# General Mandolin Topics > Vintage Instruments >  What an incredible day! Unknown Loar Mandola found

## testore

What an incredible event! On its 90th birthday this unknown Loar Mandola walks into the shop. This thing is simply perfect. It's sounds amazing with a new set of string. My head is still spinning.

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Andrew B. Carlson, 

Bob Bass, 

dang, 

darrylicshon, 

DataNick, 

F-2 Dave, 

hank, 

Jackgaryk, 

Mark Wilson, 

Marty Jacobson, 

Northwest Steve, 

Randi Gormley, 

Steve-o

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## pfox14

Holy crap! Batman. That baby looks brand new. What's the date? Does it have a Virzi?

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## mrmando

You mean 91st birthday, don't you? Loar wasn't signing any Gibson labels on 3/31/1925.

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Ken Willms, 

NoNickel

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## testore

March 31, '24. No Virzi.

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## testore

Ah right 91

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## Timbofood

The mind boggles!

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## Galileo

Good lawd!!!

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## testore

More pics.

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## Jackgaryk

wow...she looks new.  someone gave her some love over the years.  very nice.

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## testore

Only a few light dings here and there. They don't show up in the photos. Neither does the beautiful very light cracking in the varnish. It has unfortunately gone home for the day. I've encouraged the owner to bring it in soon for a few more photos. Unfortunately the Loar signature pics didn't turn out well enough to post. Hopefully it will be back soon. They had an idea of what they had, but only slightly. They're a little stunned to say the least. It came to them through a family member a number of years ago.

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DataNick, 

Spruce

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## Spruce

The pics of the points totally confirm the authenticity...congrats!!

Some folks I know in Australia are going to be thrilled to see this...   :Wink:

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testore

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## barney 59

Well I hope hope you offered them 10 grand for it! Well O.K. 15 then!

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## f5joe

Thanks for sharing these pics.  Beautiful instrument.

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## Spruce

Really nice to see the original case too...

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## Andrew B. Carlson

So what was the conversation like? I've always wanted to know how experts communicate the weight of the discovery when an un-knowing person walks in with a Loar.

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## Timbofood

That is just so cool! Glad they had a clue at least, if not a full page of knowledge, extra nice to have it a "family" instrument too.

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## fatt-dad

time capsule!

Amazing mandolin!  I sort of want an f-style mandolin all of a sudden!

f-d

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## Timbofood

There is such an elegance about the "real thing"! Many inspired similar models miss the finesse.

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## F-2 Dave

Everything about that is beautiful.

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## biologyprof

[QUOTE=Spruce;1388791]The pics of the points totally confirm the authenticity...congrats!!

How so?  Learning. Thx.

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## Spruce

[QUOTE=biologyprof;1388879]


> The pics of the points totally confirm the authenticity...congrats!!
> 
> How so?  Learning. Thx.


The quirky little joint in the point is something that a lot of copies lack, and this one just screams "legit"...



Besides, no one would ever think of copying a 'dola anyway...

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biologyprof, 

Clement Barrera-Ng, 

hank, 

Jim, 

mandolinitis, 

testore

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## Tobin

Gawd, that thing is in amazing shape!  The finish still looks brand-new and shiny!  I thought the varnish finish they used tended to turn dull with age, but this one looks like it's fresh.  Even the bridge looks like new wood, with no signs of wear or age.  Is this all original, or do you think it was refurbed at some point?  Even if it sat in its case for 91 years, I can't imagine it looking this good.

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## Gary Leonard

I was wondering, did you have your calendar set ahead one day?  She does look brand new.

I would imagine a LOT of unknown Loars show up on this day!

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## testore

To the sceptics..........good for you. To the believers.........thanks for the nice words. I guess I should have taken more recent pics. Those pics were taken a few weeks ago and yes, the varnish is now more dull in appearance. 
This all started when a very nice Gibson mandola case appeared on ebay. Nobody here thought an H5 would fit. I knew it would be tight but that it would fit. So I made the Loar copy to complete the package. The tailpiece is a very old stainless one that I picked up. It was unmarked and I found a good hand engraver to do the Gibson logo. The Loar label had problems at the graphics company I had mock it up for me. They didn't understand the level of quality I need, so back to getting that cleaned up. Too late for photo shoot. Glad you all enjoyed my story. So, sorry everyone. Just another copy by Gary Vessel!
APRIL FOOLS

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Hal Jeanes, 

j. condino, 

sgrexa, 

William Smith

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## Darryl Wolfe

Excellent Gary, nice pickguard

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Spruce, 

testore

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## Tobin

Dang it, I should have figured that this was too good to be true, considering today's date.

It's a great looking mandola, though!  Nice touches with the details, including the part of the label I could see (with accurate and plausible serial number).  What did you do for the tuners?  Are they vintage, or just made to look aged?

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## Spruce

> I was wondering, did you have your calendar set ahead one day?


For whatever reason (I suspect that Mr. Gilchrist's known passion for these instruments might be playing a role), there is a _huge_ interest in Loar-era 'dolas Down Under...
Just sayin'...   :Wink: 

Must have been a weird day for high-end G&^%$ns to come out of the closet...
This puppy walked into my door yesterday--a '59 'Burst...

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j. condino, 

Marty Jacobson

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## Darryl Wolfe

> What did you do for the tuners?  Are they vintage, or just made to look aged?


The reason for no pics of the tuners from back

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## Darryl Wolfe

> Must have been a weird day for high-end G&^%$ns to come out of the closet...
> This puppy walked into my door yesterday--a '59 'Burst...


What's the back story there Bruce..awesome looking...Dr. Mojo reigns

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## Timbofood

Still working the hook out! Pretty good Gary!

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## Spruce

> What's the back story there Bruce..awesome looking...Dr. Mojo reigns


I don't know much about old Les Pauls...
I bought it at a second-hand store here on the island for 600 bucks--hope I didn't get ripped off...   :Frown: 




> The reason for no pics of the tuners from back


...or the signature...    :Wink:

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## testore

I do have a set of correct tuner plates from an A model. The F shafts I tried to put on didn't work. The gears were too small. I will get them working at some point and use them on another...........maybe next April!
The ones here are StewMac with pearl buttons.

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## zebozi

Cool!  :Laughing: 
Just for curious: Which brand/model it actually is?

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## Clement Barrera-Ng

Nice work Gary. You had me fooled for sure.

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## DataNick

You're an artist, my man! Oh, and Mark's "Loar", as "real" as it gets!

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## Tobin

> The ones here are StewMac with pearl buttons.


But what did you do to them to make them rusty and worn looking?  Unless it's just a lighting trick in the photos, it looks like the tuning pegs and bushings are oxidized and aged, as well as the gears.

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## testore

Just simple oxidizers.

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## Billgrass

I knew something was up from the flash angle mismatch on the serial number photo. 

You had me till then.

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## testore

Not sure what you mean.

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## Timbofood

I just got the sinker freed! Hook is almost out of the lip! Wise apple!

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## Hendrik Ahrend

Wonderful work, Gary, really fine. As to the tuners, did you shorten the string posts from 1 inch to 23 mms?

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## testore

Nope. Good info though. Thanks

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## Jeff Mando

Great prank, yep, I was fooled!  I did think to myself, it sure is clean, almost too clean, but the case went a long way to establish the story, in my mind. (the case took the wear, so the mandola didn't have to)  Regardless, beautiful work!

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## Bill Snyder

> Cool! 
> Just for curious: Which brand/model it actually is?


Gary Vessel (testore) built it.

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## testore

Thanks everyone for letting me have some fun.

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## Spruce

Yeah, that holds the record for the longest stretch of foolage I've ever seen, especially considering that you posted it when it was April Fool's day in Australia...    :Wink: 

My April Fool's instrument in 2013--Oakie Kamaka's Telecaster--lasted about 6 hours as I remember...

Last year's got about 15 minutes...    :Wink:

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RichieK, 

testore

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## Bertram Henze

> Dang it, I should have figured that this was too good to be true, considering today's date.


I didn't believe it from the start, for exactly that reason, and not just on April 1st. Gupta's Law of Convenient Anomaly works anytime.
Let's be thankful this is an honest forger showing off his work and not an ebay seller.

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## testore

Honest forgery...... Hmmmmmm. I rather look at it as an art student making a study of a masterpiece. The only way to learn is to look and make what you see. It's simply a study of what we find pleasing and valuable. And it's a kick in the pants when it turns out. Hellofa lot of fun too.

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DataNick, 

Hendrik Ahrend, 

RichieK

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## Timbofood

So, you planned this for some time. The difference between a smart aleck and a wit is........wait for it.......

Timing!
Well played sir!

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## testore

I bought the case over a year ago. Then coincidentally another thread had a discussion about mandola pick guards. Daryl Wolfe said he had one and I bought it. I had no choice but to build it.

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DataNick

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## Bertram Henze

> I rather look at it as an art student making a study of a masterpiece.


I was not intending to belittle the work of forgers. On the contrary.

There comes a time when the study becomes as good as or even better than the masterpiece. That's when the question comes up which one is the real masterpiece. After all, the "original" artist was not facing any challenge, just idly setting a bar; but the "student" who can jump all the bars he finds - isn't he the real master? And isn't the artist just a forger with a time machine?  :Confused: 

Citing Mr D. Adams describing the making-of of the Hitchhikers Guide:



> The simplistic style is partly explained by the fact that its editors, having to meet a publishing deadline, copied the information off the back of a packet of breakfast cereal, hastily embroidering it with a few foot notes in order to avoid prosecution under the incomprehensibly torturous Galactic Copyright Laws. It's interesting to note that a later and wilier editor sent the book backwards in time, through a temporal warp, and then successfully sued the breakfast cereal company for infringement of the same laws.

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## Jeff Mando

Forgery becomes an issue when an item is sold and then resold.  Sometimes the story gets changed.  Years ago, nobody but the factory could do a "factory quality refinish".  Now many luthiers have that skill.  With custom color guitars, for example, the difference in price between a sunburst and a custom color can be 20-30K.  Some guitars that were merely refinished 30 years ago, now, with age, have been pronouced as having the original finish (by those in the know) and sell for the higher price.  Something to think about.

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## testore

Bertram, I took no offense. I was only stating my point of view on this part of the industry.

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## Spruce

> I bought the case over a year ago. Then coincidentally another thread had a discussion about mandola pick guards. Daryl Wolfe said he had one and I bought it. I had no choice but to build it.


I've built instruments because I ran into a good _decal_...   :Wink: 




> Forgery becomes an issue when an item is sold and then resold.  Sometimes the story gets changed.  Years ago, nobody but the factory could do a "factory quality refinish".  Now many luthiers have that skill.  With custom color guitars, for example, the difference in price between a sunburst and a custom color can be 20-30K.  Some guitars that were merely refinished 30 years ago, now, with age, have been pronouced as having the original finish (by those in the know) and sell for the higher price.  Something to think about.


...which is why I'd never sink $$ into a vintage Fender.  They are just too easy to manipulate...
That, and I like recent work--instruments with carefully selected (for weight) woods, and details to my liking...
And, I don't have to worry about them as much...   :Wink: 

But in the world of faked Loar-period instruments, I've never seen _anything_ that could pass muster, including Gary's 'dola.
(The work is _waaaay_ too clean, and we haven't seen the label yet...   :Wink:   ).

In other words, I don't think there are any fake "Loars" floating around out there that would fool an expert (or even someone like me)...   :Wink: 
...and you are simply foolish if you don't pull an expert in when buying one of these things...

...and then there's _violins_.

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## tree

> ...which is why I'd never sink $$ into a vintage Fender.  They are just too easy to manipulate...
> That, and I like recent work--instruments with carefully selected (for weight) woods, and details to my liking...
> And, I don't have to worry about them as much...


(apologies in advance for the hijack)

Boy, if only I could find a nonvintage Tele that was just like Clarence White's (now Marty Stuart's).  That thing has the most incredible high end, different from any Tele I've ever heard. Of course, Marty is probably the best player walking around breathing air to command that instrument, but still - how much fun would it be to tinker around with some parts and come up with an axe half that cool?

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## Spruce

> Boy, if only I could find a nonvintage Tele that was just like Clarence White's (now Marty Stuart's).  That thing has the most incredible high end, different from any Tele I've ever heard. Of course, Marty is probably the best player walking around breathing air to command that instrument, but still - how much fun would it be to tinker around with some parts and come up with an axe half that cool?


Super easy and fun to do...
(Aside from the B-Bender routs and setup, that is.  But even _that_ is doable)...

Teles _need_ to be futzed with until the correct pickup combo reveals itself, and when it does, it's quite obvious....
I've dropped pups into Teles that didn't cut it _at all_, only to have them shine in a different Tele down the line...
Just do it...    :Wink:

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RichieK

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## Timbofood

Well, I have this garage but, having one dickens of a time finding the 1957 Jaguar 120 to fit it! 
Interesting way to go about getting something to fit a case Gary! Great deception, cracks me up every time I see another post about it.

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## testore

Ok, Loar label done, and tuner shot.

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## Spruce

You're a lot closer than I was when I attempted to do this....    :Wink:

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## Hendrik Ahrend

Okay, the Loar label is done, but - let's go the whole hog - the bridge top is a mandolin style rather than mandola. (Well, #s 76488 and 76490 do have such a bridge, but then again...) Anyhow, thanks for all this - and a good laugh!

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## testore

Find me all the right parts and it'll be a different story. I have one period mandolin bridge waiting for a mandin.

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Hendrik Ahrend

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## RichieK

Hmmm.

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## lenf12

Great spoof Gary and I really admire your H-5. It's about 99% accurate enough to fool most of us folks. I got suspicious with the SS tailpiece cover but those are easily and often replaced over a 91 year lifetime. Also a bit too shiney for its age but finishes get "touched up" over time as well and it would be the MOST figured maple I've ever seen on a vintage "Gibson". Those folks "down-under" sure do love their mandolas. I have a Duff H-5 'dola w/Virzi which is delicious to play and very pleasing to the eyes but your copy is so much closer to the real thing. Is it for sale (not that I need another 'dola)? It sure is gorgeous!!!

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

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## testore

The mandola is not for sale. It is going to be part of my collection to be sold at auction upon my death. Along with a collection of similar Loar creations. :Grin:

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## Andrew B. Carlson

I love it! I remember one Loar F5 replica you did. How many have you got? I'd love to see em all.

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## testore

The world may never know!

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## Timbofood

Who was it that said...
"It's not important that you know, it's important that I know."

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testore

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## HoGo

> Okay, the Loar label is done, but - let's go the whole hog - the bridge top is a mandolin style rather than mandola. (Well, #s 76488 and 76490 do have such a bridge, but then again...) Anyhow, thanks for all this - and a good laugh!


I look at the pics in the first post and I don't see mandolin saddle, it looks like mandola saddle but it's reversed- bass to treble.

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## Hendrik Ahrend

> I look at the pics in the first post and I don't see mandolin saddle, it looks like mandola saddle but it's reversed- bass to treble.


You're absolutely right, Adrian, thanks for putting me straight. You got a great eye.

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## testore

This is a Cumberland bridge and their mandola bridge concept. It works.

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## Timbofood

YOU didn't make the bridge!? I'm crushed, forget my offer of two hundred fifty thousand dollars! :Laughing: 



Better forget the offer of two hundred for that matter, I'm broke!

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## Cheryl Watson

Beautiful work, ya fooled me, Gary.

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## Jackgaryk

you hooked me too.  I still don't see any humor in your post. maybe somebody will explain it to me.

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## testore

What question can I answer for you jackgaryk?

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## Bertram Henze

> I still don't see any humor in your post. maybe somebody will explain it to me.


These tongue-in-cheek subtleties are lost on those who are used to expect honest seriousness because that's how they are themselves. Good on you - you're one to do business with. I used to be like that and it took me years to learn to detect fun in the impossible (and a Loar mandola turning up like that clearly belongs in that category). 
Blessed are those lighthearted ones who expect everything to be a joke, because they will totally miss out on reality when the world ends in terror on April 1st...

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## lenf12

> The mandola is not for sale. It is going to be part of my collection to be sold at auction upon my death. Along with a collection of similar Loar creations.


So, how old are you Gary??  :Wink: 

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

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testore

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## Jeff Mando

> you hooked me too.  I still don't see any humor in your post. maybe somebody will explain it to me.


I see your point.  I felt the same way, at first, because I wanted it to be true that an unknown Loar was discovered (at this late date).  The "humor" is a type of prank, a very skilled one and one that can ONLY be used on April Fool's Day (April 1st each year).  Some people don't like to be pranked or "punk'd" or scared or caught off guard--many youtube videos attest to this--most people laugh--but, some come out swingin'!

I've told this story before on this forum.  At the height of the vintage guitar price frenzy at the Arlington, Texas show, a very known dealer "presented" a 1959 Les Paul Standard on his table with no price or any other info.  All the experts loved it and it was the talk of the show.  On the last day of the show, the dealer let everybody know that it was a fake, down to the serial number, aged finish, checking, etc.  Of course, all the parts were original 50's parts and very hard to find, included an original case.  Basically the "wood" was the fake part.  The experts were mad, because he basically called them idiots for not seeing through it.  This can happen when prices get into the $200K plus area.  Well, guess what?  The guitar sold that day for who knows what, as a reproduction.  I can pretty much guarantee, the next time it sells, it will be as an ORIGINAL and for big money.

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## Spruce

> I can pretty much guarantee, the next time it sells, it will be as an ORIGINAL and for big money.


'Bursts have their tells too, especially when you start taking them apart...
Which anyone would do before plunking down that kind of coin, no?...
(A friend just made me a '59 Les Paul, so I've kinda been into these lately).



But do we think there are mandolins out there masquerading as Loars?
I'm thinking "no way", but would _love_ to hear stories otherwise...

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## Jeff Mando

> 'Bursts have their tells too, especially when you start taking them apart...
> Which anyone would do before plunking down that kind of coin, no?...
> (A friend just made me a '59 Les Paul, so I've kinda been into these lately).
> 
> 
> 
> But do we think there are mandolins out there masquerading as Loars?
> I'm thinking "no way", but would _love_ to hear stories otherwise...


My point is that the guitar passed all the "tells" and this was in the eyes of the people who have written books on the subject, consulted potential buyers, worked for Gibson, etc., i.e., you would know their names.......

As far as mandolins masquerading as Loars, it would follow that we wouldn't know, would we?  Because nobody would be talking if it were that good, and they would have to give the money back.

An expert's opinion is just that, an opinion.  If ten experts looked at it and nine pronounced it genuine, what did the other expert see?  Interesting stuff.  But, it's not like a hung jury.  Most buyers consult an expert, then make their purchase.  What if somebody was happy with their purchase for 30 years, then the Loar turned out to be fake?  Totally possible, based on increased knowledge and sharing, due to the internet and sites like MC.  Food for thought, at the very least.

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## Bertram Henze

There may come a time when people will deny that Lloyd Loar ever existed and claim that his name was just a marketing fad of Gibson's, that all his signatures were faked by talented employees trained for that purpose, that his photos really show the granddad of one anonymous shipping employee and that all his designs were really created by a team of anonymous marketing department employees. The view of these people will be known as A-Loarism.  :Cool:

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## testore

I've said it before and I'll say it again, Lloyd Loar gets way too much credit. He WAS just a marketing arm for Gibson. Aside from his design changes he was not a builder. The enormous March 31st batch shows, in my mind, that he was only used as a commercial gimmick. It doesn't seem possible to finish all those instruments on that day. Of course not. He signed labels well in advance and nothing more. He didn't inspect all of them and he certainly wasn't loooking over the building process daily. And don't forget Vivitone! That MUST be considered when summing up Loar.

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Timbofood

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## Darryl Wolfe

I'll add that this is as good of a "tribute piece" as is possible.  Gary deserves the utmost respect for his incredible attention to detail here.

I will also add that I was fooled for a short while.  I did consider April 1, but he had started the thread the day before.

Let's talk a bit about being "fooled".  When presented with "Is it real or is it Memorex", the truth will always shine through.

But, in the few cases where I was fooled, or at least temporarily fooled, the situation is always presenting itself as "no reason not to believe".   That is where you can get burned.

Gary presented his situation with.."Looked what walked in the door"

Randy Wood fooled me one time with "Look at this Loar and let me know what you think about the finish one the back".  I have no reason to intently examine the whole da!n mandolin.  I looked at the back and told him the finish looked worked on.  I guess it was since the whole mandolin was fake.  But it was dressed in original parts in an original case.

"Original parts in an original case.".....that plays a part in this exercise too.

So...good one Mr. Vessel

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Hendrik Ahrend

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## Darryl Wolfe

BTW...the "The Gibson" is just a shade too thick....and there is a slight too F5ish/not weird enough looking to the scroll.  Haha...seriously, great job.  PS...Randy Wood has awesome H5 bridges.

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Spruce

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## goaty76

Darryl,

What do think about the tailpiece engraving?

Phil

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## Andrew B. Carlson

> BTW...the "The Gibson" is just a shade too thick....and there is a slight too F5ish/not weird enough looking to the scroll.  Haha...seriously, great job.  PS...Randy Wood has awesome H5 bridges.


That's what I thought, although not enough to call him out. The H5 scroll has weird proportions. This one is not as weird. Looks better in my opinion though.

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## testore

Thank you Darryl.

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## Darryl Wolfe

> Darryl,
> 
> What do think about the tailpiece engraving?
> 
> Phil


Close. 9 out of 10.

It is hard to find anyone who can do it right..and they varied.  It is a personal art and each persons work looks different too.

The artists "eye" leads them to do things incorrectly too..because it looks better to them

In this case/TP...minor things are  
overall engraving a tad too high on the TP
strokes are a bit too all the same...needs a little more deep/shallow line contrast
zig zag not close enough to the edge

These are extremely minor...I made these comments before searching out a photo
..ha

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## Darryl Wolfe

Here's one of the best I've had done.  It suffers from the exact same symptoms

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testore

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## Capt. E

Apparently Gibson was building way too many mandolins during LL's tenure there. The market for mandolins was collapsing: witness LL and a number of employees being laid off in early 1925 and the production numbers taking a dive. It is why Gibson mandolins after LL got more rare. I wonder a bit if we are entering another crash time. Somewhere I heard Gibson thought hard about not building custom mandolins after the big Nashville flood, but apparently decided it was too important a part of their  history.

To quote Abe: "You can fool all the people some of the time..."

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## Glassweb

now this may be the first time i've ever been fooled on a Loar instrument. this is _VERY_ impressive!

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## Spruce

> now this may be the first time i've ever been fooled on a Loar instrument.


You _hope_...    :Wink:

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## Marvino

With these "Loar" copies that have been made through the years, do the builders have something hidden, or something on label to specify it is a copy?

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JFDilmando

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## jim simpson

Many did put labels in indicating a copy, some did not. The Chris Warner copy I once owned had the Chris' copy label inside.

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## jim simpson

This reminded me of the Bill's Loar copy Gary made about 9 years ago for RichieK. I was fortunate to see and play it when fresh. It was impressive.

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## testore

Played it yesterday next to the first Loar Mandola known. It was very close tonally, and felt the same in the hand. That was a very good sign.

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Darryl Wolfe

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## Spruce

Gonna beat it up a little more?  
I think the vibe would benefit from it, especially with "that" case...
A little more pic and p'head wear, maybe some scroll wear?

Does the case stink good?   :Wink:

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## testore

No, less is more sometimes. I could do a little more but you know, that one bad move looks worse than one that never happened.

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## Spruce

Yeah, Teles are a little more forgiving...    :Wink:

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testore

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## fatt-dad

does the builder typically pencil his/her name under the top of these tribute instruments?

It is a fine-looking mandola for sure!

f-d

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## Spruce

> does the builder typically pencil his/her name under the top of these tribute instruments?


Some violin makers are embedding a metal tag in the neckblock that will show up on an X-ray...
I'm sure Gary know of other schemes...

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## lenf12

> I'm sure Gary knows of other schemes...


Smiling all the way to bank perhaps?? I think not!! He's way too honest for that, but he did pull off a great prank and fooled a bunch of us "experts".

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

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## Spruce

> ...but he did pull off a great prank and fooled a bunch of us "experts".


And us shills...    :Wink: 

"The quirky little joint in the point is something that a lot of copies lack, and this one just screams "legit"..."

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## lenf12

The devil is in the details...I mean "extreme" details.

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

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## testore

The fact that I put it on such a public forum assures an honest motivation.

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OldGus

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## Timbofood

I'm still laughing at how well "hooked" I was and many others were too at first, nice prank! Excellent work to be sure.
The difference between a joker and a wit?     
Timing!
You timed it just perfectly!

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## Spruce

> You timed it just perfectly!


Actually, a day early...    :Wink:

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## testore

Tombo, take it easy on yourself. You were not alone.

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## kudzugypsy

just getting back to this thread - i glanced at it when posted and thought, like everyone else, nice to see another Loar surface. beautiful instrument. All i can say is wow, Gary you did an impressive job on this. i have seen a good number of Loars personally and when i looked at the pics, i didn't see anything that would cause me to doubt it was authentic. the finish my friend is absolutely nailed on this and usually, right off the bat you can look at a Loar without even touching it and tell just from that.
Great work.

there was actually a true story of this happening here in central NC some years ago. a young viola player came into one of the guitar shops with a 24 LL mandola that had been gifted to her. absolute mint condition

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## Bertram Henze

> there was actually a true story of this happening here in central NC some years ago. a young viola player came into one of the guitar shops with a 24 LL mandola that had been gifted to her. absolute mint condition


 :Laughing:  :Laughing:  :Laughing: 
...whoever faked that hasn't owned up yet, has he?

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## Timbofood

It was the day early that made it work so well, actually. Had it "appeared" on the first, I think more of us guppies would have seen the joke right away.
Like I say, timing!
Have a wonderful day!

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testore

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## testore

https://www.facebook.com/gvessel/vid...omment_mention

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## Spruce

Fabulous!!

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testore

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## Bill Snyder

I can't pull up the page you linked to Gary. I get the following message from Facebook:

_"This content is currently unavailable
The page you requested cannot be displayed right now. It may be temporarily unavailable, the link you clicked on may have expired, or you may not have permission to view this page.
Return home"_

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## testore

Works for me. Try it again

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## testore

Apparently the link doesn't work for some. It's simply my Facebook page that anybody should be able to access.

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## Timbofood

It said the same for me, so I went home.

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## testore

I'm having trouble downloading it to the 'cafe. Sorry

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## DataNick

Gary,

Can you upload it to your own YouTube channel(page)?

From there it's easy to link in a post here on the Cafe...

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## testore

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jg6xBcitDM0

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Timbofood

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## Bill Snyder



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Hendrik Ahrend, 

Timbofood, 

Tobin

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## Bertram Henze

The sound is just as perfect as the looks, to me. Whatever double-blind Gibsons aficionados say. And nice playing, too!

Raising the old question: if all sensory information says "Gibson", isn't it just that?

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## testore

At only a fraction of the cost of the original!

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## Tobin

> At only a fraction of the cost of the original!


I'd happily pay the cost for one, but you said it ain't fer sale!  I have an F4, F5, and H4, but I really need an H5 in my stable.

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## Spruce

And here I thought _I_ was the shill...    :Wink:

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RichieK

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## carleshicks

Mr. Vessel, that sounds amazing

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## testore

Finally someone who can play to give you all better idea of how it's sounding.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yMeebxH5A9A

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## Spruce

...

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## testore

Bump.
I don’t think I’ll top this one.

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## Darryl Wolfe

> Bump.
> I dont think Ill top this one.


You did quite well.  But I believe my wife selling my Loar to make the house payment is right up there

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Timbofood

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## testore

She wins!

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