My worst purchase of the year 2010: The Loar LH-700. Be careful! - Page 3

Acoustic Rick · #31 01-06-2011, 01:18 PM

Hey I'm an American and so I buy mostly American made products. Couple that with the old saying "you get what you pay for" and you have my two main concerns when I'm at the starting stage of making a guitar purchase. Yeah I LIKE AMERICAN made guitars so shoot me.

Sidenote, a turd of a guitar is a turd no matter of it's origin. Further, I've seen some real HIGH END turds made right here in the USA so the moral of the story is never EVER buy a guitar sight unseen. Or at least with a proper approval period.

laughingskunk · #32 01-06-2011, 01:19 PM

First of all I did not notice any bashing of any country in the review. In fact I felt it was informative and very detailed. Great use of pictures as well.

Rick Jones · #33 01-06-2011, 01:22 PM

Bleuchh! That's terrible, truly sorry that you ended up with that.
I have an Eastman semi-hollow from China that is pretty hard to find anything wrong with, so it's not a national problem.

The thing is, companies like Eastman are making a point for Chinese workmanship being potentially very good indeed, but that in turn means companies like this may make more web based sales.

zombywoof · #34 01-06-2011, 02:06 PM

It was nice seeing a review backed by lots of pics that I could actually make out.

Glennwillow · #35 01-06-2011, 02:13 PM

Eltjo,

Wow, that is too bad! You seem very justified in your reactions and provided us plenty of evidence and background. In fact, you put together a very nice review, even if it was about a series of blunders.

Thanks,
Glenn

Jerry K · #36 01-06-2011, 02:43 PM

Yeah, that looks pretty bad. It almost looks like they left a rag or something under the elevated fretboard and just laquered over it. Some of the other Loar instruments are supposed to be ok, from what I have read.

Zorker · #37 01-06-2011, 03:10 PM

I have a Loar LH-200 and other than minor set up issues it is a great guitar. I have couple of higher end acoustics and this stands up pretty well.

I have seen guitars that don't appeal to me regardless of...and surprising hack jobs from well respected companies.

I would be more nervous about a D-whatever or a Collings whatever or Huss whatever by buying it without playing it.

When you buy these cheaper imported guitars (and I have) make sure you can send 'em back after you comb them. Expect it to be a pile.

I would not buy a '74 Mercury Marquis Brougham either and...

Sorry you got shipped THAT one.

tkuane · #38 01-06-2011, 03:30 PM

Thanks for the review, and the warning. Well done. People make great stuff and otherwise regardless of nationality.

RogerC · #39 01-06-2011, 03:32 PM

Well, regardless of who, what, why... I'm glad Eltjo is posting again

Sage97 · #40 01-06-2011, 03:42 PM

Eltjo,

If you felt it was a good buy after a few strums, why not just get it replaced?

Idaho John · #41 01-06-2011, 03:42 PM

first - let me say I am sorry that you got a stinker. Second - I would encourage you to send it back to your dealer and to make a stink with TML (the Music Link). Greg Rich has been very responsive in the past about taking care of customers who have had ended up with bad product. I would like to see if TML will respond.

I have one of TML recording king products and I have been very happy with it. They have been responsive to my emails.

john

crikey · #42 01-06-2011, 05:32 PM

Holy schnikes, that's awful! Thanks for the great detail, Eltjo. I played a LH-200 not that long ago, it looked killer for the price. It buzzed all over the place so I hung it back up. I didn't know they were made in China.

Jeff M · #43 01-06-2011, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glennwillow

... In fact, you put together a very nice review, even if it was about a series of blunders.

Thanks,
Glenn

That's WHY it was a nice review.
After all these years here, I can think back to just a handful of critical reviews of newly purchased instruments. Amazing, given what appears to be the volume of guitars purchased without the buyer playing them first, and my experiences with guitars in shops.

Jeff M · #44 01-06-2011, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sage97

Eltjo,

If you felt it was a good buy after a few strums, why not just get it replaced?

Not the original poster, but if I were in his shoes, I wouldn't do that.
By the time you pay for shipping back and forth there goes the "inexpensive" part of this guitars purchase.
In addition, the level of flaws in this instrument does not bode well for this manufacturers QC....nor that of the shop that sent it out.
I'd expect the next guitar to be no different...resulting in 2 more shipping charges with nothing to show for it.
To quote Einstein;
"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

ie;
"Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice..shame on me."

backdrifter · #45 01-06-2011, 06:46 PM

Another sincere thanks here. I too have been tempted by The Loar archtops, and it took your review to completely put that possibility to rest. I'm sorry that you had to learn the wrong way. That "center seam" where the sides meet is beyond anything I've seen before. It's laughable. I hope you are able to cut your losses and move on!

On a side note - I once owned an Eastman AR904 archtop for a few months. Though also made in China, the quality and workmanship on it were top notch.