Loar Picture of the Day

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-02-2003, 1:31pm

We're gonna start some parts, pieces pics so that www.mandolinarchive.com can have a reference base on
more than just the mandos themselves. Virzi pics,
labels ect ect..various pickguards, tuners...
pics of mandolins when taken apart..

**AlanN** · Dec-02-2003, 1:35pm

hmmm...rings close to home...

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-02-2003, 1:56pm

The nickel/silver stamped version
found on all other mandolins.
Many Lloyd Loar Style 5 instruments
have this tailpiece cover either thru
factory error, or loss/replacement.
I suspect that the hand engraved
version became unavailable from the
factory after a few years

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-02-2003, 2:01pm

One of the first ads to appear
heralding the New F5..
Crescendo, 1923

**AlanN** · Dec-02-2003, 2:05pm

I got a color repro of that from Tommy a few years ago. It's framed on a wall, looks great.

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-02-2003, 2:05pm

The distinctive, hard to forge/reproduce
handwriting of Lloyd Loar

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-02-2003, 2:08pm

But sometimes his fountain pen
didn't work so well

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-02-2003, 2:17pm

The distinctive silver plated tuners
found only on Loars

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-02-2003, 2:19pm

..and their penchant for loosing the
silver plating and getting quite
"cruddy looking"

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-03-2003, 9:32am

The Master Model label
used on Style 5 instruments
until about 1926 or 27

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-03-2003, 9:34am

The Loar signature label
used on Style 5 instruments
from 1922 until late 1924

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-03-2003, 9:36am

The Guarantee label. Used on everthing except the Style 5
and then used on the Style 5 instruments starting about 1927

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-03-2003, 9:38am

The infamous Virzi Tone Producer.
This one is no longer "producing tone"
Generally used only in 1924.
Note how the darned thing couldn't really vibrate
if it had to.

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-03-2003, 9:39am

The Virzi label
located just outside the Loar
signature label on the treble bout

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-03-2003, 9:41am

An original Gibson coupon.
These were used like car payment coupons to
pay Gibson dealers for the instrument

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-03-2003, 10:19am

Gibson pickguards and bridges all had
a "patent stamp" on them until around 1930.
These are my "exactly right" case hardened
stamps that I use on my repro parts.
The large one is for the bridge, medium for
pickguards. The small one is my "F5 Journal" stamp
so that I don't accidentally buy one
back as an original....brag brag

**Charlie Derrington** · Dec-03-2003, 10:39am

It's interesting to note that some of the later Loars (and most of the unsigned, early '25 batch) had the medium stamp on the bridge base as well.

Charlie

**Darryl Wolfe** · Dec-03-2003, 10:50am

You got me

I didn't know that.
What do you think of this Charlie

**Charlie Derrington** · Dec-03-2003, 2:55pm

Looks great !!

**Jason West** · Dec-06-2003, 9:05am

Darryl,

I had the chance to play 73490 (Harry West's old Loar) in August. It still had the broken/bound peghead. The new owner graciously let me spend some time with it. It was my first Loar experience...I took me a few minutes to acclimitize to it, but then...An exceptional instrument...now I get the whole Loar thing...I'm ruined for life...

Jason West

**BobLeeSwagger** · Dec-08-2003, 12:28pm

Originally Posted by (Jason West @ Dec. 06 2003,10:05)

I took me a few minutes to acclimitize to it, but then...An exceptional instrument...

Hi Jason,

What exactly did you have to do to get comfortable with the instrument? Is it just a playability issue coming from 70+ year old instrument?