Loar Picture of the Day

[jmpullen]

Re: Scotti Adams inquiry of writing between bridge and tailpiece, on Monroe's # 73987 -
I was told it was B M + b M -- Bill Monroe #+ Bess Mauldin. Isn't this right, those who know for sure ?

[Scotti Adams]

..Hi Jim...Charlie D. informed me that it said "Bill Monroe"....I didnt quite get that from what I could see in the pic...in looks more like initials as you suggested...

[Darryl Wolfe]

I think Jim is correct..or shall I say he is correct

[Scotti Adams]

..yep..its alot clearer in that pic...thanks alot Darryl...I wonder why Charlie said it said "Bill Monroe"...I know..so many mandolins...so little time...huh Charlie?..

[delsbrother]

Awwww.... That's cute!

[Charlie Derrington]

Yup and yup.

[Scotti Adams]

Hey Darryl and Charlie..look at the tuner placement on this Loar...arent they more far apart than "normal"?...or is this just another inconsistancy in the Loar Mando product? its seems awfully wide across the top from the D tuner to the A tuner...not quite angled in as it should be ....

[Darryl Wolfe]

That's the way the early ones were with the exception of the first one. June 22. #Refer to earlier pictures in this thread for some discussion on it. #Essentially the standard Loar placement was new and they didn't have tuners yet that could be installed that way. #Then they found out that the inlay positioning didn't work with the new tuners and changed that

[Scotti Adams]

,,thanks Darryl...you da man

[evanreilly]

How common was the use of this style tailpiece on the '5' models?
Were there a lot of Loars with only double-bound (white-black) binding on the fingerboards?? Anyone post a picture of April '23 f'board binding??

[Spruce]

Re: #73987, the "B M + b M" Loar...

Sure looks another mis-matched top, no?

[Darryl Wolfe]

How right you are Spruce..you 'da eagle eye

Evan, I have always assumed that covers like that are replacements for the original hand engraved ones. #I've never seen one of those silver plated. #The double bound fingerboards are common to the earlier (pre June '23) Loars..some actually have a layer of ebony under the fingerboard and binding. #A few of the '24's (the ones with snow white f/b binding) and some of the post Loar ferns also have double bound fingerboards. #I'll post some pics

[Darryl Wolfe]

PS Evan..that tailpiece cover was made well before the Loar period...or way after ..as covers from about 1918 to 1928 were all nickle-silver...not chrome/nickle plated brass. The tailpiece base was plated brass

(sorry CD...I don't agree with your assessment of tailpiece materials)

[Charlie Derrington]

Don't be sorry.....

This world would be a dull place if we all agreed on everything.

Charlie

[Darryl Wolfe]

93723..about 1931. #Obviously not a Loar,
but a nice example of how different the later
mandolins soon became. #Sprayed sunburst,
lacquer finish, block inlay a third fret
modified fern inlay. Note the slightly elongated
scroll. pinched waist and very slightly wider body.
Not as finely graduated, with higher arch on top and back.
Pickguards in this period disintegrate worse than any others.

[Darryl Wolfe]

93723..worm on top (non-reverse) tuners
larger bushings, broader binding, appealing but
less graceful broader appearing peghead shape.

[Darryl Wolfe]

93723..back. #Distinct ridge in back, evidence of high arching
can be seen in the glare at upper right.
Elongated scroll very noticeable on back.

[kneauxdn]

Many Loars!

[Darryl Wolfe]

H5 Mandola 76492 March 31, 1924

[Darryl Wolfe]

76492

[Darryl Wolfe]

'37/38 F5 94970

[Darryl Wolfe]

94970

[evanreilly]

I noted that the 'distressed' Master Model Gibson had a tailpiece similar to the one I posted above. That model is supposed to represent a 'generic' 1923 F-5. How many of those tailpieces have you seen on original (i.e. - not factory refinished) Loar-era intruments?

[Darryl Wolfe]

None...they all have the hand engraved silver plated version
like this

[f5loar]

That 93723 Fern is reported to be known as the last prewar Fern F5 made by Gibson if you go by the serial number. A small batch of 5 that year that started in 1934 and shipped in 1936.
If you go by FON it is the next to the last yet the other
one has "The Gibson" in it. Strange but true. This would
be the start of the removal of "The". No doubt only a few
maybe even one craftsman was left that knew how to build the
F5 under the direction of Loar. The next F5 known to exsist is the Apollon shown above which means the Gibson logo went to the fatter prewar size with a larger flowerpot than a Loar. Amazing the difference in one year. It bears a C-1 FON with a batch number different from "Hoss" which probably means they were down to only one or two F5s per year as the Monroe Bros. were starting to become famous with their hit "What Would You Give....." It is therefore assumed Dave Apollon was to recieve the first one of the new style F5. He is shown in many promotional photos and
record covers holding this F5 and it remained with him longer than other year F5s except the Loar which he kept the longest. I guess old Dave knew which mandolin was the
best back then too! In the words of the great Walter K. Bauer "Those Gibson F5s went to hell, those darn crappy tuners wouldn't last a year before they fell apart. They was mighty heavy too. It wouldn't stay in tune either" It should be noted Bauer a former Gibsonite with Loar was now playing his own signature model Bacon mandolin.