Setup suggestions for my Loar LH 600

Chiefbigeasy

Got a deal on this Loar LH 600. Picked it up after doing a little research online and playing it for a while at the store. (Paul Mehling did a nice YouTube video about this guitar a few years back.) Despite the thick dirty strings and lousy contact pick up it was equipped with, it still sounded pretty nice, so I took the plunge.

I am wondering about setting it up to use for gypsy jazz. First, the bridge is completely movable and adjustable. I was wondering whether getting a single piece solid bridge would be a improvement.

Second, choice of strings come to mind. I have it strung with some generic phosphor bronze 11 to 52 strings that sound fine but a little too folky. Didn't want to get flatwounds. I've got some silk and steels on my number one guitar, but I don't think that would be appropriate for this one. Any gypsy strings seem like an obvious choice?

Third, I've seen this guitar with a nice-looking pick guard, but I kind of like the look without one. There's obvious pick marks on the finish, although it's not very bad at all. (Any Way to buff these out, by the way?) The strings are high enough from the surface that I don't think this is too much of a problem.

Fourth, although it came with some kind of contact pick up a strip that sat below the bridge and I took off, I'm not averse to a pickup in the future. Some combination pick guard and pickup seems like an obvious choice, but I'm wondering about other options.

Research tells me this harks back to the old Gibson L5. I've never played an L5, so I wouldn't know how to compare it. That said, it sounds pretty good and plays well. I would say it was a bargain at $670. Although it's Chinese made, picking one up used was a way to find one that was well broken in and perhaps had any issues with it addressed.

I appreciate any comments and suggestions.

Chiefbigeasy

This is the corrected post. If you wish to do so, please respond to this one.

Russell Letson

I have the sunburst version of that Loar, and I would not set it up anything like a Selmer-style or even a conventional mostly-electric archtop (that is, with flatwounds and/or light strings). The design is optimized for fairly heavy strings (I use 13-56 phosphor bronze), and mine sounds very good with an old single-coil Sekova (imitation DeArmond) pickup. A classic-style archtop is not going to sound like a Selmer-style, though I think they work just fine as rhythm guitars. But then, I'm no purist and came to GJ via American swing. Fitting in with a bunch of GJ players is going to be more a matter of technique and taste than of trying to make your guitar into something it ain't.

(Have I answered this question before? I'm getting that old deja-vu feeling again.)

Chiefbigeasy

Thanks, Russell. Michael pretty much told me the same thing. Now I'm just wondering about optimizing the bridge and action setup. I'll think about a pickup later, but I'm enjoying the acoustic sound very much. I also like the size-- very portable. And, I'd be less paranoid traveling with this than my number one guitar.

Russell Letson

It's much easier to find a case for a 16" archtop than for a 17", which is one reason I bought the Loar--so I could fly with an archtop. The price was also right (last one in the store for a low, low closeout price). It's not as refined an instrument as an Eastman, but it's good enough, and a bit better than a lot of vintage archtops I've played.

Chiefbigeasy

One more thing, and it was a surprise: I didn't realize how easy it was to play guitar with a shorter scale length. I did not really think about this when I bought the guitar. I was just attracted to the sound and shape of the instrument.

Appel

Russell Letson wrote: »

... I use 13-56 phosphor bronze ... and mine sounds very good with an old single-coil Sekova (imitation DeArmond) pickup.

Russell Letson and others similarly informed, why don't you help out Chiefbigeasy's future efforts to reach wider audiences with this fine new acquisition - it is really a beautiful guitar - and recommend other pickups that are balanced for use with phosphor bronze strings? You just never know ... there's a slim chance that one or two other players might also be interested in this information!

Because ... if anyone feels challenged trying to find a magnetic pickup that is passably balanced with Argentines or the like, it will seem practically impossible to find a pickup that works with phosphor bronze strings.

So - any suggestions?

I sometimes wonder whether a pickup designed to work, more-or-less, with Argentines might also work with a phosphor bronze set ...

Russell Letson

I have four archtops, all with mag pickups--three old DeArmond-style single-coils with adjustible polepieces and bronze strings, and one (the Eastman) with the stock Kent Armstrong floater (no accessible polepieces) and DR Zebras. I've managed to get them all set up to produce sounds that I find acceptable, though lead players might think otherwise. I find the DRs an acceptable compromise on the Eastman.