The Jazz Guitar Chord Dictionary
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  1. #26

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    Quote Originally Posted by orri
    Now I have also ordered one
    I am very much looking forward to receiving it.
    Haha ! Second casualty of this thread !

    In my case here is the main culprit after having read (and seen) this thread:




    So Orri, did you get a good deal ? Used ? Natural ?

    If i had had a possibility to choose it would have been the natural but it's the vintage sunburst that's on my way.

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  3. #27

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    I ended up ordering a new sunburst from Kieran Moloney.

    I think I got a rather good deal.
    698 EUR for the guitar including case and shipping, and an extra 130 EUR for a full set up.

    I had though already started to want one before I found this thread.
    It was when I tried one at a local store when I was "sold" and made me really want one (but the one I tried had cracks in the neck binding so I didn't want to buy that one).

  4. #28
    Zook's demo is spot on. And I don't use a pick! Drop in a Bartolini and you've an exceptional archtop for peanuts!

  5. #29

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    I'm really tempted by the Barto but no adjustable pole pieces let me wondering a little bit ...

    I like a lot Zook's demos, the guy, the playing, the guitars, i bought a cheap Recording King all solid sitka/spruce dread after hearing him play one and it was just all he said. Wonderful Martin D-18 copy all solid for a very affordable price.

  6. #30

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    Quote Originally Posted by xuoham
    Haha ! Second casualty of this thread !

    In my case here is the main culprit after having read (and seen) this thread:

    Make that 3!
    Kieran Maloney had the last batch of Naturals arrive last month.
    I called him after 10 days of deliberation by which time 3 had sold & only one was left.
    Had to have it


  7. #31

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    2Bop - I'm really pleased for you! Have a great time with your new should mate.

    One question. I can't see from your photos - does the neck have a marked v-profile? I sold my Loar 700 as I eventually found the vee-shape too awkward for some situations.

  8. #32
    Quote Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
    2Bop - I'm really pleased for you! Have a great time with your new should mate.

    One question. I can't see from your photos - does the neck have a marked v-profile? I sold my Loar 700 as I eventually found the vee-shape too awkward for some situations.
    No, the 650's don't have a "V" neck profile.

  9. #33

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    Time for an update. The Loar has arrived back from a full set-up & various mods.
    I decided to go with a Gibson L4CN vibe and eBay'd an early DeArmond Guitar Mike.
    Then chanced upon this You Tube video & realised that John Moriarty was just the guy to sort out my LH-650.



    He has worked on a number of Loars and knows them quite well.
    John did all the general work shown in the video...fretwork, fingerboard, nut & bridge + added a custom pickguard & fitted the DeArmond.
    The guitar now plays beautifully, sounds fabulous and, dare I say, looks a million dollars
    Attached Images Attached Images Loar LH-650-img_9337-jpg Loar LH-650-img_9353-jpg Loar LH-650-img_9324-jpg Loar LH-650-img_9329-jpg Loar LH-650-img_9325-jpg Loar LH-650-img_9342-jpg Loar LH-650-img_9321-jpg Loar LH-650-img_9322-jpg 

  10. #34

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    Wow, it does indeed look a million dollars, or at least a few more times than it actually cost. Fantastic. A job well done, there. How do you find the pickup?

  11. #35

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    Thank you Rob!
    The DeArmond is mid to late 40's from what I can make out. It has a little more background noise & isn't as well insulated as a modern pick-up. Similarly, the top end isn't very forward.
    But…the tone is superb, being full, rounded & clear.
    String balance is pretty good too. John spent a little time experimenting & fine tuning the p/u placement.

  12. #36

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    "Full, round and clear" sounds like the perfect description. Have fun playing your new guitar!

  13. #37
    Very nice. Surprised you didn't replace the bridge. Ultima guitar will make you one in Cherrywood.

  14. #38

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    A friendly circle! All loved by us others. Shadow SH AZ 49 on the AK85.
    Loar LH-650-picsay-1393352854-jpg
    Last edited by runeo; 02-25-2014 at 02:38 PM.

  15. #39

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    sweet collection. Looks like my old sweet 16!

  16. #40

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    The Sweet 16 is a -91 in mint condition.
    The luthier fell in love with it. Me too! The Loar got the looks after having a new pickguard.
    Sweet 16 = 2500 gram, The Loar 650 = 2230 gram. Both are delightfully woddy in tone.

  17. #41

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    Thanks 2Bop. It was your guitar posted here which led me to consider a LH-650 in the first place.
    The Bridge has effectively been replaced. The original base was cut right down & a new hand carved top section fitted.

    Loar LH-650-img_9335-jpg

  18. #42
    Fabulous choice on the pick guard upgrade! With the Bartolini 5J the '650 provided the woodiest tone I've ever heard from an electrified archtop. I can only imagine how your '650 must sound. Congrats!

  19. #43

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    I learn so much from this forum and reading old posts and it makes me aware of guitars that I have never owned. Over the 55 years of playing I have owned ES175, Johnny Smith, Benedetto Bambino, Eastmans-all good guitars btw. The Bambino was the best and a huge mistake in selling it !! I am looking to buy a new archtop, and the Loar seems like a good choice. I posted on another thread that I am returning an Epiphone that I recently purchased, because the neck profile wasnt to my liking. My current guitar of choice for jazz playing is a 1976 Ibanez L5 copy (I believe it is anyway). It has the right neck profile for me. So why do I want something else ? I enjoy trying different guitars. I would like some input on this Loar model...I saw a picture on the forum of a blonde model but as the author said, you only seem to see sunburst on the market. Thanks in advance for any input at all.

  20. #44

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    An LH650 can be a pretty great guitar, especially after a fret dressing. One thing to consider is that the neck profile will be very, very different than your Ibanez. These Loars have a V profile, similar to a ‘30s Gibson.

  21. #45

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    Quote Originally Posted by ThatRhythmMan
    An LH650 can be a pretty great guitar, especially after a fret dressing. One thing to consider is that the neck profile will be very, very different than your Ibanez. These Loars have a V profile, similar to a ‘30s Gibson.
    Actually the LH650 does not have the V profile, but a C. The neck feels a lot like the ES175 neck.

  22. #46

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    Quote Originally Posted by lawson-stone
    Actually the LH650 does not have the V profile, but a C. The neck feels a lot like the ES175 neck.
    Right, it's the non-cut Loars that have the VERY V neck.

  23. #47

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    Good information guys ! Thanks, fortunately I should be able to find one of these to play in person once I get to Phoenix, Az in two weeks...I should have some fun scouting out my options. The C neck on the ES175 is very comfortable to me.

  24. #48

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    All the Loars are a slightly wider 1.75" nut width, but most folks find that pretty comfortable.

    As for the blonde model, it seems like they made 1 blonde for every 100 sunburst...not sure why. The sunburst is pretty nice on these though, a dark "vintage" style.

  25. #49

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    I've got the LH650 in blonde and really love it. Needed a fret dressing, and benefited from a KA 12 Pole Johnny Smith floater. But what a nice, fun guitar. Fingerboard is a hair wider than my ES165/175, but I haven't measured it. It also seems, subjectively, flatter. Almost more like what I recall a Country Gentleman felt like. Little wider, little flatter. I got mine for $600.

  26. #50
    You're not going to find a Loar LH-650 in natural finish unless it's used. I've been fortunate to own 2 in natural. They're the best 16" acoustics I've yet owned, in spite of owning far more expensive 16" archtops. For me the Bartolini 5J pickup created the best results from the LH650.

    And as has been said, for any used Loar you've got to check out the neck angle, adjust the action down as far as you can go to ensure you've got a LH650 that doesn't require a neck reset to adjust to a low action. So many of them were faulty, but when you got a good one you've got a winner.

    $600 for a natural is not the normal market value for that guitar today. Sure 10 years ago they were giving these guitars away, but I paid $950 for mine, used, from this forum, and I'm glad I did for blonde LH650's are a very rare find. And yes, the neck is wider than an ES175. I see zero comparisons to an ES175 and a LH650, for the latter is solely acoustic.