View other reviews for this product:
MGR/Ricko « Larrivee D-03 »
Published on 01/24/03 at 15:00After a lot of whining about my lack of a decent guitar, my wife--supporting my butt while I'm in school--OK'd me to purchase a decent acoustic. I did a lot of shopping at the local stores, looking at the now standard array of Martins, Taylors, and Gibsons. I found some nice guitars, but had a hard time feeling good about having her spend $1200-1400. While on ebay, looking at Martins, I found a listing for a Larivee guitar and started doing some research. What I saw was all solid wood and lots of good reviews. I found a local dealer, Music Shack, who had a D-03 for $599. After A/B'ing it with some comparably priced Tacomas, I bought it.
There is a lot about this guitar that I like. Solid mahogany back and sides, solid spruce top. Most of the comparably priced instruments I tried were laminated back and sides and sounded like crap compared to the Larrivee. It's not a flashy looking instrument and that is appealing as well...simple and elegant. But what I like most about it is the sound. It's rich and full (I had never been a big fan of mahogany guitars before this one) and very evenly balanced. It's an incredibly good acoustic for the price.
There's not much I don't like about the D-03. I wish I could have afforded the version with the built-in electronics, but I'm not gigging right now so I'll deal with that when the time comes.
I have not been able to find any construction-related flaw on this instrument. Every joint is flush, the fretwork is excellent, the tuners are smooth, and the satin finish is lovely. Cosmetically, the top has a dark area on the lower bout, just below the bridge. It does not bother me though...it actually looks kind of interesting.
If you are looking for a great acoustic guitar without having to shell out Martin/Taylor prices, the Larivee D-03 is a great choice. I don't know how many dealers there are around the country but there are usually several listed on ebay. I've had mine for about 2 months now and I like it more every time I play it. As it ages and the top opens up I'm sure it will sound even more amazing.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com
There is a lot about this guitar that I like. Solid mahogany back and sides, solid spruce top. Most of the comparably priced instruments I tried were laminated back and sides and sounded like crap compared to the Larrivee. It's not a flashy looking instrument and that is appealing as well...simple and elegant. But what I like most about it is the sound. It's rich and full (I had never been a big fan of mahogany guitars before this one) and very evenly balanced. It's an incredibly good acoustic for the price.
There's not much I don't like about the D-03. I wish I could have afforded the version with the built-in electronics, but I'm not gigging right now so I'll deal with that when the time comes.
I have not been able to find any construction-related flaw on this instrument. Every joint is flush, the fretwork is excellent, the tuners are smooth, and the satin finish is lovely. Cosmetically, the top has a dark area on the lower bout, just below the bridge. It does not bother me though...it actually looks kind of interesting.
If you are looking for a great acoustic guitar without having to shell out Martin/Taylor prices, the Larivee D-03 is a great choice. I don't know how many dealers there are around the country but there are usually several listed on ebay. I've had mine for about 2 months now and I like it more every time I play it. As it ages and the top opens up I'm sure it will sound even more amazing.
This review was originally published on http://www.musicgearreview.com