Larrivee vs Martin
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- Опубліковано 9 вер 2018
- This, is how the West was won... an old fashioned shootout. I'll be doing a head to head video shootout between my Larrivee D-40R and my Martin HD28.
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As always, thank you for watching!
My Larrivee story. Went to buy a Martin. Was playing a Larrivee at a slightly lesser price point when a guy walked in the room and asked, "What guitar is that?" I replied, "Mine", and headed for the checkout. That was 1998. I've never regretted it for a minute.
I've had a Larrivee acoustic for almost 25 years and it just keeps getting better and better
I played a Larrivee for the first time yesterday and bought it on the spot. Everything about this guitar was superb. I love the wider spacing on the neck, the sound is so well balanced. Just incredible. I couldn't leave without it.
I was in the market for a Martin 000-18, until I went into my local shop and saw/played a larrivee L-05 and also bought it that day.
I think balanced sound says it all. If you want bluegrass or a piercing lead, Martin or Taylor may be better for your tastes. But Larrivee's sound fantastic across the spectrum.
Oh finally... Someone who talks about playability and action!!!! THANK YOU... I know the Martin - struggle with the neck but I was surprised at how much I liked it. That being said, and listening to you discuss playability, I'd buy the Larrivee! Great comparison. I know what to buy now.
I want both!!! - can't afford either LOL
Just bought a Larrivee from a pawn shop, but I have owned my Martin for 16 years. Both are hands down the best two acoustics to own. I also own a Taylor, which is my #1 go-to soldier guitar (outdoor gigs, messing around the house). The Larrivee action is absolutely smooth as silk, sounds wonderfully bright. Martin is as good, but sounds stronger and gives a very bold deliverance for soloing.
I couldn't be happier! Thanks for making this video. Your playing is outstanding!
I was born a 'Martin man', but they'll be prying my OM Larrivée from my cold dead hands.
Jean spoiled me -- tone, value & customer service -- flawless.
Martin: Fuller, Bassier, Warmer/darker sound.
L'arrivee: Brighter, Snappier, more articulate.
Personally, I like those bright & snappy acoustic guitars, so L'arrivee wins this round.
Perfect judgement 👍👍
My thoughts exactly. The Larrivee sounds more alive to me.
Bingo
I have a Larrivee Parlor P01 - now 20 years old. My friends call it "the small guitar with the big voice". I love it. Easy to play and beautiful, full sound.
I fell in love with a larrivee a few years ago when it just sung to me while I played it! I've wanted one ever since.
Look for one with a repaired crack. Someone else’s misfortune can be your bargain.
I am literally at the crossroads with this, and this video put me over the top for Larrivee. Thanks for putting this out there.
Thank you for posting this comparison... for me it was Larrivee as well! Cheers.
I’ve been playing Larrivees for 30 years. I’ve also trial played several Martins. Your summary sums up my experiences. Larrivees are fantastic guitars for great prices.
I've owned and played 10 or more 12-strings in my life, including Gibsons, Martins, Guilds, Taylors (and Rickenbacker, though I'm only concerned with acoustics here). Since 1997 I've been playing my Larivee D-03-12, and I've never known an easier 12 to play, and the tone is huge in the bass and beautifully transparent in the upper ranges, getting out of the way of vocals. If I were doing a lot of instrumentals where more punch would be wanted in the upper courses I might favor something else, but for my gigging purposes my Larivee is a lifelong axe. The neck has never needed even a slight tweaking, and the broad nearly-flat fingerboard is perfect for my fat fingers.
I bought it as a less-than-one-year-used guitar for $700. Best guitar deal I ever stumbled into.
I have a Larrivee lv-09. I love that guitar so much. I went in looking at Matins, picked up the Larrivee even tho I had never heard of them, and couldn't stop playing it. Still cant stop playing it.
Your first chord on the Lavirree sold me.Your first strum I said the Martin couldn’t sound better. Larv all the way gunna get me one
The Larrivee definitely has a more refined sound. i also agree about playability with the slightly wider fret-board and round versus V neck profile.
Yep, I vote Larrivee in this test. Great test and thanks for posting. I own a Larrivee L09 and Martin d18 CW ( first Clarence White model), so I have a foot in both camps but this was great to hear two similar models side by side.
JUST BOUGHT A 1997 LJ 09 ARTIST….FABULOUS SPEC. I PLAY IT AS OFTEN AS MY GIBSONS AND MARTINS.EVERY HOME SOULD HAVE A LARRIVEE!
Totally with you on the action. God I love strumming a Martin, and strumming is what I do 90% of the time on an acoustic, but for those times when you wanna finger pick, solo, or embellish a chord with some pinky action, you kinda want anything but a Martin. Nothing's convinced me to spend $2k on it yet, so I'm cool with my red label Yamaha for a while.
I have had a D-40R for around 4 years. It was a good guitar from the beginning, but once it started opening up, it is a really good sounding guitar. There are so many outstanding D-28’s, but as this video shows, the D-40R is playing in the same league.
Getting my D40R next week! I'm frothing at the mouth. Have had to wait almost 3 months, and I've come back to watch this video over and over again. Can't wait to finally have my own one in my hands.
They both sound gorgeous, the Larrivee is quite perfectly balanced while the Martin had loads of low end (As they do). The Martin was maybe slightly sweeter and fuller but especially when you factor in the price difference Larrivee's are just brilliant guitars.
Same thought too
Totally agree, Peter.
I’ll take the larrivee and $1500…
The Larrivee will age and sound better, it's soundboard still looks brand new
do they even have the same string?
I would like one of each, please.
(But really. I love that Martins just sound like Martins in a way no one else can, but I also like how unique the Larivee sound is.)
I compared a Larrivee J 45 style to its Gibson counterpart and bought the Larrivee. No regrets; they are beautifully designed and executed.
Just purchased a Larrivee OM40M, absolutely stunning tone and build
I got the same, awesome, and I think change my Martin D28 EC for the Larrivée D-03R
Thanks for using the exact same strings. Non-coated strings also sound best.
Larrivee sounded the better of the two guitars, thanks for the great video
Thanks for a great A-B comparison. Funny thing, it wasnt until you started talking about the binding at the end that I realized that I had the two guitars mixed up in my head while listen your playing. I was thinking to myself, "Hey that Martin just blows the Larrivee out of the water! Whew," as a HD-28 player myself who paid over 3 grand for mine. Then when I got it straight in my head, I'm like, "Aww man!"
Anyway, still love my Martin, but I'm also a huge fan of Larrivee. So now I'm gonna have to check out this model!
Just bought the Larrivee D40 R today. Love it! I actually like the sound of it better than the Martin.
I own two Larrivees (OM-3 Figured Walnut and a 000-40R) and they are both freaking incredible...tone and sustain are off the charts! Combining the purchase price of both was still less than the HD-28 you featured!!! Lastly, though the Martin sounded good it's sustain drops off well before the Larrivee
When I was buying a new guitar about 10 years ago I tested out dozens of guitars. Including some very nice Martins. I eventually settled on a Larrivee OM19. Never once have I regretted that decision.
I’ve had a Martin OM 16E for over 10 years but just recently got a Larrivee OM 03 and I haven’t picked the Martin up since.
of course you didnt pick up the martin, you didnt have a standard series like an hd28
I fell in love with a Larrivee when i was lookimg for an acoustic guitar in london, went all the shops, tried all the guitars and picked a Larrivee so balanced and heart melting tone. Amazing guitars..
martins are much better
@@jfar3340 sounds like red is better than blue.. for who.. which martin? All? Some? one? Compared to which instrument, which model, what price, what wood, which string, which acoustic environmnt.. all changes the experience.. i cannot make such statements they both have goods… for me somethimes chepest guitar can potentially be better than the most expensive… so i would rather pick it up and play than decide… and even this doesnt apply to anyone as each person has different taste for sound and instrument..
@@Serchannel HD28 of cours I'm not refering to non standard series martins. Anyway good for you but a good rosewood martin D is far better than any larrivee objectively I've played tons of guitars trust me.
@@jfar3340 One of the very best guitarists in the world plays a Larrivee. He also plays Maton guitars but I have never seen him play a Martin. I wonder why that is?
@@aliwhitwell mainly fingerstyle, mainly a non standard bluegrass player. It's the exception that proves the rule. Martin standard series for the win thank you.
Larivee sounds brighter .. Martin is the name you pay double. I love my Larivee, plays very loud Bluegrass music
Thanks for another great video. I'm very close to pulling the trigger on a D-40R but just can't make up my mind.
I bought the Larrivee and I love it.
I have been a Martin fan all my life. Played my fathers D-18 from 1945 and was spoiled by its tone. At the same time it was not easy to play because of the high action. I gave it to my nephew and he had the neck reset and straightened out the action. I recently purchased a D-45 and D-28 1932 Authentic. I love the wide nut of the 28 Authentic. Well I was at the guitar store looking for a 12 string and tried a Larrivée L-03 12 and was blown away. I could not believe how easy it was to play and the tone quality. Now when I go to the dealer I try the other Larrivée guitars and realize that they are easily the best sounding guitars I have ever played. I will never part with my mahogany 12 string Larrivée guitar. It is so easy to play that I just cannot put it down.
Welcome to the Larrivee family...
I agree with your opinion, Larrivees are a great value. Nothing against Martins, but I prefer the sound of Larrivees, and own 3 of them. I also like the wood binding Larrivee uses, no plastic like Martin. And Jean Larrivee personally sources all his wood and gets the best stuff.
The Martin definitely has a deeper boomier sound; although, the Larrivee has more articulation and crispier(if you will) sound. I love the way the Larrivee sounds. Having owned both, I can say, if you are a heavy-handed player or are playing a song that requires you to really attack the strings, the Martin holds up better. From the Larrivee's I've owned, they don't hold up well to that kind of playing. That said, I can work around that to get that beautiful tone the Larrivee has. Right now, I only have a Martin D-18 which sounds amazing but I plan on having another Larrivee in Rosewood in the near future. Great video!
L'arrivee, had better articulation but the Martin had better low end. I thought, the Martin sounded better when strummed but when you hear the notes being picked, the L'arrivee was slightly better. The L'arrivee was smooth and balanced. I actually preferred it, during the comparison. I just can't believe the price difference.
great video i watched it twice this is how a demo should be done. I have a 2019 Martin HD28e and while i love how it looks with the aged toner top and it plays great i have been thinking about a Larrivee lately and I think this video just put me over the edge lol I ll have to do a bit more research on the Larrivee's great video, Peace !
Both were great. I put headphones on for this one. The Larrivee won in my opinion. But what I really enjoyed was that they both had such great sound character.
I bought the Larriveé. It’s amazing. Thanks to this video I could make a choice . Thanks for you feedback on both guitars .
Larivee is the king of the pro-guitar on a budget market. Those Canadians put together a hell of an axe.
and martin is the king of pro guitar period
@@jfar3340 I think there are many that can compete easily with Martin. Lowden, Bourgeois, Collings, Santa Cruz for example. I'm not aware of any Martins that are any better.
@@aliwhitwell I agree; notice that larivee is not in your list (i didnt come up with the list you did)
@@jfar3340 Larrivee vs Martin is the title of the video. They are there for folks to compare and have been discussed already.
@@jfar3340 So Martin is not the king of the pro guitar after all.
I have a 1997 Larrivee D-03 Serial 0000052 ! No pickguard or fret markers. The tone on this guitar is unmatched, when this guitar is finger picked you can swear a phone is ringing somewhere, I use to stop and have to check check!
In reality it is the bells, chimes, octave overtones and harmonics within notes that this guitar produces, simply stunning and shimmering!
Wait until the Larrivee is a year old and really opens up.
This is a great point. I bought a killer OM 40 a year ago. It opened up even more about 10 months in. It just gives and gives. I'm always amazed at how much volume I get when picking lightly or finger picking. You don't have to dig into or fight a Larrivee.
I know this article is about Larivee vs Martin but I own an older Gibson j-45 and I love that guitar too! It’s not as loud as the Martin or a Larivee but I love the action on the Gibson!
There's something about a J45 that I just love, regardless of that maybe it seems a little boomy.
Thanks for sharing this great video......I'm going for a Larrivee OM40R
Excellent unbiased video. I test-played a Larivee L-03R and liked the way it sounded. Would be nice if you could demo it. Curious how Larivee stands up to a Takemine, in particular the EF360SC-TT Dreadnought.
The Larrivee sounds great. I wish they made a D shape with a 1.75 nut, but I believe they are all 1 11/16 ( the Dreads that is ). Great video.
The Martin sounded sweeter when strummed.
If that is true, I may buy a Larrivee because I prefer 1 11/16".
The Larrivee slope-shoulder dreads (SD-40, SD-60) have 1.75 nut widths.
My guitar search had the exact same solid requirement, a 1 3/4 nut, really no exceptions. BUT, to my astonishing surprise, I test drove a Larrivee with 1 11/16 nut and I had ZERO problems. It surly has to do with the wonderful action. The action made ALL the difference. It drove so well I could never do without it, so I bought another as a back up in case disaster happens. First one D03 all mahogany, second D03 Spruce. Both have the same exact action - SWEET AND LOW. The hog is more buttery, spruce has sweet lows and highs. This is after test driving over 300 guitars - NO JOKE, in roughly 9 months and probably 40 different stores plus. Worth all the time spent.
I love my D-03r but I'm selling it for that reason. I found out that I play much better with a 1.75" nut.
I bought a Larrivee about a year and a half ago after going back and forth between several Martins and Taylors, having played only 1 Larrivee, and a different model than I bought. It was a risk, but I was very relieved when it arrived and sound every bit as balanced as the Larrivees are known for. I never really got along with the low-end bias of the Martin's or the higher-end bias of the Taylors, though I can't say I disliked any of them - they are all wonderful instruments. But at twice the price - I don't think so. After playing the Larrivee for the past year and a half I've been wondering if my tone-preference might have changed, so I was about to go back to GC and play some Martins (having been my second choice back then after the Larrivee), but your video saved me the time. The difference is still clear to me and I still think the Larivee's balanced sound is to me way better than the Martin's, particularly when fingerpicking. Strumming, both sound great and I'm not sure I would say either one is "better", just different.
I will add that one disappointment with my Larrivee is that all of the frets stick out and are sharp and annoying. Since I live within 50 miles of where they are made in SoCal, it's not a matter of humidity. Maybe they built it with greener wood for the neck than they should have? In any case, it should never have left the factory as is. I will have to get around to having the fret ends worked on and for the price of the guitar, I should not have to do that. But for the tone, I'll live with it and get it fixed.
The freat problem was prolly humdity or they did not crown them
I highly recommend contacting Larrivée customer service about the issue. My 2004 D-09 had a problem with the action, where I just couldn't get the guitar dialed in. I sent the guitar to Oxnard. The problem was that the bridge was too thick. They replaced the bridge at no charge, and did a full setup before shipping the guitar back to me. Matthew Larrivée himself did the repair. He also included a Larrivée t-shirt and polishing cloth in the shipping box.
The guitar plays like a dream now...
Nice playing! Good shoot out.
I play a lv03re with bags element. Love it and get great results even when plugged in. Went with my sister to buy her an acoustic about 15 years ago in London. Tried some really expensive Martins etc which were completely overshadowed by the entry level Lowden which she bought. Lowdens are amazing guitars.
I bought a larrivèe few years ago, a D03 RWO.....love it !
Outstanding video. I'm on the fence about which guitar to get too. The prices I'm finding, for used (in very good condition) Martin HD-28 and New Larrivee D-44r are close. This will be a tough one..lol.. I really wish Martin would use wood binding too.
I'm fortunate to have both a Larry LO9 and a D28. The L09 is the go-to for gigging...
I agree with your observations. I also have a Martin and a Larrivee, but they are two completely different models so the difference is more clear in my case. I would wholeheartedly recommend a Larrivee as a good but inexpensive "forever" guitar that can be quite versatile. A Martin is a Martin; they're good guitars but it could take several purchases to find the right one for you and you're going to pay more for the name on the headstock and any extra bells and whistles that Larrivee considers as being standard.
My Larrivee is an OM-03R and I use it as my fingerpicker. It especially loves to have a capo on it to accentuate that sweeter, "balanced" sound but I find that I cannot strum it excessively, though it holds it own. I will say that the rosewood makes it slightly more difficult to record with because of the overtones.
My Martin is a lower-end D-16GT (mahogany/Sitka dreadnought) that I paid just shy of $1K new for it. As far as Martins go, it's a tad "brighter" than your typical rosewood/sitka Martin dread but still slightly darker than the comparable Larrivee D-03. I consider it my singer/songwriter strumming guitar but it holds its own without a pick and (IMO) records better, provided I angle the microphone (a Studio Projects large condenser) slightly away from the soundhole and more toward the 14th fret.
I should also add that both my guitars are now around a decade old each. Even though my Larrivee is rosewood, the mahogany Martin was more expensive by about $100. I attribute that solely to the name on the headstock. Their voicings have also changed (guitars kind of go through puberty after about 6 months of playing.) My Larrivee (the older of the two) has gotten louder while the Martin has gotten mellower. I string them both with D'Addorio EJ17 (uncoated medium gauge phosphor bronze) and play them both with either bare fingers or a 1mm black nylon Dunlop pick.
Martin gets real with the standard series; i wouldnt consider a d16gt a true martin. try an HD28
@@jfar3340 Too bad the reimagined HD-28 now goes for close to $4K. If I'd had the money I would've gotten a Martin HD-35 and a Larrivee LV-05 but no regrets. FWIW I tried the D-18 (this was back in 2010) and preferred the D-16GT. Later, I came across a GC MMV that had better tone than a HD-28 hanging next to it in a GC.
My guitar search had a solid requirement, a 1 3/4 nut, really no exceptions. BUT, to my astonishing surprise, I test drove a Larrivee with 1 11/16 nut and I had ZERO problems. It surly has to do with the wonderful action. The action made ALL the difference. It drove so well I could never do without it, so I bought another as a back up in case disaster happens. First one D03 all mahogany, second D03 Spruce. Both have the same exact action - SWEET AND LOW. The hog is more buttery, spruce has sweet lows and highs. This is after test driving over 300 guitars - NO JOKE, in roughly 9 months and probably 40 different stores. Worth all the time spent.
awesome review. thanks
Larry- hands down. I'm biased ; I have four.
I have 4 as well..nothing better ..
Winner: Larrivee - Martin's Mids kill its balance
Funny, it seems I'm not a big fan here of either because I usually already find Martins too mid-scooped. Larrivee apparently even more.
@@swampscott2670 What brand do you prefer then?
KTK still looking and comparing. I keep coming back to a Gibson J45 but I also like some of the smaller body Martins, especially those with mahogany sides and backs.
If you like to sing, the J45 is a great choice.
@Red Anarchist Now try a $3500 L-09, J-09, D-09 etc. Larrivee is the pound for pound heavyweight of the guitar world.
Great video .thanks .👍🏻
Thanks for posting /helpful
that playability issue is probably because the neck has too much relief and the saddle is a bit tall. Martin likes to ship tall saddles to give people headroom to take it down.
Set the neck to .006'' relief, and have a specialist shave the saddle town so that you get 5/64ths of an inch on the bass side, and 4/64ths on the treble side. Martins ship with like .012" relief and 6/64ths on the bass side. It often gets worse after it sits in the store too because the humidity isn't as regulated in the factory.
I have a D-35 and it's the most comfortable, low action acoustic I've ever played after it was properly set up.
Unbelievable! The Larrivee sounds way better then the Martin. What?
I have a Larrivee and it’s exceptional!
It always fascinates me how a Martin just sounds like a Martin.. I love the sound of the Larrivee and I think I'd pick that in a heart beat for anywhere I need a little extra bass (I currently play an LV-03) and like you mention, for fingerpicking if I want a loud guitar. But for bluegrass and old time music, I still think I'm leaning towards a Martin (but never a 28.. they are just not my thing, maybe an 18 or even something lower without the bells and whistles).
It's true, especially the dreadnoughts. In all of these comparisons the Martin gets played and no matter how bad or great the recording... for sure a Martin. I never know what to expect from the one being compared to it, but it rarely sounds like a Martin, for better or worse. I've worked in a few guitar stores and played all the guitars - sit down with a Martin and yeah, there it is, and how do they do that?? I hadn't played one in a while then a week or two ago a friend got one and I played it and could not stop, then... well, I have one now.
The Martin just has a magic that comes out in your finger picking example. Hard to put a price on that.
Had a 05 Larrivee , in 2001. It was a special guitar. Just seemed to resonate beautiful sounds almost like she was alive!!!! Could not play that good but it was world class guitar for 1400 $..,,,
Having recently bought a Martin HD-28, which I just love as my new favorite among a 38-guitar collection, and having never tried a Larrivee, I'm biased. I prefer the big warm bass-heavy sound of the Martin, and it sounds about as good to me when finger-picked as the Larivee. However my 74 year old ears don't hear high frequencies as well as they used so, so I probably can't appreciate the comparative high end brightness folks are referring to. The HD-28 is my most expensive guitar too, so I'm likely justifying my purchase as I listen. I have a Zager 900CE and a Martin OMC-18 Laurence Juber Custom that both sound similarly great too.
hd28 rules
Larrivee articulates with clarity. That’s why I bought one.
Thanks for a great comparison video with a real mic.
Good review
I've owned Martins and Taylors. Now I own a D-60, 50th anniversary D-10, and a one of a kind custom OM-10-all great guitars. Dollar for dollar, the Larivee's are the best guitars. Money aside even though I have not played the Larivee D-72 or a Martin D-45 I am pretty sure the results will be the same. After playing Larivee's, other guitars just don't feel the same. My go to right now is the D-60- absolutely love it! Thank you Mark for the comparison. I completely agree with you and your wife.
I have to agree. I have a Martin Custom D and a Larrivee LV-09 Custom M. I love the tone of both, but to get the same quality guitar from Martin that I got from Larrivee I would have had to spend around $10K. And to top it off, I got a personally guided tour through the shop from Matt Larrivee, got to sit in Jean's office and "test drive" the guitar for about an hour before I bought it for a really steep discount!
I don't think you'd have to spend 10k buddy. But sure, you get alot for your money with them and I like them. But you get the right Martin for 2500-3k and it will be hard to find a Larrivee that beats it. And I mean that. Really have to look though. They make so many and all the tops thicknesses are the same for each model. All the bracing, in that particular model, will be scalloped the same amount. So your gonna have some duds, some oks, and some absolute monsters that sound like custom guitars with a Martin sound. Just gotta look.
Larrivee is certainly a family affair, and they have that down home Canadian hospitality about them. I, as a Canadian, and when Larrivee was in Canada, had the privilege of meeting them too. I also met some of their early apprentices who went on to be master luthiers, including William Grit Laskin, who is famous for his "Laskin Arm Bevel", "Rib Bevel" which many luthiers now offer. Grit is also very famous for his amazing inlay work and is considered the very best in the world.
I just bought a vintage Larivée after searching high and low for a Martin. I prefer fingerstyle and couldn’t hear a difference in favor of Martin. Super grateful that Larivée offers such quality for such a killer price.
Your demo was superb. I own 3 larrivee. LV10, LM 05 12 string and a rare OM01. I truly treasure these guitars. Only Martin I own is a backpacker nylon string. I truly feel Martin is riding on coat tails.
Larrivee is the sound I was always looking for - clear - balanced - and forward in these demos. The Martin sounded rather muffled / choked to my ears. I own a DV-05E, L-09 40th Anniverary (Sam Ash), and an 00-50MT. I wouldn't part with any of them.
I agree. Ive owned both brands, and am also a hobby luthier. Larrivee is much more refined in both construction as well as sound.
Thank you well done!!!
Spot on review. I've owned and played Larrivee, Martin, Taylor, Breedlove (and a few mid to lower guitars like Takamine and Yahama; but they don't factor into my comments here)., Of them all, the Larrivees captured my ear and my heart and are still around long after the Martins and Taylors hit the resale market. I own three of them now, a pair of LV-03ce 6 strings (one rosewood and one mahogany) and a D-03-12 (mahogany). These three guitars will be with for the rest of my life and will find their way into my kids' hands as family heirloom pieces. Larrivees really are a relatively unsung hero in the guitar world. Personally, I think its because they put their time and money into making great guitars, not into their advertising.
I've been eyeballing 12-fretters and the Larrivee's are so much more affordable that I've been seriously thinking about the SD-40R, even though it doesn't have that vintage-look slotted head. I currently play a Collings D2H as my primary, so I didn't want to spend a big chunk of money just to try out a 12-fret dreadnought. Your video helped decide to go ahead and give it a shot; I found a used one in excellent condition online at Guitar Center, so I'm going to try it out & if I don't like it, they have a 45 day return policy, so really no risk.
Thank you so much for this comparison. It helps us so much who is seeking to buy new acoustic guitars specially brands like Larrivee which aren't carried much in guitar shops to try. Now, a Martin is a Martin there's no denying that. with deep lows and clear piano like highs. But the Larrivee would give that Martin a run for its money.
I vote Larrivee. I have one of each, and the Larrivee always seems to come alive when I play it.
I find my biases more apparent when in the store but once I’m alone with at home or on the gig, the real truth comes out. I convinced myself I ‘needed’ a martin dread and couldn’t stand anything smaller with a ‘boxy’ sound but once I got home the bass felt too much and I’ve been a 000 / ga man ever since. Although! There’s different guitars for different situations
I've had a D-40r for a year now and I love it. Very inspiring guitar. There is nothing in it's price point that comes close to it in build quality and materials. Is the top torrified on the martin?
It seems the only frequency the Martin puts out is bass and it sounds muffled.The Larrivee sounds much more alive with a wide range of frequencies represented in its sound.
Totally, every Martin I’ve ever played.
Laura, I thought the exact same thing! The Martin just sounded muffled against the brightness of the Larrivee. My good friend Jim Seals who was the guitarist for the country group Shenandoah told me to give Larrivee a try that he liked them for recording. I ended up with a D44R
Different instruments, different palettes, different purposes. Comparisons can only be made according to the application. The question is not, "which is better?", the question is, "which is better for what I need?" For example, I play a Martin D with rosewood back & sides weekly in a 300-seat amphitheater-style auditorium, and all that Martin boom, with minimal sound reinforcement, has room to expand, and is just right for that application. No monitor needed either, because it's loud, which is very practical when the sound system is sub-par. Also, the toning down of the Martin's response to save space along the spectrum for singing means you don't have to EQ it AT ALL to accompany choir and solo singers. Having said that, the Larrivee obviously has a bit more midrange presence, and IF performing or recording fingerstyle solo, it could be preferable to the Martin because it sounds wholesome in the midrange to carry melody. There is also just enough bass there, IMO, to dial up some add'l punch using mix techniques - EQ, compression, multi-tracking, etc. as needed. Martin prices up to basically account for the fact that most models need minimal processing in most accompaniment and live small- and mid- venue applications. It's grab-and-go, plug-n-play. I suspect that the Larrivee would light up most [[cheap]] sound systems a little too brightly for accompaniment, at least for my taste. And I didn't buy my Martin at retail price, so consider the second-hand market there! And a great demo, and true that the Martin makes you work harder.
I have both and mine are the opposite of that. The HD-28 has more balance and clarity. The D-40r sounds muffled and bass heavy.
@@shawnsnow6413 Put them in the right case - then you won't mix them up...
I have a Lar D-01 from 1999 made in Canada. Sounds great.
@markthomasmusic
I'm glad you chose the larrivee, I've been playing alot of different guitars and looking around over the past few months trying to decide on something. At first before researching I thought I was gonna buy a Martin. As I look around. I'm seeing with alot of these big companies like Martin Gibson and even Taylor. That the quality of guitars are good but it seems they are hanging on to the sales based on there names alone... I've looked in to larrivees and recently into this new guitar line buy Lowen called the Sheeran, what I've found is how much time and effort goes into each and every guitar. The amount of detail to get them right. These big companies like Martin, Gibson and Taylor make nice instruments. But it's like they are just throwing them down an assembly line. I just dont see the quality that should be there... it shows with the bindings you pointed out in the video.
For the people that are going to go the opposite direction of my comment. Keep in mind I'm talking about this video of, guitars in this price range and what I've seen from this video. I'm not talking about 20,000 guitars.
Funny thing here is if blindfolded, I personally don’t think most people would pic the Martin 10 out 10, or the Larrivee 10 out of 10. I would say most people would be right, at best 75% of the time. Which means around 25% of the time, people are liking something they previously said they didn’t like. However, I liked that Larrivee’s overall tone better. Nice playing by the way.
I have a both an older Martin D-28 and a newer custom Larrivee D40R (Torch inlay and Austrian Red spruce "Moonwood" top). The Larrivee is clear, balanced and articulate and adapts well to any style of playing. My straight-braced, pre-reimagined D-28 sounds focused and very tight with a strong, clear lower register. Both the D40R and D-28 hold up to vigorous playing. Curiously, before I purchased the D-28, I compared it side-by-side to an HD-28 VTS. The HD-28 was generally louder, but became rather muddy when pushed. I preferred the tone of D-28 to that of the HD-28 for my style of playing. The Larrivee D40R is an exceptional value and the equal of my D-28 -- just with a slightly sweeter voice.
Thanks for posting this great, no nonsense comparison.
1st let me say, if price is important there is no comparison to the Larrivée. I also agree that the Larrivée for finger picking and the Martin for strumming. I know what you mean about the ease of playability with the Larrivée. I own a Larrivée J-03R jumbo and the neck is amazing! I have played various makes at shops and do tend to struggle with many of them. I'm not a brand basher but I always come back to my Larrivée and vintage Guild dread.
Love your video!
I had a beautiful Larrivee D-40 and my ex turfed it down a stairwell and destroyed it while I wasn't around and then pitched it in the trash. I consider myself an Alpha male and I nearly cried like a little girl. I loved that guitar. It played like room temperature butter! Now that I have kids, I'll probably never own such a nice guitar again. I still have the case to cherish.
Narrow Way I hope you get another guitar for your sanity 🙏🎸 if she did that on purpose that cruel 😂
What the fuck did you do to make her do that? BTW anyone who thinks they're an alpha is just hiding their insecurities. Just be a good man and take care of the people around you.
@@saltpeter500 trust me my friend, I have no insecurities. I'm right with the creator and that's all that matters in life but thanks for the critique.
Both are nice, different but nice
I’m a journeyman player at best.So I’ve never really had a nice acoustic. My dad has had an awesome larrivee for years. I was looking into the solid body Chinese Guild’s. I just happened to randomly look through used guitars on gc. I just snagged a used d-02 for 300 bucks tonight!
Isnt the martin cedar top and the larrivee spruce?? If so I think that explains the more warmer sound of the martin, and clarity with larivee. Or is the martin top aged. It certainly is a very different colour. Thanks for your video
Martin doesn't do cedar tops on any standard series guitars. That's called aging toner, it's why it's darker in color. The gloss finish also accentuates that along with the lighting of the room. They don't appear that dark in person.
I think one of the most important things on a guitar that hardly gets mentioned, but can be expensive to replace, are the frets, which wear down over the years if they are not good quality like stainless steel frets are. Most guitars have good frets but which wear down if played often, stainless steel frets are harder and can withstand more.
Nice playing!
Both great sounding guitars, but for my taste I would go for the Martin. I like it's warmer tone with the low end bass. I know it's more money, but what I look for in a Dreadnought that Martin has in spades.
Yeah no winner, no loser. Just different Martin is lovely, warm and smooth sounds really, really nice. Larrivee is bright and punchy and sounds really, really nice! Clearly wicked value. But I think the Martin can hold it's head high even with a hefty price tag like that
I just became aware of Larivee guitars and boy oh boy do I love the sound. Definitely beats the Martin in my opinion.
nothing compares to a martin
I own a 2016 Martin D Jr and a 10x more expensive top of the line Larrivee (love them both for different reasons.) My Larrivee sounds incredible (it has that perfect tone I had in my head forever) but I end up playing the Martin most as it's smaller, not as loud, lower action, and is great for singing along (I'm a songwriter.) I do record both of them... Anyway, if you are looking for an acoustic guitar you can't go wrong with this two brands.
Big Larrivee. Totally family owned with pride, pride. Pride.
I couldn't make a choice after just the first test song.
During the second song, I rather liked the brighter tones of the Larrivee.
However, those strings on that Martin might be part of it....they don't look as fresh. Was it played a lot since the restring?