Larrivee D-05

The Larrivee D-05 is a mahogany dreadnought, the guitar I am reviewing was built in 2001, please note that the current D-05 models have a couple of minor differences. This particular guitar was my very first decent acoustic I had previously been playing all laminate Fender acoustic. Buying your first really good guitar can be quite daunting; there are so many different brands, models and tone woods. I went out and played as many models as I could before purchasing my D-05, yes I researched on the internet but there is no substitute for getting a guitar in your own hands.

So the Larrivee D-05 as mentioned is the mahogany dreadnought offering from the Canadian company. Larrivee uses a unique bracing pattern called symmetrical parabolic bracing; traditional dreadnoughts in particular are known for having a deep sometimes overpowering bass, Larrivee solved this with their own unique design, building a guitar which is very balanced. The guitar features solid Honduran mahogany back , sides and neck, a solid Sitka spruce top, one piece mahogany neck with dove tail neck joint, ebony fretboard and bridge and Canadian maple binding. It is a very plain guitar with just wood binding, abalone rosette and an ivoroid bound fret board with microdot markers. I like the clean look, my guitar has an all gloss finish whereas the newer models feature a satin finished neck. Looking over the guitar you see that the craftsmanship is excellent, Larrivee’s are known for their excellent wood and this guitar was no exception, Larrivee does not stain their mahogany like many companies do.

Mahogany and Sitka is one of my favorite wood combinations it produces a bright but balanced sound with sparkling highs, clear mids and a strong but not booming bass. I always enjoyed playing finger style on this guitar, Larrivee’s have a comfortable neck though its profile is a little on the chunky side, with a nut width of 1 11/16. It’s a jack of all trades guitar, not hugely loud for a dreadnought, so if you’re a hardcore strummer or bluegrasser it might not have the presence or bass response you want.

Larrivee’s are some of the best value guitars on the market; the wood and build quality is exceptionally good. If the 05-series guitars are a little out of your price range it’s worth checking out the cheaper 03-series. Nearly the same guitar but with simpler appointments, all satin finishes and sapele back and sides instead of the more expensive and increasingly rare South American mahogany. The D-05 is definitely worth a look if you’re looking for a mid priced mahogany dreadnought.