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Thread: Loar pickguard

  1. #1
    Registered User JimRichter's Avatar
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    Default Loar pickguard

    I recalled a thread from several years ago about the Loar tailpiece cover that showed up on eBay. I reviewed it and there was a breakdown of how much the price of a Loar would be reduced per missing original part. Pickguards weren’t mentioned. How much would the price of a Loar be reduced if it didn’t have the original pickguard?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    These days who knows....but Loars tend to go in roundish numbers when you get that high.... You might be able to negotiate 1k off by mentioning a missing tailpiece...but in reality, the seller would have been willing to let it go at that price anyway

    The reality would be you would settle on a price for the Loar, as is.... And then you go looking for a tailpiece cover and add that to your cost....the seller really isn't going to think too much about that on his end.... That is at least how I would think about it.... And how I have in the past

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    Registered User JimRichter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Thanks! How much would an original loar pickguard cost? If u could find one?

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Original, who knows? I would guess one that you could prove came off from a Loar might be worth in the $2-5K neighborhood. However there's a chance that it would have it's original mandolin's serial number etched into the back of the pickguard I think. And if that's the case it will never been seen as "original" to the current mandolin even though it's an original Loar part.

    I happen to have a Loar instrument that was in need of a pickguard and I found the next best thing. A pickguard from a slightly later 20's instrument (got it for less than 1/10th the price I guessed above). Then I had someone make an appropriate white and tortoise support block that the Loars originally had instead of the just metal ones from later on. So it should look right and pretty appropriate however like I said there's still that serial number on there.

    Phil

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    My '22 Loar era truss rod paddle head A2 (that was a mouthfull) has the original pickguard and while it has the PAT. date it does not have a serial number. The PAT. date would be the same for all that used the same guard from 1909, which is the date on mine, to when they changed the guard and clamp.
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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    I don't know about that price. That seems pretty generous for something that one well known Loar expert manufactures reproductions of.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    I don't know about that price. That seems pretty generous for something that one well known Loar expert manufactures reproductions of.
    I actually thought I was being fairly conservative especially with the lower end of that estimate. At that point what you are spending the money on is not actually the pickguard but the ability to sell the instrument later on with a greater of ease. With multiple Loars on the market and the number of potential buyers for a six figure mandolin pretty low the more original one will almost definitely be more attractive to a buyer than one with a reproduction part. Spending that kind of money you get to be picky. Of course you can discount the repro one but my guess is you’ll have to reduce the price more than you would have spent on an original pickguard, if you can even find one.

    Phil

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    I think you'd be surprised at how many of these instruments have reproduction parts on them.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    I think you'd be surprised at how many of these instruments have reproduction parts on them.
    Exactly. Hence a premium for one that doesn’t.

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    Registered User f5loar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    I've seen at least 2 original Loar cases for sale at $10,000 each. That's the dealer's asking price and no doubt if a serious buyer came forth, they would knock off 20% or so to unload it. So I'd think the same for an original PG for a Loar. Also be aware, there was more than one style for a Loar. Details changed in those 2 1/2 years.

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by f5loar View Post
    Also be aware, there was more than one style for a Loar. Details changed in those 2 1/2 years.
    Can you detail the changes you have seen?

    Phil

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    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Goaty, Are you still tying to unload that feb 18th? Was that the later batch? I'd love one around the early batch, they seam to sound different! My Uncle Gene Johnso has the first know of that batch and the tone is so different/gnarly I want to #75305! Killer horn

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Bluegrasser, I think you are confusing me with someone else.

    Phil

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by goaty76 View Post
    Can you detail the changes you have seen?

    Phil
    Please allow for helping a bit. MC member and Loar expert Darryl Wolfe wrote this a while ago: "Pickguards for 22 and 23 Loars were single layer of 0.070 reinforced with another 0.070 layer indented in. Loars were the first Gibson instruments with bound pickguards and the sanding and polishing rendered them too thin for single layer guards. The first one 70281 is single layer 0.070 none of the others are. Gibson apparently ordered 0.100 plastic to correct this and all Loars February 18, 1924 and later have the single layer guard. Here is a proper 1923 guard with the shrink lines from the layer underneath and the "flat" tip that '23 generally have. The double layer guards are very dark." https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...+layer+.070%93

    Apart from that, the shape of the upper tip varied a bit, as did the binding (which was sometimes w/b/i or w/b/w respectively) and the screw/washer at the bracket (some Loars lack the washer).

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    I got an ebony finger rest made recently. To resist splitting along the grain line,

    it has reinforcing patches of carbon fiber, inlaid on the underside.

    a material not available in 1923..
    writing about music
    is like dancing,
    about architecture

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    If a mandolin I bought, came with a pick guard on it Jim, I usually just took it off!! I don’t particularly care for a pick guard. I haven’t seen a scenario where you could negotiate a lower price with an online mail service or even a local store, when the pick guard was removed. I suppose if you’re dealing with a professional Luthier, and you tell that person that you don’t want to pick guard, it would probably have an effect on the price by what? $25.00??
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  21. #17

    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by Soupy1957 View Post
    If a mandolin I bought, came with a pick guard on it Jim, I usually just took it off!! I don’t particularly care for a pick guard. I haven’t seen a scenario where you could negotiate a lower price with an online mail service or even a local store, when the pick guard was removed. I suppose if you’re dealing with a professional Luthier, and you tell that person that you don’t want to pick guard, it would probably have an effect on the price by what? $25.00??
    Nailed it!
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by Henry Eagle View Post
    ...MC member and Loar expert Darryl Wolfe wrote this a while ago: ...
    Darryl knows his Loar pickguards

    I have always been amazed at the depth of his knowledge as well as the lengths he will go to get it right when he needs to. He has been a great source of knowledge here on the Cafe.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by FLATROCK HILL View Post
    Nailed it!
    Next time please warn me before you do that.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by Soupy1957 View Post
    If a mandolin I bought, came with a pick guard on it Jim, I usually just took it off!! I don’t particularly care for a pick guard. I haven’t seen a scenario where you could negotiate a lower price with an online mail service or even a local store, when the pick guard was removed. I suppose if you’re dealing with a professional Luthier, and you tell that person that you don’t want to pick guard, it would probably have an effect on the price by what? $25.00??

    Well if happen to buy any Loars (or pretty much any 1910-1930 GIbson) and don’t want the pickguard feel free to get in touch with me. I’m happy to pay your asking price.

    Phil

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    In terms of ill-informed responses, I'd thought I'd seen them all...boy, was I wrong!

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    Quote Originally Posted by Soupy1957 View Post
    If a mandolin I bought, came with a pick guard on it Jim, I usually just took it off!! I don’t particularly care for a pick guard. I haven’t seen a scenario where you could negotiate a lower price with an online mail service or even a local store, when the pick guard was removed. I suppose if you’re dealing with a professional Luthier, and you tell that person that you don’t want to pick guard, it would probably have an effect on the price by what? $25.00??
    Was that a joke or what? Try adding a few zeros to your $25.00 -- at least. Nothing or no part save perhaps the original strings and on a Loar-signed Gibson F-5 (and that includes the smell) is worth what? $25?
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    The pickguard on my Brentrup is ebony, sculpted to match the scoop in the Florida, and bound. I am sure Hans would charge several hundred dollars to make this modern guard. $25 will buy the material to have a plastic guard made, it still has to be shaped, and bound and supported underneath and fit to the instrument.
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  33. #24
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    I had a ham sandwich for lunch.

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    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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    Default Re: Loar pickguard

    I imagine it's tough to pin a hard figure on this type of thing - "Loar F-5 with original (pickguard, bridge, tuners - you name it) = $999,999. Without original = $999,999 minus 'x'.

    F5loar mentioned cases. I remember one case going round and round, by the usual suspects. Each time it changed hands, the price got bumped considerably. The last swap I heard about was ~ 5K. This was many years ago now. And interestingly, that very case was on the BU cover shoot featured at one of the IBMA Louisville Loarfests, maybe 1999.

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