The Loar Acoustic Archtops

[Chazmo]

I really want to like the Loars, but I've had such a mixed experience with the ones I've tried. A 300 I played sounded just as good as a 700 I played. Two 600s sounded the best of all, but one had such a thick bridge base and/or bad neck angle, I couldn't get the action adjusted where I would want it (fixable by sanding the base, but I'm just saying...). On all the Loars I've played the necks are the old-fashined clubby, "V" shape. You either like it or not. And then there is the weird finish at the end of the fretboard where the brackets for Johnny Smith-style pickup would go. Not bad if you're going to put a pickup on--and I would, probably a Bartolini 5J or Kent Armstrong.

When Eastmans first came out, I saw an archtop at a guitar show and thought it had all the right elements and it looked great, but when I played it, it seemed like there was something missing. Fast forward a few years and I have played a couple of Eastman flattops that I thought were fantastic. Probably the best bang for the buck these days. They have come a long way. I played an AR805CE that was pretty good, but I passed on it because I have my eye on an AR605. I love the spruce/mahogany combo.

All that being said, if I ran across an absolute steal on a Loar I knew was one of the good ones, I'd take it.

[rpguitar]

Couple of original 16" Gibsons, inspiration for The Loar - just for fun.

[christianm77]

I like gauge 14 TI Bebops on my Loar LH600. It has a magnetic pickup which is a pain with bronzes.

Nickel wounds don't sound hugely quieter than bronzes - less bass, perhaps - for rhythm makes little difference. I also like the heavy top light bottom thing.

The TI plectrums sound good though.

[bananafist]

I bought an LH 700 from Foulds, here in the UK, and it was a beautiful guitar, well set up, nice figure on back and sides, and sounded pretty much like the one Rob plays in his videos. None of the problems people reported on a few years ago, when it first came out. I loved it, but sadly found the body depth and size provoked my age-related neck and shoulder problems to the extent that I had to return it. The neck is quite substantial, as on the old ones it replicates, but I was ok with that. I still think about the sound - beautiful.
I have to say Foulds were first class to deal with and in my experience, the best jazz guitar related shop in the UK. No connection other than as a customer.

[christianm77]

That reminds me - having played both an original ES150 and a 1930's L5, I have to say the Loar is really not a bad repro of this era's guitars. Mine's playing in great after a year or so....

It boggles my brain that some people actually think that Godin 5th Avenues are 'better' (although they ARE better made, possibly) - it takes a certain approach to get a good sound out of a guitar like this, and set up is very important - good luck getting the sound you dream of!_

[mr. beaumont]

Silliness. The God ins are "different" sounding (much more like a 125 or 150) and definitely more consistent in quality. But comparing them and the guitars the Loar offers is apples and oranges.

I'm currently pimping my Loar 600 out. New, more substantial bridge, pickguard, and a DeArmond "guitar mike" pickup. It'll wear bronze wound 13th and have action up about 1/4" at the 12th fret. I'm gonna practice big band guitar on it, because I'd like one of those gigs again someday.

but I also have a Godin Kingpin. It's a much better instrument overall. I'd gig it (and have) right out of the box. Great sound--worry free guitar, laminate, durable satin finish, bolt on neck. Sounds nothing like the Loar. Not supposed to. I keep it as a backup to my "main guitar," but it gives up nothing to my Heritage, except maybe the cutaway and I like the heritages larger frets if I'm playing for a long period of time.

my opinion, I have the Loar as a substitute for something better that maybe I'll afford someday.

The kingpin? If I had to, it could easily be my only guitar, and it'd never let me down on any jazz gig.

just my two cents, as a cat who has both.

[christianm77]

I think the Godin's are top notch electrics. The market is much more crowded than for acoustic archtops....

[mr. beaumont]

Agreed.

I'd actually argue still that at their price point, the Loar has NO competition.

[campusfive]

And even above their price point, it's basically only Loar and Eastman, unless you go vintage or luthier built.

[christianm77]

Going to take my LH600 along to the luthier this week - see what he suggests doing to it - I think a proper set up will work wonders. I've been playing the thing with the set up it came with for a year, so I reckon there will be a bit of room for improvement....

Will let you know how we get on!

[christianm77]

Incidentally no amount of vintage style gear will allow you to deal with non-vintage situations - such as Saturday's gig playing to 500 enthusiastic swing dancers with a 5 piece band. There were 2 other bands - a 9 piece small group and a full big band, so we were shunted onto the floor in front of the stage with no monitoring (!)

I knew what to expect with this one so I brought my 'difficult sound' rig - the magnetic pup equipped Loar with a 10' speaker amp and using an acoustic simulator pedal to get a less electric sound for rhythm. In general this works OK - decent compromise, sounded really good in the sound check.

It wasn't enough. By the end of the gig I couldn't hear my sound at all. I was getting loads of (albiet controlable) feedback and the attack/decay characteristics of the instrument were completely changing. (Incidentally, as an electric, the Loar is much better behaved than I'd expect in this regard.)

You have to question at this point whether it's really possible to play real swing music at all in that situation. I usually come away from these types of gigs wishing I'd just brought a Fender Telecaster. :-)

Maybe one of those Godin solid body acoustics might be the ticket.. Hmmm.... GAS kicks in....

[christianm77]

Ok, so I got the frets on my LH600 stoned as the fret finishes on the instrument as it comes is not the best. Lowered the action slightly. Sounds and plays great.

So - get your frets stoned!

No bad for 25GBP...