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It must have been about 2014 or so…when like an idiot I sold one of the finest acoustic electrics I’ve ever owned. It was a Loar LH-650 in the rare hard to find blonde finish. That guitar had been owned by a forum member who had upgraded the bridge and fitted it with a Bartolini 5J floater. Having never owned one I was skeptical, but curious.
When that guitar arrived I plugged it in…and with the first chord I thought…What’s this? I’d never before heard a 16” acoustic with a woodier tone. I was so impressed that I thought I’ll never sell this, in spite of it’s lowly $1k price.
Well, not long after came the opportunity to buy my first L5CES, then a Wesmo, then a Super 400, then another CES…my retirement income was saying , something’s got to give.
So out went that Loar, with the thought that, no problem, I’ll pick up another someday. Well, for the past 10 years I’ve searched up and down, and as used prices continued to climb, because Loar stopped making the model, the guitar became extinct, and therefore impossible to find.
That is, until one night recently while cruising Reverb what do I discover but a brand new never before sold LH-650 in sunburst. Now Loar stopped producing these near as I can tell around 2011-2012, but most serial numbers of the model were only found with serial numbers from 2007 to 2009. According to its serial number this guitar was built in 2019. What the?! How is that possible?
The seller was from Japan. Was it possible that Loar continued to build some of these exclusively for the Asian market, I wondered?
This would require several rolls of the dice. You see, this archtop developed a bad reputation because Loar wasn’t consistent with the necks. 3 outa 4 LH650’s were being reported with bad neck angles, which didn’t allow you to set up the guitar with low action. But I had already owned one that was right. That guitar was perfect in every respect.
The upside of this guitar is rather than the V neck of the well known LH600 and LH700, the LH650’s have a very comfortable C shaped neck. And of course a rarity, for Asian market instruments it’s finished in nitrocellulose.
So, communicating with the seller, he sent me photos of measurements taken along specific locations of the fretboard with the bridge lowered. The measurements sold me on the guitar.
So here we go again, bringing in another guitar, blind. And from Japan no less. But in the past I’ve had good luck with EMS. Hmmm…well, I’m not getting any younger.
After allowing the guitars temperature to acclimatize for 24 hours, this morning I said…here goes nothing!
I knew what the standard was…which was the guitar I’d sold 10 years ago. When this guitar is right, you’ve got a true gem in hand. The majority here have never experienced this guitar, partly because of its heritage, its modest price perhaps, or frankly there’s simply no interest.
But, does lighting strike twice? I’m pleased to report, some ten years later, yes indeed.
I’ve ordered a set of TI Bebop Rounds, my preference for acoustics. But I did have a bridge lying around to replace the stock bridge.
Here’s the original, and the new arrival…
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12-03-2024 04:11 PM
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Congrats, Greg. Love the backstory. Enjoy the new guitar!
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Nice score. I've always wanted to try one one of those. The only Loars I've been able to try in the real world were an LH-600 (which had a bad neck angle) and an LH-350 (which was underwhelming).
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Very cool 2B!
Congrats!
PS:I don't want to derail your thread, but I want you to know I'm really digging the F.S. Allen! It's a great guitar, it likes it here with me and doesn't seem to mind living with the archtops.
Thanks Bro!
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2B, Congrats and may she inspire your playing for many years to come. Don't sell this one!!!!
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Nice score, sounds like it worked out for the best as I know you prefer brunettes to blondes
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I had actually posted a PSA about this very guitar, and toyed more than once with the idea to get it myself and sell mine which does have a few quirks I still need to have sorted out.
Somebody got lucky that I don't have money to throw around like that!
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The Loar 350's are not very hard to find, how do they differ from the 650? Look the same in photos.
The Loar LH-350-VS Sunburst Hollow Body Electric Guitar w/ Hard Shell Case | eBay
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The LH650 is the poor man's L4c. I have the blond one and like you, I just couldn't turn it loose. I'm in the midst of a pickup change on it right now.
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Yes, but the one he had on eBay had the bad neck angle. He felt bad about it and said wait, I think I have another. He measured the action on it and it was a go.
Originally Posted by RJVB
The 350 has laminated back and sides. The 650 is all solid woods. Originally Posted by Mick-7
Real poor man here. But actually it was a great discovery a decade ago. The extremely Woody tone I got was with the Bartolini 5J. That doesn’t mean you couldn’t duplicate that with a KA Johnny Smith, or any other floater, but the 5J was the pickup I had experience with. Originally Posted by lawson-stone
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Thx Joe! I couldn’t explain it without writing a short story! Originally Posted by losaltosjoe
Thx John! I had a 700 but couldn’t gel with the V neck. Yeah, it’s a pity so many of these had bad neck angles. But you know, the guitars that were right don’t come up for sale. Originally Posted by John A.
Bro, that Allen is a gem. I recently noticed he’s selling new ones again on eBay. But they’re 50-60% more expensive now! Enjoy that guitar, and I’m happy it went to you bro! Originally Posted by skykomishone
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Thx M2R! Originally Posted by HiFi Mule2Ride
Thx SS, yep I’ve learned my lesson! Originally Posted by Stringswinger
Thx WM! You know me as well as a Cheesesteak bro! Originally Posted by wintermoon
Nice score, sounds like it worked out for the best as I know you prefer brunettes to blondes
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My partner’s ex-husband brought one to Thanksgiving at her son’s place last week. I brought my travel flattop thinking we were gonna have some singalongs, but for some reason didn’t happen.
Unfortunately I didn’t get to lay hands on the Loar.
I’ve never played a cutaway version, but the non cutaway versions I’ve tried have been great. Closest you can get to vintage in a new guitar that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
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The cutaway LH650 has become a rare bird, namely because so many of them arrived with bad neck angles. Yet some actually arrived with good necks, so I feel fortunate. Waiting for a pickup to arrive. Originally Posted by Doctor Jeff
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Congratulations! I have a couple of guitars I wish I never sold, and I also keep scanning Reverb. But so far no luck. It's great you found yours again!
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