NGD: Larrivée OM-40R
 

This is my last first guitar. This is also my third first guitar. I started on the path to this point 6 weeks ago when I committed, finally, to learning the guitar. Flush with my new resolve and full of musical and playing ignorance, I went to the local GC. I had a nice interaction with the sales guy there and came home with a Yamaha FG830. It took me about a week to realize I was uncomfortable with the dreadnought size. In the meantime I’m doing my research and have a short list of instruments to try. Back at the GC I spend some quality time in the acoustic room by myself trying out the various guitars. I went with the Taylor Academy 12e.

I can’t say enough good things about the playability of the Taylor. And a really nice quality to the build. I loved playing it, except for the sound. I’m 64 with partial hearing loss and 90% of the time when I play I am not wearing my hearing aids. After two weeks the Taylor was just not doing it for me so I started doing more research. I learned a lot, but one thing I learned was that none of the guitar stores in my area, not just GCs but independents as well, had much inventory if you weren’t looking for a dread.

Let me point out that I was determined to get a new guitar and not a used one. There are lots of personal reasons for that but a used anything was not on my radar. I went a local independent guitar shop that had a great sales guy, but not a lot of what I was looking for. Back at the GC I wanted to try a Martin 000-17 Whiskey Sunset. It was above my budget number but I figured GC would come down to where I needed to be. A beautiful instrument for sure, but I was immediately put off by the neck— actually the High Performance Taper. Just didn’t feel right in the 20 minutes or so I played it.

In my research I had looked at lots of brands, but was intrigued by the OM offerings from Eastman and Larrivée. GC had the Larrivée OM-40 listed as being in inventory so I decided on the spot to go ahead and order the Larrivée (hadn't read any negatives). Got a reasonable deal from GC so I ordered it and started waiting. Over the next few days I had plenty of time to second and third guess my decision and remained happy with my choice of direction.

So today I picked it up and she is a thing of beauty, both physically and audibly.

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So far I’ve only spent about 2 hours with it— very early into the honeymoon, but I can tell this is my keeper. Coming from the Taylor I was worried about the wider nut and the longer scale, neither have been an issue. Very nice action and neck. I’m so new at this I don’t know all of the technical things I should be looking for, but I know it feels great in my hands and I love the sound.

It’s a Larrivée OM-40R and was the very last one in the warehouse, so I’m certain it’s NOS, but am waiting to hear back from Larrivée regarding the actual build date.

Congrats .. that Larrivee is beautiful and may be a special edition. Because the headstock has the custom inlay. Very special indeed.

Great choice..Enjoy!

Very nice guitar. That should serve you well and it looks great. Congratulations and good luck.

Congratulation! I agree the OM-40R is a wonderful guitar. It sounds and looks beautiful. That's a solid choice for being your last first guitar.

Larrivee's are great guitars, period. Left off "for the money". Just well built, well designed, consistent, and very, very nice tonally. The OM-40R is on my shortlist for a Rosewood OM, along with a SCGC OM/PW if I can find a used one locally and the OM/000-21 or 28.

Cheers
Scott

Congrats, Larrivee makes a good guitar.

Congratulations and you can say that again. That is a beautiful guitar. Love the torch inlay on the headstock. Have fun with it.

Beautiful guitar! I love the spruce on these, and that torch inlay is a $300 custom upgrade.

Congrats! The Legacy series has some great guitars. Beautiful headstock inlay too. Enjoy!

Congratulations! That one is a thing of special beauty with that Wendy Larrrivee torch inlay. You have done well! Third time is the charm!

Congrats, welcome to the "Larrivee Side";), They are great guitars, very well built with top notch woods, Jean Larrivee supplies several builders. You can go to the Larrivee site and get info on your guitar by putting your guitars serial number in, it shows the date the build started, could be up to a year before it was finished, as was explained to me by the good folk at Larrivee.

Very nice! I love the 40 series and the OM Body especially.

VERY nice guitar, for sure. Congrats. Play it daily.

I admired the Larrivees at NAMM this year. They are extremely well-executed. NAMM is too noisy to evaluate tone, but everything I've read is positive. Have been eyeing their Parlor models myself.

Congrats on your fine purchase!

From another total newbie!

Larrivee makes a very fine guitar - enjoy!