The Loar construction

[Roger Kunkel]

I'm hear that the "The Loar" models are built with no top bracing. Is that true?
Wouldn't such a design be more prone to top sinkage in the future? Maybe It a question for builder's forum. Just curious.

[Bill Snyder]

Some have braced tops and some don't. Varies from model to model.

[dcoventry]

Excellent time to use the search function, and go visit The Loar website for details. It's a great site!!

Nutshell: The A style LM400 and f style lm700 have no bracing. Don't seem to lack for it either since they were designed with that in mind.

[Roger Kunkel]

Excellent time to use the search function, and go visit The Loar website for details. It's a great site!!


Nutshell: The A style LM400 and f style lm700 have no bracing. Don't seem to lack for it either since they were designed with that in mind.

It is a relatively good site, but I don't see any mention of bracing in the "detailed specs" of those 2 models. Interesting that the higher end models are the ones with no bracing. I assumed it would be a cost saving design.

[dcoventry]

Rodger,

Didn't mean to lead you astray!! I've spent SO MUCH TIME on that site, I think I don't know what's there or not. I've researched The Loars up and down until I bought a LM700. Great mando. The lack of tonebars seems to bring out the openness and bass response on the instrument. You would certainly have to make differnet graduations in the top definitely and in the back probably to account for the lack of tonebars. Like a lot of things, if you design for the difference, the structural integrity is not an issue.

[Big Joe]

Tone bars are NOT structural support, but rather for development of a certain frequency spectrum. The arch to the top is much stronger than you might imagine and the only way any top that is arched will sink is if the top is carved too thin. The tone bars are NOT braces for support. It's amazing that bridges have lasted for over a hundred years under tremendous strain with not tone bar bracing but do very well due to the arching. It is the very same with arched top instruments. If you want to brace for increased structural integrity then you would not want to use tone bars as is done in mandolins or arched top guitars.

Flat top instrument need braces for support and tone development because they are flat. A flat surface is not as strong as an arched so they have to be braced differently. The idea in both the LM700 and LM400 is to allow the instrument to develop a bit wider and balanced tonal response. The tone bars are designed to emphasize a bit more mid range punch for cutting through an ensemble setting.

Obviously the "The Loar" is not concerned about top sinkage. They put a lifetime warranty on them and not a single one has been returned for warranty considerations due to any top issues. The other models do have tone bars and there is a difference in the tonal output in those models.

[billkilpatrick]

... The lack of tonebars seems to bring out the openness and bass response on the instrument ...

could this be demonstrated in a sound clip, comparing a LM600 to a LM700? i'm having trouble imaging this, given the variations (slight) one could find within a single series.

curious ...

(good advise - i do try to grin when playing the mandolin/fiddle in public - doesn't throw folks off so much as it encourages them to have a good time!)

[dcoventry]

Bill,

I've seen the difference in bass response over maybe 5 700's and 4 600's. The lack on tonebars gives an tubbiness to the bass response that is quite consistent. It's not as tightly focused as the 600's. It's a pretty interesting and useful differerence as it allows you to chose the direction you want your tone to go. I only had my 700 for a short while, but this was the reason I gave it up. I'd get a 600 now.

Or a 600 and a 400, methinks.

[billkilpatrick]

gottcha' ...

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