The Loar LH-600

[D.G.]

If it's pure volume you're after though, get an Altamira M01D. Loudest guitar I've ever played.

Loudest acoustic I've ever played has to be the Dupont MDC50. The notes just leap out of 'em. But it's really not fair to compare gypsy guitars to archtops

[christianm77]

Loudest acoustic I've ever played has to be the Dupont MDC50. The notes just leap out of 'em. But it's really not fair to compare gypsy guitars to archtops

Mmmmmm yes lovely Duponts (goes glazed eyed)

[Chip4274]

Hey folks ! I just thought I’d contribute to the thread here as I am a proud owner of a Loar Lh600-BK. I’ve gigged, recorded and rehearsed with this guitar over the past 5 years and have loved it. It’s as loud as a cannon, but has a fullness and even some warmth that I’ve not heard in other jazz acoustics (such as selmer-maccaferri copies). I’ve played and demoed the real thing for Lowe Vintage instruments in NC: a ‘36 Gibson L5 (omg!), and while the Loar isn’t exactly as good as that it does compare favorably. The main issues for me is roughshod finish near the neckjoint...they just didn’t care at the factory. But for me, I’m mostly concerned about the sound and tone, projection. It’s built tough too, I’ve played in the rhythm section with the Mint Julep Jazz Band and Michael Gamble and the Rhythm Serenaders and it’s filled the role perfectly. I’ve flown in an out of airports with it and not been worried. Great guitar for the $$ and dependable. Perfect for the working musician who doesn’t want to expose a vintage instrument to the “slings and arrows of outrageous fortune.” -ahem

[campusfive]

There's a reason I basically recommend them to any person looking for an acoustic archtop who can't spend for a killer vintage guitar. They really do the job.

[Geert]

I've been playing my 600 for allmost 10 years now, great guitar.
Regarding the unfinished part under the neck extension over the body, I recently bought a 1945 Epiphone Triumph and this guitar also has an unfinished part under the neck extension. I guess this is an unreachable spot for finishing once the guitar is assembled. And looking at the old Epi, it has allways been that way I guess.

G

[mr. beaumont]

I suppose I should follow up that I did eventually sell the Loar.

It's no fault of the guitar, they're absolutely great at what they do. It was, in the end, my hand could not get along with the neck shape.

If I had intended it to be just a rhythm guitar, the neck shape was actually very comfortable. But the guitar sounded so good in all registers, I wanted to play up and down the neck freely like I could on any other neck shape, and I would consistently experience pain after playing this guitar longer than 30 minutes.

I may still look at a 650 some day, which sports a rounded neck profile, but I love the charm of a non-cutaway.

But I'd recommend the Loar to anybody. Honestly, for a guitar that does something as specific as this does, they literally have no competition in their price bracket.

[Woody Sound]

I suppose I should follow up that I did eventually sell the Loar.

It's no fault of the guitar, they're absolutely great at what they do. It was, in the end, my hand could not get along with the neck shape.

If I had intended it to be just a rhythm guitar, the neck shape was actually very comfortable. But the guitar sounded so good in all registers, I wanted to play up and down the neck freely like I could on any other neck shape, and I would consistently experience pain after playing this guitar longer than 30 minutes.

I may still look at a 650 some day, which sports a rounded neck profile, but I love the charm of a non-cutaway.

But I'd recommend the Loar to anybody. Honestly, for a guitar that does something as specific as this does, they literally have no competition in their price bracket.

I am actually thinking about getting one and hacking down the neck profile.

[don_oz]

I've had the 300 for about 1.5 years now. Straight out of the box it played great, just needed some frets to be levelled and rough edges smoothed down. I put a RC 1000 re-issue by guild on it and it was just plug and play, it was really good. But recently I decided to go for a floating pickup by P. Biltoft, with tones and caps added. I got it back today and it's amazing, acoustically and plugged in. Pics below.

[Greentone]

Jonathan is absolutely correct. Anyone looking for an authentic Swing Era acoustic guitar should try The Loar. When they first came out, I tried out the lineup. Having played many, many Gibsons from the 20s and 30s (and owning a 30s Gibson 16" archtop acoustic), I found The Loar to be very faithful at a price point--up and down the line.

Of course, I am quite comfortable with the 30s necks. In fact, I prefer them. (I, therefore, really like some of the 50s Fender necks, which have that same deep-V shape.) The V-neck is superb if you tend to put the center of the neck in the crotch between your thumb and first finger. It's a bit of a balancing act if you hold the neck in the classical position with the thumb in the center of the back of the neck. Lots of swing-era guitarists played passing chords on the first four strings, adding fifth and sixth-string notes with their left thumbs. The V-neck is GREAT for this.

In terms of sound, The Loar is the least expensive way to _nail_ the sound of 16" acoustic archtops. You can do the Eddie Lang thing, or you can grind out swing rhythm with ease on a Loar.

[omphalopsychos]

Only thing missing on these is a nice pickguard!

[RJVB]

No, the LH650 is X-braced.

Well, mine definitely isn't. Getting a mirror in and peeking in isn't easy but there are 2 tonebars that don't intersect.

Makes sense to me; not documenting such a big difference doesn't, iMHO.