The Loar Archtops - Where they are made & wood provenance

[kebbs]

Hi everyone,


I wanted to share some clarity regarding The Loar guitars, especially in light of the mixed information that’s been circulating on the web and that ChatGPT thingey


About a month ago, I bought a new LH-600 and was genuinely impressed with the quality (FYI, I've owned 30+ guitars and sold the vast majority). That naturally got me curious, so I reached out directly to The Music Link—the company behind The Loar—for some firsthand answers.


They got back to me within hours, and were both helpful and forthcoming. According to them, the guitars are built in the facility called The Carved Workshop in Shanghai, China. It’s a small-scale operation, with most of the work done by hand.

As for materials, they source their woods (in the case of LH-600 spruce and maple) from Canada. Not sure about the mahogany nor the ebony though.


Hopefully this helps other owners and prospective buyers.

[tramline]

Interesting. I just picked up an LH-700 and I'm really liking it. They really ought to get some new video of good players on these - Paul Mehling's video from like 15 years ago plus Jonathan Stout's old blog posts sold me on it!

[GuyBoden]

Here is a very young player with a nice Loar guitar sound.

[Rgblutone]

Loars are brilliant guitars.
I've had a LH300&600 a LH400 round hole archtop which I regret moving on, and also one of their parlour guitars.
Really good instruments for the money.

[garybaldy]

I'm very pleased with my LH700. It has a neck mount mini HB. Sounds great through my Polytones and unplugged.
The V neck feels good.

[garybaldy]

Here is a very young player with a nice Loar guitar sound.

Nice electric sound.
Would be interested to know the pickup and amp.

[EllenGtrGrl]

I'm very pleased with my LH700. It has a neck mount mini HB. Sounds great through my Polytones and unplugged.
The V neck feels good.

I've been intrigued by the LH700 for some time, but I wonder, how much of a V-neck it has. I don't like thin necks, but by the same token, hard V-necks are also uncomfortable to me, due to the fact that my thumb (I play classical style - thumb behind the neck) ends up being bent backwards an uncomfortable amount on necks with a serious V-profile.

[Rgblutone]

I've been intrigued by the LH700 for some time, but I wonder, how much of a V-neck it has. I don't like thin necks, but by the same token, hard V-necks are also uncomfortable to me, due to the fact that my thumb (I play classical style - thumb behind the neck) ends up being bent backwards an uncomfortable amount on necks with a serious V-profile.

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.

[ruger9]

I had a 309, it wasn't well-made. It LOOKED good but did not play very well. I've heard the 309's can be hit-or-miss, mine was definitely a miss. I have heard this only about the 309... I wonder if they are made somewhere else, because I haven't read complaints about other Loars.

[garybaldy]

I've been intrigued by the LH700 for some time, but I wonder, how much of a V-neck it has. I don't like thin necks, but by the same token, hard V-necks are also uncomfortable to me, due to the fact that my thumb (I play classical style - thumb behind the neck) ends up being bent backwards an uncomfortable amount on necks with a serious V-profile.

When I bought mine I don't believe I knew about the neck 'controversy' and thought nothing of it when first I played it. Definitely not an issue for me. All guitar necks are different! You can detect it though. Someone on facebook once asked about it and I produced a rough but fairly close stencil of the shape!! Strangely, visually, it doesn't seem that much of a V.

[GuyBoden]

When I bought mine I don't believe I knew about the neck 'controversy' and thought nothing of it when first I played it. Definitely not an issue for me. All guitar necks are different! You can detect it though. Someone on facebook once asked about it and I produced a rough but fairly close stencil of the shape!! Strangely, visually, it doesn't seem that much of a V.

It's nothing that a sand paper block can't fix.

[Marty Grass]

To be antagonistic, what ever happened to suffering for your art? When I was young, my fellow players never talked about a neck not feeling good. I don't know of a single exception. Myself, I had Gibsons with thin necks and a LP Jr. with a fat neck. I also had a very old L-5 with a baseball bat neck. My friends also had various brands and models.

In high school I played percussion in the marching band. The bass drum and even the xylophones did not feel good when parading 5 miles. I don't remember hearing a complaint, and if someone did complain, nothing would change anyway. I can understand a virtuoso playing at the edge of his talent being finicky.

Django certainly had a right to complain in my opinion. But that's a different story.

That said, to this day it takes a few minutes for me to adjust to a neck size switch. It takes me maybe a little longer to go from a Tele to a L-5 or Super 400. But notable guitarists do that all the time. I recall studio musicians being very adaptable.

I did a stage setup for Bobby Vinton when I was a kid. Aside from singing very well, I handed him a clarinet, a sax, and a trumpet. He then played the piano. He did all of these masterfully. I spent time with him, as well as with some other artists, Jerry Reed being one, before them taking the stage. None of them seemed fussy.

I'm not advocating that an artist suffer to the point of cutting off an ear. But sometimes I'm reminded of Hubbel Gardner's quote in The All American Smile:

In a way, he was like the country he lived in. Everything came too easily to him. But at least he knew it. About once a month he worried that he was a fraud, but then most everyone he knew was more fraudulent. Sometimes he felt. . . there's really no reason for us to change. But of course by then, they were too lost or too lazy. It had always been too easy.

And my problem, too. It has always been too easy. A gift, and a curse.

[garybaldy]

It's nothing that a sand paper block can't fix.

Would you need to? I wouldn't.

[garybaldy]

To be antagonistic, what ever happened to suffering for your art? When I was young, my fellow players never talked about a neck not feeling good. I don't know of a single exception. Myself, I had Gibsons with thin necks and a LP Jr. with a fat neck. I also had a very old L-5 with a baseball bat neck. My friends also had various brands and models.

In high school I played percussion in the marching band. The bass drum and even the xylophones did not feel good when parading 5 miles. I don't remember hearing a complaint, and if someone did complain, nothing would change anyway. I can understand a virtuoso playing at the edge of his talent being finicky.

Django certainly had a right to complain in my opinion. But that's a different story.

That said, to this day it takes a few minutes for me to adjust to a neck size switch. It takes me maybe a little longer to go from a Tele to a L-5 or Super 400. But notable guitarists do that all the time. I recall studio musicians being very adaptable.

I did a stage setup for Bobby Vinton when I was a kid. Aside from singing very well, I handed him a clarinet, a sax, and a trumpet. He then played the piano. He did all of these masterfully. I spent time with him, as well as with some other artists, Jerry Reed being one, before them taking the stage. None of them seemed fussy.

I'm not advocating that an artist suffer to the point of cutting off an ear. But sometimes I'm reminded of Hubbel Gardner's quote in The All American Smile:

In a way, he was like the country he lived in. Everything came too easily to him. But at least he knew it. About once a month he worried that he was a fraud, but then most everyone he knew was more fraudulent. Sometimes he felt. . . there's really no reason for us to change. But of course by then, they were too lost or too lazy. It had always been too easy.

And my problem, too. It has always been too easy. A gift, and a curse.

Exactly. But, I always had no time for people whinging about the weight of a Les Paul. I regularly gig with one and at 69 I now need a day to recover. And of course my vintage gear seems a lot heavier nowadays.
I'm still going to plod on though - gig later today!!
Also struggling with my double bass with my RA. Got support gloves now. I'm turning down back to back gigs. One a week is all I want.
Yes, and as I said in a previous post 'all guitars are different' - just like driving different cars.

[Christian Miller]

Nice electric sound.
Would be interested to know the pickup and amp.

I had a Attila Zoller on it at that point. I think I was using a Joyo American Sound with an AER Alpha.

[GuyBoden]

I had a Attila Zoller on it at that point. I think I was using a Joyo American Sound with an AER Alpha.

Sorry to trouble you, but I'm very interested in what pickup replaced the Attila Zoller and why?

This is interesting because I have a 'Attila Zoller'.

[garybaldy]

I had a Attila Zoller on it at that point. I think I was using a Joyo American Sound with an AER Alpha.

Thanks. I didn't have much luck with a Zoller. I replaced it with a mini HB form an Ibanez AT. It gives a much smoother and balanced sound. The top E string was really quiet with the Zoller.
The AZ sounds good on your 600.

[tramline]

I don't feel like the V neck on the LH-700 gives me any trouble, coming from the medium C neck on my Hofner New President. It's definitely a little chunkier but still comfortable; but nothing like the monster necks on an old Harmony or something like that. Certainly an easier switch than the super-weird "U" neck on the Gitane John Jorgenson signature I had for about 2 minutes, which is the only guitar I've ever gotten rid of specifically due to the factor.

[digger]

Loars are brilliant guitars.
I've had a LH300&600 a LH400 round hole archtop which I regret moving on, and also one of their parlour guitars.
Really good instruments for the money.

I have the LH400 and I really like it, although it is a tad quiet unless I drive it with a big Wegen pick! I'm still searching for the ideal strings. But it's a lovely guitar and so comfortable to play.

[Fear the Reaper]

Like the drummer also!

Here is a very young player with a nice Loar guitar sound.

[kebbs]

Are they still being produced? I read Music Link shut down operations this summer.

[Cunamara]

Here is a very young player with a nice Loar guitar sound.

Christian, of course, is a prolific contributor to the forum in the theory subform (you know, the part of the forum that's dedicated to actually playing the guitar and understanding music). Those who are interested in the guitar, the pickup, the amp could probably PM him and ask.

[garybaldy]

Christian, of course, is a prolific contributor to the forum in the theory subform (you know, the part of the forum that's dedicated to actually playing the guitar and understanding music). Those who are interested in the guitar, the pickup, the amp could probably PM him and ask.

He mentioned the PU and amp in post #15

[GuyBoden]

Here is a very young player with a nice Loar guitar sound.

Christian, of course, is a prolific contributor to the forum in the theory subform (you know, the part of the forum that's dedicated to actually playing the guitar and understanding music). Those who are interested in the guitar, the pickup, the amp could probably PM him and ask.

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

[Bill C]

Here is a very young player with a nice Loar guitar sound.

Ha! Well said sir - and lovely playing by all.