried were Auden's, which seemed good value. Breedlove were nice but felt more "electro acoustic" to me - dunno, maybe needed more time.

Acoustic GAS is deeper and more intimate than electric gas. As @ICBM said once, each acoustic really is different. Learned loads from folk on here and still doing so.

One stepdaughter moved out with boyfriend so her room had been gutted and painted. There's a single chair in it now and that's my guitar zen room. Still considering selling the electrics (was a different time in my life) to find a super acoustic.

Anyway, OT... I know I mention Larrivee a lot lol. There's a few guitars I'd really like to try but have had hit & miss with buy before try of late (some just not suited me.. and I got hit with a heavy restocking fee recently for a guitar return). Other Larrivee's, Martin, some Brooks I've never been able to try. I still rate Avalon but the neck on mine was too chunky.

Anyway. You want to try a Larrivee, feel free to pop in - I'll put the kettle on

Mellish · May 2023

Tbh, I've never seen a Larrivee in the flesh. It's one of those brands I wouldn't mind trying. Collings is another.
Lowden used to be another but I tried some when I bought my OM. Not bad but not for me. And Atkin I didn't like - didn't feel right.

I've spent so long playing American acoustics that they are what I call home.

woody · May 2023

Everything you said,but change larrivee in title to taylor.

thomasross20 · May 2023

Yeah I'm more into the American type acoustic, too.

See when I read things like "pre war" and "aged tone pack" etc though... My eyes just roll lol. What is this, a power up in some computer game?

Tannin · May 2023

Really @woody? Taylor's low-end guitars are competent and reliable but seriously overpriced (for the cost of a 2-series laminate jobby I can buy all-solid, First-World-manufactured instruments of real quality and I don't mean cheap Chinese stuff). But you could certainly do worse, and they are no worse value-for-money-wise than Martin's cheap stuff, probably better.

Their better quality instruments (3 series and above) are indeed quality instruments, beautifully finished with the best quality control of any of the US majors (possibly barring Guild), and innovative in ways that the likes of Gibson and Martin can only dream of.

Do I like the Taylor house sound? Not especially. Of the US majors I like the Guild sound best, the Gibson sound least, and put Taylor and Martin somewhere in the middle. But that's just personal taste.

Are Taylor guitars reasonably priced? (I'm talking their good stuff here, 3 series and up.) Well by international standards, no. They are dear compared to instruments of equal quality made in other high-cost, high-wage places such as Europe, Australia, South Korea, and Japan. On the other hand, by American standards, they are quite reasonable. Martin, Guild and Gibson charge way, way more comparing like for like.

And Taylor have by far the best environmental policies of any major US maker. They are a world leader in sustainability and ethical use of resources.

All in all, you have to give them a pass mark. In fact if I'm marking their end-of-term paper I'll be giving them a solid B+.

Dumodal · May 2023

I tried their select OM-05 and I liked them, wouldn't pay full price for one but used probably yes, I agree with the Taylor sentiment of Woody, look nice but feels like plastic.

guitarjack66 · May 2023

The only Taylor I have even touched felt incredibly light. I have no idea if that is a good thing or a bad thing. I didn't play it,which was a big favour to the guitar!

woody · May 2023

Tannin:I've never been overly impressed by any taylor i've owned,A 110 wasnt bad for the money,414 was ok,810 was horrible..Beautifully built,but every time i try one i get the feeling that there are much better guitars at the particular price point..I have yet to try one that i think is a really good guitar and ive tried quite a few..Its the higher end models that i really have a problem with. I find that they are tonally very flat.Much better alternatives out there for my tastes anyway.

lustycourtier · May 2023

Ive only played one, but it was a pretty special guitar. Built for Marc ford and gifted to a friend of mine. Only thing was output was a mad 9 pin socket

bertie · May 2023

woody said:

Everything you said,but change larrivee in title to Martin or Cole Clarke

FTFY

Ive played a couple of Larry's best one was a satin finish in the then Ivor's - with @Jalapeno about 101 years ago (must have been 2006 TBH) was really loud and responsive...............................

Jalapeno · May 2023

bertie said:

woody said:

Everything you said,but change larrivee in title to Martin or Cole Clarke

FTFY

Ive played a couple of Larry's best one was a satin finish in the then Ivor's - with @Jalapeno about 101 years ago (must have been 2006 TBH) was really loud and responsive...............................

Cripes that was Aeons ago !

bertie · May 2023

Jalapeno said:

bertie said:

woody said:

Everything you said,but change larrivee in title to Martin or Cole Clarke

FTFY

Ive played a couple of Larry's best one was a satin finish in the then Ivor's - with @Jalapeno about 101 years ago (must have been 2006 TBH) was really loud and responsive...............................

Cripes that was Aeons ago !

I dont get out much

also remember we popped into Hobgoblin ? tried a Blueridge OM with coated strings, coated in the sweat and dead skin of 1000 previous shoppers

McToot · May 2023

A mate of mine had one of their USA 'custom shop' Dreads and I loved that so much I pounced on a Canadian made D-03 when one bizarrely was listed for sale less than 5 mins from my house in the wilds of West Sussex. Crazy 'bearclaw' markings on the top and I got it for about £500 IIRC. I don't play it much because I'm more into my electrix, but when I do it blows me away.

thomasross20 · May 2023

Actually heartening to hear others saying they've tried and liked - I think they just moved to a bigger factory so output is increasing. Hopefully the quality is maintained.

thomasross20 · May 2023

Just got a quote for an OO-03 model with upgraded moon spruce top and up-charge also for reduced scale length - £3200. The prices have really jumped. I got my first one for £650 or so back in the day

TheOtherDennis · May 2023

thomasross20 said:

back in the day

That's about a month ago at the rate you've been buying them!

ditchboy · May 2023

Still on the hunt for a nice Larrivee OM hog when funds permit. They truly are superb guitars.

TheOtherDennis · May 2023

Well don't forget mine, it's still available...;-)

Sammy · May 2023

I mostly play electric but can quite honestly say the Larrivee Om I bought from someone on here several years ago, was the best acoustic I have ever owned and is still with me and I have owned several really good acoustics over the many years, incl Martins, Collings, Furch, Sergi and others. When I got the Larrivee I had actually gone to try a Martin OM, then he let me try another top quality model which he was keeping and then the Larrivee to compare. Quite honestly the Larrivee sounded and played far better than the other two, which he even agreed, but said he would sell it to me, if I didn't want to buy the Martin as he needed to let one of them go. Snapped it up and haven't looked at another acoustic since, though might be tempted in the future to buy a Rosewood Larrivee, as mine is Mahogany with Spruce Top.

Agree with Woody on Taylors, pick anyone up and whilst they are very easy to play, they all seem to have that same Taylor sort of sound, which IMO is very bland. Like marmite you either like it or hate it!

Tannin · May 2023

Yep, Taylors sound like Taylors. Gibsons sound like Gibsons. Martins sound like Martins. Matons sound like Matons. Guilds sound like Guilds. Lowdens sound like Lowdens. And I presume Larrivees sound like Larrivees. The good makes all have a house sound.

thomasross20 · May 2023

Am I right in saying @bertie / other that Brook neck is same as Larrivee? I might be in London end of June so might stop off at Coda to try them .. TBD..

bertie · May 2023

thomasross20 said:

Am I right in saying @bertie / other that Brook neck is same as Larrivee? I might be in London end of June so might stop off at Coda to try them .. TBD..

not that I remember, the Larry's I tried were very Taylor-esque, maybe a tad larger. The Brook is quite flat and a smidge wider

thomasross20 · May 2023

Aha, good to know. Maybe I'll love it... Time to try these bad boys, I hope, in June...

ditchboy · May 2023

TheOtherDennis said:

Well don't forget mine, it's still available...;-)

Remind me of the price Dennis : - )

TheOtherDennis · May 2023

A nice round grand

thomasross20 · May 2023

Tried another OM-05 today and while stunning, I find I do prefer the satin models. In fact I also prefer sapele as a tonewood as it's that bit stiffer than mahogany so a touch more bass and shimmer (imo, though the mahogany does have slightly more of that syrupy sound, which is lovely). When I AB'd my OM-02 Vs a £5k sinker mahogany custom shop Martin, they were on par - the bass from the scallopped Martin was same as that of my sapele OM-02 with no scalloping. So I think if going for mahogany again in future I'd be getting a scallopped guitar.

I don't mind the low bass on my mahogany P-03 (which sounds AMAZING btw, the compression when hit hard sounds great - blues box) as it sort of goes with that kind of guitar (though naturally I now wonder about sapele / Bhilwara parlour!).

I would love to try one of their 12 fret rosewood options. The Tommy Emmanuel model looks cool but I'm not into big bodies.

I wonder what other kinds of mahogany there are. I heard Cuban is good... @Tannin I will have to find your post re wood stiffness, weight etc comparisons as would really love to see that for the different kinds of mahogany guitar. Sapele, for me, really is a stunning tonewood.

As an aside, I'm undecided on Adirondack tops. That custom Martin sounded great with it but it was also like a pneumatic drill. The lightest touch set it off - very loud and resonant. Sitka I think (maybe wrongly, unsure) is more dynamic (quiet, loud).

earwighoney · May 2023

thomasross20 said:

Tried another OM-05 today and while stunning, I find I do prefer the satin models. In fact I also prefer sapele as a tonewood as it's that bit stiffer than mahogany so a touch more bass and shimmer (imo, though the mahogany does have slightly more of that syrupy sound, which is lovely). When I AB'd my OM-02 Vs a £5k sinker mahogany custom shop Martin, they were on par - the bass from the scallopped Martin was same as that of my sapele OM-02 with no scalloping. So I think if going for mahogany again in future I'd be getting a scallopped guitar.

I don't mind the low bass on my mahogany P-03 (which sounds AMAZING btw, the compression when hit hard sounds great - blues box) as it sort of goes with that kind of guitar (though naturally I now wonder about sapele / Bhilwara parlour!).

I would love to try one of their 12 fret rosewood options. The Tommy Emmanuel model looks cool but I'm not into big bodies.

I wonder what other kinds of mahogany there are. I heard Cuban is good... @Tannin I will have to find your post re wood stiffness, weight etc comparisons as would really love to see that for the different kinds of mahogany guitar. Sapele, for me, really is a stunning tonewood.

As an aside, I'm undecided on Adirondack tops. That custom Martin sounded great with it but it was also like a pneumatic drill. The lightest touch set it off - very loud and resonant. Sitka I think (maybe wrongly, unsure) is more dynamic (quiet, loud).

Cuban is a bit like Sapele, more bass and treble than Honduran, but I don't think it's worth the surcharge when Sapele is comparatively cheap. IMO try a Quilted Sapele if you get the chance. Sounds much the same as the standard one but it looks really cool!

Adirondack/Red Spruce guitars take a long time to break in, and I think they are better for bluegrass style instruments. I have a number of different guitars with different spruce soundboards but it's the one I seem to reach for the least.

thomasross20 · May 2023

Ooooh quilted sapele!! I would love to try a 'boutique" maker's sapele guitar (saying that... My 20 year old OM02 I have preferred to some very high end guitars).

--> so you reckon Cuban is slightly better than sapele (both harder than mahogany) but not worth the extra. Got it.

I wonder if the om05 were satin, I'd have thought differently. Btw I should add that I feel sapele has the wider tonal frequency range (without the mahogany hump - and I like no hump as it makes it even MORE balanced) and suits fingerstyle better, but mahogany strummed had a nicer syrupy/meldy sound, with less bass definition. Those "cheap OM02s" imo are some of Larrivee's best guitars.

That's interesting re the Adirondack of yours @earwighoney ... What guitars do you have and what do you reach for the most?

I'm learning a lot about what I prefer in an acoustic.. but ultimately it still always comes down to trying the magic one in person.

Btw again re sapele, I remember trying all the GS Mini guitars some years ago and the wood combo I liked best? Sitka + sapele.

Per above I do think mahogany has a tad less bass than sapele but the effect is amplified due to the humped mid range which imo masks it further. Still fine guitars!! The oo40 with mahogany B&S and scalloped bracing actually sounds good (have never tried one.. might like it.. it may just have been that particular scalloped OM40 I didn't get on with).

Both OM-05s I've now played have sounded richer in the mid range than the OM02. I'm not sure if that's down to a difference in sound due to the gloss (not keen on gloss feel) or the higher grade tonewoods. I suspect both.

tomjax · May 2023

Roger Bucknall of fylde guitars seems to be a big fan of sapele for guitar bodies.

earwighoney · May 2023

thomasross20 said:

Ooooh quilted sapele!! I would love to try a 'boutique" maker's sapele guitar (saying that... My 20 year old OM02 I have preferred to some very high end guitars).

--> so you reckon Cuban is slightly better than sapele (both harder than mahogany) but not worth the extra. Got it.

I wonder if the om05 were satin, I'd have thought differently. Btw I should add that I feel sapele has the wider tonal frequency range (without the mahogany hump - and I like no hump as it makes it even MORE balanced) and suits fingerstyle better, but mahogany strummed had a nicer syrupy/meldy sound, with less bass definition. Those "cheap OM02s" imo are some of Larrivee's best guitars.

That's interesting re the Adirondack of yours @earwighoney ... What guitars do you have and what do you reach for the most?

I'm learning a lot about what I prefer in an acoustic.. but ultimately it still always comes down to trying the magic one in person.

Btw again re sapele, I remember trying all the GS Mini guitars some years ago and the wood combo I liked best? Sitka + sapele.

Per above I do think mahogany has a tad less bass than sapele but the effect is amplified due to the humped mid range which imo masks it further. Still fine guitars!! The oo40 with mahogany B&S and scalloped bracing actually sounds good (have never tried one.. might like it.. it may just have been that particular scalloped OM40 I didn't get on with).

Both OM-05s I've now played have sounded richer in the mid range than the OM02. I'm not sure if that's down to a difference in sound due to the gloss (not keen on gloss feel) or the higher grade tonewoods. I suspect both.

Cuban is special stuff for sure, but it's like the Brazilian Rosewood of the Mahogany world. Fairly rare and elusive, but I don't think it's worth the trouble trying to source it. I think the different types of mahogany are pretty close to each other.

My Guild 12 has Sapele back and sides. It sounds glorious.

I've played a few luthier guitars with Sapele back and sides, one was a Redwood/Quilted Sapele (Propsom Guitars? It was in TAMCO). Glorious instrument.

I have an Eastman E10-00, early model with 25 year old Adirondack soundboard from Old Standard, who is the supplier to Collings.

My no.1 guitar is a Stanford PS-OM10. I don't know much about this brand, but I think it's a MIC version of an old Furch model the OM-32. Sitka Spruce over some kind of Mahogany (maybe African?). It's the only one I write music on. Even though it was the least I spent on a guitar and spent thousands on instruments with a lot more complex deeper richer sound, the Stanford is the one that suits my way of playing the most.

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Larrivee guitars are rubbish

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