Description

Jean Larrivee (actually Jean Larrivée) is famous for his inlay work. Look at the stunning engraved mother of pearl headstock inlay of an eagle bearing a ribbon, with the ribbon motif repeated on the fingerboard and you see the artists joy for his work.

Canada’s leading luthier started in 1968 and today has an admirable reputation for high quality instruments, as well as producing the spruce tops for many manufacturers’ guitars. Every Larrivee guitar is hand built, and Larrivees are something of a well kept secret amongst their admirers, including such discerning artists as Mr Eric Clapton.

The “C” body shape is a distinctive Florentine cutaway unique to Larrivee, and one which was recently re-introduced by the maker. Today’s C-10 retails for $4000! These original C-19s were made in various rare tonewoods, including koa, zebrawood, Brazilian and Indian rosewood. All featured beautiful inlays and were very definitely instruments of the highest specification.

This instrument is fitted with a Fishman pickup, plays superbly and is in excellent condition. There is a single scratch on the back about two inches long (just visible in the picture) but otherwise flawless.

It develops a wonderful tone, very even across the range (not boomy at all, with clear mid and treble) responding well to variation in playing pressure. A delight to play, exuding quality and class, this instrument truly delivers at all levels and would be a real star piece on any play/collector/investor’s instrument line-up. If ever there was an instrument that deserved the epithet heirloom guitar, this is it.

C-19 Features

16” Acoustic guitar with Florentine cutaway
4¼” deep
Solid East Indian rosewood back and sides
Honduran mahogany neck with ivoroid binding
Canadian sitka spruce top
African ebony fingerboard and bridge
Abalone inlay endpins
Fancy engraved mother of pearl & abalone headstock inlay and fingerboard markers
25½” scale length
1¾” width at nut
Larrivee clear pickguard
Schaller tuners
Fishman pickup
Original Larrivee plush archtop hardshell case