Archives & Artifacts

A Visual History Of People, Places, & Things

Wood

Larrivée has always been known for using the finest materials available. Especially when it comes to wood selection. Jean Larrivée travels the globe biannually to source out and acquire what he believes to be the finest tonewood materials available. Sometimes finding new and extraordinary tonewoods along the way. Today, with the help of Jean's sons, John Jr. and Matthew, Larrivée has a network of sources, relationships built over decades, that ensures a future providing the finest materials available.

Jean inspecting Indain Rosewood at the source.

Indian Rosewood coming off the saw • These will be guitar sides.

Selecting high-grade Rosewood backs.

Cutting Rosewood backs at the source • India

Cross sawing Indain Rosewood logs for back & sides • India

AAAA grade Ziricote

Snakewood stash for customs

The master wood sourcer, Jean Larrivée, inspecting high-grade Italian...

Jean sets up officer wherever he finds the high-grade

Strapping up Honduran Mahogany • Philadelphia

12 quarter Honduran Mahogany for necks • Philadelphia

12 quarter Honduran Mahogany for necks, bound and heading to Vancouver shop

Rough Ebony headplate's from Africa

Ebony bridg blanks just in from Africa.

Beautiful AAAA grade High Alpine Spruce

Processing Indian Rosewood back & sides • India

Stacking Ebony fingerboards (left) and Indian Rosewood backs (right) •...

Inclredible "ribbon" figured African Khaya Mahogany • David Iannone...

12 quarter Mahogany air drying for guitar necks.

Highly figured East Indian Rosewood on ukuleles.

John Jr. blocking Sitka Spruce for tops • Sunshine Coast, BC

Prepared wood tonewood storage • Vancouver facility

Blocking Sitka Spruce for guitar tops.

JCL bucking Sitka Spruce log • Fraser River, BC • circa 1989

Finessing Sitka Spruce blocks in the shop in prep for the resaw.

Blocking Sitka Spruce on the forest floor • Thousands of guitar tops.

Bucking off a "lilly pad" to reveal the grain • SItka Spruce •...

Bundles of Sitka Spruce blocks ready for transport • Fraser River, BC

Spruce tops bundled and drying in storage.

On the water looking for high-grade with David Iannone (Morgan Guitars)

Jean Sr. inspecting grain width and pattern • Twin Creeks, BC

John Jr & Jean Sr walking booms in search of Sitka Spruc • circa 2008

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