Larrivée History: Difference between revisions

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m (New page: (Sources include Larrivee's website, WikiPedia, and Larrivee customer service emails.) * 1967: An old house in Toronto, ON, Canada * 1968-71: Basement of Jean’s Townhouse in Toronto, ON...)
 
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Ongoing discussion on the [http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=31982.0 Larrivee Guitar Forum]
Ongoing discussion on the [http://www.larriveeforum.com/smf/index.php?topic=31982.0 Larrivee Guitar Forum]
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                  <P>This section of our website covers the history and making
                  of Jean Larrivee Guitars:</P>
                  <P>1) History<BR><A class="navText" href="http://www.larrivee.com/features/labels.php">2)
                  About Our Guitar Labels</A><BR><A class="navText" href="http://www.larrivee.com/features/locations.php">3)
                  Our Locations/Facilities</A></P>
                  <P>The History of Jean Larrivee Guitars</P>
                  <P align="justify"> Jean Larrivée first became interested in
                  the guitar as a teenager,  trying to play Duane Eddy licks on
                  an $18 guitar. At twenty, with no  other musical training in
                  his background, he made the decision to take  up a serious
                  study of classic guitar. Four years into this study, he  was
                  introduced to German classical guitar builder Edgar Mönch, who
                  was  then working in Toronto. Jean expressed interest in
                  learning how to  build, Mönch invited him to visit his shop,
                  and so began an  apprenticeship.</P>
                  <P align="justify"> Jean built his first two guitars under
                  Mönch's tutelage before setting  up a workshop in his home,
                  where he continued to build and study. The  energy which had
                  fueled nightly five hour practice sessions was now  directed
                  toward learning to construct instruments. He had found his 
                  life's work.</P>
                  <P align="justify">From  1968 to 1970, Jean continued building
                  classic guitars in his home shop  before moving into his first
                  commercial space, the second floor of a  theater. His work
                  brought him into contact with many people involved  with
                  Toronto's thriving folk music community. At their urging, Jean
                  built his first steel string guitar in 1971.&nbsp;</P>
                  <P>This was a period of much experimentation. Following  the
                  tradition of European classic guitar builders, Jean designed
                  his  own distinctive shape, bracing patterns, and structural
                  specifications.  When he began to build steel string
                  instruments, a task for which there  were fewer
                  well-established models, the experimentation became 
                  especially intense. His first steel strings were small
                  dreadnoughts,  braced in the Martin style, with an elongated X
                  (the "railway crossing  sign" design) and tone bars running at
                  about a 45† angle. Sensing from  his work with classic guitars
                  that a symmetrical bracing pattern might  result in better
                  tonal balance, Jean tried a bracing pattern consisting  of a
                  true 90† X brace and tone bars running parallel to the bridge.
                  The  guitar had a strong, well-balanced sound. It was, as Jean
                  says now,  "success through ignorance." Twenty-five years
                  later, a much-refined  version of this bracing pattern is
                  still the heart of all Larrivée  steel-string guitars. The
                  sound it produces is distinctive. The bass is  solid and
                  tight, with great projection. Mid-range is strong, and highs 
                  are crystal clear. Overall balance is excellent, with the body
                  size and  shape determining the "tilt" of the balance.</P>
                  <P> Best of all, twenty-five years and over twenty thousand
                  steel string  guitars have proven conclusively that this
                  design has great structural  integrity. Bulging of the top
                  behind the bridge or sinking around the  sound hole are not
                  uncommon problems with traditionally braced guitars, 
                  particularly those with scalloped braces. With Larrivée
                  symmetrical  bracing, these types of problems are virtually
                  non-existent.</P>
                  <P> From 1971 to 1977, Larrivée Guitars grew steadily, moving
                  four times to  ever larger spaces. There was a continuous flow
                  of apprentices through  the shop, some of whom would also go
                  on to become successful builders  on their own. In 1972 Jean
                  and Wendy Jones were married. Wendy would  make her own unique
                  contribution, designing and engraving the exquisite  picture
                  inlays for which Larrivée guitars are famous.</P>
                  <P> By 1976 eight people were producing twenty-five to thirty
                  instruments a  month. Most of these instruments were sold in
                  Canada or exported to  Europe, where their classically
                  inspired look won quick acceptance. The  American market would
                  prove to be a tougher nut to crack. Larrivée  guitars, with
                  their wood binding, marquetry rosettes, clear pickguards,  and
                  Renaissance-style inlay designs, were a bit out of step with 
                  American fashion. Still, there were some bright spots. Several
                  high-profile artists purchased guitars and word began to get
                  around.  More than a few American musicians made the trip to
                  Toronto in search  of a Larrivée guitar, and some American
                  dealers began stocking them.</P>
                  <P>In  1977, Jean and Wendy pulled up stakes and moved the
                  company to  Victoria, British Columbia. The wet coastal
                  forests of Canada's Pacific  Rim produce some of the finest
                  spruce and cedar in the world, and Jean  realized that future
                  growth could hinge on access to these tone woods.  Of course,
                  there was also the allure of Canada's mildest climate and  the
                  spectacular scenery of British Columbia.</P>
                  <P align="left">In Victoria, Jean began to concentrate  on the
                  problems of manufacturing instruments in larger quantities. 
                  Setting up shop for the first time in space that was purchased
                  rather  than rented made it practical to install a climate
                  controlled  construction room and an industrial paint booth.
                  Jean designed and  built specialized machines and tooling
                  which made it possible to build  more guitars, and to achieve
                  a higher level of precision at the same  time. Within a year
                  of the move, fourteen people were producing four  guitars a
                  day.</P>
                  <P> While the  company continued to grow and prosper in
                  Victoria, eventually the  problems inherent in being on an
                  island became too much. In 1982, a  decision was made to
                  relocate to the mainland. It was the era of  electronic
                  keyboards and day-glow electric guitars, and a tough time  for
                  nearly all acoustic guitar builders. Rather than cut back on 
                  production and lay off employees, Jean decided to take the "if
                  you  can't beat 'em, join 'em" route. In 1983, he began to
                  build solid body  electrics.</P>
                  <P>By 1989, the market  for acoustic guitars had begun to
                  improve. Jean once again turned his  full attention to his
                  first love. The knowledge gained from electric  guitars proved
                  invaluable as Jean reinvented his acoustic guitar  production
                  techniques. New tooling was built. Computer-controlled 
                  milling machines were brought into the process. New models
                  were added.</P>
                  <P> In 1991, when the Acoustic market had made a full come
                  back, Larrivée  moved to a bigger building. At first it seemed
                  a little difficult to  fill 11000 square feet. (At the time
                  only 25 guitars a day were being  made by 35 people) However,
                  it soon became apparent that that 11000  square feet wasn't
                  enough...</P>
                  <P> An  the beginning of 1997, Larrivée introduced a model
                  called the D-03. It  was originally intended to be a limited
                  run of 1000 but, as soon as  people caught on to the fact that
                  it was the only all solid wood guitar  for under $800, the
                  demand increased and it&nbsp; became a standard model.</P>
                  <P> In early March 1998, Larrivée Guitars moved to a new 33000
                  square foot  facility in the heart of Vancouver, where 100
                  highly skilled people in  the Guitar industry made 60-72
                  guitars a day. Much of this production  was to accommodate our
                  largest client at the time. On September 1st  2001 Larrivee
                  expanded again, and opened the door on it's new factory  in
                  southern California. Ten days later the events of 9/11
                  occurred. As  you can imagine this was not a time for
                  companies to be expanding. The  following two years were quite
                  turbulent for the guitar industry as a  whole. People where
                  not spending money on acoustic guitars. Almost  every major
                  manufacturer was having layoffs - Including ourselves. 
                  Production dropped to 35 guitars a day. Over the next two
                  years,  Larrivee would go through of number of production
                  changes including: a  refocus towards high-end guitar, A
                  redesign of the -03 Series, and the  development of the
                  Traditional Series.</P>
                  <P> Today Jean, his wife Wendy, his son Matthew and daughter
                  Christine all  work in the California plant producing the
                  gloss finish guitars. Jean's  other son John Jr runs the
                  Canadian plant which produces our satin  models.</P>
                  <P> Since the move, our  company has continued to grow.
                  Reflecting this growth, and our  continued deployment of
                  leading-edge production tools, we also acquired  two new Fadal
                  CNC machines in spring, bringing our total CNC complement  up
                  to 8, as well as a Laser cutter. These additions to our
                  factory have  allowed us to achieve even higher levels of
                  efficiency and quality  control which benefit buyers and
                  players of Larrivée guitars.”</P>
                  <P align="justify">&nbsp;</P></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR>
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[[Category:Larrivee]]
[[Category:Larrivee]]

Revision as of 21:16, 20 October 2010

(Sources include Larrivee's website, WikiPedia, and Larrivee customer service emails.)

  • 1967: An old house in Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 1968-71: Basement of Jean’s Townhouse in Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 1971-72: Above the Tarragon Theatre in Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 1971: First steel-string guitar
  • 1972-73: Storefront on Mount Pleasant in Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 1973-75: Portland Street Shop in Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 1975-77: Dwight Street in Mimico, Toronto, ON, Canada
  • 1976: 8 people, 25-30 guitars/month
  • 1977-82: Esquimalt Shop, Victoria, BC, Canada
  • 1977: 14 people, 4 guitars/day
  • 1982-92: 267 E. 1st Street Shop in North Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 1983: First solid-body electric
  • 1984: switched from hot lacquer to catalyzed modified polyurethane finish
  • 1989: First use of CNC
  • 1991: 11,000 sq ft, 35 people, 25 guitars/day
  • 1993-98: Victoria Diversion shop in Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 1993: 50/60/70 series introduced with large sound holes, 383 built
  • 1995: switched from polyurethane to McFadden UV polyester finish
  • 1996: 50 people, 20 guitars/day
  • 1997: 60 people, 40 guitars/day
  • 1997: D-Lite, D-03 introduced
  • 1998-Present: Cordova Street Factory in Vancouver, BC, Canada
  • 1998: 33,000 sq ft in Vancouver, 100 people, 60 guitars/day
  • 2001-Present: Yarnell Place Factory in Oxnard, CA, USA
  • 2010: switched from McFadden UV polyester to a new dual-cured finish (partial catalyzation with cobalt & peroxide, and UV light)
  • 2010: went to a stacked heel with the -03 series, then reintroduced the -02 series with stacked heel, and went back to one-piece necks for the -03 series


Ongoing discussion on the Larrivee Guitar Forum




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