Have you ever played a Larrivee that you didn't like?

[Abando]

I currently own two Larrivees that I love(D-03R & L-03E), but I have owned two Larrivees that I didn't like. They were a Larrivee OM-3 and a OMV-50.The OM-3 sounded absolutely dead and OMV-50 only sounded adequate with the heaviest strings on them. Anyone else have similar experiences with Larrivee OM guitars? Maybe I just coincidentally received two bad guitars that happened to be OM models. I do love to strum. Perhaps their lack of power turned me off. I doubt it, though, because I also own an Art & Lutherie parlor that I love. Outside of size, what are the benefits of owning an OM over a L model? Have you ever played a Larrivee that you didn't like and if you own a OM model, how do you generally feel about it?

 

 

Abando

[Whalebot]

My L-09 was well balanced and versitile, somewhere inbetween an OM and a dread in sound and shape. The OMs tend to be a bit brighter than the comparable Martins, but that is just to my ear. Benefits are really subjective, it all depends on what type of music you play. My OM-21 was the best guitar that I have owned.

[knockwood]

Were the OMs you owned purchased new or used? How long did you have 'em?

I have become a monster Larri fan. One of the things I like about them is that they are a little on the overbuilt side, IMHO. This suits my neurotic, hyper-anxious nature, but at the same time I recognize that there is some degree of trade-off, if not in tone than certainly in volume. I love my D-60 to no end, but anyone who is specifically looking for a cannon might be better served by an HD-28. I also think that an offshoot of Larri's comparatively heavier bracing tendencies is that their gits may often take a little longer to open up. But they do open up. I couldn't shout down an HD-28, but I wouldn't even think about trading my D-60 for one.

I'm dying for a frickin' OM-50...

[kwakatak]

I wasn't overly impressed with the tone of the very first Larrivee I ever played: a 2002 NOS OM-03. At the time I was looking for something that strummed like a dread and it sounded boxy to me. I was instantly impressed at the quality of materials used and the quality of the workmanship though. IMO it was much better than the Martins and Taylors I tried that were at or above the same price point.

 

I've since changed my opinion about the OM-03 because I really got into fingerpicking after that occasion and tried out several more examples of that model.

 

The other Larrivee I wasn't overly impressed with was an L-03R. It sounded muted and the notes were poorly defined, especially after playing a new Epiphone Masterbilt EF-500R. Now that guitar was loud for fingerpicker and when strummed it blew the larger L-03R away.

 

Of course, I may have just lost my taste for rosewood. All my GAS seems to be focused on mahogany guitars. I'd love to own a NOS L-03 and am intrigued to see how the EF-500 sounds in mahogany.

[knockwood]

My OM-21 was the best guitar that I have owned.

 

 

Damn, that's a good model. I can definitely say I've never played an OM-21 I didn't like. I must get one some day.

[kwakatak]

My L-09 was well balanced and versitile, somewhere inbetween an OM and a dread in sound and shape. The OMs tend to be a bit brighter than the comparable Martins, but that is just to my ear. Benefits are really subjective, it all depends on what type of music you play. My OM-21 was the best guitar that I have owned.

 

 

I expect OM's to be bright but not anywhere near as bright as Taylor GA's. OTOH, I find the Martin OM's to be too muddy for my tastes. IMO the Larrivee OM is a good balance.

[Abando]

Whalebot, I always wanted to try a Martin OM-21. Everytime I have heard one it sounded great. If my memory is correct, I think that's Maury's favorite Martin guitar. If someone knows something about Martins, it Maury from Maurys Music. Knockwood, both of my OM guitars were brand new.

Abando

[Whalebot]

Yeah, I got mine from Elderly, it is hands down the sleeper hit of the Martin line. I want it back sooooo bad. everyone told me not to sell it and they were right. But then I would not have my 000-15s.

[Queequeg]

I bought an OM-50 (TSB) earlier in the year. I love it and I stuck a K&K pure Western in it because I play out with it now and people tell me it sounds great.

I have a bunch of Larrivees, from their smallest (and least expensive) to their largest (& discontinued). The only one I ever sold was a SD-60 and I liked that one very much, but I needed the $ to finance a Larrivee baritone. Oh yeah, I like that one too.

To my ear they are well balanced and they match the traditional tunes I most often play (although Martins do too) and I like the traditional look of their guitars. Jean Larrivee makes mahogany look and sound great. I never knew mahogany could look so beautiful. The neck feels good to me and the setups on my Larrivees are just right for me. Anything else made in the states would cost me a lot more to get this kind of quality and appointments.

[EvilTwin]

I played a used L-09 at GC in Towson, MD, that wasn't anything to write home about. There was nothing wrong with the tone...but it just didn't blow me away; it was "vanilla," IMO.

 

Before that, I was GAS-ing very hard for an L-bodied Larrivee. But that kinda extinguished my desire for one. I've played some since that were great, but not enough to give me horrible GAS pains.

 

Now the OM-21 that was sitting down the street from me in Frederick at Boe's Strings...that's another story.

[knockwood]

Whalebot, I always wanted to try a Martin OM-21. Everytime I have heard one it sounded great. If my memory is correct, I think that's Maury's favorite Martin guitar. If someone knows something about Martins, it Maury from Maurys Music. Knockwood, both of my OM guitars were brand new. Abando

 

 

Brand new is what I would have guessed. Not that the whole opening up thing necessarily says anything. Of course gits sound sweeter when they've opened up, but I also think a guitar that doesn't knock you out on day 1 is probably highly unlikely to knock you out six months later. Queequeg is probably the Larrivee collection king up in here (lucky $%#@!). Totally agree with his assessment of Larrivee's handling of mahogany. I've also made the observation before that Martin knows what to do with a piece of hog (although I much prefer Larri's mahogany aesthetics). Both great, but worlds apart. Maybe a Martin or Guild or other OM would be - tonally - more your cup o' tea.

 

I love the Maury's website. OM-21 has gotta be up there among the best bang for buck gits Martin has ever conceived. I'd be scheming to get one this minute, but at the moment my only acoustic is a rosewood dread and I feel a more immediate need for something small in mahogany.

[toneage]

I went to long mcquade in windsor and tried out all the larrivee's. Now while I agree their guitars can be exquisite in appearance "not all of them" come with that builtin volume projection for their price tag. I'd confess while I want to like larrivee more than taylors that the taylors have more projective consistancy from guitar to guitar. But if I found a Larrivee that rocked I'd definately prefer it. My favorite player that tryout day was the Taylor gs8.

[Hudman]

Over the past couple years I owned an L-03, an OM-03 and I currently own an OM-03R.

 

Excellent craftmanship, rich tone and strong projection on all 3 with the L-03 being the loudest of the 3 guitars.

 

My favorite is the OM-03R. It has excellent bass response, outstanding sustain, strong projection and the rosewood gives the tone a rich texture without being too complex.

 

My only complaint is the Ping tuners. I wish Larrivee would upgrade their tuners and add $50 to the price of their guitars. I plan to upgrade my tuners in the near future.

[Harmonycat]

I played a D-60 again yesterday and I WILL eventually own one. I just love that guitar.
I also have played the OM-03R again and I am in love with it too. They are both, in a word, exquisite!

I love Larrivees on the whole and I cannot say I have played one that I did not like...these two standout.

Some of the D-03 and OM-03 models I have played were just "ordinary"...like the top of the line Norman or S&P or some of those wonderful Chinese imports, but better built with better materials.
Understand that my use of the word ordinary does not imply anything other than the fact that there are quite afew comparable sounding guitars available for less money.

That said......They still are not Larrivees.