La Patrie : Etude, Concert & Collection

Nestled in the forests of the Eastern Townships in Québec, Canada, there is a small village named LaPatrie. What started as a small l

uthier shop in 1982 has evolved into a village of guitar builders. Today there are over 200 people in LaPatrie dedicated to the art of hand crafting guitars. in honour of that tradition, our line of classical guitars has been named after the village where they were created.

The LaPatrie Series of classical guitars consists of five models. The Motif, Etude, Presentation, Concert and the Collection. All LaPatrie guitars are crafted from top quality tone woods to produce instruments of exceptional resonance and structural integrity.

"Different Flavor for the Modern Player"

Click image to view the Press Release of the New LaPatrie Hybrid CW. (pdf format)

Lacquer Finish
LaPatrie guitars are finished with a special lacquer formula. This finish is light enough to allow the wood to breath and vibrate freely. The tops resonating capacity actually improves as the guitar is played over an extended period of time. This gradual improvement in the response of the top is often referred to as "aging". Poly finishes inhibit top vibration and are therefore never used on LaPatrie guitars. Many other guitars use a thick plastic finish that smothers top vibration and prevents the benefits of aging.

800 Year Old Trees
All LaPatrie guitars feature solid cedar tops. The wood used in these tops can be found only in cedar trees that have an average age of about 800 years. The tight, straight grain in this wood makes it strong in the direction of the string tension while at the same time flexible across the grain lines. It is this combination of rigidity and flexibility that give the top its resonance. The vibration of the guitar top is the most crucial element of the sound.

Classics that are comfortable to play
Classical guitars of the past have typically been made with thick neck dimensions, while this promoted a certain amount of neck stability, it often made certain playing aspects difficult to execute. It is for this reason that special attention was directed to the neck design of the LaPatrie guitars. Neck width and string spacing conform to classical standards, but a new truss rod system allows the profile of the neck to be reduced producing a neck of extraordinary comfort, while increasing stability. The LaPatrie necks are carved from Honduras mahogany. All LaPatrie models feature a rosewood fingerboard and bridge.

The Mahogany/Cedar Models
Motif
The Motif takes its compact dimensions from turn-of-the-century parlor guitars. This is an excellent instrument for anyone more comfortable with a smaller instrument. The compact body of the Motif suggests a ¾ size instrument but this is a full-scale guitar. Most children from about six years old can handle the Motif quite comfortably and because they are practicing on a full-scale switching to a full size classical guitar can be accomplished with very little adjustment. There is more to the compact body style of the Motif than comfort, this is a serious guitar with many of the same features that professional guitarists look for in the best handcrafted instruments. The solid cedar top and genuine lacquer finish ensure that this guitar will not only sound great when you first receive it but will actually become better sounding with playing over time. The body is made from a three-way lamination of hardwood that includes a poplar center sandwiched between two layers of mahogany. The Motif neck is made from Honduras mahogany with an Indian rosewood fingerboard.

Etude
The Etude is the most popular model in the La Patrie lineup. The Etudes specifications match those of the Motif but with a full size body. Incredibly responsive thanks to the feather-light lacquer finish, this guitar features great dynamic range along with the harmonically rich sound that you usually find in a guitar several times the price.

Concert
The Concert is the top-of-the-line of the mahogany/cedar models. The Concert receives eight coats of lacquer that are buffed down to a highly responsive high gloss finish. This special process takes eight days to complete.

The Rosewood Models
Presentation
The Presentation is made with a three-way lamination of hardwood that includes a poplar center sandwiched between two layers of rosewood. Rosewood is a tone-wood of exceptional response and projection. A solid cedar top and semi-gloss lacquer finish round out the package.

Collection
The Collection combines Indian rosewood back and sides—in this case the back is solid rosewood—with a luthier-grade solid cedar top and high gloss lacquer finish. Built by our most experienced luthiers in the Godin acoustic studio. This guitar is top-of-the-line in every respect. The beautifully understated appearance is perfectly complimented by the Collection's exquisite sound and feel.

Dealer Listing
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CRITICA

Click image to view the Review of the New LaPatrie Hybrid CW from the December 2006 issue of Musico Pro Magazine. (pdf format)