My Loar is in the mail

[Chip Booth]

no, not THAT Loar, but a '23 A4 completely original with no cracks or sags. I am getting it for approval before I decide on it for sure. Any thoughts or observations on these mandos? Any idea on a reasonable price range, as I have yet to find a Loar era A4 that has sold in recent times? What should I expect?

Thanks for any thoughts
Chip

[Jim Garber]

VG Price Guide 2005 lists A4 in exc as $4500-5000. Strange that you are getting it on approval without any idea of what they are asking. I never heard of such a thing.

Jim

[Chip Booth]

The owner and I have a mutually beneficial non-monetary deal, I was just curious what they might sell for straight up. 4-5K seems like way too much to me, based on recent threads talking about the prices of F4s.

[goose 2]

Dexter Johnson of Carmel music has a '23 A-2 that is all original for $4000. He also sold a '23 A-2Z that was listed at $4250. They ain't making any more of those little gems!

[SternART]

Larry Wexer also has a '23 A4 EXC on his site for $4k
A lot depends on condition for pricing on these, but
we all know mint condition doesn't mean it also sounds
the best.

[Mandobar]

a friend of mine has a pristine 23 A2 that he is selling for less than $4k. it has old strings on it but boy, does it sound great. it is all original and even the case is in great shape. i know i should buy it but i have a mandolin on order almost ready to be started.

[Jim Garber]

As you say, this is a "Loar". All Loar era instruments are going up in price. A4s are even less comon than A2s so that price seems in the range. F4s of the same era in the condition you describe are almost double that price.

Jim

[Chip Booth]

Aside from the truss rod are there any differences in a Loar A4 and a teens A4 or post Loar model?

Chip

[Gary S]

Most but not all of the loar period A-4s have snakehead headstocks. Some of those snakeheads have virzi tone producers as well. I would think the value of a snakehead A-4 would be between $4 and $5 and the virzi snakeheads would be $5+.

[Chip Booth]

Hmmm, this is a paddle head.

Chip

[Chip Booth]

It's happy Loar day! #69619 arrived today in great shape except for some finish clouding on the back where it rubs against your stomach. #I'll post pictures as soon as I get a chance but in the mean time it might as well be the identical twin of this one from the mandolin archive:

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/show_mando.pl?638

Based on the serial number it must be a '22 rather than '23.

[Chip Booth]

pics as promised:

http://www.publicradioband.net/images/mando/a4/A4%2001%20front.jpg

http://www.publicradioband.net/images/mando/a4/A4%2003%20top.jpg

[Chip Booth]

http://www.publicradioband.net/images/mando/a4/A4%2007%20back.jpg

Does the case look original? #It's certainly old...

you can see more pics at this link:
http://www.publicradioband.net/A4.htm

[Ken Waltham]

Yep, that case is right.
Very unusual colour, though. I've had only one gold one that I can remember.
It's a very nice looking mandolin.
Ken

[Eric F.]

Yes, that's a beauty! How's she sound?

[Chip Booth]

It sounds very sweet and subtle. It seems like it's quiet when I play it but not when I listen to someone else play it, and not when I compare it to another instrument I know to have good volume. The tone is just so mellow and subtle that it doesn't seem loud. The bass is good but not huge on the G string and a bit weak on the D string. Otherwise the volume and tone is pretty even across the strings, and it sounds nice and open and resonant. The original bridge was just put back on before it was sent to me and it was put on wrong, so I put it on correctly but the action is very low. There is also some fretwear, so it needs a real setup and I won't judge too much until I hear it with really good action.

[Darryl Wolfe]

That also looks to have the original nickle truss rod cover. #Those are quite rare...only the first few truss rodded instruments have those

case..that's only the second original gold/yellow one I've seen

[danb]

Chip, could you shoot me a picture of the bridge saddle? It should be an interesting one, the early style of adjustible (just after the aluminum ones!) if it's original to the mando. Yeah, the nickel silver truss rod covers are just the last half of '21 if I remember correctly. Gorgeous instrument.. the case color is unusual, I only vaguely recall seeing one before, pretty sure I don't have one in the archives.

Is there a FON stamp on the neck block you could share? Ok for me to use your pictures at the archive? http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Chip Booth]

Dan I will get you pictures of the bridge this evening. #You are welcome to use any of my pics, I have higher resolution versions available if you prefer. #I expect to a take more in the next few days and hopefully get some better ones.

The number on the block appears to be 11630, the "11" is larger than the other numbers and/or smeared so it is hard to tell for sure. #It is plainly visible through the sound hole, I might even be able to get a picture of it.

The foot of the bridge has a stamp that says "PAPD JAN.18-21"

Does this help nail the date down a little closer?

Chip

[mandroid]

I thought , since I have a pre trussrod '21 A and then snapped up the '21 a4 with nickle truss rod cover also, that introduction of truss rod would have a shiny promotional "i have one of those newfangled trussrods sort of theme going on with it.

[Ken Waltham]

Truss rods with nickel covers on them are the very first ones appearing in 1922. They last for a short period of time before they become plastic.
There are no truss rods in 1921.
This is the earliest of the Loar period.

[Chip Booth]

A few more pics as requested, sorry dial up users http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

http://www.publicradioband.net/images/mando/a4/Case%2003.jpg

http://www.publicradioband.net/images/mando/a4/Bridge%2001.jpg

[Chip Booth]

I just love how this pic turned out...

http://www.publicradioband.net/images/mando/a4/Bridge%2002.jpg

Dan, I have a few more of the case, heastock and bridge at my web site:

http://www.publicradioband.net/A4.htm (http://www.publicradioband.net/A4.htm)

[Darryl Wolfe]

Nice pictures. For you wood affecionados out there, many Loar era bridges have that streaky brown in them. However, I rarely see browns in any Gaboon Ebony. I suspect they used Gaboon on fingerboards and Macassar on the bridges. Or for that matter maybe they contracted the bridges out and that's the way it ended up.

I use both on my bridges depending on how the client wants it to look

[Darryl Wolfe]

Chip, Have you tried that bridge with the base turned the other way and the saddle installed as depicted. I suspect the bridge base got turned around. The fit looks a bit suspect and the stamp is usually on the bass side

[Chip Booth]

I have not tried that Darryl, I put the bridge on and that was my best guess. #I'll swap it around and see how it sounds. #I sure am getting addicted to the tone of this thing http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[danb]

Chip- the saddle *is* correct in that photo, but the bass/treble of the bottom part does look to be the wrong way around as Darryl says

[Chip Booth]

I switched the saddle around as suggested and tried on a set of Sam Bush monels as was suggested in another thread (and I happened to have lying around). The D string is more even now, and the volume and tone improved overall. I raised the bridge a little bit, which helped the action some, but once I get nice setup this thing should be one fantastic instrument.

Chip

[Eric F.]

Chip, You are killing me, KILLING me. I've had incipient A-4 lust for a year or so, but now it's starting to rage out of control. Yes, I blame you.

[Chip Booth]

http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif Sorry Eric, but I gotta say your lust is surely justified!