Lloyd Loar(s!) at IBMA

[jmalmsteen]

Elderly had TWO Lloyd Loar mandolins at IBMA. Today rates as one of the best days of my life. I got to play both of them for about a half an hour. On top of this, I had my Gibson mandolin with me and David Harvey from Gibson was there at the Gibson booth. He looked over my mandolin, corrected the angle of the bridge and I even got to play with him and try every Gibson mandolin in the booth along with his very nice F-4 that was for sale. And, he told me that my mandolin is a 2004. On top of this I got to see Doyle and he even played my mandolin so I am assuming it is now magical. Besides Bill Monroe, Doyle is my idol so this was huge. Maybe this was the best day but I wouldn't want my husband to see that I didn't say our wedding

[Glassweb]

So what mando was your fave?

[jmalmsteen]

Well, the Lloyd loar (the more expensive one had double the volume but didn't sound as nice as the other so it was a draw), the F-4 was nice and Gibson had another F5G there that sounded better than mine but wasn't worth $1500 more to get the new one. Other builders make great sounding instruments but when it comes down to it Gibson is the original and has the Gibson sound that you can only get from owning their mandolin.

[Glassweb]

Well, the Lloyd loar (the more expensive one had double the volume but didn't sound as nice as the other so it was a draw), the F-4 was nice and Gibson had another F5G there that sounded better than mine but wasn't worth $1500 more to get the new one. Other builders make great sounding instruments but when it comes down to it Gibson is the original and has the Gibson sound that you can only get from owning their mandolin.

Couldn't agree with you more about the Gibson sound. To my ears it's just what I'm looking for in a mandolin... not to mention the playabity of the original Loar long scale neck. Those F5gs can be scary good... one I played was about as good an F hole mandolin as I ever played. Glad you got to play on some "good wood"!

[jmalmsteen]

I woke up today and we're driving back to NY and all I am thinking is "did yesterday really happen??"

[John Kinn]

This is what makes it so hard sometimes living across the Atlantic. That sounded like a dream come true. And by the way: I don't often hear about a Loar "not sounding as nice as the other", but with twice the volume. Great post!

[fernmando]

Played virtually all the new F5-Gs at IBMA trade show yesterday. They even had a "gold-top" Les Paul finshed mando, as well as a Seafoam Green and baby blue one. Those were choked up a bit by the paint, as can be expected, but the traditional ones were up to par with volume and tone to spare. Didn't see anything besides G models, though. Best mando at the trade show...Kimble...hands down.

Roscoe Morgan

[f5loar]

Can you list all the mandolins that were on display at IBMA? I'd like to hear if there were Kentucky's, Northfields, Eastmans, The Loars, etc. As far as Loars being different I've found no two alike but all in the upper end of being really nice. For certain strings and set up plays into how they sound to you. I know it's possible for someone who has that dreadful chemical hand disorder will kill a set of new strings in less then 10 mintues. If you picked it up after that happened the strings would have a dead tone to them. How it is set up is important too. High or low action can really change the sound/tone and how it plays. At least you know for sure you picked a real Loar and not one of the many thousands of fakes out there. You can trust Elderly to sell the real deal.

[fernmando]

f5loar,

I played Red Diamond, Ellis, Northfield, Gibson, The Loar, Altman, Kentucky, Kimble, Collings and Eastman. The Loar was really tight, and not indicative of usual tone and quality. Kentuckys were good, the "Monroe" Kentucky was not impressive at all however. Northfields sounded like a good value, and even better when I sat across from Steffey 5 feet away. Eastmans are always respectable, and the Red Diamonds, Altmans and Ellis were at least decent. Not a Collings fan. Kimble had the most mojo, and though all Northfield and up mandos sounded at least good, the new Gibbys and particularly Kimble were the strong show.

Roscoe Morgan

[Andrew B. Carlson]

Why am I in Canada? Can we have an IBMA up here please? Preferably in the Western half. Playing any mando that's nicer than mine would be quite the treat. And I love mine.

[Willie Poole]

To the original poster....I had a dream like that once, I played all of those nice instruments and then I woke up and went and got out my Harmony and broke it up, then bought a Gibson A-50 and have been dreaming ever since....

Sounds like your trip was well worth the long drive down there, I haven`t been to an IBMA shows since they left Owensboro which was a long time ago...I loved the way they had it set up there, looking out across the Ohio river and I videoed all of the acts every time I was there and still have those tapea and watch them every now and then, a lot of the performers have passed so that makes them even more collectable to me....

Thanks for posting that info and sharing with us....

Willie

[Glassweb]

knock-knock!! who's there?? WILL KIMBLE!!! In my not-so-humble opinion Will is at the absolute top of the heap of modern builders. You wanna talk about bang for your buck? The Kimble F5 I played recently was spectacular.

[jmalmsteen]

This is what makes it so hard sometimes living across the Atlantic. That sounded like a dream come true. And by the way: I don't often hear about a Loar "not sounding as nice as the other", but with twice the volume. Great post!

I can't say it is everyday when you are playing a Loar and someone says, "here, try this Loar, it sounds better."
Yeah, pretty amazing!

[BluegrassWarehouse]

So, are you going to keep your Gibson, or go back to the Kentucky?

Lance

[reverhar]

I got the opportunity to play both Loars. IMO I think the July 9th was the stronger instrument across the board. I was impressed with the tone and playability plus had lots of power and volume. The Feb 18th was definitely good but probably about half the volume of the July 9th.

Don brought some really nice Red Diamond mandolins. He had a Bobby Osborne model, one vintage F (Crusher voiced) and another vintage F (Reischman voiced). All were very good but I particularly like the Reischman vintage F.

Now, to Will Kimble. He had an A, F, and a mandola that I got to sample. The F was about three days old and the A had been played some. The F was definitely impressive for such a brand new mandolin. I was blown away with the A in being such a strong mandolin. The tonal characteristics and chop rivaled the F model. A very strong A model mandolin.

The Northfields were very nice. I played them briefly and was impressed with the Englemann A model (Big Mon). Adam Steffey and Emory Lester both played Northfields on stage.

Didn't play the Altmans but heard Jesse Brock playing his Altman at close range with Audie Blalock band. He was getting some impressive volume and tone (especially since this was an acoustic performance). Definitely a banjo killer.

Of what I got to sample, I would give a very slight edge to the Kimble mandolins.

[jmalmsteen]

So, are you going to keep your Gibson, or go back to the Kentucky?

Lance

The Gibson definitely has something special going for it so its staying. And, Doyle did play it so now I have to!

[Rosemary Philips]

knock-knock!! who's there?? WILL KIMBLE!!! In my not-so-humble opinion Will is at the absolute top of the heap of modern builders. You wanna talk about bang for your buck? The Kimble F5 I played recently was spectacular.

What in particular made the Kimble so outstanding to you?

[Tom C]

f5loar,

I played Red Diamond, Ellis, Northfield, Gibson, The Loar, Altman, Kentucky, Kimble, Collings and Eastman. The Loar was really tight, and not indicative of usual tone and quality. Kentuckys were good, the "Monroe" Kentucky was not impressive at all however. Northfields sounded like a good value, and even better when I sat across from Steffey 5 feet away. Eastmans are always respectable, and the Red Diamonds, Altmans and Ellis were at least decent. Not a Collings fan. Kimble had the most mojo, and though all Northfield and up mandos sounded at least good, the new Gibbys and particularly Kimble were the strong show.

Roscoe Morgan

Ouch! All the ones that cost $10K and up get an underwhelming decent

[reverhar]

WILL KIMBLE!!! In my not-so-humble opinion Will is at the absolute top of the heap of modern builders. You wanna talk about bang for your buck? The Kimble F5 I played recently was spectacular.

The key statement here is "bang for your buck". IMO Glassweb is "right on" with this statement.

[Psyberbilly]

Ouch! All the ones that cost $10K and up get an underwhelming decent

Heard ya there Tom ! That one jumped out at me to. I haven't played a Red Diamond , Northfield , The Loar , or a Kimble , so I have no way to say anything about them although I do hear a lot of good things about them . I have played and been around several Ellis mandolins , that's the first time i have heard the word " decent "used to describe them . Of course I don't know the details of what was played , but i haven't met one of Tom's mandolins that I would kick out of the music room for playing a Billy Ray Cyrus song ............

Of course , us Mandolin Cafe'ers have high standards , ( that Monroe feller wasn't all that bad a mandolin picker ) ;-)

it's a tough room !

I am surely envious of all y'all who got to go up there and experience all of those in person , there's no substitute for that .

[Glassweb]

What in particular made the Kimble so outstanding to you?

Well... really damn near everything! The feel of super high-quality craftsmanship and materials, the rich, complex tone and volume. The great balance. I guess the best way to say it is that it functions and performs beautifully as a WHOLE... meaning all its major and minor qualities add up to a perfect, single mandolinistic statement... I.E... a great mandolin. Will's mandolins have a real identity all their own. Like a Lloyd, a Gil, a Dude... Kimble mandolins are in a class all their own. I currently have one of his 2 point mandolas and to me it's a perfect instrument.

[Cheryl Watson]

I played quite a few of the mandolins in the exhibit hall at IBMA this week. I played the July 9 Loar at the Elderly booth and it was loud and deep sounding. A friend and bandmate of mine is going to put up video of it on You Tube. It played very easily. There was an '82 Gilchrist there beside the Loars that had a radiused board and a big neck that would be nice for a player with larger hands. It had a very strong tone. I loved it. The Monteleone Baby Grand there was a work of art and it had a refined, clean tone.

I finally got to check out the Northfield mandolins. I played a Big Mon F-model Northfield that was really was, in particular, very nice. They are light-weight, resonate, strong, easy to play mandolins. Adam Steffey was there at the booth, always a friendly guy.

Will Kimble had three fine examples of his work there. I played the 3 day old F-model that had just been french polished just a few days previously, and yeah, I would have loved to have taken it home but I already own a fine Kimble. I did not play the A-model, but I did hear it played and it sounded strong and even. I fiddled around on the gorgeous sunburst Kimble mandola (the first time I have ever had played a mandola). It had depth and power and it was a LOT easier to play than an octave mandolin. Maybe it sold; if not, then, somebody is going to get a GREAT mandola, and I am serious!

I loved the Ellis mandolins, as usual. I had a chance to play Tom's personal mandolin on a few tunes in a jam with him, Will Kimble, and other great pickers on the 18th floor of the Renaissance on Thursday night. Tom had the action down really low but it was still very strong-sounding.

Also, in the exhibit hall was a particular "Crusher voiced" Red Diamond F that had great power and depth. Don was great to talk with. If I had had the funds that one would have come home with me to Florida.

The Gibson booth had a fine showing. There was one F5 that Dave Harvey played for me so I could hear it up front. It had a burst top and a brown (very figured) back/sides. That mandolin was strong up the neck and even-toned with an extremely clean tone and it was a really good deal. There was also an exquisite mandocello there with block inlay.

There were so many more...

[mandobassman]

Elderly had TWO Lloyd Loar mandolins at IBMA. Today rates as one of the best days of my life. I got to play both of them for about a half an hour. On top of this, I had my Gibson mandolin with me and David Harvey from Gibson was there at the Gibson booth. He looked over my mandolin, corrected the angle of the bridge and I even got to play with him and try every Gibson mandolin in the booth along with his very nice F-4 that was for sale. And, he told me that my mandolin is a 2004. On top of this I got to see Doyle and he even played my mandolin so I am assuming it is now magical. Besides Bill Monroe, Doyle is my idol so this was huge. Maybe this was the best day but I wouldn't want my husband to see that I didn't say our wedding

How exciting is THAT! A two-Loar day. I have only played one Gibson Loar and that was back in 1985 when it was only $8000. It was actually the first F-style mandolin I ever played. I was shopping for a F mandolin and went to Mandolin Brothers. I remember thinking "Why would anyone spend $8000 on a mandolin?" Oh, well! I bought a $400 Kentucky KM-850 and played it for 17 years. BTW, Doyle was my biggest influence back in those days. At one point I knew every note on the "Tennessee Dream" album.

[jmalmsteen]

A Loar was $8000 in 1985?? How did it increase to $200k+??? Wow. That's pretty amazing having a Loar as the first F style that you played.

[mandobassman]

On hindsight it was pretty amazing. I didn't even appreciate what I was playing back then. I know my playing has improved since then and I can be sure I didn't pull the best tone out of it anyway.