Larrivee D-03K

This limited Larrivee D-03K model was completed in 2004. The guitar is your standard dreadnaught body style. The top is a beautiful satin finish solid sitka spruce and, as the "K" implies, the back and sides are solid Koa. I fell in love with the look of this guitar the second I saw a picture of it. Koa not only adds a stunning look to the guitar but also a distinct and wonderful sound. But we'll get to that later. The guitar was built, as I believe all -03 models are, at the Canadian factory and a hardshell case was included.
I definitely wanted to have electronics on the guitar to play live and discussed with the dealer what options were best. He stated the L.R. Baggs Ibeam system is what he prefers to install because of its impecable sound quality and clean installation (all double stick tape-no cutting into the guitar). The Ibeam is the active model with a discreet volume knob inside the soundhole.
Even though the guitar doesn't have any elaborate inlays or abalone, the beauty of the flame koa back and sides have to be given a 10.

The guitar's sound is near perfect and suits my music style and taste very well. I mostly flatpick and strum and the dreadnaught body produces a balanced sound. The guitar is brighter to me than a standard mahogany guitar with just enough base not to sound muddy like a rosewood. The koa back and sides can be thanked for this blended sound. Besides the awesome initial sound, the guitar has sustain that rings forever. This guitar would be great for finger picking, strumming or even playing lead on. It's one of the most versatile guitars I have ever played.
Thus, this balanced sound creates a wonderful tone when plugged in. The IBeam pickup amplifies the already great sound to perfection. I am so thankful the dealer recommened the I-Beam.

I give it a 10, duh.

The guitar was set up great from the factory. My one complaint is that the action may be too low. Sometimes you can hear a slight buzz, but in some cases I've noticed it is probably the player's error. It's really no big deal. It is very easy to play.
The finish is impecable, and I would give it a 10 for sure. I would give the action a 9.5 for the above reason.

The guitar has survived a couple of practices without a flaw, and even though I haven't gigged with it yet, I have no reason to believe it won't hold up for a long time.
Larrivee guitars are built to last, and I believe they should hold their value. It doesn't hurt to throw in a lifetime warranty.
Their popularity is growing and in my opinion should be considered by anyone who wants an all solid wood guitar.

I have only dealt with the company before I bought the guitar. They were very helpful with my questions. I know this is a true family business where entire family has a part in the guitar manufacturing process. I also liked being able to register the guitar online for the warranty.

I have been playing guitar for about 9 years. It took me a long time to gain the skill to play a complete song live with a band, though. So I've really only been playing seriously in front of people for about 6 years. All that to say, this is my first "real" guitar that I can be proud of and not wanted to sell. Of course, I would go crazy if it was stolen. I believe this is the first review for this specific model on this site, so that should tell you that it is a somewhat rare guitar.
I love everything about this guitar, and I would have to say my favorite feature is the full sound it projects.
Without getting too critical, I must say I played many guitars before choosing my Larrivee. These guitars ranged from $100 to $3000, and to me none can compare to the sound of my D-03K. I know many stand by their high-end Taylor, Martin, Gibson, Santa Cruz, and so on, but for me Larrivee is a perfect guitar. I liked some Taylors and Martins and found their sound was close to what I liked, but with side by side comparison the Larrivee sound is just more balanced to me. Along with this great overall sound the cheaper price tag was the final icing on the cake.
In closing, please find a Larrivee dealer and play one of these superior guitars. I thing you will be suprised with what you hear, and hope you too will choose to own a Larrivee.
An overall 11 on a 10 point scale!