Larrivée D-05

Made in the USA (the 03 series, it's made in Canada and is not in the same range as the 05)

Sitka spruce top, solid mahogany back and sides, fingerboard and ebony head.

Easel in a material that mimics the bone.

No belt clip

Glossy finish around the abalone rosette, tortoise shell pickguard type.

I put only 7 here because I do not like the towers of abalone rosette, or the look of the pickguard, or the lack of opportunity finally to put a belt clip which is not practical for a dreadnought.

UTILIZATION

The neck, the radius is fairly flat and quite pleasant modern type. Dreadnought shaped guitar.

The sound is exceptional: very balanced, as are the guitars today, but without the acute side and a little metal ds Taylor for example. The sound has a severe acute balance but also includes mediums that give a nice texture to the agreements. Solo, the sound is very accurate.

The bass is beautiful, it seems a natural compression that lets you play folk, Neil Young, for example, but it also has a clarity of acute reminder that this guitar dates back to 2000.

For the game to finger picking, the handle is perfect and can play without fatigue.

Important: I have tried at great length 3 in store before buying it (left California in Paris). They were on sale. The 3 sounded differently, and that I preferred to start was not that one. She had a more vintage sound, exactly what I was looking for, which looked like a Martin. But the action was pretty high and I tired to play with fingers. I could take it and have paid, including the saddle, but another had exactly the action I wanted, while sounding a bit more crystalline. I put this down to less waste as ropes and so I chose the one with the lowest share, for the sake of comfort. I must say it has also changed a bit and I ended up lowering the saddle slightly over 2 years now and it is set as I rarely had an acoustic guitar. The sound is very impressive, power, balance, dynamics, harmonic accuracy, all at the same time.



SOUNDS

This inspired to play guitar. It's like when you touch a beautiful piano and the beauty of sound makes you feel what must be a true musical instrument.

is really the sound we hear on the record with an emphasis on sound quality (think Sinatra "Off Season" or Springsteen's "Devils and Dust" for example.)

OVERALL OPINION

I use it for 2 ½ years and registration is perfect. I also tried a Martin D28 (rosewood) before buying, and the model Larrivee D09 (Rosewood). For the game strumming, the D05 is really more to my taste, Martin tried that day was far too steep, however the Larrivee D09 rosewood sounded like a piano notes sparkled harmonics, but it was worth 1300 euros more than the D05 I had discounted a week before Christmas 2008 for Euro 1300 only and I felt that I should not pass up an instrument in this category at this price.

As the Americans say: "This one's a keeper" I do not sell because I think I have achieved a quality with this model that I passed without difficulty to 3 or 4,000 euros. I just wish the decor, just for my taste.

It is among the best guitars I've had the opportunity to play or own (Gibson, Martin, Taylor included). It is said that some songs have become classics due out by themselves on the guitar when the musician was lucky to receive this type of guitar.