Loar LM-370??

[Bluegrasscal_87]

Anyone have any experience or feedback for a Loar LM-370? Price point is $500. At a local guitar shop and thinking checking it out but didn't know if it was worth my time or not.

I'm a beginner mandolin player so I just want something fun and quality to play for years to come. I'm not looking to break the bank but, having played guitar for almost 20 years, I know that having a quality instrument makes a huge difference in desire to practice and learn.

[Dylan Turner]

I have a The Loar LM-520 (pretty sure that's right) and I really like it, I believe it is a step up from the LM-370. Also I got the LM-520 for about $500 so I think you could get a better mandolin for the same price, especially if you are okay with getting a used one.

[Loubrava]

I started out on Loar 600 and really liked it and now wish I never sold it. But you get what pay for. With that said the Loar is great place to start. But look into folkmusician.com or a couple of other retailers that support this site and buy from them that way you'll get an instrument that is set up and ready to play, almost all the lower end mandolins I've tried out in "guitar stores" were not set up. You'd be surprised at what a good set will do for a mandolin. The Loar will play nice, stay in tune, hold up well & sound pretty good if set up right.

[Zach Wilson]

NFI. Check out the The Loar 520 from The Mandolin Store. It's a bit more then what you were going to spend but you would be getting more mandolin, a set up, and case.

I hope I am not over stepping boundaries. I just trying to be helpful 🤓

https://themandolinstore.com/product...0-vs-mandolin/

[Chris Daniels]

$500 for a 370 is WAY overpriced. When the big box music stores carried them they were $350-400 new. Plus it's got laminated back and sides which you could get by paying $300 for a The Loar LM-310.

If you're dead set on getting a The Loar, go for the all-solid LM-520 as mentioned by others above. It's your best option if you have to have an F-style for around $500. Both online stores listed are great and carry them for the same price, although I see Folkmusician.com has some blem 520s for $450 (NFI).

FYI, general rule of thumb is you need to spend twice as much on a mandolin as you would for a guitar of the same quality, although the difference in price between A and F style mandolins skews this quite a bit. So $500 mando = $200-250 guitar. I used to own an LM-500 (around $700 when not on sale) and was quite pleased with it, although it took some work to get right. There are other options (different brands, A models, buying used, etc) that are worth the time to research before running out to spend some cash.

C.

[Bluegrasscal_87]

Thanks for the feedback, every bit of it is appreciated! I think I'm going to stay in the Loar family since the feedback seems to be realy good with regard to a solid beginning instrument. (That is unless you have any recommendations on a good F-style for the money).

I found a Loar LM-520-VS that someone is getting rid of for $400 so I think I might go check it out as well as look at the links you've all suggested.

- - - Updated - - -

Thanks for that info, Chris. I already have an A-Style so I'm wanting to add an F-style as well.

If I really wanted a decent F-style for the money, would you suggest something besides Loar?

[Chris Daniels]

If I really wanted a decent F-style for the money, would you suggest something besides Loar?

That's the thing, there's really not another good option for the $$. You might be able to score a good used Kentucky or, if you're lucky, an Eastman for somewhere close to $500 but that requires patience for one to be posted for sale. You'd just have to play your A model, keep saving, and wait until the right opportunity presents itself.

C.

[colorado_al]

If you need the scroll, this is as good a buy as you will find for less than $500 for a solid carved wood mandolin
https://www.folkmusician.com/collect...-mandolin-blem
The Loar 520 for $450. Sold as a blemishied instrument, it may have a small cosmetic flaw. Still should play just the same and will also carry a warranty.
You can buy a factory 2nd, but they usually have more extensive issues that might have been repaired. No warranty, and only saves you $30 compared to the blemished instrument