Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee

Subject: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: gnu
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 02:35 PM

Anyone have anything bad (or good) to say about either of these guitars or particular models of these guitars before I buy one of them to beat up in the Saturday night kitchen sessions ? Don't have the model numbers to post.

Thanks in advance.

gnu

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: Bedubya
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 04:36 PM

gnu

Have a friend who teaches at a music store that features S & P's. He thinks they are the cat's pajamas though I have no idea why. They sound like any number of mid-price Martin knock-offs to me, though I must admit I've never even remotely been interested in buying one so I've never played one with a "buyer's ear".

I did give a serious listen to some Larivees when I was OM shopping and was not that impressed. Wound up with a Santa Cruz instead. Have also heard from a repairman that Larivees seem to be more prone to minor weather-related buzzes and gremlins than most guitars.

It sounds like you may already have a nice guitar or two and are looking for a more expendable one. If so, have you considered Martin's 15 series (the all mahogany ones)? I think they're the best guitar value on the market. Nice sound, all solid woods, but cheap enough to bang around.

Cheers

bwl

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: UB Ed
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 04:46 PM

Don't know SP; played a non-gloss finished Larivee that just rang. Their lower-end guitars seem to play nicely and are affordable; haven;t played a higher end.

I think the Martin 15 series suggestion is a good one.

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: gnu
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 08:14 PM

Larivee guitar is out - sold.

Thanks.

gnu

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: jeepman (inactive)
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 08:22 PM

Glad you mentioned Martin D15. I recently bought one and have posted its progress weekly.(IF I Remember).

I picked it hard for a couple of weeks, then had it boned (NUT_SADDLE_ Ebony bridge pins). Then had the whole thing set up to fit me. I LOVE IT. You could do a whole lot worse than follow what I did.(Not becauseI did it but because it works) Jeepman

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 08:56 PM

Hey gnu.....Since you're a new gnu, lemmee help you out a bit. There are a lot of ways to use the 'Cat besides songs and BS.

First, enter (no quotes,brackets,etc) Simon and Patrick in the Digitrad and Forum Search. You'll get hits. Read some of those messages and/or the thread its in. Then you can go to the LINKS section and under "instrument related" you'll find a link to LaSiDo, the parent of S&P and Seagull (and Godin and LaPatrie too). Try some other names like Seagull or Larrivee (note the spelling), or Martin or whatever. You'll find some grerat threads although the guitar brand does not appear in the title.

Next try the word Larrivee in the FILTER box and the REFRESH to 2 years. Also try Seagull, Martin, Guild, Gibson, Takemine, Ovation, etc. There are some excellent older threads and some of those people are not around or inactive now, but there opinions are still worthwhile.

Other folks will post here of course, but hopefully you can also use some of the older threads as well and get an idea of how much info is already at the 'Cat and the way to look for it.

Have fun...........

Spaw

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: Mooh
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 09:43 PM

Spaw.

Even if I knew how, I doubt I could be as helpful as you because you are always the first one to reply in such a way to these type of threads. Thanks for making us all feel good about this place.

gnu.

Also look into the Acoustic Guitar discussion forum. I've played alot of S&P's and have found them to be of uniform decent quality for the buck (Canadian bucks) and would recommend them whole-heartedly except that not too many more dollars will get you second hand instruments with such names as Martin and Larrivee on them. Or look for second hand S&P's and save some cash.

Peace. Mooh.

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: John Hardly
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 11:09 PM

Yeah, what Catspaw said.

And yeah, what mooh said--'cept a little more emphasis on there's gotta be something used, that trumps an S&P hands down. they're not crap but my experience is that they are about as good as the strings you have on them.


JH (who just got home from playing a room full of S&P's, and compared them to a room full of Larrys, Martins, Bourgeois, Taylors and can tell you, they don't measure up.

Interesting cheepy that, in its own way DID measure up (bang for buck), and this kills me to admit...Big Baby Taylor. Low $300s clear articulation for fingerstyle, nicely finished fingerboard, and, unlike the toy parlors out there, actually has a low end..it may be JUST the low E string, but a bass nonetheless. (I even played a pretty cool, respectable sounding "Millworker" on it to light applause from the store "gallery".

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: catspaw49
Date: 22 Mar 01 - 11:17 PM

Thanks Mooh and John.......We do have a lot of good stuff here, much of which you guys have posted at times. I just try to be sure that when a question like this comes up, gnu or whomever gets all the info the joint has to offer.

So gnu.......Why are you looking and what are you looking for a new guitar for? What kind of price are you after and all of that?

Spaw

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From:
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 04:54 AM

I posted a thread about the LaPatrie (made by the folks who make S&P) about the glue unglue-ing in Australian conditions. It is true I have heard this about Canadian guitars, but according to the mechanic who fixed mine, the glue didn't give way. The cedar soundboard must have had a area right where the bridge was glued and a layer of wood broke cleanly away.

It gives me a little concern about their quality control. Of course spruce is a stronger wood and probably the problem is less likely to occur. Mine was proabaly one in a million anyway.

Murray

Subject: RE: Help: Guitar Advice : Simon Patrick & Laravee
From: gnu
Date: 23 Mar 01 - 05:27 AM

First...thanks for the help.

Second...Spaw...I copied your instructions to a file I am keeping handy, so that I can research more efficiently. I did think about doing more or less what you said, but when I have done this in the past, obviously incorrectly in some fashion - which I will figure out as soon as I get time -, I got a zillion threads which didn't seem to be in any order - which I will fig... . I suppose I also should admit that it's not just a time thing. It also has to do with a streak, however small, of pure laziness. My apologies.

Third... Spaw... Why ? Because my two guitars have now belonged to young relatives for over five years. Lonnnggg story, but I've managed to survive, and enjoy, on Hran and whistle. My Hrans have a family crest, so they aren't worth a dime so they didn't get listed under the asset column, although she didn't think they should be left out (that's the short story). For ? Kitchen sessions. Price ? Well, the present budget is $Cdn500 max, so it's GOT to be second hand.

The budget may go up if my business picks up, but I've got the fever and I can't wait any longer. Since one of the lads moved to Seattle, one to Iqaluit, and the other now flies for Air Nova, the Hran just doesn't fill the kitchen too well too often. Last good session with the lads was at Xmas, sans Iqaluit, the best guitarist. The next session is scheduled for early August, but Air Nova can't commit and he's the best vocalist. OK, enough weening for today.

Again, thanks for all your help and I'll let you know how it turns out.

gratefulgnu