3 Larrivee

ok, wth LoL

Firstly, I love Larivee basses... some of the greatest I played in my lifetime, back in the 80s.

Secondly, 3 6 string headstocks, but 2 of them have 5 string bridges and nuts and are strung 5 string. WTH??

And the frets on the one on the right? that's not real, is it? What's with the frets? That would be way out of tune with most guitarists??

hahaha, this can't be a real photo, right?

And not to mention, I never saw even a 5 string Larivee in my entire life, only 4 strings, and never a double P configuraiton, and he had a thing for black hardware. If he DID make 6 string basses, that's amazing, I wish I had one. But if he did, and you own like all 3 in existence, then you'd have to have replaced the bridges with 5 string versions and the nuts to convert 2 of them to 5 string basses.

So if this is real, which I'm hoping it is - there must be some really interesting back stories here!

Hi dKelley… Yes, there is an interesting back story... I've actually (over a period of 35 years) owned 6 different 6 string Larrivée basses... Over the course of years I've sold 3... The Big Red is almost stock, and I've had her for 30 years… The only modification is a new bridge... since the original bridge was chrome… It is a killer bass… I've compared it to basses twice the price, and there is no comparison… or we've just grown together over the years … The Blue with the strange frets, was originally a fretless 6 string... It was converted two years ago, when changing the bridge from 6 strings to 5... and adding True Temperament frets… The second blue is also converted from 6 strings to 5... The reason for the conversions was simply the need for wider spacing… Playing in a Peter Gabriel tribute band, I needed the extra spacing to be able to play funk fingers... The Big Red is equipped with Bartolini pups and the other two with EMGs...

...oh yes, here is the link to the company producing the True Temperament frets...
True Temperament

Sweet stories! thanks!

Physics-wise, I can't stand the idea of tempered-tuning frets, since it assumes a lot about the keys you're playing in and the instrumentalists, and instruments, you are playing with. Don't get me into that discussion - I'm sure it works great for your needs or you wouldn't have done it

The 6 to 5 string conversions are very cool and make sense - I had zero idea that he made any 6s or even 5s, so that's super bizarre to find out LoL. Also I guess I remembered backwards about him using black hardware... maybe it's just the black knobs I'm remembering he liked to use.

awesome instruments! VERY NICE collection!