Loar signed A5's

[TEvans]

I'm very fascinated by the Loar A5 we all know, the Griffith. I was doing some research and came across an old thread where someone mentioned that there are 2 Loar signed A5's.

Wondering if anybody knows if this is true!

[Jeff Hildreth]

Tut Taylor comes to mind. Been a long time since I have read or heard about the two A5 Loars.

[Ken Waltham]

Never heard of such a thing....

[TEvans]

Accidentally posted this in the videos and sound clips forum earlier -- meant to post it here!

I'm very fascinated by the Loar A5 we all know, the Griffith. I was doing some research and came across an old thread where someone mentioned that there are 2 Loar signed A5's.

Wondering if anybody knows if this is true!

[Spruce]

Never heard of such a thing....

Uh oh...

[woodwizard]

I have never heard any others. Only the one that Tut Taylor had. Wonder if his son has it now?

[MikeEdgerton]

I know the thread you're speaking of and who posted that. I think in a later thread they realized as well that there was only one. I would love to have another one pop up but I don't think it will. Up until last year there were no snakehead mandolas and then one surfaced.

[MikeEdgerton]

I have never heard any others. Only the one that Tut Taylor had. Wonder if his son has it now?

Tut sold it years ago. The owner is known by a few people on the cafe. Their name hasn't been revealed, I don't know it. His son doesn't have it.

[MikeEdgerton]

I just merged the two threads.

[fscotte]

There are two Griffith Loars. The A5 and an F5. I think that's where the confusion originated.

[MikeEdgerton]

Uh oh...

I feel a second one might be found soon

[TEvans]

Is there a possibility that there could be a second, or are there official records that show there is only one Loar signed A5?

[j. condino]

The original Griffith A5 is one my alltime favorite mandolins, having played and studied it extensively.

There are a couple of ok forgeries that live around Asheville- one makes its way out to Shindig on the Green every summer in the pickin' crowd. I've also seen a couple of claimed early Randy Wood conversions in a similar style. For the most part they just look and sound like old geezers with an old mandolin.

The recently "discovered" snakehead mandola DEFINITELY has lineage connected with Loar and that one is getting a lot of playing these days. Given the prices that one would command and the fact that even at the level of a Van Gogh paintings, most experts and museums displaying them will behind the scenes admit that around 30% of those are forgeries, not to mention what the guitar market is like now, I'd expect to see another A5 show up at some point. 'Maybee Bruce and I need to work up a little summer project......Do I buy a nice house in Costa Rica or another old mandolin that will self destruct if I ever take it to Costa Rica......

[fscotte]

If there was a second Loar signed A5 it would have been on Tone Poems Vol 1. Nothing gets past the Dawg.

[mrmando]

I'm tooling up at my new factory in Cuba. Before long there will be snakehead mandolas and Loar-signed A5s everywhere you look.

[Spruce]

Before long there will be snakehead mandolas and Loar-signed A5s everywhere you look.

Both would sure be a hellova lot easier to replicate than an F5....

[Willie Poole]

The Kentucky KM-900 is said to be a close copy of the Gibson Loar signed A-5, I wonder if anyone has ever compared them side by side to see how close they do resemble it or even compared the specs of both......I know the KM-900 does have a nice sound and fit and finish is also good...

Willie

[Shuping]

There was also a mando-viola (10 string) with an A style body. That may be where some of the confusion comes from. I think it's part of someones personal Loar collection.

[j. condino]

If there was a second Loar signed A5 it would have been on Tone Poems Vol 1. Nothing gets past the Dawg.

'Seems like the snakehead mandola was not on his radar....

[Timbofood]

Anyone remember the "Tennesee" line? I have a cloudy memory of them being from something related to the old "GTR" project from George, Tut, and Randy. I may well be mistaken but, the store I worked in way back then had an "A-5" which was really pretty darned nice!

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Anyone remember the "Tennesee" line? I have a cloudy memory of them being from something related to the old "GTR" project from George, Tut, and Randy. I may well be mistaken but, the store I worked in way back then had an "A-5" which was really pretty darned nice!

I remember a Banjo "Tennessee" line with connection to Curtis McPeake. The mandolin may be from somewhere else. However, right now there seems to be an A5 Tennessee model for sale at Curtis': http://www.cmcpeake.com/list.html

[fscotte]

'Seems like the snakehead mandola was not on his radar....

It was all mandolins, not mandolas.

[Ken Waltham]

Anyone remember the "Tennesee" line? I have a cloudy memory of them being from something related to the old "GTR" project from George, Tut, and Randy. I may well be mistaken but, the store I worked in way back then had an "A-5" which was really pretty darned nice!

They did a "Prodigal" mandolin, it was much later, late 90's or early 2000's. Tut and his son, Mark?? I think so.

[jim simpson]

Anyone remember the "Tennesee" line? I have a cloudy memory of them being from something related to the old "GTR" project from George, Tut, and Randy. I may well be mistaken but, the store I worked in way back then had an "A-5" which was really pretty darned nice!

It was Crafters of Tennessee, no longer in business. A friend owns a nice 000 size guitar made by them. It is really nice.

http://www.dreamguitars.com/builder/...-of-tennessee/

[Timbofood]

Thanks Jim, glad to know they were not figments of my imagination!