The Loar LM-500 F-Style Mandolin
No longer available at zZounds
The Loar Mandolin's scooped fretboard helps players find a "sweet spot" for picking -- not that it's hard to get great tones from this spruce-topped beauty.
What's special about this item?
| Feature: | What it does: |
|---|---|
| Solid spruce top | Punchy, articulate and warm sound |
| Flamed maple back and sides | Beautiful grain, crisp and responsive tone |
| Black ebony fretboard | Smooth and fast playing, bright tone |
| Ebony bridge | Enhanced mass and beauty |
Overview
The Loar LM-500-VS is hand-assembled in The Loar design studios. The Loar has carefully crafted the LM-500 with a hand-carved solid spruce top and hand-carved figured maple back and sides.
The Loar LM-500's fretboard extension has also been scooped, allowing players to position the pick closer to the neck joint, so they can find the mandolin's "sweet spot" without fear of the pick hitting against the higher frets.
The Loar LM-500's aesthetics have been modernized, including a "Fleur-de-Lys" style headstock inlay for a more contemporary look. A one-piece figured maple neck, bound ebony fretboard, Grover tuning machines and an ebony bridge round out the list of impressive features on this beautiful mandolin.
The Loar LM-500's fretboard extension has also been scooped, allowing players to position the pick closer to the neck joint, so they can find the mandolin's "sweet spot" without fear of the pick hitting against the higher frets.
The Loar LM-500's aesthetics have been modernized, including a "Fleur-de-Lys" style headstock inlay for a more contemporary look. A one-piece figured maple neck, bound ebony fretboard, Grover tuning machines and an ebony bridge round out the list of impressive features on this beautiful mandolin.
Specs
- Top: Solid Spruce
- Back & Sides: Solid, Highly-Flamed Maple
- Neck: Hard Rock Figured Maple
- Fretboard: Ebony
- Headstock Inlay: Abalone/M.O.P. Custom Flower Pot
- Finish Type: Gloss
- Finish Options: Vintage Sunburst
- Tuning Machines: Grover with Pearloid Buttons
- Scale Length: 13-3/4"
- Truss Rod: Adjustable
- Frets: 29
- Binding: Ivoroid
- Bridge: Compensated Adjustable Ebony
- Upper Bout: 6-3/4"
- Lower Bout: 10"
- Nut, Width: Bone, 1-1/8"
- Depth: 2-1/2"
- Body Length: 12-3/4"
- Total Length: 27-1/4"
- Back & Sides: Solid, Highly-Flamed Maple
- Neck: Hard Rock Figured Maple
- Fretboard: Ebony
- Headstock Inlay: Abalone/M.O.P. Custom Flower Pot
- Finish Type: Gloss
- Finish Options: Vintage Sunburst
- Tuning Machines: Grover with Pearloid Buttons
- Scale Length: 13-3/4"
- Truss Rod: Adjustable
- Frets: 29
- Binding: Ivoroid
- Bridge: Compensated Adjustable Ebony
- Upper Bout: 6-3/4"
- Lower Bout: 10"
- Nut, Width: Bone, 1-1/8"
- Depth: 2-1/2"
- Body Length: 12-3/4"
- Total Length: 27-1/4"
Reviews
Reviewers gave this product an overall rating of 5 out of 5 stars.
(1 ratings)
Submitted August 16, 2011 by a customer from aol.com
"The Loar LM500VS Golden Age reissue mandolin. 2nd time's the charm!"
Verified Customer
zZounds has verified that this reviewer made a purchase from us.
All solid hand carved beautiful mandolin with all the high end features for a reasonable price.
Sound
Sounds amazing right out of the box!! Just received this yesterday and after a quick tune up the mandolin sounds incredible. This is the reissue model LM500VS which production date on/after May 2011 is now produced in the Loar design studio along with th LM600 and LM 700 using hand carved solid wood top, back and sides. See this builder news link for for the Loar LM500VS: http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_00478.shtml). It also does not have tone bars (becoming more common) which gives the mandolin immediate loud projection rather than over time from wood aging.
Features
All solid hand selected/hand carved tone woods. Spruce top with maple back, sides and neck. Ebony fretboard, ebony bridge, bone nut and a new feature scooped fretboard end to allow close to neck joint picking without hitting frets for that "sweet spot" sound. Quality grover tuners keep the mandolin in tune. Came equipped with D'Addario strings that were covered with a waxed paper to keep them from corrosion. It was also packaged very well from the factory as mine had no shipping damage. The mother of pearl and abalone inlay workmanship is also excellent. Nitro cellulose finish.
Ease of Use
Great set up, east to tune and play.
Quality
The factory set up was excellent,… read more however comestic issues are clearly noticable typically around the scroll areas bottom of f holes , neck joint and under the fretboard extension likely due to the small spaces. The large areas including back, sides and top have an excellent finish. These cosmetic issues are only noticeable upon very close observation. This was not an issue for me and probably why this mandolin is not $2000.00
Value
Incredible all solid hand carved mandolin for this price. Looks and sounds like The Gibson F5 or The Flatiron for a fraction of the price!
Manufacturer Support
No experience but many reviewers I have read had very positive experience.
The Wow Factor
These Loar F style mandolins are not only beautiful to look at but they play and sound as good as they look. This new reissue LM500VS model is getting rave reviews and now I know why!
Musical Background:
45 years guitar and keyboards.
Musical Style:
Jazz, classic rock, blues read less
Sound
Sounds amazing right out of the box!! Just received this yesterday and after a quick tune up the mandolin sounds incredible. This is the reissue model LM500VS which production date on/after May 2011 is now produced in the Loar design studio along with th LM600 and LM 700 using hand carved solid wood top, back and sides. See this builder news link for for the Loar LM500VS: http://www.mandolincafe.com/news/publish/mandolins_00478.shtml). It also does not have tone bars (becoming more common) which gives the mandolin immediate loud projection rather than over time from wood aging.
Features
All solid hand selected/hand carved tone woods. Spruce top with maple back, sides and neck. Ebony fretboard, ebony bridge, bone nut and a new feature scooped fretboard end to allow close to neck joint picking without hitting frets for that "sweet spot" sound. Quality grover tuners keep the mandolin in tune. Came equipped with D'Addario strings that were covered with a waxed paper to keep them from corrosion. It was also packaged very well from the factory as mine had no shipping damage. The mother of pearl and abalone inlay workmanship is also excellent. Nitro cellulose finish.
Ease of Use
Great set up, east to tune and play.
Quality
The factory set up was excellent,… read more however comestic issues are clearly noticable typically around the scroll areas bottom of f holes , neck joint and under the fretboard extension likely due to the small spaces. The large areas including back, sides and top have an excellent finish. These cosmetic issues are only noticeable upon very close observation. This was not an issue for me and probably why this mandolin is not $2000.00
Value
Incredible all solid hand carved mandolin for this price. Looks and sounds like The Gibson F5 or The Flatiron for a fraction of the price!
Manufacturer Support
No experience but many reviewers I have read had very positive experience.
The Wow Factor
These Loar F style mandolins are not only beautiful to look at but they play and sound as good as they look. This new reissue LM500VS model is getting rave reviews and now I know why!
Musical Background:
45 years guitar and keyboards.
Musical Style:
Jazz, classic rock, blues read less
41 of 44 people (93%) people found this review helpful. Did you?
Thanks for your opinion!
No longer available at zZounds
In most cases, a product is unavailable because it has been discontinued by the manufacturer
This is a carousel with product cards. Use the previous and next buttons to navigate.
People who bought this item also bought
JBL EON 208P Portable PA System
$849.00
- 12 x$70.75
- 8 x$106.13
- No Credit Check6 x$141.50
- No Credit Check4 x$212.25
Deering Goodtime 2 Banjo with Resonator, 5-String
$799.00
- 12 x$66.58
- 8 x$99.88
- No Credit Check6 x$133.17
- No Credit Check4 x$199.75
Universal Audio Volt 476P USB Audio Interface
$469.00
- 8 x$58.63
- No Credit Check6 x$78.17
- No Credit Check4 x$117.25
Taylor GS Mini-e Mahogany Acoustic-Electric Guitar (with Gig Bag)
$699.00
- 12 x$58.25
- No Credit Check4 x$174.75
Alvarez AB60CE Acoustic-Electric Bass
$649.99
- 12 x$54.17
- 8 x$81.25
- No Credit Check6 x$108.33
- No Credit Check4 x$162.50
Chauvet DJ GigBar 2 Lighting System
$549.99
- 8 x$68.75
- No Credit Check6 x$91.66
- No Credit Check4 x$137.50
