Gibson vs The Loar:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Gibson had more branded searches than The Loar among mandolin brands worldwide. Gibson had about 8,100 branded searches, while The Loar had 590. Gibson made up 0.67% of all mandolin brand searches we track, and The Loar accounted for 0.05%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about mandolin brands, The Loar appeared in three of the five answers and Gibson in one. The Loar was mentioned before Gibson in two out of three answers.
Who do people search for more?
Gibson, about 14 searches for every 1 for The Loar
Who does AI mention more?
The Loar, mentioned in 3 of 5 answers, Gibson in 1
Who does AI recommend more?
The Loar, named ahead of Gibson in 2 of 3 answers
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Top mandolin brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, The Loar was mentioned in three out of five: in all three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. Gibson was mentioned in one out of five: in one of the three ChatGPT answers, but not in either of the two Google AI Overviews. The Loar was listed before Gibson in two out of three answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
Ibanez3 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 1 of 2 Google answers- Kentucky3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Eastman3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers- The Loar3 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Epiphone1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
- Gibson1 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Fender0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Gretsch0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
Harmony Guitars0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about mandolin brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which mandolin brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best mandolin brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best mandolin brand for a beginner player?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“best mandolin”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“mandolin for beginners”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Gibson or The Loar more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Gibson and The Loar by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all nine mandolin brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Gibson, The Loar. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Fender | Ibanez | Epiphone | Gretsch | Harmony Guitars | Gibson | Kentucky | Eastman | The Loar |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 70.8% | 14% | 9.4% | 4.2% | 0.62% | 0.69% | 0.13% | 0.06% | 0.05% |
| Nov 2025 | 69% | 16.4% | 9% | 4% | 0.59% | 0.66% | 0.13% | 0.05% | 0.06% |
| Dec 2025 | 69.1% | 16.4% | 9% | 4% | 0.59% | 0.66% | 0.13% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Jan 2026 | 65.3% | 19% | 10.4% | 3.8% | 0.56% | 0.63% | 0.12% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Feb 2026 | 67.8% | 15.8% | 10.6% | 3.9% | 0.69% | 0.78% | 0.19% | 0.06% | 0.07% |
| Mar 2026 | 66.7% | 19.8% | 8.9% | 3.2% | 0.58% | 0.65% | 0.11% | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| Apr 2026 | 67.8% | 15.8% | 10.6% | 3.9% | 0.7% | 0.78% | 0.19% | 0.06% | 0.06% |
| May 2026 | 66.4% | 19.9% | 8.9% | 3.3% | 0.58% | 0.66% | 0.11% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Jun 2026 | 64.7% | 23.8% | 7.1% | 3.2% | 0.47% | 0.52% | 0.1% | 0.05% | 0.03% |
| Jul 2026 | 69.1% | 16.7% | 9.2% | 3.4% | 0.74% | 0.67% | 0.13% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Aug 2026 | 68.7% | 16.6% | 9.1% | 4.1% | 0.61% | 0.67% | 0.16% | 0.05% | 0.05% |
| Sep 2026 | 68.6% | 16.6% | 9.1% | 4.1% | 0.72% | 0.67% | 0.13% | 0.06% | 0.05% |
How has the Gibson and The Loar comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Gibson was ahead of The Loar in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Gibson’s share of searches among mandolin brands worldwide moved from 0.69% to 0.67%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 9.9K to 8.1K.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, The Loar’s share of searches among mandolin brands worldwide held steady at 0.05%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 720 to 590.
How did search popularity change for mandolin brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
In September 2026, Gibson fell from 5th to 6th among mandolin brands worldwide.
Estimated monthly branded searches for The Loar worldwide fell 18.1% over 12 measured months, from 720 to 590 in September 2026.
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Gibson’s and The Loar’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among mandolin brands
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