Loar tailpiece Cover

[Rich Michaud]

Dear Cafers-
I have recently acquired a February 18, 1924 Loar. The tail piece is different that other vintage Gibsons that I have seen. In particular, the detail on the top on the traditional covers is not there and the signature Gibson line is different. I will try to post a picture of the one on the instrument and an extra vintage one I have for comparison. I welcome any comments you may have on this esoteric subject.

Thanks in advance,
Rich Michaud

[Rich Michaud]

Dear Cafers-
I have recently acquired a February 18, 1924 Loar. The tail piece is different that other vintage Gibsons that I have seen. In particular, the detail on the top on the traditional covers is not there and the signature Gibson line is different. I will try to post a picture of the one on the instrument and an extra vintage one I have for comparison. I welcome any comments you may have on this esoteric subject.

Thanks in advance,
Rich Michaud

Please ignore my misspelling of "tailpiece"

[goaty76]

Congrats on the cool mandolin. Yup, the Loar signed instruments have a different style tailpiece cover. Check out these in the archive if you want to scan through the pics and get acquainted with the features.

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/perl/...dolins.pl?loar

If you come across another one let me know (the cover, not the mandolin).


Phil

[MikeEdgerton]

This 1924 H5 has the same tailpiece cover. This 1924 F5 has the same cover. I'm assuming Gibson used them for a period of time without the scroll work. These also look like they were engraved as opposed to being stamped.

There are later mandolins with the other cover. The problem with covers is that they can be moved. My friend has a pineapple cover on his 60's F5.

[MikeEdgerton]

Please ignore my misspelling of "tailpiece"

I fixed it for you.

[AlanN]

Dang, Rich. Just....dang

[JFDilmando]

You're just comparing a stamped cover from all the other models to a Loar... all the Loars have engraved script, and the edges have fine engraved cross hatch all around.... this one has all, or most of that worn off....

[eightmoremiles]

Congratulations. You have gotten into the family of Loars signed on Feb 18, 1924, and I think that may be the best date to have on your label. John Reischman, Chris Thile, even Lloyd himself had Feb 18 F5s. Can you tell us the serial number? Is it in the archives? Any historical associations, or other provenance? You might want to have a replacement tp cover made, and keep the original in a safe place. Same for the pickguard, if you use one. Enjoy it, and 'whip it like a mule'; it won't quit on you!

[John Soper]

Rich: I can't find the "green with envy" emoticon... Congrats!

[MikeEdgerton]

A past thread on the subject can be found here.

[Rich Michaud]

Thanks Mike and the rest of you folks for helping me out by answering my questions. As always, it's a pleasure to be part of this mandolin community.
Rich

[Don Grieser]

Hey Rich, congrats! I picked a few tunes with you in the vendor tent at RockyGrass many years ago. Don't know if you remember or not, but congrats anyway.

[Rich Michaud]

Don of course I remember. I will be at Merlefest again in a few weeks with my Loar-if you are going please stop by and give it a whirl.
Same to you John, Alan and Steve.
Rich

[Spruce]

You might want to have a replacement tp cover made, and keep the original in a safe place.

I recently had some covers engraved, and they came out very nice...
They are not silver plated, but still look pretty darn good...
My plan was to antique them...
(One goes to a friend--I think I have 3-4)...
I can post pics when I get back home in a week...

[William Smith]

Thanks Mike and the rest of you folks for helping me out by answering my questions. As always, it's a pleasure to be part of this mandolin community.
Rich

Looks like the right cover just worn, the Loars were engraved, Curious did you go for the early feb 18th batch or the later batch? Also Virzi or non virzi? I think the feb 18th are the best Loars, real refined tone on em. Awesome for you man, I know if I had the cash flow I'd be buying one of the Feb 18th 24's. Koolman simply Kool

[mandroid]

Were the covers ever made in the same alloy as the frets, so not needing plating,
because of the high Nickel content?

[Jeff Mando]

Congrats on the Loar, Rich!

[Spruce]

Were the covers ever made in the same alloy as the frets, so not needing plating,
because of the high Nickel content?

I, too, would like to know what the originals were made out of...?
I sent my engraver a batch of covers, and they were not the "right" metal, and too hard to engrave....

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Spruce, I had my Loar cover analyzed. I'm out of town at the moment, but will post the alloy in a few days.
Rich, congrats on your purchase.

[mandroid]

I, too, would like to know what the originals were made out of...?
I sent my engraver a batch of covers, and they were not the "right" metal, and too hard to engrave....

I can see the hand engraving having that issue,

tooling up for a stamped 'engraving' is a bit more up front cost ,
for raised lettering in hardened steel..

"If at First You Don't Succeed, Try a Bigger Hammer"

[Tobin]

You didn't happen to buy this Loar at a flea market, did you?

[Loudloar]

I, too, would like to know what the originals were made out of...?

The Loar F-5 covers were made from solid nickel silver and then silver plated. Everything was hand engraved; the script lettering of "The Gibson", the flourish above and below, and the border which is called "wiggle work". In this example the silver plating has been worn away from more than half of the cover revealing the nickel silver.

Steve

[Spruce]

That's the look I'm going for on the ones I'm antiquing...
Wish me luck...

[goaty76]

So....is anyone making a nice reproduction today? One that could be put on a Loar missing it's original cover.

Phil

[Spruce]

So....is anyone making a nice reproduction today? One that could be put on a Loar missing it's original cover.

If you did, in milliseconds you would be facing the wrath of one Lucian Beavers--an intellectual property attorney in Nashville, TN.
Or at least this was the case 20 years ago...ugh.

It's not that hard to find a suitable cover, send it to a good engraver who will charge you about 75 bucks to engrave it, and then antique it using various methods...