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July 17, 2009 - Breedlove Revival OMR Acoustic Guitar
by
Brayden Dyczkowski
Coming
from a company that typically puts a considerable amount of effort into the
aesthetics of their instruments, the Breedlove OM-R Revival Series steel string
acoustic guitar is relatively simple looking. So, then, what did the fine folks
at the Breedlove factory spend their time working on with this guitar to warrant
it's $2295 price tag? Why, the sound, of course!
With its Sitka Spruce top and Indian Rosewood back and sides, the OM-R looks
and sounds like a traditional steel-string acoustic-but everything about it
seems to be a bit nicer than most. The bass response is clear and articulate,
but not overbearing; the highs ring out with rich harmonic overtones, but manage
to avoid sounding harsh or brittle, and; the neck is a bit wider than most acoustic
guitar necks, which makes it comfortable for playing fingerstyle, but not so
wide that chords feel awkward. The sound that comes out of this thing is truly
balanced in every sense of the word, from the mix of highs and lows to the overall
volume; the sound emanating from this guitar is pleasurable to the ears.
The guitar's current setup is ideal for rhythm strumming, but it plays so well
that a millimeter or so shaved off the bridge saddle would turn this puppy into
an acoustic lead machine, the weapon of choice for playin' some sweet leads
on the beach!
Breedlove
Revival OM-R - buy it online from Larsen Music!
Revival
OM-R At Breedlovemusic.com
Breedlove
Company Overview (Video)
$2295 (CAD)
July 3, 2009 - Wilhelm Klier Guarneri Copy 4/4 Violin, made in Germany
by Galen Hartley
My favorite violin in the shop is a 2005 4/4 Guarneri copy made in Germany by Wilhelm Klier. Its sound is sweet and well balanced - a little darker than most of our stock, but still open and articulate. Lots of fun to play. Also lovely to look at - rich red varnish and a deep, narrow flame in the maple back. Strung with Pirastro Obligato strings. Come in to the store to check it out, or call for more info!
May 8, 2009 - Pono Solid Mango Tenor Ukulele
by Paul Laverick
In the past, if you wanted a ukulele you had to go the novelty section of your local music shop. If you moved the slide whistles and clown car horns out of the way y ou would uncover a single, probably pink cardboard ukulele. Well those days are gone, friends, because Larsen Music is now the ukulele Store in Victoria. We stock Aquila and Worth strings, lots of books, DVDs, cases and of course a wide selection of instruments.
Today I’m talking about Pono Ukuleles. We have just received our first batch of these fine instruments and I want to share my delight with you all. A Pono is a slightly more affordable Replica of the Ko’olau Ukulele (one of the big 4 K’s from Hawaii) which we’ll also see here in the store at some point in the future. They’re made of solid Hawaiian tone woods and finished with excellent detail. I have here a tenor made from delicious mango wood. This has a gloss finish which I normally don’t like but the wood grain is so beautiful on this instrument that I don’t care. When I first picked it up it felt a little heavy but I am used to playing a very light concert. The neck feels good, not too thin which is important to balance out a larger instrument, especially if you don’t use a strap. Strumming it gives you a mellow, warm sound, but in there somewhere is a soft growl from the bass strings. The trebles are not the loudest in the world but they sustain very well. The strings are held at the bridge by ebony pins, it has a bone nut and saddle, a truss rod and a spiffy hard case.
If this instrument isn’t in the shop by the time you get here don’t be surprised. However, the solid mahogany tenor comes a very close second.
Buy the Pono Solid Mango Tenor Uke online from Larsen Music!
Browse our selection of Ukuleles online!
March
4, 2009 - Gold
Tone W-SM Weissenborn® Hawaiian steel guitar
By Marc
Jenkins
 Delicious.
That's the easiest and most effective way to describe pretty much everything
about the Gold Tone W-SM. The original Weissenborns® haven't been
made for over 60 years, and their popularity was waning, until a recent
resurgence led by David Lindley, Ry Cooder, Greg Leisz, Jerry Douglas
and Ben Harper. A lot more guitar builders started making copies, but
they were typically quite expensive, and finding originals in playable
condition was tricky at best.
Enter
the Gold Tone W-SM, which is a great guitar at a truly decent price.For
those not familiar, the Weissenborn® is a truly unique instrument,
built unlike other guitars. The neck, which on a standard guitar is a
separate piece of wood joined with a glued join or bolted on, is in this
case a part of the body.
The top, back and sides are each constructed of a single piece of solid
mahogany, creating a hollow neck. This is what gives the Weissenborn®
such a distinct and sweet tone. You can feel the whole thing resonate
through your legs when you're playing. It's further appointed with an
ebony bridge, rosewood fingerboard (not that you need it) and bone nut
and saddle. Again, delicious!
Buy
the Weissenborn W-SM online from Larsen Music
Check
out our other great Gold Tone instruments!
Learn
More about Gold Tone instruments at their website!
Dec
16, 2008 - Breedlove
C25/CRH Acoustic Guitar
By Paul
Laverick
This
wee k
I have chosen, out of the many new guitars we have here at the shop, a
Breedlove pro series guitar. Now, if you're not familiar with the name
Breedlove
(as I wasn't until this year): they are a company based in Bend, Oregon
and have been building since 1990. They're getting out there and building
a great reputation. We just became a dealer so we have a
full range of their guitars and a couple of mandolins.
I am talking today about the C25/CRH,
which has a solid red AAA cedar top, solid AAA rosewood back and sides
with a LR Baggs pickup. The shape of this guitar gives you an idea of some of the design concepts Breedlove has, but if those angles are
scaring you don't worry, my folky friend. They make all the normal shape
guitars too.
Okay, on to the sound. Its BIG. All these guitars have the big bright
tone of a modern well balanced instrument, but this most of all has a
low, warm growl to the bass strings. Just so you know, this guitar has
a feature called the 'bridge truss'. Like the neck truss rod, it's designed
to regulate tension.
The
bridge truss takes tension away from the sound board by pushingagainst
the rear block... I think. Anyway, it allows the soundboard to be free
and vibrate like it should, giving you more tone. The build quality is
fantastic and it's easy to play (all the things you'd expect, really).
You just have to play the instruments and make up your own mind as to
which one you like. We are very proud to stock these fine guitars and
mandolins, so come in and see what we have.
Check
out Breedlove's full line at www.breedlove.com
Browse
Larsen Music's stock of Breedlove products
Buy
the C25/CRH online from Larsen Music
Nov
25 , 2008 - Christopher 300 Series Double Bass
By
Travis Short
Many
of you out there are familiar with the layout of the Larsen Music Store.
For those of you who are not, when you climb the ol' familiar set of stairs
and enter our store, you are actually upstairs.
What,
you say?!
Directly
to the right you will see the other ol' familiar stairs that lead down
to the string department. I spend most of my days upstairs watching the
birds fly by, wondering how those Christopher Basses are doing down on
the main floor. Well today, the rest of the Larsen team said I could go
downstairs and try one out as long as I cleaned the washroom first. I
jumped on this rare opportunity and just as I figured, it did not disappoint.
After putting my toilet brush away and washing my hands (always wash your
hands before playing), I settled down with our Christopher 300 series
with Busetto corners.
First, the
details. This bass features a solid spruce top with laminate maple sides
and back. The neck thickness is somewhere in the middle. Not too thick,
not too thin. As well, this instrument has a fully rounded fingerboard
and a round back with impressive maple figuring for a student model. We
have outfitted this bass with an adjustable bridge and D'addario Hybrid
strings. These strings are great for someone who wants to play a mix of
arco and pizzicato. We have also set this bass up with a nice playable
action.
Second, the
sound. I began with some long tones and a few scales with the bow. The
bass spoke easily and balanced well from string to string. The bass has
a nice dark growl and should blend well with a group. I did a quick search
for any wolf tones and as usual on a hybrid bass, I did not find any.
I've actually never found one on a hybrid.
Now for some pizzicato. I played a little bit of Stella by Starlight,
working  my
way around the fingerboard. The bass played nice up and down the neck.
Thumb position was manageable thanks to the set-up. (Not to say that my
thumb position playing was anything to write home about.)
Overall,
it's a great instrument for someone who is serious about discovering the
double bass. Plus it's a great looking instrument with those Busetto corners!
I'm thinking about volunteering to give the washroom another once over
so I can play it one more time.
Call or email
us for more information about Christopher Basses!
October
4 , 2008 - Korg SP250
Portable Digital Piano
by
Erika Marksteiner
 Finally,
Larsen Music has keyboards!
The Korg
SP250 is a light, portable digital piano with a big robust sound sampled
from a concert grand. Its keys feature the new RH3 weighted hammer action,
giving it the feel of an acoustic without taking up all that space.
This piano is perfect for the apartment dweller who wants a full 88-key
piano but has limited room (me!), or for the family whose child is taking
their first piano lessons and wants a good piano that isn't too expensive.
As a piano teacher, I'd fully recommend this piano to my students as
it has all the advantages of an acoustic piano, but doesn't take up
much room and has a very reasonable price tag. It also has a wide array
of sounds such as classic electric pianos, organs, strings and choir,
harpsichord and more. Play with chorus or reverb effects to give your
sound a bit of oomph, or plug in your headphones so you don't disturb
the neighbors. It even has
an onboard metronome for practicing your timing. It's also great for
the travelling pianist who wants something lightweight to take to gigs.
Its stereo outputs allow it to be connected to external speakers, making
it great for performances and recording. MIDI in/out jacks allow it
to be connected to a computer or a synthesizer as well. Just need a
keyboard for your gig, or don't want to buy one right away? We rent
them too!
Rent: $55/month
Sale Price: $1125 (bench extra)
More Specs
at www.korg.com
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June
12, 2008 - Peavey
6505 2x12 Combo Amp
 by
Brayden Dyczkowski
This
amp has enough bone-crushing high-gain power to bring the side of a building
down. Specifically designed for playing heavy metal, the Peavey 6505 2x12
Combo amp pushes 60 watts RMS through five 12AX7 preamp tubes and two
6L6GC power amp tubes. The half-stack version of this amp has been described
as a Marshall JCM2000 on steroids, so if you are looking for a high-gain
metal amplifier that won't break your pocket book, look no more.
Check
out the Peavey 6505 2x12 at our Peavey Dealer website
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May
21, 2008: Zoom H4 Handy Recorder
 by
Steve Sutton
This
pick may be the most valuable tool any musician can buy. Hey, why  stop
at musicians? Are you doing field research and need sound clips? How 'bout
doing interviews or attending lectures? No matter what you do, if you
need recorded sound and you lack the money for a crew of roadies to haul
around equipment then this is what you have been looking for. It is simple
and easy to use and is only the size of a TV remote.
The
H4 runs on 2 AA batteries or with the supplied AC adapter and records
onto an SD card. The supplied USB cable makes for quick and easy transfer
to a computer and best of all it is compatible with all of the newest
operating systems including Windows Vista and Mac OS 10.X.
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4
-track recording
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When
you do get to do some recording there are 4 different formats to choose
from including 3 levels of .WAV as well as .mp3. Recordings can be made
using the on-board microphones; by plugging in external microphones or
by coming direct out of a mixing board. There are two choices of recording
mode: either stereo or if you want a little more control over the final
product, 4-track mode.
The
unit has an easy to understand menu system accessed by the "menu" button
and controlled by a separate toggle - sounds complicated but everything
lies under your fingers. The bottom line really is the quality of sound
that the unit records.
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On-board
microphones
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Whether
it is a live situation or a quiet rehearsal studio the H4 lets you
hear every note- the recording quality is simply out of this world,
it is truly something
you need to hear to believe. There's more: all of the input sources
can be adjusted at the flick of a switch to suit any recording situation
including outside (just slide on the wind screen and you are set!).
Steve Sutton, Master of Stock & Occasional Hand Model
Read
about the H4 on Zoom's Official Website
Order
the Zoom H4 online from Larsen Music
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May 6, 2008: Five-String Fiddola
By Laura Clement
This staff pick will get you kicking up your heels and hooting with glee. The crème-de-la-crème of funky fiddle fantasticness, this five string viola, a fiddola, is what I and every C-string loving fiddle player have been waiting for. You may have seen some around town, those instruments that make you do a double take: "Wait a second, there are five pegs on that violin!"This particular one is a 15 ½ inch Sinfonica viola that has been converted to a five string, meaning it not only has the full viola range, with a C, G, D, and A string, but it's got the full violin range, with an E to round things out.
We've only got this one lovely specimen, but luckily we also have a
 string repair shop, which means that we can do conversions to your instrument! We're planning on converting a few more violas and maybe a violin for those of you who don't like to stretch too much. If you're interested in checking out the coolest trend in the string world, come see for yourself. The bridge curvature takes some getting used to because of the added string, but other than that if you can play fiddle, you can play fiddola! I'm itching to get started on another conversion so come on down!
Laura Clement, string repairs and sales
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April 18, 2008: Eastwood Airline Tuxedo Electric Guitar
 This is the first of our Larsen Music staff picks, and it's mine!
We are happy to announce that we now sell the Eastwood and Airline guitars. They're already selling like multicoloured hotcakes because they all look and play great, but I need to talk about this one in particular.
The Tuxedo has a chambered body and two high output P90 pickups. It's based on the 1950's Barney Kessel Kay guitar and I covet it with a passion.
I was interested in it for it's jazz tones but soon found it to be quite dynamic. The warm tones are just what I like. The neck pickup is bright  and crisp and the mid tones are quite unique. It 's 25 ½ scale length give the bass strings a clarity you don't often find in hollow body guitars. Even though we sometimes deny it, guitar players are suckers for a good looking instrument and this is no way an exception. As well as the black and white model (in stock) it's just been released in Copper.
Basically, this guitar is brilliant and anyone coming in here to buy it is going to have a very hard time getting it past me.
Paul Laverick, guitar repairs and sales
Eastwood Guitars Specs Page
Buy the Tuxedo Online from Larsen Music
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