Larrivee OO-40R vs Furch Vintage 1 OOM | Rundown and comparison ft. "Big Love" by Fleetwood Mac

Took some musical inspiration from Fleetwood Mac and ‪@PaulDavids‬ to compare and contrast a Larrivee OO-40R and a Furch Vintage 1 OOM SR
Skip to ~ 5:50 to jump to the playing
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Recorded withe a Rode NT2000 in to a Universal Audio Apollo at The Village Guitarist. No processing was done to the recorded track.
#guitar #acoustic #boutique #fingerstyle #TheVillageGuitarist

[@maxwellfan55]

In over 50 years of guitar playing, experimentation and affection for this instrument, it's a major regret I did not dedicate myself properly to Larrivee earlier. Where they excel is not just clarity, playability and depth of tone, but in sounding quintessentially different and affordable in comparison to most of the major manufacturers.

[@tedspacagna]

"Affordable Luxury" is the way I've heard it put! Great description of their features!

[@danherrick5785]

Larrivee is an odd minded company. I believe they intentionally kept the process small. I think Jean wanted to keep they system small so he could keep quality under control. Their goal is to make quality, not money, like most. Furch wanted to do the same thing. Peter Furch said he wanted no more than 10 to 15 percent growth per year. Well, that hasn't worked out. They are near 50% growth per year now. My second quality guitar I bought was a Mahogany L-03 a few years ago. I am very glad I did not make the same mistake you did. But 30 years ago, Larrivee wasn't on any radar. My third guitar was a Furch Cedar/Mahogany Grand Auditorium. Nobody really deserves these two great companies!

[@Calatriste54]

I adore Larrivee guitars..

[@maxwellfan55]

@@danherrick5785 A mate of mine has a Furch Spruce/Rosewood dread. It's better than the Martin equivalent, regardless of price.

[@richardwheeler3768]

I've had my Larrivee OM-3 since 2006 and absolutely love it!

[@tedspacagna]

Every Larrivee player I have run in to has held on to them for a VERY long time!

[@danherrick5785]

Did you get the mahogaony or Rosewood OM-03? And why? And do you think you made the right decision. I'm thinking of the OM-03.

[@tedspacagna]

@@danherrick5785 to add my two cents here, I find the mahogany to sound naturally “compressed.” Every note is very even and the sound is controlled, which some folks prefer. Rosewood is going to sound deeper and more “alive” We have a great deal on an 03 Mahogany at our shop right now, take a look!

[@richardwheeler3768]

@@danherrick5785, I ended up with the Rosewood. It was a gift from my father-in-law that I'll forever cherish (my kids have already started calling "dibs" on it). I was at a now defunct music store and picked it up, tried a Martin, went back to the Larrivee, tried a Taylor, back to the Larrivee; it was just the perfect guitar that kept grabbing my ears. The tone, the clarity, the comfort...everything was "just right". Mine did not come with electronics, but I now have a passive K&K pick up in it and it is crystal clear. You can add a compressor if you want, and maybe an EQ with a DI and that's about all you need. I've tried the Boss Chorus pedal, but pulled it out of my chain because it doesn't need it. (You could even do without the EQ and just go - Tuner, Compressor, DI.) I would absolutely buy another Larrivee. I wish I would have know that the store I ended up getting this one from would go out of business. I heard that their final days everything was half off; I would have dropped the money for a 12-string, even if I didn't have it. I know that they are a bit more money, and their name isn't as big as Martin or Taylor, but you will not be disappointed with your choice. It is an excellent guitar for those who know what to look for!

[@Calatriste54]

My SC-09 (Florentine cutaway, Maple) is 1999. She's deepened with time..

[@ukestudio3002]

Why is the larravee better .? Very surprising. I have a koa back and sides Larry that I recently took out of the closet (in shame now) because it sounds so good and I’ve been neglecting it. Thanks for video!

[@tedspacagna]

I think in this recording it sounds a little fuller. In person you can definitely feel the “hand built” nature of it. In terms of ease to play, though, the Furch took the cake. Just depends what you’re looking for. I genuinely appreciate both!

[@Inki288]

A few years ago, i was lucky enough to purchase a 1 of 5 Larrivee LSV 03 R 12 fret special. Amazing finger style guitar. Thanks for the comparo Ted. I think the Larri sounds better but i am slightly biased :o)

[@tedspacagna]

How cool is that?! Would love to hear it some time!

[@kevinbishop7512]

Wow great review ... I love how you are not leaning one way or another. Big Box companies should invest in you for that. Great playing!

[@tedspacagna]

Thanks a lot, Kevin! I truly believe every guitar has its “thing.” Sometimes that thing isn’t for you at that point in time, sometimes that thing is that you have to play to the guitar instead of making it play to you… the list is endless. Thanks for watching!

[@firecrackerheart]

larrivee has more body and clarity for sure .. . i am more and more impressed with larrivee every time i hear one!

[@tedspacagna]

They are fantastic instruments. I think the Furch really excels at the higher register notes, while the Larrivee has a more pronounced low-end. The Furch is also much more effortless to play, maybe due in part to its smaller body size. Thanks for watching!

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

No, your claim is absurd - there can be little opportunity for clarity with the choice of music here.

[@Calatriste54]

Larrivee fan since Bruce Cockburn 1979, er so..

[@FirstMM]

Funny how different people hear different things. I thought the Larrivee was bass heavy, slightly muddy in the lower mids, lacking in the mid range, not overly bright either, and lacking attack. It sounds good, but it''s a guitar I would put in a background mix to fill out the soundscape, but wouldn't want to use it in a solo situation, or at the front of the mix. If I listen tomorrow, I might hear it completely different, of course!

[@acousticsong-guitarco964]

In this case, the Larrivée is more transparent and seems to ring more.I always play with a thumb pick, this could make a difference here. The strumming of the two guitars is more similar imo.

[@tedspacagna]

I suspect the difference in depth of the guitars contributed to that as well. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

Both guitars sound as transparent as dog feces smeared on your windshield. Why? Droning bass line and clappy chords.

[@canonball1914]

Good review thanks, it sounded to me on my headphones that the larrivee sounded brighter on the picking just lovely , but when it came to strumming the Furch had more life and attack. Both sounded good though and enjoyed the wee Mac tune.

[@tedspacagna]

Hey John! I think the Larrivee also had a unique “voice” when playing. The Furch definitely took much less effort to play though. Thanks for watching!

[@fender101111]

That was fantastic! Thanks for doing that comparison. Great song to use and I liked that you eliminated the pick to focus more on the guitar sound.

[@tedspacagna]

Thanks Chris! In truth, I didn't use a pick just because of how I play the song. A pick would definitely add a different flavor to each of the guitars, though. Thanks for watching!

[@tbeau6663]

I didn't expect the Larrivee to be as Impressive as the Furch. Furch guitars are superb.

[@tedspacagna]

In my experience Furch out of the box is ready to go with minimal, if any adjustments. Fantastic instruments!

[@yourtubisfilled7164]

Best version of that song I ever heard. Really nice as a guitar only piece. Thanks.

[@tedspacagna]

Thanks!

[@tulyar57]

I have both a Larrivee and Furch OM (not 00s) with mahogany back and sides. I find the Larrivee (which has a slightly deeper body) to have a warmer and more responsive sound. Both have great sustain. Even though the nut width and scale length are the same the Larrivee string spacing feels a little wider meaning that the the Furch is a little easier to play particularly when chording but the Larrivee responds better to right hand technique. I now tend to leave the Furch in standard tuning and use the Larrivee for alternate tunings where open strings come into their own. In short I wouldn't part with either of them.

[@tedspacagna]

I would probably take that same approach! I tend to prefer deeper sound guitars when I use alternate tunings, and the Furch in this video definitely took less 'effort' to play. I think they are different enough that they are best suited for different things.

[@danherrick5785]

I think the Lar is 1 3/4 and the F is 1.77 nut. But it's interesting you feel the opposite. Maybe it's the nut affecting the string spacing?

[@Calatriste54]

Good information..

[@JamesJacobson-ov4ps]

I have a slightly larger larivee just like that. Gorgeous guitar

[@tedspacagna]

Which one do you have? The OM?

[@JamesJacobson-ov4ps]

Yes. The smallest body with a full length neck. I love it. I picked up up for $1400 used from a guy that played it once, and wanted a different guitar. I put some elixir phosphor bronze coated strings on there and the tone and punch are great@@tedspacagna

[@tedspacagna]

@@JamesJacobson-ov4ps dang, great deal!

[@bosatsu76]

"In the end, we should probably just own all of them'... Testify brother...

[@raulands]

I think the larrivee sounds much better in this video. I'm curious how the vintage 3 om sr would compare?

[@tedspacagna]

I am curious, too! Haven’t had any OM’s come through the shop. We have a vintage 3 Dreadnaught SR that blows away any Martin I’ve ever played though!

[@raulands]

@@tedspacagna I have the Furch Vintage 3 OM SR, had it for about a month now and very happy with it. But I haven't played that many guitars so don't know how it compares to others.

[@JL-fs9wh]

Beautiful guitar playing!

[@tedspacagna]

Thanks a lot!

[@Calatriste54]

Really!

[@ahill209]

Nice comparison and playing. I would have liked to hear each with a pick instead of bare fingers, though. They both sounded muted to me. I just don't think we got the best sound out of either guitar with this demo.

[@tedspacagna]

Next time! Thanks for watching!

[@rogerd9150]

Yep. Same thing I was going to say. Neither seemed to have much life in them. I bet some Elixir nano-web 80/20 lights would liven them up some. I’m a huge fan of Furch and have one of their Vintage 3 Dreadnoughts which I’ve received many compliments on tone.

[@tedspacagna]

@@rogerd9150 Hey Roger, I appreciate the feedback. Definitely limited in my current recording circumstances, but it’s ever evolving. My goal is to get one thing better every time. Would love to hear your Vintage 3!

[@rogerd9150]

@@tedspacagna Yes. It is really amazing. I took it by my luthier’s shop and let him play it. He’s been working on and around guitars since the 70’s and he said it was one of the best sounding guitars he’s ever run across.

[@tynest2873]

2 magnifiques guitares mais ma préférence va à la Larrivée

[@Calatriste54]

Am a proud owner of Jean Larrivee's SC-09, so my bias favors this 00. The sound confirms bias. Nice choice of tune to accurately demonstrate attributes..

[@tedspacagna]

Thanks! He sure makes great stuff

[@angusdevine7045]

Larrivee is the only guitar l really regret selling ,mainly because it sounds different.

[@tedspacagna]

They seem to age very well, too. Cool guitars!

[@hansvandermeulen5515]

When you talk about both guitars, the background music is quite distractiing.

[@tedspacagna]

Thanks for the feedback, Hans, I'll definitely keep that in mind going forward!

[@mariusdumitru1880]

I have had several Larrivee guitars and I have now several Furch acoustics. Larrivee has his own voice, not realy trying to copy any of the big 3, as Furch is developing his own voice over the years and going in 2 dbig flavors between Taylor and Martin sound. Color series are like a very nice Taylor but with some Martin warmth, the Vintage series is like a Martin with some Taylor presence. Few of my Furch are coming with some almost dead (old) Elixir strings from the factory, after replaced them with a fresh set they are not boomy anymore. If you can instal same strings model in both guitars this should be a more acurate representation of their unique sound. Btw, i know that Vintage 2 and 3 series from Furch are offered with deep bodies too, at least for OM and OOM models. If you have access to other guitars i would love to see an OM comparison between this 2 brands, as for me OM size is the most versatile body shape for acoustics

[@tedspacagna]

Thanks for sharing, Marius. That is a good way to describe the sounds of the Furch Rainbow series vs Vintage. I thought about restringing both of these guitars to be on the same set, but only being able to film these in between students and customers constrains my time, and ultimately I decided to show these guitars as they are from the factory. I would also like to hear an OM-OM comparison between the two!

[@keithgreenaway2690]

The Furch sounds a bit muddy and muffled compared to the clarity of the Larrivee.

[@tedspacagna]

Hey Keith! I think part of that was my performance. I definitely noticed in the intro that I popped the mic once or twice with the Furch. However, I would say the larrivee does have more of a sonic spread in this recording, leading to that clarity you're talking about. I think I preferred the larrivee for more of the low end content, while I liked how the furch sounded for the faster, higher notes. Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@keithgreenaway2690]

@@tedspacagna I have 3 high end Larrivees , 2 of which are Brazilian Rosewood, and a Goodall Rosewood Standard. Although the Goodall is quite a bit more expensive, the Larrivees are just as nice and sound amazing. I’ve spent time with Jean Larrivee and he has such passion for guitar making and searches out the best woods all over the world. A great family company with 3 generations now involved.

[@tedspacagna]

@@keithgreenaway2690 I was with him and his son Matt at their factory this past august, its just like you said, great family owned company and wonderful process

[@russstrough3849]

When I get interested in guitar reviews, the following information is of interest; neck profile, string spacing at bridge, nut width, fret size, and what gauge strings you are using in demo. If the neck doesn't feel comfortable all the rest, doesn't matter.

[@tedspacagna]

Hey Russ, I’ll definitely keep that in mind going forward. I’ve taken that stance on some guitars before, but would also say that if a guitar sounds really great and the neck isn’t as comfortable as another option I may have that I’d now take that opportunity to push through it and see how that change makes me think differently in my playing approach. In essence, playing TO the guitar, because I never know what each one has to tell me. Thanks for your feedback and thanks for watching!

[@judicoulter8969]

My ears preferred the Larrivee. Both very nice though.

[@tedspacagna]

Very different approaches with very similar materials! It is interesting to hear those small differences. Thanks for watching!

[@cosmonaut9942]

No contest, Larrivee all the way.

[@slavdam2300]

Any chance you remember how the neck profile/thickness compares between these models, or generally between Larrivee and Furch?

[@tedspacagna]

Yep, Larrivee has a very particular neck carve that I feel like I could pick out blindfolded; I’d describe it as a thin D-Shape thing that rolls in to the binding which itself feels very flat. This particular Furch has a much thinner C shape profile. I think they describe it as a soft V but that didn’t stand out to me in my hands, and it didn’t feel like the soft v shape that is present and extremely consistent on the rest of their lineup (Rainbow, Red, Yellow, etc.)

[@slavdam2300]

@tedspacagna Your description of the Larrivee neck sounds like that of a classical guitar. Although I prefer the sound of it over the Furch, the neck may be a dealbreaker. Thanks for the reply!

[@tedspacagna]

@@slavdam2300 no problem! It’s definitely in the direction of a classical guitar neck, but nowhere near that big or dramatic in the angles. Quite comfortable, but in my opinion the Furch build is a little more effortless when it comes down to the playing.

[@nordyj]

Great comparison. Have you played the Larrivee P-03 or P-## models? I've tried the 00 and would welcome thoughts on the sound differences between the Larrivee 00 and P. Thanks

[@tedspacagna]

I haven’t played a Larrivee Parlor, the 00 is the smallest body shape I’ve gotten hands on. My experience with other brands comparing Parlor to 00, 000, OM, etc., is that the P style seems to reach a volume threshold much sooner to the point where it seems the wood is almost “distorting” the sound. Makes sense to me- there’s only so much wood to move in a smaller body. If I were to hazard a guess, I’d feel pretty confident suggesting the Larrivee Parlor would exhibit the round, full sounding, slightly mid forward EQ that seems to exist on most of their models that would probably reach a tonal “limit” when picking or strumming too hard.

[@77guitarts22]

Both look good, and in this video the L sounds basier indeed. I must say I love Furch guitars, and I have one of their Baritone, that sounds just crazy good. Larivee also makes awsome sounding guitars but the playability is better with Furch as far as my experience. And the big advantage with Furch is indeed that CNR system that ensures a neck stability that you can't claim in a Larrivee. If the guitars are new, they will change their tone in better in time.

[@tedspacagna]

I bet that Baritone sounds amazing! I agree that Furch's take slightly less effort to play compared to Larrivee, but Larrivee potentially wins when it comes to a specific "sound" for me. I still say we should just own one of everything...

[@77guitarts22]

@@tedspacagna Yes, it does, hear it here if you want: kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKm5oYGAbbtmbq8 On these type of guitar bodies indeed Larrivée seems to have found a more deep recipe than the Furch. It doesn't necessarily mean it's the same with all the other body shapes but it might.

[@tedspacagna]

@@77guitarts22 that’s great, a cedar top makes a lot of sense for a baritone. Really interesting that it’s strung with 13s too. Thanks for sharing that, great sound!

[@77guitarts22]

@@tedspacagna Thank you, indeed it sounds amazing, I've sold my other Walden Baritone after I've got this Furch... It's such a deep sounding and sustaining guitar

[@vyvynylification]

Furchs are great (value) but I cannot deal with their necks. I do favor the larrivee here, which further adds to my feeling I might want to check them out a bit better. That said: I do think Furch' strength lies in GC bodies, especially cedar topped ones.

[@tedspacagna]

100% understand.

[@1deadtoe707]

That was a good comparison.

[@tedspacagna]

Thank you!

[@darkbol10]

thanks exactly the review that can bring me insight i am struggling between Furch OM 31 SR and Larrivee L03 R ; they are used ones but the price is really different (900 euros vs 1200 euros) i don't know what to do i feel good with both of them. I would be more furch sided as I enjoy my furch G23 CR (now yellow series)

[@tedspacagna]

The Larrivee L03 is going to be much bigger, while the upper bouts will be similar in size between the two, the Lower bouts on the Larrivee are going to be Dreadnaught sized.

[@darkbol10]

@tedspacagna thank you for this quick answer. I will go for the further as it will be more all rounder. My grand auditorium furch will the same job for the size thanks again

[@randyburleson]

I love Larrivee. I have an OM 40R and love it! BUT.... Listening with headphones..... The difference in tone is negligible to my ear. maybe a slight difference .... Larrivee is a bit boomy in the lows .... and Furch is a bit more bright. What is the difference in price?

[@tedspacagna]

Hey Randy! The Furch Vintage will run you in the neighborhood of 2k, depending on exact specs. The Larrivee 00-40r base level is typically a couple hundred more. The one I have in this video with the inlay work is closer to 2600 and change. A considerable jump directly between the two, but you can quite literally “see” why. I agree with you on lows vs highs between the two. Thanks for watching!

[@trapastrofa]

Change the headphones. :)

[@sstu0286]

Hello I wonder if you give some insight into the neck profile and thickness as I know the Furch well but have a chance to get the Larrivee for my smaller guitar…thanks for the video!

[@tedspacagna]

Hey there. Compared to the Furch, the Larrivee is just about the same but width, but the back and “shoulders”, or area around the binding are noticeably flatter. I think of it as being more similar to a classical guitar profile, without it tipping TOO far in that direction.

[@sstu0286]

@@tedspacagna OK thanks I have an Eastman E20 OO which has a much fuller profile neck and definitely much more chunky than the Furch which tbh I prefer...it was the material thickness I'm trying to assess on the Larrivee

[@tedspacagna]

I would consider the Larrivée in that case

[@lynnmorgan3283]

The Vintage 3 Furch would have been a closer match to the Larrivee OO-40R. Both great guitars.

[@tedspacagna]

I agree, this is just what we had in stock at the time. Indeed they are!

[@scouser2230]

I preferred the sounds of the Larrivee.

[@tommystarnes3807]

Larrivee! I choose you!…. How’s the action on these? More videos please. Also more explosions… you know.. for the kids

[@tedspacagna]

Ladies and gentlemen, Tommy Starnes, the voice of children around the world!

[@Calatriste54]

Bravo! I'd like to see short scale, mohogany or maple comparisons in similar comparative video.. bravo!

[@laurentmeiller5171]

nice guitars, but you seem a little bit stressed and the recording conditions are not at the level of the instruments (microphone choice, position) make better next time !

[@tedspacagna]

Sometimes we’ve gotta work with what we have, where we are, and just do what we can. I appreciate the feedback! It will get there!

[@danherrick5785]

Donate then...

[@BlueBeeMCMLXI]

The Larivee has a French accent, but the Furch does the work. They are double oh's, so of course they are the same basic thing, copying the Martin ideals.

[@richwood571]

I’ve listened to many videos of Furch guitars and sampled a few and although they are beautiful guitars they always left me unimpressed with their tone. They lack character for my ear. I went to potentially buy one at a guitars store 3 hrs drive away… I played every one they had and ended up buying a Maestro instead (made in Singapore). I have owned 4 Larrivees and liked them all. Will never buy a Furch

[@tedspacagna]

Interesting! Just goes to show we all have different tastes and experiences and at the end of the day, it’s all about the guitar that speaks to us individually

[@NeverTalkToCops1]

Worst selection of music ever chosen for an A/B comparison. A droning bass line with bumble bee "melody" is just absurd to use. Hell, playing some easy chords and a scale would be better. You made both guitars sound like WalMart. This test is hereby forfeit.

[@tedspacagna]

Well in that case I’m just glad to be on some end of the spectrum rather than floundering in the middle. Worst ever is quite an achievement. A couple thoughts: 1. You can’t tell people what they can and can’t hear just because you can’t hear it. 2. Nobody made you watch it. I truly don’t care if you shit talk my playing, but don’t go after people in my comments feed. 3. Make your own video comparing them if you know how much better it can be. 4. You are apparently a cat, so perhaps this argument is now forfeit. Go have another bowl of milk and learn to be nicer to people.

[@PemaWangchuk12]

​@@tedspacagna​The vacuous trolls are best left unengaged. Leaving that feedback in a neutral tone at the very least would probably have been on, however preposterous. But the vitriolic touch smacks of misplaced entitlement, probably because you have in your possession those two very fine guitars while he does not, rendering his feedback forfeit instead.(are you certain he's not a customer you ripped off🤣? Or perhaps he lost those guitars to you over a bet? What else could've triggered that resentful retort🤔) Anyway, as I'm on the fence over these two fine brands for my next addition, this upload and even the comments from the others provide great insight going forward. Will look forward to more. Cheers.

[@tedspacagna]

@@PemaWangchuk12 honestly I learned recently that KZbin doesn’t decipher between positive and negative comments, they just want “engagement” so the response works for me! I wish I was able to bet guitars! 😂 let me know is if you have any questions, have quite a bit of experience with these two brands.

[@Wobbz9413]

A lot of talking. Blah blah blah. Got sick of waiting.

[@tedspacagna]

Lucky for you, I noted that you could “skip to the playing ~5:50” multiple times, and it’s even time stamped in the video description so you can click straight to it!