NGD Larrivée RS2

[kidsmoke]

This is an RS2, handmade in Oxnard Ca.

Specs

- Flat top, solid mahogany body and neck
- Rosewood fingerboard
- Dot position markers
- Tone Pros locking bridge and tail piece
- Tone Pros "old school" tulip button tuners
- CTS Pots
- Russian NOS Paper & Oil Capacitors
- Matthew Larrivée Custom Wound Humbuckers
- Translucent Cherry

You're looking at 2 pieces of wood (three with the fretboard) Simple but perfect.
Couple unique features..

25.5 scale
1 11/16" nut
truss rod adjustment in the base of the fretboard.
extra long tenon
belly carve
proprietary p'ups use Alnico 6 in the neck and Alnico 8 in the bridge
12" radius

This this has more sustain than any electric guitar I've played. I don't know if that's construction or pickups, but it's amazing. Combined with the belly, the light weight (7lbs) and the neck, which is an awesome satin finish, Just unbelievably comfortable. The guitar I've owned the longest and played the most is a Larrivée acoustic, and the neck on this guitar is identical. For that reason it just felt like home the moment I picked it up.


enough chatter. Here's the guitar. I'm realizing I need a new camera, but bear with me.


http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l58/tiokimo/Larrivee%20RS2/P1130543.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l58/tiokimo/Larrivee%20RS2/P1130548.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l58/tiokimo/Larrivee%20RS2/P1130556.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l58/tiokimo/Larrivee%20RS2/P1130558.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l58/tiokimo/Larrivee%20RS2/P1130553.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l58/tiokimo/Larrivee%20RS2/P1130564.jpg

http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l58/tiokimo/Larrivee%20RS2/P1130566.jpg

[Tig]

She's a beauty! There's no question on its quality. I'm glad is sounds so good.
HNGD!

[sunvalleylaw]

Beauty, eh! I always though Larrivee was Canadian. Beautiful guitar! I love the shape, size and tummy cut!

[kidsmoke]

They opened a SoCal plant sometime in the 90's and still do high end acoustic production in Vancouver. Family is split between the two locations and involved in guitar assembly on a daily basis. Jean his wife Wendy and his son Matthew in Oxnard, Son John in BC, I believe. It's a very cool company and they make great guitars. I'm really happy about this, got a GREAT deal on it.

[Katastrophe]

Nice! Congrats!

[sunvalleylaw]

Before I got my Martin, I had my eyes on a nice Larrivee dread. I was impressed! Good to know about the US plant and the electrics. They look like good stuff!

[mrmudcat]

:drool::drool::drool:

[kidsmoke]

They opened a SoCal plant sometime in the 90's and still do high end acoustic production in Vancouver. Family is split between the two locations and involved in guitar assembly on a daily basis. Jean his wife Wendy and his son Matthew in Oxnard, Son John in BC, I believe. It's a very cool company and they make great guitars. I'm really happy about this, got a GREAT deal on it.


wrong....

I've been drinking the Larrivée kool-aid quite a bit lately, as you may imagine. Turns out they only make one model in Vancouver anymore, but by volume, it's a huge part of the pie. The L-03 series. That's their "entry" model, solid wood guitar. MSRP 1500+

All other acoustics and the burgeoning electric line is being made in Oxnard, CA.

as to the Jean's involvement in the mfg process....


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJEn5W1xMho

[markb]

I had a Larrivee parlour guitar from one of the early runs they made to use up "inferior" wood sets. This was when Larrivee had one plant and 16 employees iirc. The build was absolutely flawless and the "inferior" wood merely had grain inconsistencies like a bit of uneven figuring in the spruce top and some light striping on the ebony bits.

Their plain guitars are just beautifully made and I'd recommend anyone looking for a solid wood acoustic on a budget to audition the 03 series. It's nice to see their electrics are just as well put together.

[piebaldpython]

Sweet axe......that 12" radius means only ONE thing, she wants/needs to SLIDE....especially with all that sustain. :drool

[kidsmoke]

Sweet axe......that 12" radius means only ONE thing, she wants/needs to SLIDE....especially with all that sustain. :drool


Ahhh. so is that what it is? I've messed with a slide but it seemed i was always just clipping fret ends. I put an 5/8" deepwell on and ran it up and down and, aside from sounding like a drowning cat, it was smooth and springy.

I've not owned enough guitars to quickly recognize why I like something, or why something works, but I know it when it happens. That may explain it.

Lordy lordy....better buckle on some boards, seems I'm headed down a very slippery slope.

[Ch0jin]

That's a really nice looking axe Tio! I love the finish on the neck in particular. Are the PIO tone caps standard? The vintage looking Klusons look really good on this guitar too.

[kidsmoke]

That's a really nice looking axe Tio! I love the finish on the neck in particular. Are the PIO tone caps standard? The vintage looking Klusons look really good on this guitar too.

Thanks. I'm completely diggin' it, and that neck finish is no small part of that. Something that bothered me on my Idol in particular was the poly finish on the neck. It was sticky. plain and simple.I found occasional friction hindering movement. My nitro finished Heritage is better, but even there, I've debated taking a fine sandpaper to it. Heresy to some, but for me these are instruments. I want them as playable as possible.

The neck on this guitar is a wonderful light satin finish, just like on my acoustic, which is smooth and slippery as can be, and I'm finding the guitar to be the easiest electric I've played, and I think that's the main variable.

Yes, NOS PIO caps are standard on these guitars. NOS bumblebees in the RS-4, which is the flame maple capped and inlaid FB version of this guitar. Larrivée is not messing around with these.

I'm hoping to bring one more guitar into the fold as well, and my experience with this one is making me excited for it. A Les Paul 50's Tribute. These are satin finished and "faded" guitars, US made, and the version I've spoken for is pre-flood...has rosewood FB(not baked maple like the ones currently being blown out everywhere), 50's style wiring with orange drop capacitors(not the PCB electronics, like the ones currently being blown out everywhere) , and the satin fretboard, giving me two set neck, satin finished necks, one 25.5, and one 24.5. Also the LP has Gibson P90's in it, which are a pretty great pickup. As much as I love the Larrivée neck, I do wonder how much easier it would be to play if it were standard 24.5 scale, like my Heritage.

I put the new TonePros Klusons on my Heritage as well, and man, these are great tuners. Titanium sealed gears...they only LOOK like the original old Klusons.

[kidsmoke]

I had a Larrivee parlour guitar from one of the early runs they made to use up "inferior" wood sets. This was when Larrivee had one plant and 16 employees iirc. The build was absolutely flawless and the "inferior" wood merely had grain inconsistencies like a bit of uneven figuring in the spruce top and some light striping on the ebony bits.

Their plain guitars are just beautifully made and I'd recommend anyone looking for a solid wood acoustic on a budget to audition the 03 series. It's nice to see their electrics are just as well put together.

I'd never heard that story about "inferior woods". Interesting.

When I first learned of Larrivée, it was in a guitar shop, from a bearded hipster who was a fingerstyle virtuoso. At the time the store was carrying full lines on Martin, Larrivée, and Seagull, and had a smattering of other new guitars. No used or consignments in this place at the time. He was not remotely vague in his recommendation... he would only show Martins to the guy that came in and said "I want a Martin, period." To the guy that came in looking for a high quality suggestion, a shopper, he would invariably recommend the larri's instead, not stating they were BETTER, but that they were as good as, at a fraction of the price. And in the case of fingerstyle, his absolute favorite guitar was the L03R, which is the Larrivée proprietary body style, in rosewood. (the standard L03 is mahogany). I've had a luthier tell me that he finds Larrivées a bit of a pain to work on because they are so lightly built that they are super susceptible to environmental changes, and some customers feel that his work doesn't hold up very long. This is exactly why many musicians love them.

those 3-series guitars can be found in the 6-700 dollar range pretty easily. Not bad when many consider them the sonic equivalent to the $1500.00 Martins and Taylors out there. Mine(acoustic) was an ebay purchase in '05/6. Love the guitar.