Larrivee vs. Martin - What do you think?

[@nilsunderseer2157]

Wow! Right on point! +1 No fuzz, no useluss clutter with endless talking and no commercial interruptions and a very tight comparision, same size, same shape, same strings, etc, which makes sure that nothing else comes into mix. +1 +1 +1! Just perfect! Thanks a million for the effort to show these both wonderful guitars. And it shows that the brand is not the most imporant part, but the player. ;-) wonderful played and it was fun to listen to both! By the way: I like the old wooden tripod back in the left corner, hah! ;-) Seems you value and care about hand crafted things. Look, kids: that's how it should be. ... (Abo button clicked!)

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Thanks for the kind words, man! It is soo good to see that someone values my work.

[@jamesburns4363]

I had a former Larrivee dealer give them very, very high marks for quality and craftsmanship. He stated they are one of the last true values in the industry. Thanks for the comparison.

[@loopy7776]

I have owned a Martin D18 and a Larivee L09. Larivee for studio work because it is so well balanced and Martin for the live stage because of the bottom end.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Yes, I good choices.

[@mymercurius]

I've owned great Martin guitars since the 70s, but my Larrivee D-10 from the 90s is the best acoutsic I have ever played. And my OM-03R is fan tas tic. In your video I give the win to the Larrivee. I still own my Martins, but I play and write and perform with my Larrivees.

[@prof_tim]

I’m sure they both are fantastic guitars. But any Larrivee is so much value for your money. I just bought a (ten year old - spruce and rosewood) Larrivee and I’m very happy with it. Very, very happy indeed; I love it. It’s lovely to play and it sounds great.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

I have to agree, Tim! A D-03 from 1997 was for 1K at reverb.com, and I think that is sooo much value for that money.

[@prof_tim]

@@TomLumenOfficial I just bought a ten year old Larrivee PO-3 rosewood and I absolutely love it - feels so nice to play. I’m not an accomplished guitar player, I came to this late in life. I can’t justify paying huge money, but this feels like a special instrument.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

@@prof_tim I'm happy for you, Tim! P03 is a very cool guitar; I would love to feature one in my 52 guitars in one year series.

[@TrooperMcNeil]

​@@TomLumenOfficialI paid $860 for a d-03 with the clear pick guard real mahogany, and maple binding from the same era. I ordered it, two came to the music store, and my friend who worked there said 'you want this one'. I trusted him and feel fortunate for doing so. It handles medium strings with no issues. My lighter build martin 000-16 has me shaking my head with it's ability to handle lights. Never had to lean on my truss rod with the Larrivee, same can't said about my martin.

[@dturbide]

I've played Larrivees for many years now. I currently own a D-40 and a 12 fret LV03 both of which I had custom built. Wonderful instruments. Love your playing

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Thank you, Denis! Wow, I' sure that those Larrivée custom guitars are wonderful.

[@usanovabeach]

Love YOUR playing too Denis!

[@DaddyWarbucksunlimited]

I love you both now. God bless you

[@ronnyskaar3737]

Great playing and recording. I have both a larrivee and a Martin. Play the larrivee most, though.

[@albertogattel3587]

I own a 2004 Larrivée D 03 Mahogany. I have to say that in the video Martin has more gain, it is tipically more booming, and has more projection. But Larrivée gives good feeling, good recording and playability for half the price!

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Yes, I have to agree.

[@TheWayne660]

They both sound great, I think it comes down to what sound your looking for and the playability of it also, and of course the price point.

[@maxwellfan55]

The Martin sounds wooly by comparison, why I gave up on Martins (except their amazing rosewood 12 strings). The Larrivee much better choice for a straight player's instrument, worth getting a good one that sings, you'll never get rid of it.

[@wearsider]

For my pocket, the Larrivee sounds better 😃 But to be more honest, I like Larrivee and Martin, both great guitars. Thanks for the comparison 👍

[@ryanbloom1738]

Heck of a player my man. Wish I could do all that stuff, I'm just a flat picker. Both are great guitars I own two Martin's but I've always wanted a Larrivee.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Thanks, man!!

[@user-jw8xf5lv2o]

When someone plays as well as you do, a Stella or a Boucher sounds great. Great video man.

[@kevinreid5242]

beautiful playing thanks for this comparison!

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Thanks!

[@saintless]

both have strengths.. what surprised me is that I expected the Larrivee to sound better with that classical piece but preferred the D-18.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

I know what you are talking about. Maybe this is because of the extra responsiveness the Custom Shop guitar has. Quieter stuff sounds a bit more musical, actually just a bit, but the instrument itself feels more vibrant when you play it.

[@lamontmerrick]

nice playing! nice presentation! and nice guitars! I liked the Larrivee a lot... seemed fuller to me. but both were very nice to hear, even over youtube.

[@ozozoz111]

Great playing and video.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Thank you! 🙏

[@timthompson5233]

Rebuilding old Larrivee’s bought a new C-03R-TE custom. Sustain of the Martin falls apart while the Larrivee stays balanced to the very end .sorry Martin , Jean L. Really knows his woods.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

😀

[@pjmuck]

I own both a Larrivee D03R (rosewood) and a Martin D28. Both excellent guitars, but they definitely have different voicing. The Larrivee is tighter sounding overall with more mids and a fantastic neck, but at times can't seem to handle the powerful bass response and the tone seems to die out once you're playing chords up past the 7th fret, while the Martin is definitely more open and bassier/less balanced, but in that classic Martin sort of way. I love both for different reasons.

[@mc-um3nv]

They both sound great! I'm surprised the larrivee doesn't have the clear pick guard from that year, that might be a D-O3R? I absolutely love my D-03E, I bought it in 2001 and it has aged amazingly! I just ordered the hyvibe system to install into it, I cant wait to try it out!

[@TrooperMcNeil]

I too have a d-03 with a clear pick guard and maple binding that is a great dreadnought at a fraction of the cost of a Martin. My d-03 has no issues with medium strings. Martins that comes set up with mediums start at 2800 dollars.

[@StillPointStudio]

Great video, I’ve been curious about l’arrivee guitars haven’t played one but I think they sound and look great. Must say I prefer the Martin here though

[@TomLumenOfficial]

If you have the opportunity, try a Larrivée once. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@mandosandradios]

I preferred the Martin also.

[@arieltherealify]

My men! Both are increíble guitars.

[@istvanadam3173]

Nekem mindkettő tetszik, meg persze jó kezekben van! Bravó!🎸☺️

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Köszi, Isti! Nekem is tetszik mindkettő. Mindkét gitárnak számtalan szerethető tulajdonsága van.

[@noneoz9475]

I have a Taylor GT and a Larrivee dreadnought D-03. Love them both and honestly thought the Martin D-18 sounded great as well.

[@randyskretka8120]

Hey, great job of comparing, I love your part switch part ... method where one can recall the part from the first guitar freshly. It just got a Larrivee D-40 and have an old Martin D28. The relative sounds of the two match up well with what I hear in your recording. So the relative sound are not specific to the models.

[@zelon1983]

I recently got a 1998 Larrivee D-09, hands down the best dreadnought I've played. Super comfy and a beautiful, rich and balanced sound. There's a demo on my channel if anyone's interested

[@lamontmerrick]

my larrivee pv-10 was not $2000. and i dont know another maker who produces something similar... i'm very happy with it... but i'd also love to behold a Martin.

[@fadlitv9353]

That's Larrivée guitar absolutely rare and have a beautiful sound

[@mjolnircarlssen4211]

Both sound incredible, and you can’t go wrong either way. But, to my ears, the Martin is my preference.

[@davidosuna4209]

I really like Larivee guitars I’ve had several of them I’ve tried very hard to get used to the neck but it’s no use It’s a little too wide for my small hands If they changed the neck, I would truly buy one again They are fantastic sounding instruments

[@duelenigma7732]

you might be looking into a custom guitar . I own a Larrivee om and a Larrivee parlor and the necks are not beefy at all .

[@bobbyrykard2732]

I have a Taylor 814 and it's a little big for me. Beautiful guitar. That being said, I have a previous teacher that has a Larrivee LV-03 and it's beautiful, but still slightly big for me since I"m a short guy. I have been looking at smaller orchestra models and was really looking at Martin, but for the price the Larrivee OMV40RE for me. The sound just seems more balanced. The Martin in this video sounds too boomy and unrefined, almost like you're banging on the strings when you're not. Larrivee sounded better to me. The quality and pricing just icing on the cake.

[@shawnsnow6413]

Martin definitely has more depth. Need to hear 1 G-run and 1 E chord.

[@douglasmcintyre3297]

I like them both.

[@josephbingham1255]

Thanks for the video. I do not have a guitar yet and was just doing research. Not mentioned which was which but I'm guessing the lighter one was the Larravee.

[@timtimmons2715]

Martin...more bottom end in this particular demo. I have both a Martin HD28 and a Larrivee L03R that I play regularly. Love them both. That being said, I paid three times the money for the Martin. Is it three times the guitar? No way. I also prefer brunets over blonds. Get my drift? TT

[@TomLumenOfficial]

I get it, man! 😃

[@j.jester7821]

I own a D=03 cedar top. Amazing sounding and playing guitar. Martin cannot hold a candle to Larivee.

[@haroldclark1787]

You, you are s phenomenal guitarist. You should teach at Juilliard! Either guitar would be divine, but the Martin has the edge. Struggling between an Martin OM-28 and a Larrivee OM-R. The former is exquisite; the latter is a fantastic instrument for the money. We shall see. Keep up the stellar work, and thanks for this video. You are extremely talented!

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Hey Harold, thank you!! :) Both are pretty awesome guitars. I think the Furch Vintage 2 OM-SR also worth trying, if you are looking for a 28 style OM.

[@haroldclark1787]

@@TomLumenOfficial Thank you so much! I'm still on the hunt and sadly don't live anywhere near a decent guitar store. Will have to buy online and take my chances. Keep up the great work, and thanks again!

[@TomLumenOfficial]

You're welcome! I think you can't go wrong with either. If I were you, I would give a shot to the Larrivée OM first.

[@haroldclark1787]

@@TomLumenOfficial Stellar advice. Thanks so much for your learned perspective! Be well!!

[@IgnazioCarbone]

Both sound good, I hear more bottom end on the Martin. Is it a post 2012 D-18? Maybe it's because of the forward shifted scalloped bracing... Nice comparison though, thank you.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Hey, thanks, Ignazio! This D-18 is a custom shop, and the bracing is not forward-shifted, but you are right. It has a vast amount of bottom end but is somehow still balanced.

[@homonnaizsolt]

Nagyon jó kis összehasonlító videó. Érdekes, de nekem a Larrivee tónusa valahogyan jobban tetszik itt. Az árat is figyelembe véve mindenképpen jó vétel. Természetesen hallatszódik a Martin fantasztikus minősége is. 1:50 körül pedig a gag 🤣. Amúgy az egy kő volt?

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Köszi, Zsolt! Érdemes kipróbálni Larrivée gitárokat. Kő? Mire gondolsz? :)

[@homonnaizsolt]

@@TomLumenOfficial Körömreszelőnek tűnt, de nem is tudom. 🙂

[@TomLumenOfficial]

@@homonnaizsolt Jaaaa, igen, az köröm reszelő párna. Nagyon finom 4200-as cucc.

[@user-jw8xf5lv2o]

SO--is there ample bass offered by the Larrivee? Some D-18s have surprising bass. My Koa back/sides LV-10 Larrivee has adequate bass, but I wouldn't say Rosewood type boomy. But plenty of bass nonetheless. Is the D-03 rich in mids and bass for strumming, without getting frazzled?

[@macktheknife8443]

I prefer the Martin. Larrivee sounds good too.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

🙏

[@edmurphy671]

Larrivee for my money.

Köszi az összehasonlítást! Melyik volt hangosabb? Érzésre a Martin...

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Köszi a gitárt!! :) Igen, a Martin hangosabb. Ez abból adódik, hogy a custom shop-ban többet foglalkoznak a top-pal és a top gerendázatával, így az mindig valamivel hangosabb, reszponzívabb lesz a legtöbb széria hangszernél. Egy Larrivée custom shop vs standard D-18 összehasonlításban ez pont fordítva lenne. Ugyanakkor azt szerettem volna sugallni ezzel az videóval, hogy a tömör fa D-18-ak piacán egy széria és egy custom shop hangszer között sem lehet egyértelműen győztest hirdetni. A Larrivée szerintem legelőnyösebb tulajdonsága, hogy nem brummog (ez persze részben a korából is adódik, de talán csak kis részben), szép/kiegyenlített hangja van, sok szempontból sokkal egyszerűbb dolgozni vele. Persze a több pénzért valamivel többet is kap az ember, a custom shop D-18 hihetetlenül reszponzív, ha megtalálja az ember a módját, akkor szinte 'robbannak' rajta a hangok.

[@bonitoludi]

Hard to choose

[@stantonkramer2986]

I had a D-03 for a short time and mine didn't sound like that one.

[@istvanbakos]

Heavenly axes : )))

[@TomLumenOfficial]

✌️🤘🎸

[@j.jester7821]

I worked in music retailer in early 90s. EVERY instrument straight from the factory Martin I have ever played had action that you could drive a semi underneath. We often had to refuse guitars from Martin because shoddy workmanship. Perhaps Martin has improved since then. Still, I have never understood why Martins have such high action from the factory. Maybe because their necks are awful.

[@user-wl4gn7hz3k]

I dont think one sounds better. They have a good voice. Just slightly different.

[@Pendrym]

a new larrivee for 1K? impossible. In their price list they go over 2/3K at minimum

[@aliwhitwell]

Scarce as hens teeth here in the UK.

[@michaeleggleston4737]

I've got three Martin's I can't play because the strings have no relief in them,two of them came back from being set up that way the other one the relief is okay but the strings are to high. That said I'm left with the impression that when you buy a Martin your buying the name. Chances are you go to sell it you'll get your money back out of it. And you may not be able to say that about other guitars that are every bit just as good if not better than a Martin.

[@user-nt3hf3oy9g]

What nail file do you have?

[@ScotianBlooded]

Larrivee sounds more refined martin sounds more open and inviting

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Nice definition there.

[@jameshuntley428]

Hi, what are you playing at 1:25? I like it!

[@TomLumenOfficial]

Thanks. It is a G major lick that appeared when we shot the video.

[@user-zl5vj4rt6t]

I think that you good player!)

[@TomLumenOfficial]

🙏✌

[@gonzaloveloso2891]

Mate, It doesnt matter if you are playing a $5 guitar it will still sound great, because great guitarists when they touch their guitar? They having a conversation with your soul. Just like you just did now.

[@gonzaloveloso2891]

but one question though, if you have to choose between a Larrivee and a Furch, which one would it be? Thank you from Down Under

[@rwr2643]

i own both larrivee and martin guitars , all i can say is martin's don't come close to the craftsmanship of larrivee guitars , i own a 2015 d 41 martin and binding is falling off the guitar, that's a 5000.00 guitar , i have a martin d 15 the frets are so sharp you can cut cheese with them, i have never had any problems with larrivee guitars ,their craftsmanship is second to nobody, larrivee are half the price of martins and three times the guitar. friend of mine just got a 2200.00 martin and the pickup system was rolling around inside of the guitar . martins craftsmanship has gone to shit in the last 10 to 20 years !

[@dallastoto3189]

I was hoping the less expensive guitar would’ve been better.. sadly not.🙁😢

[@TomLumenOfficial]

That is an amazing guitar in many ways, and (usually) there is a reason for every price tag. :)

[@maxs.5163]

Martin is much brighter

[@timthompson5233]

You mean , twangy?

[@mr.b111]

It's 2000$ vs 3500$ tho.^^

[@enzodeltoro3392]

The tone Martin is better

[@AdiHazan26]

well thats not a 2000$ matin. more like double.

[@TomLumenOfficial]

If you compare used USA prices, actually it is. The other way around you are right but then also the Larrivée is worth about double. So the relation is okay, and that was the point of he video.

[@AdiHazan26]

@@TomLumenOfficial well i guess the martin win for me. great playing anyways

[@tbee65]

Slight edge to the martin. And i'm a larrivee guy.