Jean Larrivée Guitars Inc. is a Canadian company that manufactures electric and acoustic guitars. Founded in 1967 by Jean Larrivée, the company moved from Toronto, Ontario, to Victoria, British Columbia, in 1977, and to Vancouver in 1982. A second plant opened in California in September 2001. Canadian manufacturing was closed in 2013.
History Jean Larrivée began a guitar-building apprenticeship with Edgar Moench Sr. in Toronto, Canada, and built his first two Larrivée-style guitars. The first Larrivée guitars were based on European classical guitar designs and became part of the Larrivée family collection.
The company was founded in Toronto, Ontario, in 1967 and moved to Victoria, British Columbia, in 1977, and to Vancouver in 1982. In September 2001, Larrivée opened a second plant in California. However, in November 2013 Larrivée announced that it would be consolidating its Canadian division and closing its Vancouver factory.
In 1971 Larrivee began adding inlay designs to their guitars, and in 1977 inlays became a standard for their guitars. Beginning in 1978 their inlay designs took on a more romantic style. Since 1979 all engravings have been designed by Wendy Larrivée except for a 1998 inlay called "The Joker". In 2007 Larrivée began using laser engraving for their inlays.
The astronaut Chris Hadfield performed a cover of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" on a Larrivée parlor guitar while in orbit on the International Space Station.
Models
03 Recording Series 40 Legacy Series 04 Performer Series 05 Mahogany Select Series 09 Rosewood Artist Series 10 Rosewood Deluxe Series 11 Fingerstyle Series 50 Mahogany Traditional Series 60 Rosewood Traditional Series 30 Series classical guitars
Body Styles
P - Parlor PV - Venetian cutaway parlor OM - Orchestra model OMV - Venetian cutaway OM LS -Larrivée small body LSV - Venetian cutaway small body L - Larrivée body LV - Venetian cutaway L-body C - Florentine cutaway (L - body) D - Dreadnought DV - Venetian dreadnought J - Jumbo JV - Venetian jumbo LJ - Larrivée jumbo LJV - Venetian LJ 0 - Single "O" 00 - Double "O" 000 - Triple "O" SO - Slope OM - same as 000 SD - Slope dreadnought
The 03 Recording Series features all wood construction without the inlays and high gloss finishes. All models are now produced in the California facility.
Model history All models (in numerical order): 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 07, 09, 10, 11, 19, 20, 27, 28, 30, 31, 35, 38, 40, 41, 42, 45, 48, 50, 60, 70, 72, 78
Description
01, 02, 03, 04 = all satin models with 04 having gloss tops 05 = glossy mahogany 07, 09, 11 = glossy rosewood. 19 = glossy rosewood. 27 = same as 19 but in cutaway version 10 = glossy rosewood. 20 = koa guitar with eagle inlay and feather fingerboard and bridge wing inlays. 28 = same as 10 but cutaway version 30 = nylon string classic in both L body and C cutaway 31, 35 = nylon string classic 38 = nylon string cutaway 40 = Legacy Series featuring asymmetrical bracing 41 = 12 string "19" version 42 = 12 string "10" version 45 = 12 string "10" version 48 = 12 presentation model. 50 = Traditional Series mahogany 60 = Traditional Series rosewood 70 = large sound hole "19" style 72 = presentation model. 78 = cutaway version of "72"
References
External links
NAMM Oral History Interview with Jean Larrivee July 28, 2007