The Loar Mandolins

[Tim1]

Can anyone tell me anything about these mandolins? I am looking to buy a mandolin and don't know whether to buy one of these. All information will be greatly appreciated.

[P.D. Kirby]

I think you will find that these Mandolins are very popular here on the Cafe. I have 2 of them and IMHO these are the best Mandolins you can purchase for $500.00. I have the LM520VS F-style and the LM400VS A-style My favorite is the 400 but both are great playing wonderful sounding Mandolins. Look around your area I'm sure someone has one you can test drive, then again it took me almost 2 months to find one to play.
Good Luck
Phillip

[Rick Schmidlin]

I would also explore Eastman new and used.

[CES]

I've played only one LM-700, but was very impressed with the 700 I played. It outperformed the Kentucky, Eastman, and Michael Kelly mandolins in the same store. (Kentucky 505, 630, and 800s model, and it beats my 675-S easily...Eastman 505, 515 and 615...various less expensive MKs).

That said, I prefer a radiused fretboard and larger frets, which the 700 has. The Eastman's I played were well made and sounded good, but didn't feel as good to me as they have flat boards and traditional skinny frets (and didn't sound as good to me, though that could be my preferences). The KM 505 was probably on par with the Eastmans sound-wise, but has an almost imperceptible radius.

That 700 was a very good instrument, and, of course, I can't speak to all of them; and, maybe the Eastmans needed a better set-up. The only import that really came close to it was a J Bovier F style in the same price range. Neither were as good to my feel/ear as my Silverangel econo (again, probably personal bias), but they were very close and I wouldn't have hesitated to buy one had I really been shopping.

I'm very much an amateur, FWIW.

[dcoventry]

The LM700 I had stands out as a phenomenal instrument for the money. Robert at the Folkmusician set it up and had it perfect. He did do the Cumberland Acoustic bridge upgrade, which is almost universally endorsed. I found the 700 to be very playable, had great tone, and overall a whole lot of fun. I found the neck to be ever so slightly uncomfortable, and that was my only problem. The point of the V shape was just a little much. I would buy another 700 in a heartbeat.

The 700 sounded better than 600 to me, but that's really personal. It was definitely nicer than the Eastman's, MK's and I agree the Bovier's are close.

dave

[Michael Eck]

I love The Loars. I also endorse them, so that's probably to be expected.

I haven't played anything at the same price range that comes close. My 600 has a strong chop and very forward voice. Some complain about the deep neck, but I'm fine with it. This really cuts through an ensemble. I prefer A style instruments in general (even though we all love a beautiful F), so my 400 gets more use. It has a sweeter, more versatile tone but a tad less volume than the 600. It's great for trilling double-stops, single note lines and quick passages. And, indeed, it has more than enough chop on its own, even if not quite as much bark as the 600.

I get compliments on both all the time.

If it's not too gratuitous, here are a few links of both in action with the duo, Lost Radio Rounders. (P.S. more video at the website, www.lostradiorounders.com).

The first is Robert Johnson's "Love in Vain" with the 400. The next two are different performances of the same song -- The Delmore Brothers' "Rounders Blues." The first is with the 400, the second with the 600, so you can hear some of the differences in context.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sOs0JDoYr4

http://www.youtube.com/user/LostRadi...18/xc6OCAV03tw

http://www.youtube.com/user/LostRadi...23/XEzcw5qdeyo

[Ed Goist]

Michael; great clips. I absolutely LOVE the Love in Vain clip.
Fantastic stuff, and your The Loar 400 sounds great.
Excellent playing, too. Thanks for posting.

[Tim1]

Thank you for the info.

[Gardog]

I own an Eastman 615 that has the chop of a top dollar mando, but I was told by my set up guy that it's the best sounding Eastman he's heard. If you get a chance to check out the Eastman line with your own hands you might find a gem. I think Eastman's inconsistency with their early product has ruined their name for some people. I just know I couldn't replace mine with it's equal for twice what I paid for it.

[Ronnie L]

I can certainly +1 that Eastman 615 recommendation. I had to import mine to the UK from the US. but it was worth the fuss and still worked out cheaper that buying here in Rip off Britain!

[Big Joe]

The Loar 520 and up in the F model line is the best bang for the buck in the mandolin world. Nothing else gives equal performance for the investment dollar. The LM400 is also a great choice in an A model. You can spend more on an import instrument, but it would be hard to get better.

[Stephen Perry]

I suspect taste and setup play into things more than we generally give attention to.

I haven't handled too many of the numerous Kentucky models, but have had a number of KM505 and KM1000 instruments through. At the time, I didn't have (nobody had) Loar models. The Kentucky models got compliments, but the Eastmans sold. Never could really understand that.

The current Eastman line is a bit different. Shallower tone bars have really helped. And the fretboards are radiused; the information above that they are flat is incorrect.

Fairly recently I had in a range of models. The fairly consistent ranking from visitors, best on downward, was:

A very good Eastman MD815V with Adi top & oil varnish.
A nice LM700
Eastman MD505 - some ranked this particular one with or above the LM700. It was a honey.
A nice LM600 ranked next or below the MD515. I actually liked the LM600 better, but some people did sound better on the MD515.
Eastman MD305. I thought this sounded and played identically to the MD505
LM400
LM220
Eastman MD315 - a bit brittle
LM520 - Sounds perfectly adequate until one tries the others.

Just watching people try this range of instruments proves quite interesting. Different people get different things out of them. Setup matters a great deal, of course. And I'm still pleased with the Cumberland Bridge additions.

[Michael Thompson]

I have a The Loar LM 700 and I love it. It looks beautiful and it plays well, too.

check out my youtube page for some examples of it; the link is in my sig.

[CES]

Stephen, thanks for weighing in...I didn't realize the newer Eastmans were radiused. The ones I compared to the LM 700 must have been older models, as both had flat boards. Now, of course, I want to try the newer Eastmans to see how they feel and sound...do they still have the traditional fret size and slimmer neck profiles, or have they changed those features as well?

[Stephen Perry]

Comfy necks, same basic size as before 1 3/32" more or less. 12" radius. They'd been radiused for a long time. Still small frets. Which I like.

Come by and try them - I'm not far from some parts of NC!

[CES]

Thanks for the update, and the invite...if we head your way in the fall I'd love to stop by! There's no telling how long the Eastmans I tried have been there, as I actually bought (in January '11) a "new" guitar from them built in 1996.

I liked the smaller necks and frets until I got my Flatiron pancake and then my Silverangel, and now I prefer a little more chunkiness to the neck and frets...well set up, though, I don't object to either and still play my Kentucky a fair amount in campfire situations...

Anyway, thanks again!

[CES]

Michael,

Finally got to watch your videos...good stuff, man, good stuff!! Thanks for posting!

[Michael Eck]

Chuck and Ed,

Thanks for the compliments!

I've had a good run recently, gigging with local group The Tern Rounders and my pal Frank Jaklitsch as well as my own bands. This is off topic, but I'm excited about a reunion of The Stomplistics in Albany NY this weekend. Our last gig was 21 years ago! I'll be bringing out the Telecasters and cranking up the amp for the first time in a long time!

[Bob Tedrow]

I have the whole line up of Loar Mandolin here in my Alabama shop. You are welcome to drop by and play a few. We have a designated scratch and sniff instrument and a nice quiet studio for you. Bring coffee.

Bob Tedrow
Homewood Music

[Ed Goist]

I thought those who have followed this thread might be interested in this:
On Thursday May 10th, from 3-4 PST The Loar will have Travis Atz, their Product Development Director and Designer live on their Facebook page to personally answer mandolin, archtop and flattop questions. (NFI)

[Phil1580]

I am LOVING my new LM500....beats my 1st mandolin (Kentucky 150) by a long shot. If I had any complaints, it would be that the Loar really seems to shine on lead lines/licks, and sounds thinner for chords. That could be the player though, I am a guitar player posing as a mando player.

+1 for The Loar though.

[dcoventry]

I am LOVING my new LM500....beats my 1st mandolin (Kentucky 150) by a long shot. If I had any complaints, it would be that the Loar really seems to shine on lead lines/licks, and sounds thinner for chords. That could be the player though, I am a guitar player posing as a mando player.

+1 for The Loar though.

Fascinating. I found my 700 to be a chord monster and lack a little in single note playing. I think the lack of tone/x bracing led to a certain fullness or bassiness that made the chords really chunky and nice. The single note lines were adequate but pailed in comparison.