No Kiddin...?

[Rockyjohnstone]

The description of this ad starts out OK, but goes downhill after that.

http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/msg/3668948716.html

[John Rosett]

At least the case has lots of pockets.

[Jim Garber]

It's called "The Loar" because it is a copy of a Gibson F-5 mandolin designed by Loyd Loar. Loar worked for the Gibson company in the 1930's and '40s as a quality control man. He actually designed the F-style mandolin with it's classic F-holes. Real Loyd Loar Gibson mandolins are worth hundreds of thousands of dollars and ones by famous players like Bill Monroe, Sam Bush and David Grisman are worth over a million. This copy of a Loyd Loar Gibson mandolin sold for $450 and is made of solid wood with a spruce top and maple back and sides. The top and back are hand-carved to Loar's specifications. The solid wood construction means that over time the sound of this instrument will improve significantly. It has low action and is easy to play and it has good tuners which is real important in a double string instrument.

The finish around the end of the fingerboard is not good especially because the fingerboard extension was removed in order to be able to play over the sweet spot which is at the end of the fingerboard in it's currant length. Although not aesthatically pleasing, seasoned mandolin players often do this. Case in point -Sam Bush did the same thing to his million dollar Loyd Loar. This instrument has a sweet tone but not a lot of volume or bass response. It comes with a deluxe gigbag with lots of pockets, a $25 strap, a $30 stand and some extra strings.

Sam bush has a million-dollar Lloyd Loar?

[mrmando]

I met somebody at a festival who swore that Sammy's mandolin had a serial number one digit away from Bill Monroe's, and furthermore he claimed that he knew this because Sammy himself had told him so.

That ol' mountain dew can get folks mighty confused.

[almeriastrings]

An endless source of entertainment....a kind of Jerry Springer show for vintage instrument fans.

[G7MOF]

At least he's honest about saying, This instrument has a sweet tone but not a lot of volume or bass response.

[f5loar]

You learn something new everyday. Who knew that after they fired Loar in late 1924(after that famous office Christmas party where things got out of control) that later on in the 30's they would hire Loar back to sign F5s again. Hence the reason Bush's 1937 F5 was signed by Loar. Not so sure it's worth a million dollars yet.

[Pete Counter]

Not so sure it's worth a million dollars yet.

If it aint, it oughta be! You reckon Gibson's made that much by makin copies of it yet?

[f5loar]

Gibson keeps their production records under lock and key never to be seen by public eyes but if I had to guess they made about 250 Bush models. Profit margins on their high end stuff is not as much as you think so far from a million.

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Hey guys, give this fellow a break and start commenting on those desperate descriptions of "almost-Loars" by reputable dealers, who endlessly go on about how Loar might have touched this "unsigned" F5, or how he was probably around when that snake head or F4 was made. Even the early '22s and early (wannabe) '25s get their Loar fluidum.

[f5loar]

yeah but 1937 is stretching the Loar thing a bit don't you think? I think Loar was through with Vivi-tone by then. This seller clearly has no clue what he is talking about. He knows just enough about a Loar to be dangerous to others. Couldn't even spell the first name right. But there were signs. Comparing a "The Loar" to "a Loar"............. there's your sign !