❌SOLD❌ Larrivee OO Body Steel String Guitar Rosewood, 1976

*** SOLD ***

Here is a lovely item from the past – a Larrivee OO body steel string guitar from 1976 in Toronto, just as The Twelfth Fret opened, with signatures from both Jean Larrivee (on the label) and Tony Duggan-Smith (discreetly engraved in the headstock inlay). At the time this guitar was built, I was just moving to The Twelfth Fret from the late Darryl Williams’ shop in Schomberg, Ontario, as the first Twelfth Fret employee.

While living in Toronto in the late 1960s and into the 1970’s, Jean Larrivee developed a strong interest in guitar and started building in his home. One of his key influences was Edgar Monch, the renowned German classical builder, during the time that Monch lived in Toronto.

Before long, his shop outgrew the space available in the living quarters, and new shop spaces were regularly found. Larrivee also attracted a number of very interested workers to that shop including David Wren, William Grit Laskin, George Gray, and Linda Manzer. All have gone on to being well established builders. Tony Duggan-Smith was also part of that group, and contributed a number of inlay designs and elements – the silver border on modern Larrivee headstocks, as seen here different materials, is one of Duggan-Smith’s enduring contributions.

This Larrivee OO body guitar signed and dated to 1976 at the Larrivee Toronto shop. It features a Sitka Spruce top, Indian Rosewood for the back, sides and head plate, Mahogany for the body blocks and neck, with Ebony for the bridge and fingerboard. The body sports a ‘Style 42’ inlay theme, with an Abalone ring around the top and fingerboard tag. The fingerboard carries a floral inlay set, and the head plate carries an inlay of a bird carrying off a streamer (which has the initials T D S engraved in one section).

As well, this Larrivee OO’s heel has some custom carving – not as elaborate as a 1920’s banjo might be!  The carving is in the theme of a Celtic Knot, and it is echoed on the back of the head as well. The bridge ‘feet’ also have small floral inlays.

It is in good working order, and has just left The Twelfth Fret Repair Shop, where two top cracks were repaired and a neck reset was performed. The mylar pickguard has been re-seated., and the guitar has been fully set up. The finish is in overall good shape, with a bit of wear on the top. It plays well and sounds great!

The Larrivee OO body guitar shows the Monch influence – the body dimensions are clearly drawn from Classical designs, resulting in a very harmonically even, warm and responsive instrument.

The original hard shell case is included.