NGD Larrivee T44 Custom Moonspruce/Black Limba

[fingerling]

In late August 2023, I purchased this Larrivee T44 Custom Moonspruce top/Black Limba back and sides from Heartbreaker Guitars. They've still got the info on the guitar and a good video here:
https://heartbreakerguitars.com/coll...k-limba-134069

I wanted to wait a bit to give this short review. It's a beautiful "professional" travel guitar, smaller than an O Larrivee (or Martin) with 14 frets to the body. It's got a short scale length of 22.8" but the nut width is 1.75" (w/ 2 1/4 inch string spacing) and the neck is pretty slim as newer Larrivee's are, so it's very playable.

I got it as I'm older taking up guitar again after a long time and found that my exquisite 1994 Taylor 612ce with a 25.5 scale was just too long given an injury to my fretting small finger and likely arthritis. So the short scale definitely helps.

When I got the guitar, Heartbreaker lowered the action and it was set up with DR Veritas Phosphor Bronze Mediums 13-56, freshly put on I think as they'd had the guitar in stock for a while. Although recommended by Larrivee, the mediums were too much for me and I put D'addario XS Phosphor Bronze Lights 12-53 on which were a good improvement. Both the medium and light Phosphor Bronze were hugely loud and sustained like crazy. Larrivee was right, this small guitar is a "cannon." But I didn't like the endless sustain and sound of the Phosphor Bronze. So I had it set up by a really good luthier and switched the strings to Martin Retro Monel Custom Light 11-52 and this calmed the sustain down and darkened the sound. All in all a very good improvement.

On the cosmetics and sounds, this is a beautiful and great sounding guitar. The Alpine Moonspruce top is terrific looking and the Black Limba is a nice looking and sounding "something different" for the back and sides. I didn't know what to expect of the Black Limba. All in all, I'd say it is brighter, less warm than mahogany, leaning to more to Rosewood or Walnut. It's definitely crisper than most mahogany. The 44 finish with full gloss is beautiful. But all in all I wanted to let the guitar settle in, especially given the gloss rather than matte finish. And indeed 6 months in the guitar has opened up considerably. And it's not just a finger style guitar, it strums well and isn't "boxy" as I've heard small guitars can be. The bass as expected, while there, is crisp but not considerable but the mids and treble is terrific and clean.

For someone looking for a nice travel guitar, the Larrivee T-44 or the T-40 (in matte finish) should be considered. That said at overall length of 36 1/8" versus 36.75" for the Larrivee O or P [parlor] (I have an 0-40 in all Mahogany), the size of the two guitars in their case is basically the same. Either could fit the bill for a travel guitar or just something small to noodle with on the couch. The O-40 definitely has a bigger sound and the 12 frets to the body makes it easy to play (but more limiting going down the neck).

All in all, I'm impressed with this Larrivee T-44, the workmanship and sound is impressive. The maple body and fretboard bindings are superbly done. And the intonation and ability to stay in tune for those finding a 22.8 scale length an asset is terrific, no worries there. I've played a bunch of Taylor GS Minis and while they are "boomier" they are no louder and the crispness and tone of the Larrivee T-44 is way better. And in closing, Heartbreaker Guitars was very good and crisp as well to deal with. They are highly recommended.

[Lillis]

Congrats. Any new Larrivee day is a good day!

[BlueBowman]

Very cool guitar, Lawrence. Congrats. Not sure I've ever seen this model from Larrivee before. Quite beautiful. Enjoy it!

[eyesore]

Very Very Nice !!

[jricc]

Congrats! Larrivees are great guitars!

[fantex]

Cool, enjoy! I'm moving a few guitars to fund a Larrivée soon.

[Glennwillow]

Congrats on your new guitar! Have fun!!

- Glenn

[Moldstar]

Very nice! I love the back. Larrivee's are great guitars.

[guitarman001]

HNGD!
I've a P-03 and love their smaller guitars and as you've noticed they REALLY open up after 6-12 months in the most spectacular way. I'd been wondering what black limba sounded like and had been looking at that exact guitar!

[MartinD12-20]

Congratulations on your new Larrivee. Sure is a beauty.
I recently purchased a 2000 Larrivee O-01. I have been impressed with its build quality and the volume it produces.

[fingerling]

I really didn't know what to expect even doing some research on black limba, but thought that it was spectacular looking and also perhaps a bit more crisp than mahogany, albeit a replacement for it, was worth a try and that's what pretty much went down. It's hard to know what to do in considering the T series versus the O or P series Larrivee as they are about the same overall length. I'd say if you have to have the 22.8 scale length, which is easy to play with the 1.75 nut then go with the T series, if the 24 inch scale length suits you then the O or P series is a stronger choice given that it adds some bass courtesy of its 12 fret to body construction and the position of the bridge.

[FingahPickah]

Congrats! Enjoy!

[JayBee1404]

Congrats on the new guitar! However, your link takes me to this…

IMG_4170.jpg

[fingerling]

I clicked on the link above. and it worked fine, give it another try:
https://heartbreakerguitars.com/coll...k-limba-134069

[fingerling]

https://heartbreakerguitars.com/coll...k-limba-134069