The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 11-24-2017, 07:13 PM
Dut4907 Dut4907 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sevierville, TN
Posts: 527
Default Martin D-16RGT or Larrivee D-03R?

I can’t decide between these two. Basically the same specs except ebony on the Larrivee and Richlite on the Martin. What’s the big difference in the two? Can someone tell me what the difference in tone? Ive played Martins but never played a Larrivee.

Ive owned Martins and Taylors before and loved them both. Ove always thought is there a guitar with Martin low-end with Taylors shimmer, I would buy it. Ive heard that Larrivees like that?
__________________
2020 Taylor AD27
2014 Martin D-16RGT
2010 Taylor 110
Takamine EGS330SCE
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 11-24-2017, 07:57 PM
catdaddy catdaddy is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Backroads of Florida
Posts: 6,433
Default

I once owned a Larrivee D-09. Nice guitar. After a year I sold it. The tone just didn't appeal to me. As a Martin owner my experience has been that Larrivee and Martin have very little in common with regard to tone. Not a "better or worse" situation just different flavors. Not sure that too many folks who find one very appealing feel the same way about the other.
__________________

AKA 'Screamin' Tooth Parker'


You can listen to Walt's award winning songs with his acoustic band The Porch Pickers @ the Dixie Moon album or rock out electrically with Rock 'n' Roll Reliquary

Bourgeois AT Mahogany D
Gibson Hummingbird
Martin J-15
Voyage Air VAD-04
Martin 000X1AE
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster
Squier Classic Vibe Custom Telecaster
PRS SE Standard 24
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 11-24-2017, 08:06 PM
Dut4907 Dut4907 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sevierville, TN
Posts: 527
Default

So what are the differences in the two and what didn’t you like about the Larrivee?
__________________
2020 Taylor AD27
2014 Martin D-16RGT
2010 Taylor 110
Takamine EGS330SCE
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 11-24-2017, 08:08 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,828
Default

Post deleted
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.

Last edited by TBman; 11-25-2017 at 07:43 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 11-24-2017, 08:09 PM
247hoopsfan 247hoopsfan is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 1,082
Default

Well, only you can decide what to get, but in your signature it shows you already have a Martin D Rosewood, which is pretty similar to the D16rgt. Larrivees have a very balanced tone. You will find plenty of clear bass in a D03R, but also nice mids and trebles. Besides having ebony fretboards, Larrivees also have wood binding, while the Martin will have white plastic. Jean Larrivee is known for hand selecting tonewood and gets good stuff. You can find really nice used 03 series Larrivees for under $1000. Might be worth a try, if you decide you don't like it you could always sell it for little to no loss.
__________________
1972 Yamaha FG200 My 1st guitar
2003 Yamaha LL500
2007 Larrivee JCL 40th Anniversary Edition
1998 Larrivee OM05-MT All Mahogany
1998 Larrivee D09 Brazilian “Flying Eagle”
1998 Larrivee D10 Brazilian "Flying Eagle"
1990 Goodall Rosewood Standard

https://soundcloud.com/247hoopsfan
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 11-24-2017, 08:19 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,828
Default

Post deleted
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.

Last edited by TBman; 11-25-2017 at 07:42 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 11-24-2017, 08:20 PM
Lauren710 Lauren710 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: Eastern MA
Posts: 70
Default

I have a Larrivee L (sitka/hog) and my dad's Martin D-16 (sitka/rosewood). Totally different animals, though I really enjoy playing both. The Martin has that signature booming low end and tons of volume, the Larrivee is much more subdued and balanced.
__________________
Gibson J-45 Rosewood
Larrivee LV-05
Gibson ES-339
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 11-24-2017, 09:07 PM
Texsunburst59 Texsunburst59 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Texas Gulf Coast
Posts: 703
Default

I had a '96 Larrivee D-05 I picked up in a pawnshop a few years ago for $207, and a '04 Larrivee D-03R I picked up for $400 at GC.

I had them for only a short while. Neither of their tones were inspiring.

The D-03R actually sounded way better than than the D-05.

I couldn't get any decent projection from either one of them.

I finally move them both when I picked up a $99 pawnshop '80 Sigma DM-3 that sounded way more balanced than either one and projected way better.

I've never heard or played a Martin D-16RGT so I can't tell you if it would sound better than the Larrivee.
__________________
'49 Martin A Style Mandolin
'76 S.L. Mossman Great Plains
'78 Gibson Gospel
'81 Martin 7-28 7/8 D-28
'03 Taylor Jumbo Custom
'04 Ramirez 1-E Classical
'09 Breedlove Roots OM/SR acoustic/electric
‘15 Martin Centennial DC - 28E
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 11-25-2017, 05:35 AM
catdaddy catdaddy is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Backroads of Florida
Posts: 6,433
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dut4907 View Post
So what are the differences in the two and what didn’t you like about the Larrivee?
Let me just say that one of the reasons I like Martin's signature tone is the bass emphasis and midrange scoop. The Larrivee was more balanced in a way that didn't suit my playing style. I found it uninspiring. On the positive side I found the Larrivee to have a very comfortable neck profile, and it recorded very well.
__________________

AKA 'Screamin' Tooth Parker'


You can listen to Walt's award winning songs with his acoustic band The Porch Pickers @ the Dixie Moon album or rock out electrically with Rock 'n' Roll Reliquary

Bourgeois AT Mahogany D
Gibson Hummingbird
Martin J-15
Voyage Air VAD-04
Martin 000X1AE
Squier Classic Vibe 50s Stratocaster
Squier Classic Vibe Custom Telecaster
PRS SE Standard 24
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 11-25-2017, 12:56 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 7,908
Default

The Martin 16 series is essentially the same guitar as the DSR you already have, with the exception of the gloss top.

The Larrivee will probably sound a little brighter and a little more ballanced, but probably not by much since the 16 series bracing used on the Martin sounds considerably brighter than the standard series bracing used on Martins higher model numbers anyway.

I like the Larrivee neck better than the Martin, and solid ebony fretboard and bridge (and wooden binding if made in the past decade or so) are definitely upgrades over the plastic used by Martin.
__________________
Larrivee OM-03RE; O-01
Martin D-35; Guild F-212; Tacoma Roadking
Breedlove American Series C20/SR
Rainsong SFTA-FLE; WS3000; CH-PA
Taylor GA3-12, Guild F-212

https://markhorning.bandcamp.com/music
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 11-25-2017, 01:18 PM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Chicago
Posts: 11,282
Default

I would caution anyone who is buying a Larrivee, in hopes of replicating the Martin bottom end, to play the guitar first. Larrivee is intentionally braced to produce less bass.
__________________
"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday."
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 11-25-2017, 01:50 PM
TBman's Avatar
TBman TBman is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 35,828
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by martingitdave View Post
I would caution anyone who is buying a Larrivee, in hopes of replicating the Martin bottom end, to play the guitar first. Larrivee is intentionally braced to produce less bass.
Yes, my OM-05 is on the Taylor side of the tone slider.
__________________
Barry

Sad Moments {Marianne Vedral cover}:


My SoundCloud page

Some steel strings, some nylon.
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 11-25-2017, 02:00 PM
martingitdave martingitdave is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Chicago
Posts: 11,282
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TBman View Post
Yes, my OM-05 is on the Taylor side of the tone slider.

I owned a beautiful Larrivee D09E that was a great guitar. But it did not have Martin low end. More like a Bourgeios.
__________________
"Lift your head and smile at trouble. You'll find happiness someday."
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 11-25-2017, 03:44 PM
Dut4907 Dut4907 is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: Sevierville, TN
Posts: 527
Default

Appreciate the suggestions, info or whatever you wanna call it.

I recently sold the Custom D a few days ago. It’s on its way to Colorado, so Im in the market for a replacement. Ive never owned a Larrivee and ive always heard the they were a mix between Martin and Taylor.
__________________
2020 Taylor AD27
2014 Martin D-16RGT
2010 Taylor 110
Takamine EGS330SCE
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 11-25-2017, 04:29 PM
AZLiberty AZLiberty is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Arizona
Posts: 7,908
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dut4907 View Post
Ive never owned a Larrivee and ive always heard the they were a mix between Martin and Taylor.
I own a Martin, a Taylor, and several Larrivees.

A Larrivee will certainly be inbetween Martin and Taylor in sound profile, but leaning more heavily toward the Martin sound.

You may also want to look at the Larrivee D-40R, which has a bit of a Larrivee/Martin hybrid bracing pattern.
__________________
Larrivee OM-03RE; O-01
Martin D-35; Guild F-212; Tacoma Roadking
Breedlove American Series C20/SR
Rainsong SFTA-FLE; WS3000; CH-PA
Taylor GA3-12, Guild F-212

https://markhorning.bandcamp.com/music
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 05:22 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=