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

[Picker2]

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

Be very careful- or you will have your post pulled ( or this thread )

I don't think so. I did not do anything bad did I? And it's all pretty well documented and fact based. It's not my intention to pick on anyone, but bad work does not deserve a reward and I would hate to see others step in the hole I just crawled out of.

Originally Posted by Tony Burns

You should post this as well on HC

Pardon my ignorance - what's HC?

[Picker2]

Originally Posted by guitarsanyone

What a piece of junk that is based on what you provided us.....actually amazing because when I saw it was threaded as guitar of the year I thought to myself... that is ridiculous, it just could not be so. So I guess my gut was right on about that.

Note: it was not this guitar that was made the AGF Guitar of the Year. The AGF Guitar Of The Year was a flattop, the LH-200, at a whole different price setting. However, it was that Guitar Of The Year post here that caused me to purchase this LH-700, and I must say I find it disturbing the AGF Award is now published on the The Loar website. Their website looks very good, and given they guitar they sold to me that is very misleading.

All I'm saying is - never ever buy these guitars unseen, like I did.

[ship of fools]

Harmony Central and I didn't know that it was supported here as a good guitar. When it smells like a lemon its a lemon no matter where it is made.Ship

[lennylux]

Originally Posted by Picker2

I don't bash China or the Chinese, I bash my guitar. And I guess I bash The Loar, because they should have never let the guitar out of their factory, not even for the price they ask. And I guess I bash myself for having purchased this guitar unseen. Hey, I'm only human.

Then why mention next time I'll buy a Martin made in Nazareth. not made in China?

In the last few days it's been a constant barrage of "China stealing Martins designs", "China stealing Martins name", China hasn't stolen Martin's name a Chinese company has used a loop hole in their copyright laws to steal Martin's name, not the entire Chinese nation.

As for China stealing Martins designs, what? and a list of US companies as long as your arm haven't been doing that since Martins have been around? They are the most copied designs on the market. But, hell, as long as we can propagate just how bad the Chinese are it's OK.... It's all in the details, mate. If you want a Martin-a-like guitar, save for a Martin. It couldn't be any simpler.

I'm not disputing your particular guitar must have been a souring shopping experience, but when you order something for a fraction of the price of the 'real thing' you sort of set yourself up for it. Your guitar did look pretty rubbish, I wouldn't be happy with it myself, but when ordering a budget Chinese model the last comparison I would consider fair was next to a prestige builder whose work costs thousands of dollars a piece.

It's just as easy to say an epi dot is garbage next to my custom shop ES335, or a kit Tele is rubbish next to my Custom shop masterbuilt Telecaster, they're hardly fair comparisons either, but then again we are focusing on the derailment of the Chinese this week.

[patticake]

the loar i saw at hwd gc was also disappointing, and had some issues i don't see on much cheaper guitars.

[kirkham13]

Thanks for the review-well done.

[Picker2]

Originally Posted by lennylux

...when ordering a budget Chinese model the last comparison I would consider fair was next to a prestige builder whose work costs thousands of dollars a piece.

I was not aware of any anti-Chinese voices on this forum as I hardly ever come here anymore. But note that I am not comparing a budget Chinese model to a prestige builder. Without all the flaws I mentioned earlier - so with a properly finished neck, no dents, a proper butt joint etc. - this guitar would have been a pretty good axe for a tenth of the price of a high end archtop. That is what I expected, in particular after reading all the raving reviews about this "flagship model". What I got was unacceptable for any guitar builder, for any guitar at any price. As simple as that.

If you bought a brand new Hyundai in stead of an Audi, wouldn't you be surprised to see that one tire was flat, a window was broken and the speedometer was mounted upside down?

[lennylux]

I'm not interested in a war on words Picker, I was merely trying to drift it away from the generalised China-baiting that has been a little too prominent on here of late.

I do understand you frustrations and disappointment, all I'm saying is at such a massively discounted price compared to the real-deal, it is never going to be without it's issues. For what it's worth 3 Gretsch prolines (Terrada, Japan) and 1 Canadian Larrivee aside, all my guitars are US built.

Derailing manufacturers en masse with statements like "I won't buy from China" only gets the bigots & bruisers riled-up lately and the threads go all political yet again. Questioning how a manufacturer with such dubious QC can be hailed for the guitar of the year on the other hand is a fairly valid thread

But would such a thread inspire as many responses as a good ole China-bashing, this week I'm not so sure at all.

p.s. nice sig by the way.

[Picker2]

Originally Posted by lennylux

I'm not interested in a war on words Picker, I was merely trying to drift it away from the generalised China-baiting that has been a little too prominent on here of late.

I do understand you frustrations and disappointment, all I'm saying is at such a massively discounted price compared to the real-deal, it is never going to be without it's issues. For what it's worth 3 Gretsch prolines (Terrada, Japan) and 1 Canadian Larrivee aside, all my guitars are US built.

Derailing manufacturers en masse with statements like "I won't buy from China" only gets the bigots & bruisers riled-up lately and the threads go all political yet again. Questioning how a manufacturer with such dubious QC can be hailed for the guitar of the year on the other hand is a fairly valid thread

But would such a thread inspire as many responses as a good ole China-bashing, this week I'm not so sure at all.

p.s. nice sig by the way.

lennylux, rest assured I am not frustrated or disappointed - I know that buying a guitar unseen has its risks, and I was even prepared to loose all my money paid in return for the chance to get a reasonably decent archtop in case things would work out well. I have a fine collection of American guitars, and was just willing to give these Chinese makers a fair try. The shop I bought the guitar from has a 30 day money back guarantee, so I guess I'll be fine and had an interesting learning experience.

On the other hand, yes - I did feel the raving reviews needed some balance. Maybe the next LH-700 they made was a wonderful guitar, but please, don't buy them unseen.

[lennylux]

I'm a frequent Thomann Customer myself

[guitarsanyone]

Originally Posted by Picker2

lennylux, rest assured I am not frustrated or disappointed - I know that buying a guitar unseen has its risks, and I was even prepared to loose all my money paid in return for the chance to get a reasonably decent archtop in case things would work out well. I have a fine collection of American guitars, and was just willing to give these Chinese makers a fair try. The shop I bought the guitar from has a 30 day money back guarantee, so I guess I'll be fine and had an interesting learning experience.

On the other hand, yes - I did feel the raving reviews needed some balance. Maybe the next LH-700 they made was a wonderful guitar, but please, don't buy them unseen.

I will not buy them seen or unseen. Lack of Quality control applies to what you can see and what you can't.

[Jeff M]

Man, that's bad.
Thanks for the detailed review and pictures.

[1cubilindo]

The lady doth protest too much......

[devellis]

I found the review helpful and informative. Personally, I didn't read it as an indictment of every product coming out of China, although there has clearly been some negativity toward China in some other threads.

[rkl245]

Originally Posted by lennylux

Questioning how a manufacturer with such dubious QC can be hailed for the guitar of the year on the other hand is a fairly valid thread

.

Agreed 100%