2017 LaCroix 000-12
A meticulously constructed twelve fret 000 of highly figured birds'eye maple and Sitka spruce by St. Thomas, Ontario builder John LaCroix. Typical of LaCroix guitars, the workmanship is of the highest calibre and the guitar's assortment of wooden accents are tastefully balanced and detailed. The guitar is finished in a high-gloss hand rubbed Nitrocellulose lacquer and dressed up with gold Gotoh vintage style tuners, a slotted headstock, and pearl headstock inlay.
LaCroix's tops are fairly traditionally braced, with long scallops in the main X and face braces and a small bridge plate. His back bracing, by contrast is quite unique – employing a modified X layout (Etoile Bracing), and he uses a tone-ring of rosewood between the sides and the side/top kerfing to add clarity and power. The end result is a very fine sounding guitar, so whatever he's doing seems to working out nicely.
The neck has an even feel up the fretboard, and a round, full carve. The nut measures 1-13/16”, and the strings spread to 2-5/16” at the bridge. Lacroix's fretwork is consistent with the workmanship of the guitar, and the instrument plays comfortably and easily.
Tonally, the guitar has a well developed pallet of overtones and a slightly compressed fundamental, making it a good choice for a fingerstyle musician who appreciates a consistently responsive instrument. A light attack brings a lot of volume out of the guitar and, as such, we'd recommend this guitar to a player with a light to moderate right hand attack.
With hardshell case, and luthier's warranty.
LaCroix's tops are fairly traditionally braced, with long scallops in the main X and face braces and a small bridge plate. His back bracing, by contrast is quite unique – employing a modified X layout (Etoile Bracing), and he uses a tone-ring of rosewood between the sides and the side/top kerfing to add clarity and power. The end result is a very fine sounding guitar, so whatever he's doing seems to working out nicely.
The neck has an even feel up the fretboard, and a round, full carve. The nut measures 1-13/16”, and the strings spread to 2-5/16” at the bridge. Lacroix's fretwork is consistent with the workmanship of the guitar, and the instrument plays comfortably and easily.
Tonally, the guitar has a well developed pallet of overtones and a slightly compressed fundamental, making it a good choice for a fingerstyle musician who appreciates a consistently responsive instrument. A light attack brings a lot of volume out of the guitar and, as such, we'd recommend this guitar to a player with a light to moderate right hand attack.
With hardshell case, and luthier's warranty.