The Loar

OVERVIEW

What to know quickly

The Loar is the brand; Lloyd Loar is the historical design reference. A modern The Loar instrument should not be described as a Lloyd Loar-built instrument simply because the brand name invokes that legacy.

IDENTIFY YOUR GUITAR

Which The Loar do you have?

Begin with the exact model code. The Loar has used closely related vintage styling across instruments whose construction, electronics and market position differ substantially.

1. Read the full model code. Current guitar models use LH codes while current mandolins use LM codes.
2. Separate current from discontinued. The present 2026 lineup is much smaller than the historical catalog.
3. Check carved versus laminated construction. Model tier and top/back construction materially change value.
4. On electric archtops, document the pickup layout. A single-P-90 LH-301T is not the same market as a full-depth carved acoustic archtop.

USED VALUE GUIDE

Start with the exact model

The Loar used market is strongly model-dependent. A discontinued thinbody electric, a carved acoustic archtop and a high-spec mandolin should never be averaged together simply because they share the same logo.

1. Search the full model code and suffix.
2. Check for neck resets, top cracks, bridge changes and replaced tuners on archtops.
3. On the LH-301T, confirm the thin fully hollow body and single P-90 configuration.
4. Value the case separately when it is not original or was not standard equipment.

CURRENT USED MARKET

See what the market is doing now

Generic “Loar guitar” searches mix current carved archtops with discontinued electrics. Add the exact LH or LM code.

COMPARE

What else lives in this neighborhood?

For current archtops, sensible comparisons include Eastman, Godin 5th Avenue, Ibanez Artcore/Artstar and selected Epiphone archtops. For mandolins, compare exact construction tier rather than brand name alone.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Before you buy—or price—one

1. Do not confuse the modern brand with an original Lloyd Loar-signed Gibson instrument.
2. Check whether a model is in the current post-2025 lineup or from an earlier catalog.
3. Confirm carved-solid versus laminated components from model-specific documentation.
4. Archtop bridge placement, top condition and neck angle can matter more than cosmetic wear.

HISTORY & COMMENTARY

A modern brand built around an older design language

The Loar built its identity around instruments inspired by the carved archtops and mandolins associated with Lloyd Loar’s 1920s design era. In August 2025, St. Louis Music—also associated with Alvarez and Alvarez-Yairi—took over management and global distribution. The current 2026 site presents a focused lineup of mandolins and archtops while noting that additional cherished and new models are planned.

WHAT PLAYERS LIKE

Why this brand earns a closer look

Players are drawn to The Loar when they want vintage archtop or mandolin ideas without entering the price bracket of an original 1920s instrument. Used buyers also encounter discontinued models such as the thinbody LH-301T, which expands the brand beyond its current catalog.

REFERENCE

Useful places to keep digging

Research checked October 17, 2026. Product lines, prices and distributor relationships can change; confirm the exact model before valuing an individual instrument.