View Full Version : Loars and Ferns at Gruhns
www.gruhn.com
Loars and Ferns I say..Oh my http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif
I wonder if that's the one that was at Carmel recently (the "shoplifted loar")? If so, we've got a serial for it
I wondered the same thing. I bet it is...
f5loar
May-22-2004, 7:14am
I'm sure it is, just confusion with stating same owner for 65 years. It's been through several hands since then.
It's steal a deal at 90K but the EXC '29 Fern might be testing the market at $72.5K if a minty '26 Fern just went for $70.
That's like saying a '35 Herringbone would the same price as a '42. Big difference there in those years.
Russ Jordan
May-22-2004, 7:38am
>(the "shoplifted loar")<
Whats the history--shoplifted years ago?
mandophil(e)
May-22-2004, 7:57am
Actually I believe the '26 Fern went for a hair over $75k, so maybe Gruhn isn't testing the water after all. As ridiculous as it sounds, Ferns may be a little undervalued compared to the current Loar price structure.
f5loar
May-22-2004, 1:25pm
Ferns have always been underpriced!
futrconslr
May-24-2004, 10:59am
Just got back from Gruhns and what a great guy Mr. Gruhn was to take me upstairs to look at these instruments. After hearing about them on here I went to play the Loar as I guessed this would be one of the few times I would get to hold one. I even wore a t-shirt so I wouldnt scratch them with buttons! lol Anyway, the Loar was a nice instrument good tone, has a virzi.....I had never seen one installed....Its kinda strange looking. The loar didnt have much punch and it may have been because of the Virzi. The story on this instrument is that it is the one stolen from Kzoo and traded to a mechanic for some service work. It stayed in a closet for 60 or so years and blah blah blah, Gruhns now has it. they told me the owner owned both the loar, the fern and another loar that he kept. Talk about being thrice blessed.
That FERN OMG that FERN.....it is everything I expected the Loar to be. Exceptional tone and I can honestly say I have never played anything that remotely came close to the way that instrument sounded. You could feel the mids in your gut and the lows seemed to shake your bones...yeah I am in love....it was an incredible experience.
futrconslr
May-24-2004, 11:01am
One more thing....you guys with these old 20s Gibsons.....How do you do anything except play?
Sorry, been asleep at the wheel. Here's The Shoplifted Loar (http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/show_mando.pl?290). This mandolin does *not* have a Legible Loar signature, but provenance and general agreement among those in the know attributes it as one. As far as I know, no F5's without a Loar signature aside from this one have a virzi. Darryl- correct me here please!
Here're a couple interesting shots:
Lloyd's moniker should have been here..
http://www.mandolinarchive.com/images/79833_signature_label.jpg
With the vandalized label removed, here's what became visible:
http://www.mandolinarchive.com/images/79833_pencil_serial.jpg
Charlie Derrington
May-24-2004, 12:56pm
No doubt about it. It's real.
Charlie
ethanopia
May-24-2004, 1:01pm
I'm not sure this is threadjacking but it is sort of realted.
Does anyone know if the Fern listed by Ken Waltham in the classified was restored with varnish finish or nitro laq?
anyway not that I'm selling the old home place to finance this thing or anything I'm just curious, becasue from the pictures it sure looks like nitro laq...
thanks a bunch,
Ethan
Darryl Wolfe
May-24-2004, 1:04pm
Nitro
Darryl Wolfe
May-24-2004, 1:10pm
Waltham Fern
Darryl Wolfe
May-24-2004, 1:14pm
The late '20's "variant" fern inlay
jim simpson
May-24-2004, 3:53pm
With the increase in Loar prices, does this mean that my copy of Frets magazine featuring the reconstruction of Monroe's Loar will increase in value? The last time I saw a copy for sale, it was selling for $50.00. Should I ask $150.00 for mine?
Absolutely Jim! I'm asking $250 for mine .......... it's in a sealed plastic bag. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif
evanreilly
May-25-2004, 6:40am
I wonder if Charlie still has the brown paper bag that Bill dumped all the splintered pieces from both instruments in when he brought them over to Gibson? No doubt, that bag has minute pieces of both still in it.