new larrivee mando pics

[mario515]

heres a link to the larrivee forum <a href="http://www.larriveeforum.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=4428&s=a3f1d55fe07a3f4ad25b3ca71dc8d575My" target="_blank">http://www.larriveeforum.com/forums.....Webpage (http://www.larriveeforum.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=4428&s=a3f1d55fe07a3f4ad25b3ca71dc8d575) they look nice nothing reaaly jumpin out at me proof is in the puddin they say try this one too My Webpage (http://www.larriveeforum.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=4427&s=1b85b7031a9ea40e6babf6134538a505)

[delsbrother]

Collings-ish? I'm just looking at the fingerboard ends and tailpieces.. Any connection between the two companies? All I know is both Presidents were once on a GAL CAD/CNC panel together.. But that don't mean nuthin'.

Frankly, while the mandos look great I was halfway disappointed they aren't flattops.

Darrell

ps: I suppose they look like Gibsons too (ducks).

[diamond ace]

I can't wait to play one of those!

[John Rosett]

i'm drooling over that 12 fret sunburst guitar.
john

[John Flynn]

My first reaction is that those the mandos look a bit cheap in the pix. It looks like the the bridges are those cheapo rosewood jobs with the big adjustment knobs, the finish looks "low-end over-glossy" and the truss rod covers look a bit "industrial." I like Larrivee guitars and I wish them well, but that's MHO. I wonder what the price points are going to be.

[mario515]

I agree mando iwas kinda shocked at what i was looking at I own a larrivee guitar and its a great instrument someone posted on that site that they are listing at $3000 for an A and over $4000 for the F models I'm sure they sound great but taint much to look at

[grandmainger]

I think the F looks a bit cheap. The A looks pretty good! Maybe not $3000-good though! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[gnelson651]

So far, I'm not impressed. For that price point I would rather have a custom made mandolin. Anyway, I couldn't afford one if I wanted it.:(

[fatt-dad]

Just out of curiosity, where were those pictures taken? I want to go there!

f-d

[grandmainger]

Just out of curiosity, where were those pictures taken? I want to go there!
From the board they're posted on, they are from NAMM.

[soapycows]

They look kinda Kentucky-ish to me. Very ugly sunburst. I, too was hoping for a nice flat top. Something different out there.

[PlayerOf8]

I hate to say it, but I feel a little let down. All the drama leading up to it and it ends up like a kiss from your sister.
.....But the ukes look way cool.

G

[Ted Eschliman]

Hey gang, these are just pictures. Keep that in mind; what you are seeing is not a 3 dimensional representation, so you aren't going to capture the nuance from your computer monitor. (Like I should have to remind all of that...)
These aren't the impeccable craftsmanship, the infinite scroll purity of a Collings or Gilchrist, but they are a ton cleaner in detail than any Gibson at twice the price.
They are warm in sound (set up very nicely to my liking), the two Fs I tried were vibrant, but not crisp and "barky" like a Gibson. They are very sweet, and I think a huge step in the right direction, a real contender.

[mandopete]

...but they are a ton cleaner in detail than any Gibson at twice the price.
<best pirate voice>

Arrrrr, them's fightin' words matey!


Scroll looks kinda funky though!

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[John Flynn]

These aren't the impeccable craftsmanship, the infinite scroll purity of a Collings...not crisp and "barky" like a Gibson
Ted, I have to be honest and say that if your post was intended to defend the Larrivee mandos, which I think it was, it hit me as a very back-handed compliment. Even taken along with your positive comments, those two statements, along with the pix and price points, have cooled the ardor I had to run out and try a Larrivee or consider it as my next mando.

[jim_n_virginia]

Nice looking F style mandolin but I too think the scroll looks a little..... out of balance?

And not too impressed with the sunburst, looks like the same kind of high gloss top dampening sunburst you get from a Pac Rim mando.

But coming from Larrivee it's probablt a sweet sounding mandolin and the uke it totaly cool!

[pickinNgrinnin]

[QUOTE]Scroll looks kinda funky though!


Man, you beat Jeremy to that one http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif

[MikeB]

Hey gang, these are just pictures. Keep that in mind; what you are seeing is not a 3 dimensional representation, so you aren't going to capture the nuance from your computer monitor.

Ted, we do know that. We compare pics around here all the time. Why should we make allowances for the shortcomings of online pictures this time? Seems to me the really great looking instruments look good in every good photo I see.... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif

[JimW]

Hey gang, these are just pictures. Keep that in mind; what you are seeing is not a 3 dimensional representation, so you aren't going to capture the nuance from your computer monitor. (Like I should have to remind all of that...)
These aren't the impeccable craftsmanship, the infinite scroll purity of a Collings or Gilchrist, but they are a ton cleaner in detail than any Gibson at twice the price.
Now Ted, from a moderator who usually doesn't like threads that start the onslaught of Gibson bashing, this looks awfully close to something that would get that started again.

Jim

[John Flynn]

Re: Gibson bashing

With respect, I think it's interesting that to "bash" any other brand, you have to essentially say it sucks. But "Gibson bashing" seems to be defined as even suggesting something is better than a Gibson even in just one aspect. Ted just said that they are cleaner in detail than Gibsons at twice the price. Should even Gibson lovers be surprised or upset about that? It is well known that detail work and low prices are not thier strongest suits and that even the Loars don't all have great detail work. For any other brand, that statement would be a comparison, not a bash. Gibson and Gibson lovers should be happy that people use thier brand as the standard to judge other brands by and as the PR saying goes, "that they don't spell the name wrong."

[siren_20]

From this right here. (http://www.larriveeforum.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=2&t=4411) I have a larrivee guitar and it's great, so I'm going to reserve judgment on the mandos until I have one in hand.

Mandolins!

Each mandolin has the following features:

Flamed maple carved back
Flamed maple sides and neck
Carved spruce top
18:1 Tuners with pearl buttons
High gloss-full sunburst
Custom Larrivee tailpiece
Ivoroid bound top, back and neck
Ships with deluxe hardshell case
A style retail $2898 delivery July
F style retail $4250 delivery September

[tiltman]

I agree with the above post that the sunburst is pretty ugly looking.
Not quite as ugly as that '70's Gibson sunburst that was posted awhile back....

Hope that won't be considered Gibson bashing.
Kirk

[Eugene]

Here is the voice of dissent; please don't run me up the nearest tree. #I love Larivee guitars. #These mandolins look to me like just another Gibson knock off. #To be fair, so does almost any f-style mandolin and most archtop mandolins in general. #It is a constant source of fascination to me that almost any well-known, largish musical instrument-production entity who decides to introduce a line of archtop mandolins simply knocks off the pre-depression Gibson profile without considering any other source of inspiration or interjecting much creativity (beyond occasionally changing how the strings fix to the tailpiece). #A couple notable exceptions are/were Weber's A styles, Monteleone, Dave Cohen's CMH, Ben Wilcox's BRW J-16 style, Michael Lewis (and a few other guitar-inspired mandolin makers), Martin, Bacon, Lyon & Healy, D'Angelico (inspired by Lyon & Healy's old asymmetric A style), and a tiny handful of others. #Yes, I love Larivee guitars, but what incentive beyond simply the Larivee name is there for me to buy their mandolins instead of Gibson's, Weber's, Collings's, BRW's, etc. ad nauseam?

[John Flynn]

Eugene:

I agree. I would add Rigel and Breedlove to the list. Like 'em or hate 'em they are obviously trying to do something different and they are making it work for lots of people.

[John Flynn]

A style retail $2898 delivery July...F style retail $4250 delivery September
Let's see, if I had that kind of dough, I could have a Collings MT or MF respectively today and have money left over. If I had that kind of dough AND wanted to wait that long, I could have an Old Wave or Pomeroy made to my specs, have it sooner and have money left over. Tough choice...

[Eugene]

I agree. I would add Rigel and Breedlove to the list. Like 'em or hate 'em they are obviously trying to do something different and they are making it work for lots of people.
Of course. My oversight.

[Mace]

Lighten up folks. There appears to be plenty of room for another mandolin. Demand will dictate if it stays in production and list price is not street price. We need to hear and play them before we pass judgement.

[grsnovi]

I was also pretty disappointed in the look of this mandolin. I had hoped to seem something interesting on the headstock in the way of unique inlay. This isn't to say that you won't be able to get something there eventually. I suspect they are going to have a tough row to hoe competing against the likes of Collings on the one hand and Eastman on the other.

[jlb]

Based on cosmetics alone, I guess I'd be willing to pay $800 for the A-style, and $1200 for the F.

Actually, I'd just buy something else.

[grandmainger]

A style retail $2898 delivery July...F style retail $4250 delivery September
Let's see, if I had that kind of dough, I could have a Collings MT or MF respectively today and have money left over. If I had that kind of dough AND wanted to wait that long, I could have an Old Wave or Pomeroy made to my specs, have it sooner and have money left over. Tough choice...
Mind that we don't know how they sound just yet... On looks only, I'm with you, but what if they turn out to sound like one of the top of the range instruments... http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/coffee.gif

[John Flynn]

We need to hear and play them before we pass judgement.
Well what's the fun of that? Using that rule, about half the threads on the board are invalid! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[siren_20]

These do appear to be PROTOTYPES...and most of the people on this list (myself included) haven't even heard the things yet!
In the words of Napoleon Dynamite: GEEZ! http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Eugene]

In the words of Napoleon Dynamite: GEEZ!
I think you meant "Gosh!"

However they sound, I'm standing by my previous criticism. #These are--like almost every other archtop mandolin on the current market, Collings incuded--another couple direct Gibson knock offs.

[Michael H Geimer]

I'm far less interested in how it looks than how it sounds. But, it would be cool to see Larrivee's maple binding on a mandolin.

My experience with Larrivee has been quite interesting. I own a D-03 that has so many excellent qualities that I could never 'bash' on it. But I always compared it to the classic 'Martin Tone' ... which it does not have.

So I went off in search of The Perfect Dreadnaught ... which I never found (but I did fall in love with the Martin Norman Blake model).

Rather, after playing a bunch of Martins and Gibsons one day I took out the Larrivee for comparison. Well, everone in the store turned around and commented on the volume and tone. No one commented on any Martin I played ... other than the Norman.

I have since decided just to let this guitar sound like a Larrivee and to stop comparing it to Martins.

Sooo ... I'm wondering how Larrivee has chosen to 'voice' their mandolins. I see no reason to compare their tone to Gibson's. In fact my experience suggests such a #comparison would lead nowhere.

So who's gonna go play one?!?!

- Benig

[acousticphd]

A style retail $2898 delivery July
F style retail $4250 delivery September

That's not the price you/we will pay, though. No one pays retail. I'll put my guess into the hat that their A5 sale price will be around $2100-2200. For now, as Mando Johnny argues, there would be many worthy competitors.

I personally think it will be more interesting to see the next generations of Larrivee mandolins. It would seem likely, based on their guitar lines, that Larrivee will soon release some plainer instruments at lower prices - like their 03 guitar series - and that these will be what really catches on among Larrivee fans. Which isn't everyone. Larrivee guitars - even their bluegrass guitars - clearly don't sound like Martins, and I'm not surprised that their mandolins would not sound like Gibsons.

[Spruce]

"Collings-ish? Any connection between the two companies?"

Yes....
Another CNC enthusiest who smells the match-made-in-heaven of CNC technology and the F5 mandolin...

[mehrsam]

I was just saying to myself the other night, "I sure hope the new Larrivee mandolins look just like all the other Gibson clones that are everywhere."

And look! I wasn't disappointed.

Next contestant, please.

[Crowder]

Most of the older handmade Larrivee guitars were really nice, then they went mass-appeal and started focusing on cheaper guitars. The mando's look more like a product of the latter philosophy than the former, but I'll play anything before judging it.

[Trip]

Im definately looking forward to finding out for myself if the have a cheesy kentucky burst with a 1/4" thick finish or sound right or have a weird scroll.....all I do know is that the only person so far that has played them had good news....and they make the best bang for the buck in guitars on the planet......

[diamond ace]

We all know that Gibson invinted the F-5 mandolin. Why is it that every time somebody makes a mandolin is "cloning" gibson. Most people building a mandolin are going to copy the "popular" design because they need to sell the thing. I know Rigel and the likes are great and have there own take on the mandolin but LOTS of mandolin players are kinda traditionalist. They want what they recognize as a "mandolin" when they put money down on an instrument. Mind you not everyone, just most (I would think). When yamaha, Ibinez, washburn, larrivee, taylor,.... made a dreadnaught guitar were they acused of cloning or trying to be Martin? ( or whoever came up with the dreadnaught first). Im not trying to start anything here I'm just wondering.

[John Flynn]

When yamaha, Ibinez, washburn, larrivee, taylor,.... made a dreadnaught guitar were they acused of cloning or trying to be Martin?
You make a good point. Martin did invent the deadnaught and it is probably the most copied design in history and people don't tend to criticize that as much.

But I think there are subtle differences with mandos. First, people were drawn to the booming sound of the dreadnaught and they still are. The F-5 mando design is mostly about fancy woodwork, not tone. It has been well established that A mandos and F mandos with the same woods, by the same manufacturers sound comparable. Some A's sound better than many F's. So we are not talking any musical value with the design, but just superficial appearances.

Second, in the guitar market offers a lot of choices. I was in a store today. The mando wall had more F's on it than anything else and most of the high quality mandos happened to be F's. The acoustic guitar wall had a wide variety of body styles and in any price/quality range, you could get parlor guitars, jumbo guitars, standard guitars and archtops. I think what some of us are tired of is not having choices in music stores. Good A stlyes are scarce as are good C#, two points and alternative styles. Good arch-top oval hole mandos are really scarce, which is too bad, because the good ones sound incredible! There is nothing like them.

People on this site talk about the current "mando building boom." Well so far the boom is a bust as far as I am concerned, because it is just more of the same. You could buy a good F before the boom. Now you just have more brands of F's to choose from at higher prices. But except for the "cutting edge" brands mentioned, the boom hasn't gotten much variety to the market and I think a larger segment of the market wants that than the builders realize. The F will always be with us. But I, for one, am not willing to accept that the F was the last possible advance in mando design. And I am talking in terms of tone and playability, as well as looks.

[diamond ace]

I guess its fair to say that in the acustic guitar world the builders are building more dreadnoughts then parlors, or cutaways or tripple 000's. At least when I go to a music store in this area I see more D's then anything else. I would say it's because thats whats popular and what sells the most. The same with the F-5 style mandolin, It's the most recognized or popular of the mandolins and just in more demand. Dosn't have anything to do with tone and playability. I play guitar as well as mandolin but just now while writing this post I realized that when I go into a store and play guitars I seldom pick up a cutaway or parlor guitar. I am interested in the dreadnaughts. However Mandolin being my main instrument I will play every mandolin on the wall. i wonder if this is the case in reverse for guitar players who play mandolin as well.

[diamond ace]

Sorry, we are getting alittle off the larivee mandolin topic here.

[f5joe]

Eugene said: "Yes, I love Larivee guitars, but what incentive beyond simply the Larivee name is there for me to buy their mandolins instead of Gibson's, Weber's, Collings's, BRW's, etc. ad nauseam?"

This is a good point Eugene. However, imho, the Gibson F-style mando has become the Strad of mandos. Therefore, everyone builds their version of the Strad. This is standard procedure in the violin world and now, I believe, in the mando world.

[krishna]

I saw some ukes from them. Very nice. It almost makes me want to play them....Kerry

[mrbook]

Larrivee ukes have trim appointments that are very distinctive - they look like Larrivees and no other brand. They could do the same with mandolins, even using the familiar body shapes. Their guitars also have their own look, although I'll admit to peeling the clear pick guard off of mine and adding a black one.

[mehrsam]

Mrbook added some clarity to my point. Larrivee guitars - even their dreadnoughts - have distinctive appointments that set them apart from the rank and file, and I hoped that attention to unique design would carry over into their mandolin line. But who knows? Perhaps in the future they will introduce some "cutting edge" models that are on par with the Breedloves and Rigels

I think an F style is beautiful, and I would love to have one someday...although I'd probably choose an F-4. Can't be too mainstream, y'know...

[cbogle]

I played 3 of the new Larrivees today at the NAMM show: two F's and one A model. At first glance, they do indeed appear to be very "Collings-like", due in part to the fingerboard extension, which is very similar to Collings'. The finish does not seem thick, they appear to be well-built, and had a decent setup. Unfortunately, the NAMM show is a setting that can sometimes be difficult to try out an acoustic instrument, due to the huge amount of surrounding noise. That being said, I was able to try these out when the noise level was at somewhat of a low ebb. I found the F models to be rather thin-sounding, with not much low end, while the A was only marginally better in that department. I suppose I'd have to say that I was disappointed, as my expectations were higher, especially after seeing the suggested retail pricing.

I noticed also, that almost all of the Larrivee guitars had "sold" signs next to them, while none of the mandolins did. Perhaps these prototypes were not for sale at all, and they were being utilized to book advance orders, or test marketing them for feedback.

[WireBoy]

I took a spin around NAMM this afternoon. I have few more Larivee pics for your consideration. #I, also picked the A and the F. #they didn't knock my socks off (only the collings did that), but they sounded fine. #for the price, i think the appointments were a bit plain. but this wood is plenty nice!

[WireBoy]

very nice tailpiece.

[WireBoy]

dig these tuners!

[WireBoy]

the headstock is abit plain, but the grain shows up nicely under better lighting conditions.

[WireBoy]

For Mandojeremy's consideration....

[WireBoy]

the A's back side.

[WireBoy]

No, its not a mando, but it sure is pretty, (and its a Larivee- only $1200). #AND it sounded great!

[WireBoy]

what a body!

[WireBoy]

this palm tree just shimmers!

[Eugene]

This is a good point Eugene. #However, imho, the Gibson F-style mando has become the Strad of mandos. #Therefore, everyone builds their version of the Strad. #This is standard procedure in the violin world and now, I believe, in the mando world.
Of course, Stradivari did build mandolins. However, they are of a decidedly outmoded, gut-strung variety that only early-music specialists care to emulate in modern times. Yes, the f-5-style mandolin seems universally recognized as the mandolin form...at least in the US. Still, other than a few American ensembles, it has almost no representation amongst traditional classical mandolinists.

One thing that sets f-style mandolins apart from many other instrument developments is that much of what is emulated is purely aesthetic and has yet to be demonstrated as functional. The dreadnaught (another thing that's not quite my thing, and I am a massive fan of Martin's early work) has a particular bracing pattern, a certain body width, and (in later examples) an extended length of neck free of the body in order to generate a particular sound or allow access to higher positions. The same can be said for classical guitars patterned after the Torres or Ramirez aesthetic with particular scale lengths and bracing patterns. (Another bit of irony: I suspect it's rare that dreadnaught players care to reach those upper positions and classical players who often do don't mind reaching for it beyond their 12-fret body joint.) Nobody has demonstrated any practical function of all the curlicues and points sticking out of an f-style mandolin. In fact, in spite of what the taditional bluegrassers often tout, what little quantitative research has been committed to this lends to the argument that body scrolls and points are of no acoustic use whatsoever. I am not criticizing Gibson whatsoever in this; they concocted and refined this style and have every right to be proud of it. What remains fascinating to me is that so many would strive to emulate a purely aesthetic feature. If a style of archtop mandolin should be emulated as a standard, I would offer Gibson's snakehead A models or Lyon & Healy's style C (even though I personally favor the looks of L&H's asymmetric A); these were beautiful, functional instruments.

...But what do I know? I prefer bowlbacks.