The Loar Archtops - Where they are made & wood provenance

[Dennis D]

"dedicated to actually playing the guitar and understanding music" but, more importantly, what gauge strings does he use?

...." and the string tensions, never forget the string tensions, and the string 'wraps' - -are they clockwise or counter-clockwise ? " : )

[Christian Miller]

Thanks! Was a while back.

[Stringswinger]

Thanks! Was a while back.

Query: Why did you play that tune in D flat in a guitar trio setting? I find that A) it lays better on the guitar in F and B) Bass players hate D flat. Of course, being that D flat is the usual key, we need to be able to play it there, but the great thing about a guitar trio is that we can move stuff to more friendly keys for the guitar and bass.

[garybaldy]

"dedicated to actually playing the guitar and understanding music" but, more importantly, what gauge strings does he use?

You can't go wrong with Monel 13s on a Loar 600/700 with a floater.

[Christian Miller]

Query: Why did you play that tune in D flat in a guitar trio setting? I find that A) it lays better on the guitar in F and B) Bass players hate D flat. Of course, being that D flat is the usual key, we need to be able to play it there, but the great thing about a guitar trio is that we can move stuff to more friendly keys for the guitar and bass.

It never really occurred to me to be honest.

I don't personally find it to be a guitar unfriendly key and I like the way it sounds, so it didn't occur to me to change it.

OTOH I've never actually had a bass player ask for a change of key or complain about playing in flat keys. I think most of the one's I know are used to playing tunes in whatever key - which is not to say playing it in a different key might not sound better.

That said I remember most of my Trio repertoire at this point mysteriously ending up in G major haha, so I think it was good.

It's a reasonable point, though....

[olejason]

Query: Why did you play that tune in D flat in a guitar trio setting? I find that A) it lays better on the guitar in F and B) Bass players hate D flat. Of course, being that D flat is the usual key, we need to be able to play it there, but the great thing about a guitar trio is that we can move stuff to more friendly keys for the guitar and bass.

I play bass in a trio and we always do it in Db. I don't know any bass players who hate playing in Db, it's a fun change of pace. I mostly play early hot jazz style stuff and that's one of the few tunes regularly played in Db so I'd feel remiss to change it amongst the sea of tunes in F, Bb, Ab, G, and C.

[garybaldy]

Query: Why did you play that tune in D flat in a guitar trio setting? I find that A) it lays better on the guitar in F and B) Bass players hate D flat. Of course, being that D flat is the usual key, we need to be able to play it there, but the great thing about a guitar trio is that we can move stuff to more friendly keys for the guitar and bass.

I've always done it in Db on both DB and guitar. And Body and Soul (with the Dmaj m8). It makes a nice change. I remember in the 70s being (briefly) in a pit band and doing Memory from Cats. It modulates to Gb! and then finishes on the slightly more civilised Db. I was only a rock guitarist then.

[Christian Miller]

I play bass in a trio and we always do it in Db. I don't know any bass players who hate playing in Db, it's a fun change of pace. I mostly play early hot jazz style stuff and that's one of the few tunes regularly played in Db so I'd feel remiss to change it amongst the sea of tunes in F, Bb, Ab, G, and C.

It always seems to be F and Bb with my lot haha. Eb is nice - there's a few in that key. Doctor Jazz, When I Grow Too Old To Dream. Ab too. I like Struttin' with some Barbeque in Ab, but the trumpeter is not so sure lol. So we usually do it in F. Louis was a beast.

[AllanAllen]

At this point, E, A and D are hard keys for me. Reading a chart in E… forget about it. Sharps get me so twisted up.

[Stringswinger]

At this point, E, A and D are hard keys for me. Reading a chart in E… forget about it. Sharps get me so twisted up.

Doug Munro does Stompin' at the Savoy in D

The Gypsy jazz cats do a lot of tunes in D (Night and Day, There will never be Another you and others).

Johnny Smith and Barney Kessel moved a lot of tunes to the key D. It is a great guitar key, particularly with a drop D tuning (and reading two sharps is easy enough. 4 sharps? yeah, that can present an issue for me at times as well. )

[Christian Miller]

I think I'd rather play it in D than F.

F is just a bit too bright?

[Stringswinger]

I think I'd rather play it in D than F.

F is just a bit too bright?

Me too, but the horn players don't seem to be fond of D

[AllanAllen]

I’m not advocating one key over another sonically. I’m unrehearsed at reading sharp keys and playing in them.

[Stringswinger]

I’m not advocating one key over another sonically. I’m unrehearsed at reading sharp keys and playing in them.

Allan, I recently purchased (and I am working through it) a book of Bach Cello Suites arranged by forum member Rob Mackillop for plectrum guitar. 4 of the six Cello suites are in sharp keys (the other 2 are in the key of C). This is a great tool to work on one's reading, particularly in the sharp keys. And it is superb music. Bravo to Rob for putting this out there. It is a Mel Bay book and it can be found on Amazon.com or directly from Mel Bay.

[pamosmusic]

And it is superb music.

the best music, maybe

I need to get Rob's book

[Cunamara]

He mentioned the PU and amp in post #15

I read back through the thread and somehow managed to miss that... I mean, I actually read the post but 1 + 1 = 1 at that moment...

[Christian Miller]

Me too, but the horn players don't seem to be fond of D

Wouldn’t you play it in Db then?


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[Stringswinger]

Wouldn’t you play it in Db then?


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F and D flat seem to be the keys that most cats know it in, and that is mostly where I play it. While I can play it in any key, it feels better in F because it puts me mostly around the 5th position. D seems like a good choice. Perhaps I will play it there on my gig tonight if the Tenor player is up for the challenge. I have a solo gig next week. I will try it in D on that gig for sure.

[SierraTango]

We play Stompin at the Savoy in Db. It's a duo with trumpet and guitar and the trumpet guy is always wanting Bb, Eb, Db, Ab in our rep. I can think of a handful of tunes we play in G-Out of Nowhere, It Might as Well Be Spring..Of course there is lots in C and F. Never bothered me.

[lawson-stone]

Not sure specifically about a 700, but the few 300s and the 650 I've had all a pronounced V shaped necks. I found them awkward at first but after my hands git used to it, they seemed SO much better than u shaped necks.
Really worth giving one a go, you can always resell a loar as well because they're good guitars.

Are you sure about the 650? I have an LH650 and it does not have a V neck. It's more like an ES175 except the fretboard radius is flatter.

[2bornot2bop]

Not sure specifically about a 700, but the few 300s and the 650 I've had all a pronounced V shaped necks. I found them awkward at first but after my hands git used to it, they seemed SO much better than u shaped necks.
Really worth giving one a go, you can always resell a loar as well because they're good guitars.

The LH650 does not have a V neck. I’ve owned 3 of them, and currently still own one.

[lydian_dorian]

Just picked up a Loar LH-280 from GC at an ok price. I appreciate the wide fretboard, because I play a lot of fingerstyle.

This Loar has round wound strings, but I don't know if round wounds were what was originally installed on this model. My last attempt to replace round wounds with flat wounds on an archtop (Ibanez AF75) somehow got botched -- too much tension, strings buzzing AND action too high.

How comparable with an actual Gibson ES-175 are these guitars?

[Prof Silverhair]

I became the most recent caretaker of a Loar LH650; 2010 I believe. It sounds and feels far better than it's price suggests. I have no idea where the wood came from and thickness of the lacquer or how it's braced. I just know it sounds incredible, literallly indistinguishable from a vintage archtop at 5x the money.

At the risk of adding to the neck 'controversy'...
Mine is quite modest, definitely NOT The Loar 'V' I played on a 700 - but didn't mind.

[garybaldy]

I became the most recent caretaker of a Loar LH650; 2010 I believe. It sounds and feels far better than it's price suggests. I have no idea where the wood came from and thickness of the lacquer or how it's braced. I just know it sounds incredible, literallly indistinguishable from a vintage archtop at 5x the money.

At the risk of adding to the neck 'controversy'...
Mine is quite modest, definitely NOT like The Loar V I played on a 700.

I must be the only person who's ok with the v neck on the 700.
And I like Burst Bucker Pros and 490s which are also unpopular.

[Prof Silverhair]

I must be the only person who's ok with the v neck on the 700.
And I like Burst Bucker Pros and 490s which are also unpopular.

Ooh, my mistake. I edited my post above. I meant to say my 650 is definitely NOT a 'V' like the 700....which I actually quite liked. Like you, I rather like Burstbuckers and big fact necks, lol.