1 Topic by Tenement Funster (edited by Tenement Funster 2014-12-05 22:21:22)

  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Topic: 20,000 Chord Checkup

I took my Larrivee to local luthier, whom I know and trust implicitly. He's built a number acoustics out of various exotic tonewoods, decorated some of them with amazing inlay work, and they are stunning to look at and amazing to play & hear.

Anyway, my Larrivee is about 3 years old now, and I wanted to replace the TUSQ nut and saddle with bone ("The tone is in the bone!"). He's replacing them with camel bone, which sounds like ceramic tile when dropped on a counter top ... very hard. He'll be making the bridge & nut from scratch, and setting it all up properly. In addition, he has some beautiful bone bridge pins with abalone inserts he's installing, as my plastic pins are somewhat chewed up from string changing.

http://www.larrivee.com/instruments/acoustics/images/acoustics.jpg

The purpose of this note is to convey how excited I am about this, and to chew up a few more minutes before I pick it up tomorrow. He handed me a couple of his to compare bone vs. TUSQ, and the difference and clarity is like night and day. C'mon, Saturday!!!

  • NELA
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  • From: West Monroe, La. 71292
  • Registered: 2007-11-28
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Re: 20,000 Chord Checkup

Those mods, a good set of strings and a great set up will definately put a big ol' grin on yore face. Let us know how it sounds and put me down as #1 on the "borrow list".

Nela

NELA's Website

  • dino48
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  • From: los banos,california
  • Registered: 2007-04-06
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Re: 20,000 Chord Checkup

I may get a set for my yamaha,How do you like your Takamine gd30ce is that a 6 0r twelve string?

my papy said son your going too drive me too drinking if you dont stop driving that   Hot  Rod  Lincoln!! Cmdr cody and his lost planet airman

4 Reply by Tenement Funster (edited by Tenement Funster 2014-12-06 02:46:14)

  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: 20,000 Chord Checkup

dino48 wrote:

I may get a set for my yamaha,How do you like your Takamine gd30ce is that a 6 0r twelve string?

Hey Dino ...

The Takamine is a 12-string, and not too bad for a $500 guitar. It has a solid spruce top, but laminate sides and back. As a result, it hasn't got a strong bottom end, nor does it have a big voice. I tried a number of others in that price range, and the Tak sounded best. I probably should have saved some more dough, and got a Yamaha LL1612 (about $850). It's all solid wood, and sounds amazing. But the Takamine is just fine for me as a hobby guitarist, and with the pickup system it sounds pretty good plugged in.

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
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Re: 20,000 Chord Checkup

It'll sound great.

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude

6 Reply by Tenement Funster (edited by Tenement Funster 2014-12-06 22:35:20)

  • From: Nova Scotia, Canada
  • Registered: 2013-01-20
  • Posts: 4,083

Re: 20,000 Chord Checkup

Got my Larrivee back at noon today, and couldn't believe how much better it sounded on the first strum. The tone is much clearer on detail, it's brighter, and has a lot more sustain. Yet none of the strong all-solid-wood bottom end has disappeared. Played everything I know by Jethro Tull on it this afternoon, and it even sounds great for tunes played with a capo at the 5th or 7th frets. I expect there are conservation issues as to why most guitars are now built with synthetic materials, but genuine bone does give a better sound.