bill monroe's influence is there but the F-5's popularity has more to do with its unique design. scroll ... nice
bill monroe's influence is there but the F-5's popularity has more to do with its unique design. scroll ... nice
I doubt if Monroe or anyone else was calling a "Loar" a Loar back then. Certainly the term vintage was not yet in use, as far as describing instruments. Doubtful anyone considered a 22-year old "used" Gibson a "classic" at that time. Monroe was forging new ground and needed an instrument that could do the job. Regardless of terminology, Monroe heard something in the sound of his Loar that the others lacked, IMHO.
Right, Monroe could have found any year Gibson F5 before 1945. Not sure why he waited so long, but when he had to have known brother Charlie bought a new '41 F5 when Lester Flatt played mandolin and sung tenor for Charlie. It didn't take long before others knew it was a Loar Monroe had bought. And then when they found one with a Virzi in it, they would take it out because they knew Monroe's didn't have a Virzi. I'd say if Monroe had found the Fern Bobby Osborne or Earl Taylor had found, he would have been just as happy after coming off his short neck F7. There are many interviews of Monroe in which he recalls finding the Loar and he has said 1941 or 1943. He never said 1945, because he forgot the exact year. Heck I can't remember the year of my last Dodge truck I owned. I guess if Monroe had a cell phone in 1945 there would have been a selfie with the barber holding the Loar and it would have a date on it.
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