L00 non blues users

[grim83]

I know the l00 is typically pigeonholed as one of the premiere blues guitar styles, but after realizing Jim Croce wrote quite a bit with one I'm curious. Who else is known to have used one that wasn't a bluesman.

[Bluemonk]

This rather obscure non-Bluesman.

[T268]

Originally Posted by Bluemonk

This rather obscure non-Bluesman.

Looks like a weirdo

[JohnnyDes]

Justin Townes Earle seems to really like his Loar LO-16 L-00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCm7B7Xv04g

I wonder if the blues association with that body shape is more tied to the ladder bracing that used to be common in that style? Nowadays there are lots of L-00 shapes that come with modern bracing, so I'm doubtful there's really much of a special L-00 tone with the modern models.

JD

[T Texas]

I believe it's Rodney Crowell's guitar of choice

[reholli]

Opinion Alert!

Any guitar pigeon-holed as a blues guitar (i.e. a guitar acquired by a modern guitarist as a blues guitar) seldom has anything to do with playing the blues, ladder bracing or otherwise. Those that play the blues because they live them play them on any guitar at hand, and don't lay those guitars down and pick up something else when they aren't playing the blues.

[matt986]

Is this one that Sean Lennon is playing here?

[DesertTwang]

Originally Posted by JohnnyDes

Justin Townes Earle seems to really like his Loar LO-16 L-00.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCm7B7Xv04g

I wonder if the blues association with that body shape is more tied to the ladder bracing that used to be common in that style? Nowadays there are lots of L-00 shapes that come with modern bracing, so I'm doubtful there's really much of a special L-00 tone with the modern models.

JD

Seriously? That's a $349 guitar! Please pardon my ignorance. I'm only asking because I played a 1936 Gibson L-00 once and fell in love with it. But then I saw how much they cost and quickly told myself to fall out of love with it again.

If these small body Loars sound similar, I would totally get one.

[grim83]

Originally Posted by reholli

Opinion Alert!

Any guitar pigeon-holed as a blues guitar (i.e. a guitar acquired by a modern guitarist as a blues guitar) seldom has anything to do with playing the blues, ladder bracing or otherwise. Those that play the blues because they live them play them on any guitar at hand, and don't lay those guitars down and pick up something else when they aren't playing the blues.

I agree whole heartedly I just thought it would be fun to who else uses these for other stuff.

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

Seriously? That's a $349 guitar! Please pardon my ignorance. I'm only asking because I played a 1936 Gibson L-00 once and fell in love with it. But then I saw how much they cost and quickly told myself to fall out of love with it again.

If these small body Loars sound similar, I would totally get one.

I haven't had a chance to try one but from the buzz these are supposed to be quite nice especially for the price.

[rick-slo]

I use a Collings C10 for a number of types of music, blues and otherwise. Punchy sound but a good high end also.

[mercy]

Granted you can play blues on any guitar but the the sound usually associated with blues is a more muted/dull sound rather than a bright sound of say someone playing American fingerstyle.
Ive played a couple of those Loars and they put out that blues type of sound. If you want to really go blues sound go Stella.

[reholli]

Originally Posted by mercy

Granted you can play blues on any guitar but the the sound usually associated with blues is a more muted/dull sound rather than a bright sound of say someone playing American fingerstyle.
Ive played a couple of those Loars and they put out that blues type of sound. If you want to really go blues sound go Stella.

You're still talking about a blues guitar putting out that blues type of sound, but there's no such thing. Guitars sound like guitars. It's only playing the blues from feeling the blues that really sounds like the blues. Arrgghh...Never mind...

[la palma C]

Originally Posted by reholli

You're still talking about a blues guitar putting out that blues type of sound, but there's no such thing. Guitars sound like guitars. It's only playing the blues from feeling the blues that really sounds like the blues. Arrgghh...Never mind...

Everybody gets what you're trying to say, no need to get worked up about it.

That doesn't change the fact that people will associate a certain type of tone with their favorite blues musician(s), and that there will be certain types of guitars that are more predisposed to providing that type of tone, whatever it is.

For example, Lightnin Hopkins recorded much of his material on a J-50, so any guitar that provides a similar woody, mahogany thump is going to sound blues-y to a lot of people. The L-00 kinda fills in the realm between Lightnin's J-50 and the smaller boxier sounding parlors that pervade a lot of early blues music, so no wonder people associate it with that genre.

[Denny B]

Originally Posted by DesertTwang

Seriously? That's a $349 guitar! Please pardon my ignorance. I'm only asking because I played a 1936 Gibson L-00 once and fell in love with it. But then I saw how much they cost and quickly told myself to fall out of love with it again.

If these small body Loars sound similar, I would totally get one.

I picked up a Loar LO-16 a couple of months ago...I sure can't play like Justin Townes Earle, but it's a d@mn nice guitar for the money...

[Aaron Smith]

Big fan of L-00 guitars, with some caveats. I think the reason that they're often overlooked is that they tend to be very midrangey, and aren't necessarily the best choice for vocal accompaniment. The idea that smaller bodied guitars are quieter than bigger bodies is, in my opinion, a myth. A good L-00 will be plenty loud, they just have a "shoutier" quality than their bigger cousins.

With regard to Justin Townes Earle, he makes that guitar sound great. That said, when a guitar is plugged in you can do a lot with EQ and effects... the best acoustic (unplugged) guitars aren't always the best stage guitars.