La Patrie Etude

This guitar is a 1994 La Patrie Etude. Canadian made by the same folks who make Seagull guitars. Solid cedar top. Mahogany back, Rosewood fret board with 19 frets. Gold colored, probably brass tuners of unknown make but they seem to be high quality. No electronics, stricktly an acoustic classical guitar. Needs frequent tuning but that's been my experience with all nylon stringed guitars.

Sound is warm and mellow. Exellent bass notes. It's not as bright as I would like but overall is an exellent sounding guitar. If you're into that Willie Nelson nylon string sound this is a great guitar for that.

Set up from factory was exellent. I haven't changed a thing. Action is good as with any classical guitar. Intonation is good. No flaws noted. Easy to play.

Solid cedar top that is kind of soft and prone to dings and scratches. Mine is 8 years old and is holding up well. I added strap buttons which have had no adverse effects.

I've never had to contact the manufacturer for anything. La Patrie has an exellent reputation though.

I've been playing guitar since 1968, nonprofessional. I've owned a variety of flat tops, 12 strings, and electrics. This is a good little guitar that could be used on stage and is a quality guitar for someone just wanting to fool around with one. I bought this guitar with the idea that it would be the last one I ever bought,HA HA HA! For overall every day finger picking I think a good steel string guitar suits my needs better. This Etude is however a very good classical guitar and I would recommend one to anyone with an interest in a nylon string guitar.

Made in Canada

Solid Cedar top
Mahogany back and sides
Rosewood fret board 19 frets
Gold coloured tuning machine heads.
Very light satin finish

The looks of this guitar are basic and not what makes it special

The sound is quite amazing with beautiful resonance from the solid Cedar top giving well sustained bass and clear bright treble tones. I play mainly Classical style on this guitar and though you will find better sounding nylon strung guitars they cost an awful lot more.

The guitar is well made for fit. The finnish is very light and as I bought mine second hand it has some scrathes under the sound hole at five years old. The action however is what makes this guitar special. I found it while looking to upgrade a Yamaha G225 to a concert guitar. It was in a Pawnbrokers specializing in guitars. I played it and thought it was very nice but as I was prepared to pay five times the price I continued looking and bought an Alhambra 7C as my main instrument. The sound of the Alhambra is better but not by much, the action of the La Patrie is much better. Fortunately the guitar was still there when I returned a few weeks later unable to forget this good sounding and beautifuly playable instrument.

This is the guitar I take camping. No problems so far.

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I pick up this guitar for personal enjoyment just as much as my Gibson J160e. As value for money it is fantastic. If lost or stolen I will replace it even if I have to import one from Canada.

Solid cedar top
Mahogany back and sides

This guitar has a very warm and full bass, but it lacks a bit of treble. Overall sound is very good, and fits the style of music I play very well (samba).

This guitar is very well made. I didn't touch a thing.

The only problem is the thin finish that makes the guitar very easy to scratch (it happened to me with a microphone). Otherwise, it is very reliable and solid, and seems indifferent to the lack of humidity in my appartment (whereas my other guitar a 7 strings Joao Batista bought in Brazil is stuck in its case with 2 humidifiers).

I love this guitar, it fits me well, and it is the guitar I play the most.

Solid cedar top, satin finish.
Mahogany back and sides (I believe solid all the way around)
Cream Binding on the body.
Butterfly-motiff rosette

Excellent overall sound.
Basses are a little weak.
Sound is not muddy like some of the other budget classicals.

Action was a little high. I adjusted the truss rod, and filed down the saddle, and now it plays like an absolute dream. The finish is great. I "shined" the lower bout by placing my fingers on the body repeatedly while playing. There's really no cure for this on a satin-finish guitar. I tried steel wool, but it didn't work.

Thumbs up!

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I did ALL my homework on this one! Mine is a mid '98 Model (I know because I emailed Mario at Lasido and he explained that the first two digits in the serial number indicate the year, and the last two digits indicate the week). These Guitars are manufactured in La Patrie, Quebec, Canada. It features a Solid Canadian Red Cedar top, Laminated mohogany back and sides (mine has a particularly beautiful back), a very thin satin laquer finish (4 layers, sanded between each coat), a relatively thin and round Solid Mohogany Neck with an Adjustable Truss Rod (an unusual but nice feature on a Classical), Rosewood Fretboard and Bridge, Cream colored Plastic Binding on the Body, a Veneer of Rosewood on the Headstock and Heel (a nice touch), Gold colored Tuning machines with white pearl colored plastic heads, genuine wood inlay Rosette (a Classy Butterfly pattern), I believe the Nut and Saddle are Micarta, it has 19 Frets, Standard 12th Fret Body Join, and I should mention that the Strings that it came with were very nice, bouncy and sweet!

This guitar is an Exceptional value where features are concerned! I checked out countless other guitars from other makers at considerably higher cost and nothing came close! You CAN buy a better Guitar, but you WILL pay at least twice as much!

My Fiance' used to be able to talk on the phone in the Kitchen while I played in the Living Room. Since I aquired this guitar, She locks herself in the Bedroom. The sound is incredibly balanced and full, and LOUD (due mostly to the solid top and thin finish). Very Sweet! I listen to all kinds of music: Flamenco, Classical, Rock, Heavy Metal, Punk, Hardcore...I let them all influence my own style. I suppose my own music is mostly a darker type of Folk, and this guitar sounds gorgeous (even with ME playing it).

Again, I've heard better sounding guitars, but they all were at least $1000! For the Money, nothing sounds better.

Action was very nice, no buzzing. I think I would like it a little lower, but I'm not sure that's even possible, it's already very low. This guitar allows me to play whatever I want. I've noticed that with most guitars one must actually THINK about playing, with certain guitars, though, you just seem to PLAY, such is this guitar. The woods are all superb, very well slected and bookmatched.

My ONLY criticisms are: The end of the Fretboard does NOT line up properly with the Soundhole, it protrudes a little, and just doesn't look right. The Nut should have been cut more smoothly, it tends to chaffe the trebble strings (Particularly the G). The tuning Machines are of poor quality, the D and the G tuners tend to be a bit "Choppy", not Smooth, this is a nuisance, but once the guitar is in tune it stays there. I tune when I first take the guitar out of it's case (it's usually still more or less in tune) and it's good for the rest of the day.

Again, I checked out much more expensive guitars with far more flaws. For the Money, MUCH better craftsmanship than you are paying for. I got a much better guitar than I paid for.

This guitar seems very solidly built, although I am always EXTREMELY careful with it. the Canadian Red Cedar Top is somewhat soft and the Laquer finish is VERY thin, it scratches easily and I actually put a nice little ding in the front. Cedar is a soft wood, and the thin finish leaves it open to scratches, it also alows the wood to breathe and therfore SOUND GREAT! This is a tradeoff, just take care of it! I think the tuners will last and hopefully even smooth themselves out over time.

Taken for what it is (a delicate instrument, not an armored car), it is plenty reliable. I would not describe it as particularly durable, nor would I describe ANY solid topped classical guitar as durable, that is not it's purpose.

I had several phone and E-mail correspondences with Mario at Lasido regarding these guitars before and after I purchased it. He was pleasant and helpful each and every time! I'm sure I was a pain in the neck but he never showed it.

Warranty: 2 years

I have been a musician (mostly electric Bass) for 11 years. I have in my time owned dozens of guitars (acoustic, electric, bass...) I have always been a stickler for detail. I have already mentioned the Minor complaints I have a bout this intsrument, and they were all minor.

I compared it to Yamaha, Takamine, Martin, Ramirez, Cordoba and other guitars. It was HEAD AND SHOULDER above all others even twice it's cost. Some of the Ramirez and Cordoba guitars were nicer, but FAR more expensive.

I would, without question, replace it with the same model if it were lost, destroyed, or stolen (after crying like a little girl, of course!).

I ABSOLUTELY LOVE THIS GUITAR!!!

Made in Canada. Solid Top. Satin finish. The non-glossy finish fits my personality. As long as I'm careful in handling the guitar, finish should not be an issue.

I play classical. The wide neck makes fingering easier, and the tone is very good. Bass strings are full. Higher strings are lively and bright.

The guitar was well made. No complaints purchasing as-is from the factory.

The guitar is well built. If you treat it like trash it will turn into garbage. This is true with more expensive lines too.

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I've been playing for 20 years...long enough to look beyond brand name to sound and quality. I could have bought more expensive lines made by the same company but, why pay more? I was shopping for sound and playability. Higher priced models are for people who need a big name to feel secure, or for those who are not mature enough to take good care of a fragile finish.