Loar prices falling?

[Jonathan Peck]

Must be a good time to sell, Gruhn has now listed a March 8, 1923 for $205,000-

[f5loar]

That would be serial number 72361 which was sold in 2004 for $105,000 so sounds like a nice investment return for 3 years growth.

[Glassweb]

And it's supposedly a very good sounding Loar... remember, they're not all spectacular sounding mandolins.

[Jonathan James]

so two Loars listed at Gruhns right now...wow. Great time to visit Nashville! Anyone done a A/B of both of these guys?

[f5loar]

The problem with 2 at once place for sale at the same time is you will want to buy both of them. Gruhn had 2 Ferns in one time and I couldn't decide which one I wanted to a walked away from both of them. Bad mistake on my part at the time!

[markishandsome]

Dialed up the ol' ebay today and saw a Virzi Loar up for $165k. Then there's the "Circa 1915 F5" running for $1,500. It's just like rats from a sinking ship!

[Glassweb]

When a nice Loar F5 goes on the market it has very little to do with the "SSLoar" sinking. In fact quite the opposite... the market for these instruments is healthier than ever and the prices continue to climb... especially for clean, original examples. The prices of these mandolins being offered are all up considerably from their purchase prices, so it's really more about folks needing money or just wanting to cash out in order to buy another one that they like even better! Trust me... hardly anyone is losing money when they sell a Loar F5.

[Jonathan Peck]

Just out of curiosity, how much of a consignment fee does a broker such as Gruhn, for example, charge to sell a Loar?

[f5loar]

A Loar is a Loar but some Loars are not as demanding to own as other Loars. Prices vary depending on certain aspects of the Loar. So is the case with a '24 with Virzi. While this may well be a great sounding fantastic playing Loar pickers tend to stay away from the Virzi Loars cause Bill didn't have one. While days of yesterday folks would just reach in there and jerk out the Virzi, today's historical importance says don't do it and many now don't do it. And face it would you devalue a $165,000 instrument after getting it? When you add that commission to this price(usually 15 to 20%)then the price is in line with a dealer's price. However by listing on ebay there will be the ebay sliding scale % he will have to pay.Then again he's got the word out there it's for sale at this price and may cut a deal away from ebay. I agree at a price close to this he's made a lot of good $$$$ on his original investment.

[squirrelabama]

Isn't that the same one that Chris Stanley is selling here on the cafe?? Looks the same to me.

[markishandsome]

They all look pretty much the same to me

I was just teasing with the rat comment. The ebay listing seems more like cheap advertising than a real auction. I wonder if 165 is the real asking price though. Seems like a steal.

[Glassweb]

Hey Mark, I had a feeling you were joking about the rats... wasn't quite sure tho'!
But the $165 price is correct and if anyone gets this mandolin at that price they'll be VERY happy. I played a Feb.18th 1924 last month that had a Virzi in it and it was KILLER! Never underestimate the power of the mighty Virzi!

[Big Joe]

The mandolin in question is an excellent mandolin and the virzi certainly does not hurt this one at all. It is a great example of a Loar mandolin. The price is very reasonable for a mandolin of this quality. It sounds great and plays great. It gets better every time I get to see it (not real often). If you are in the market, this would be one not to let pass without seriously looking at it.

[cooper4205]

...hum wife or Loar? Ok, ok, I'm thinking give me some time

there's millions of women, but only a couple hundred Loars!

[Glassweb]

...hum # wife or Loar? # Ok, ok, #I'm thinking give me some time

and the question is... which would you rather have in your hands?

[f5loar]

For the savings in this Loar over keeping a wife you could pretty much have your pick of the women out there. Why are you even thinking about which one? This is as low as it gets for an all original Loar.

[Glassweb]

Ouch! I hear you Tom...

[Darryl Wolfe]

Lemme think now, I sold my wife's '69 Z-28 Camaro to buy my first Loar. She's still with me, but the car is worth about as much as the Loar for sale. The CTS-V she has now is faster though.

[Big Joe]

Shayne...I've had a wife for 38 years. I haven't had a Loar. I don't think he would take a well used wife on trade though .

[Jonathan Peck]

Shayne,

The asking price on that virzi Loar has been lowered to 150K.

[markishandsome]

That's the lowest price for an original I've heard of in years, but I don't pay too close attention.

[f5loar]

That's down to basement bargin close-out price! A dealer could buy it now for a heafty profit.

[re simmers]

Loar prices falling??? #I bought my Flatiron F5 in 1992 for $1800. #Ben Cain had 5 Loars in the trunk of his car he let me play. #I asked if he had them insured. #He said, "just this one. #It's the best one and it's insured for $25,000." #It sounded like an astounding price at the time. #I don't know what the going price was then. #Maybe Big Joe knows. #But I guess I should have offered Ben $25K and went to the bank. #Loar prices haven't fallen over 15 years. Ben's Loar would fetch over $200,000 today.

My Flatiron might be worth $2,000 now.

Is that about right?

Bob

[mandroid]

for buyers in UK they're half price, bringing them home is a tax bite , there, I hear,

[Big Joe]

Hey Bob...that is just about right. 25K was the going price about that time. In just a few years (94-95) they had increased to 30-35K. I passed on one about 94 for 30K that later sold in 03 for 180K. That shows how smart I am with investments .