Loar Picture of the Day

[tree]

Wow, excellent photo! Dig the cufflinks, the tie (is this the same suit that he's wearing in one of those "wallpaper" photos?) and you can see that it's 4 o'clock somewhere . . .

Really cool to see the "defaced" peghead, and think about the difference between the time that photo was shot and today. In today's light it really makes him appear to have larger-than-life cojones.

[f5joe]

F5Joe just sent me this great shot of Monroe and 73987. Credit to some website it came from

I found it on Flickr.

[Darryl Wolfe]

Clear color photos of 73987 prior to scroll reverse ectomy are pretty rare

[Scott Tichenor]

F5Joe just sent me this great shot of Monroe and 73987. Credit to some website it came from

That image was taken by Wayne Helfrich. Wayne is an amateur musician and photography buff that took a lot of pictures of early bluegrass festivals. We did an interview with him in 2010 and that same picture of Monroe appeared in that interview. Here's that interview and the image.

[f5joe]

That image was taken by Wayne Helfrich. Wayne is an amateur musician and photography buff that took a lot of pictures of early bluegrass festivals. We did an interview with him in 2010 and that same picture of Monroe appeared in that interview. Here's that interview and the image.

Thank you Scott!

[Tim W]

Just tell me, what could be sexier than that right there?

[sgarrity]

Nothing!

[grassrootphilosopher]

Just tell me, what could be sexier than that right there?

Are you the "Skinner-man"? Hey, post a soundclip and/or a video. Posting pictures alone is not allowed, you know.

[grassrootphilosopher]

F5Joe just sent me this great shot of Monroe and 73987. Credit to some website it came from

Please bear with me when I deviate from the thread´s topic.

I was allways impressed by how Bill Monroe used all of the picking space on his mandolin. He picked close by the bridge for some heavy blues etc. But he also - like in this picture - played at the neckjoint for some really wonderful rythm. Everytime I watch Bill Monroe in some movie/video etc. I´m impressed by just that. It´s just like with a great banjo. The difference in sound between the positions (x and y) is dramatic. You´ll get these differences with a great instrument, not so much with a lesser instrument

[Marty Jacobson]

Tim, you didn't upgrade from your Northfield already, did you? :-)

[jasona]

F5Joe just sent me this great shot of Monroe and 73987. Credit to some website it came from

Wow, very informative of his pick grip that pic!

[jasona]

Just tell me, what could be sexier than that right there?

It in my lap

[Timbofood]

I'm with you, jasona!

[Ken Waltham]

I was just playing this F5 this morning. The photos are impossible to describe how much like a brand new mandolin it really is. It is almost as though you went to the store ( Gibson Agent ) in 1923, and brought it home. Very lightweight, with a very open sound.
Interesting concept, because it had not been played at all since around 1928 or 1929. So, the played in theory did not hold in this case. I do, however, believe that age alone has a profound effect on a "good" instrument. On a cellular level. Junk will always sound like junk, but, with a good instrument, age is a factor, IMHO.
And, I feel it is not just 5 or 10 years, but, perhaps a few decades.
Sexy?? Yeah, it totally is!

[Timbofood]

Cool!

[Darryl Wolfe]

It's that time of the year again. However, this year is special. 90 Years old. Happy Birthday all July 9, 1923 mandolins.

73987, 73984 and 73992

[JFDilmando]

I was traveling and wasn't able to get to a pic that is new.... I will offer this as a belated July 9 birthday pic... and post a couple of new shots in the sun (Tom).... later this week...

[evanreilly]

F5Loar: One word is worth a thousand pictures!!!!

[Darryl Wolfe]

Today is an appropriate day to reflect on a bit of "Lore of the Loar"

Today being March 31st marks the last large batch of F5 mandolins and commemorates their 90th birthday. We have some Loars that are already 91 years old (those made prior to March of 1923 and of course all of the '22's) but, the vast majority of all Loar instruments are 90 years old now.

The February 18th '24 and March 31st '24 batches are by far the largest single runs of Loar instruments and arguably represent the "real production run". All of these instruments are quite similar and show little sign of experimentation and deviation displayed by the preceding batches of instruments. The single exception is the Fern inlay that started appearing during the March batch. Additionally, these instruments with minor exception are all outfitted with the Virzi Tone Producer.

To me, these instruments represent the ones intended to fulfill all of the orders generated by the now in place advertising and the now in place F5's previously foisted upon their network of dealers as store/agent samples. While true that many F5's had already been produced, a vast majority of these went to dealers and have some provenance connected to them. It is also curious that Loars personal mandolin came from this super batch of instruments.

The March batch also harkens the arrival of the remaining Master Model line of instruments.

If we study Loar production after this period, we find a majority of the instruments are not F5's and a very large gap in time exists before anything was signed again by Lloyd A. Loar. There are some spotty instruments in September, October and then a run in December that includes some of the famously designated "Unsigned Loars"

So, I will close this post in saying that March 31, 1924 somewhat represents the end of the Loar era. Not accounting for the actual build time, between February 18th and March 31st 1924, a period of 6 weeks, Gibson produced nearly half of all Loar signed instruments in one mighty push, a production effort probably never duplicated on anything Gibson for years to come.

[Joe Spann]

Well said Darryl. I agree completely.

Joe Spann

[Darryl Wolfe]

A quick search of the Mandolin Archives illustrates the facts. These are only the known and verified totals listed.

http://www.mandolinarchive.com/signature_dates.html

[Hendrik Ahrend]

Thanks so much, Darryl, for reviving the thread.
Could that Cadenza F5 be the same instrument as the Cat. N "First Fern" with "photoshopped" flower pot, binding and pick guard bracket?

[Darryl Wolfe]

Thanks so much, Darryl, for reviving the thread.
Could that Cadenza F5 be the same instrument as the Cat. N "First Fern" with "photoshopped" flower pot, binding and pick guard bracket?

Yes, that appears to be the case

[Ken Waltham]

Darryl; I really liked that post. It reflects some well thought out insight into the realities of the Loar era. FWIW, I think I may like the Feb and Mar 1924's the best. Granted, my tastes have changed over the years, but, I love the 1924 thing.
Can you give some idea of the colour changes over the years? Why did they change so much? Did those two large signing dates have that darker look because it was more cost effective? Cheaper? Easier? I also really like the Feb, Mar colour.
Thanks, Ken

[George R. Lane]

They must have been working at a feverish pace on March 31. 60 instruments were signed on that day.