Plain jane Loar LM-600

[i-vibe]

at the risk of appearing shallow....

yesterday i had the opportunity to check out a new 600 w the notion of possible purchase. while i thought it was an "okay" sounding and playing midprice mando i was not as blown away as i expected to be from everything i've read and heard about 'em.

it was set up ok, and the fretwork was very nice.... but it just seemed to lack some of the "complexity" in tone we all like.

...and i have to say, it sure was a plain jane appearance wise. seems i've seen some photos where they've had some nice figure...not so much so here...and the 'burst finish...well, it seemed to go to the black edges to soon.

maybe this one was a dog...albeit a nice dog. perhaps just not one of their better efforts?

and yeah, yeah.....we all know that figured wood doesn't sound any better, that's just where my shallowness raises it's ugly head!

[Paul Hostetter]

A new mandolin needs to be played a good bit before you really hear what it can do. And the bridge needs to be fitted better, and so forth.

[i-vibe]

now...why would you assume the bridge needs to be fitted better?

it was fitted just fine...that's why i mentioned it was set up ok.

and sure...most instruments are gonna open up and sound better after they've been played some.


....but what does that have to do w where an instrument starts off... if it doesn't sound all that good from the jump?????

[Paul Hostetter]

now...why would you assume the bridge needs to be fitted better?

Because they usually do need to be fitted better. I am really well-acquainted with The Loar instruments, and I've been doing this work for over 40 years.

and sure...most instruments are gonna open up and sound better after they've been played some....but what does that have to do w where an instrument starts off... if it doesn't sound all that good from the jump?????

I've been at this long enough to know that you just don't know much at first. I've set up and then dismissed some instruments (two that come to mind are Collings and The Loar) that I thought sounded hopelessly thin and boring at first, that later proved my original instincts quite wrong. I used to think an instrument had to sound pretty good to begin with. I'm much less doctrinaire about that now.

[goldtopper]

Dang, I just got mine today in the mail. While the wood isn't the flamiest I've seen, it's not plainest either. As for the sunburst, mine is that classic dark around the edges and not too bright in the middle with the gentle fade I like.
The fit and finish are great.
To my ears, this beautiful mandolin sounds well balanced and rich. I'm very happy- it's quite a jump up from my Eastman 505 I recently had to sell and at this point, sounds better than the Summit I had for years.

[Paul Hostetter]

Dang, I just got mine today in the mail. While the wood isn't the flamiest I've seen, it's not plainest either. As for the sunburst, mine is that classic dark around the edges and not too bright in the middle with the gentle fade I like.

Good to hear that, I hammered them a number of times about the sunbursts which, for a good while, more resembled three-ring Fender Strat bursts, the norm for cheesy Korean factory mandolins, than vintage sunbursts, which are actually easier to do.

I think the folks in the Shanghai shop are doing an amazing job, especially considering the short amount of time they've been at it. Not long ago, all they'd ever built was violins and cellos.

[billkilpatrick]

closet puritan here ... i love an instrument that shuns pomp and circumstance and concentrates on sound. this is not to say my loar 600 isn't a looker - it is: simple elegance, lovely proportions, slightly larger than my oval hole "F" ... substantial, beefy looking scroll just bristling with testosterone. great stuff.

[goldtopper]

... substantial, beefy looking scroll just bristling with testosterone. great stuff.

Good description- it is quite the manly...uh...appendage!

[Perry Babasin]

I was reading a thread yesterday about the inconsistencies in the playability and tone regarding Weber F-Style mandos. People were chiming in about set-up and such and recommending potential buyers to play any instrument before buying. With this in mind I don't think it's a surprise that any factory built instrument is going to have some variation in tone and playability within the brand. I don't think I would dismiss even considering the entire brand over one "Okay" sounding instrument. I have read postings here about OK vs. amazing sounding Gibson-Loars before. I have played some Breedloves and Webers that didn't sound nearly as good and complex as my humble (early-to-mid 70's pre-serialized Ibanez turned fake Gibson) mandolin (which I love BTW).

As to the issue of flame, I have some nice maple shutters on my windows at home, and I was noticing the other day that some of the slats have some really nice flame and noticeable figuring despite the very light/clear finish. Funny thing is they all block the sunlight just fine, in fact equally well..... Perry

=============================================

2000 MK Legacy "O"
Early-to-mid 70's pre-serialized Ibanez turned fake Gibson
1989 Martin HD-28

"Blessed are the Flexible, for They Shall Not Get Bent Out of Shape"

[Perry Babasin]

Oh yeah I forgot to mention I think I'm going to get rid of the MK "O" and replace it with a Loar 600 or 700. I used to own a 500 which was beautiful (amazing flame) and very playable, but partially pressed. One of the first and main things I did to it was to replace the bridge, not only was it ill-fitting but it was very cheap and funky...... P

[Big Joe]

The factory bridges function, but I can't say they are that good. In a factory mandolin....or anything else....they have to decide on a price point and what they have to do to be at that price point. It is not just a figure pulled from the thin air, but there are formulas they can use to determine the retail price from the cost of build in order to be profitable. If there is more money spent on the project, it raises the retail price substantially. In order to hit the price point the things that usually get less than great are the bridges, tailpieces, and setup. They are functional, but not optimal. When a good bridge is properly fit to that particular mandolin, then the mandolin properly given a pro setup, they will really come alive and show its full potential.

While the factories try to do the best they can, it is not possible to put the time or money into getting the best possible for that instrument. This is true of all manufacturers I have seen. This is not limited to any one or just a few, but to nearly all. First of all, each mandolin needs to be set up for the optimum playability and tone that particular instrument can deliver and that is as personal as the owners taste. If you try to make all of the identical you will most often get mediocrity. Let each instrument be an individual and then work with it to get that particular individual instrument to its best and it will be amazing the difference it can make.

We have had a good number of the Loar mandolins come through our shop. We have sold a good number, and we have had a good number we did not sell come in for work. When they first come in we play them and make our comments to each other in the shop. Then after we are finished we play them again and it is like night and day difference in tone and volume, as well as the playability. This is especially true if we replace the bridge and fit that particular bridge to that particular mandolin to accomplish peak tone and volume. Just a set up makes a noticeable difference, but replacing the bridge is a huge step up from factory.

Again, let me say that the factory bridge is functional, but not optimal. Then again, we don't just stick a bridge on the instrument. We work the bridge itself for optimal performance. We work on many areas of the bridge, not just the feet or fit to the top. Over the years we have put on enough bridges and experimented with different effects when you alter a bridge in a certain way that we have a pretty good idea where to start to achieve the end result we are looking for.

If you played one of the LM 600's and it was only ok and not up to your expectations I would guess very quickly that it had the factory bridge and it was not professionally setup but rather basic factory setup. I would almost be willing to bet it could be made much better. That is my opinion from the experience I have had with the Loar models. They have been some of the most consistent mandolins I have ever seen produced in a "factory" setting.