Dayton Instrument Database-Your help needed!

**Jim Garber** · Nov-21-2011, 9:49pm

I didn't expect it to sound like a Gibson but was just comparing it. I have never played one of the double soundboard ones -- the only one I have seen is that heart-shaped one and that was unplayable.

**Slingerland** · Nov-21-2011, 9:57pm

Hi Jim-

The reason I asked was because there is a growing trend to dismiss Rauch's instruments as Gibson copies. That could not be further from the truth. Two publications, one recent and one not so recent, are the main cause of this false believe. Both publications are based on essentially no research about Dayton. I wasn't trying to be short with you.

The mandolin in the video is a Style A and its serial number (in the 300s) is documented in the database.

Thanks,

Paul

**Spruce** · Nov-21-2011, 10:10pm

Originally Posted by Slingerland

Where is this one located?

Southern Oregon....

Originally Posted by Slingerland

Is it for sale?

I don't think we're allowed to say on these pages....
PM me...

Originally Posted by Slingerland

Is that serial number 44?

Yep.

**Slingerland** · Nov-21-2011, 10:11pm

Thanks for the info! A real world selling price for these is about a third of that. I wish her the best of luck though!

**Jim Garber** · Nov-22-2011, 8:37am

Originally Posted by Spruce

Southern Oregon....
I don't think we're allowed to say on these pages....
PM me...

Unless I am mistaken, I think you can discuss sales other than your own on these forums. Hey you can discuss eBay and craiglist listings so why not private sales or whatever?

So... how much was she asking?

**Slingerland** · Nov-22-2011, 8:42am

Did you edit your post or am I just crazy? Lol

Did you say it was for sale at $1500?

That's why I said a real world selling price is about a third of that.

**Spruce** · Nov-22-2011, 9:53am

Yeah, I didn't want to break any rules...
She prices her instruments high, waits years for the prices to catch up, and then they are gone...

I really loved this mandolin, BTW...
You could see the 4-5 GPI spruce poking through the finish...
Cool construction...

**Jim Garber** · Nov-22-2011, 9:57am

So how did it sound -- did you love it for its sound or for its oddness (or both)?

**Spruce** · Nov-22-2011, 10:49am

Yeah, the sound and (potential) playability...
Old strings and all...

Lots of poop, and a solid old-timey kind of tone...

Surprised that I had never run into one before...

Reminded me of a guy who used to build mandolins here in the Pacific NW out of blocks of western red cedar...
He'd split a 2" thick block in two, hollow out the mandolin, and then glue the block back together on the split-line.
The first time I saw one, I stared at it for a long time before figuring it out.
You couldn't see the glue line on the irregular seam, and it was like looking at a ship-in-a-bottle trying to figure out how in the hell he did that...

**Slingerland** · Nov-22-2011, 11:59am

This instrument dates to the early teens. The earliest serial numbers date to 1911. The company was no longer listed as a manufacturer of musical instruments starting in 1939, but is subsequently listed as musical instrument dealers.

We have cataloged a range of serial numbers of approximately 1-2,000 and 3,000-3,200, but some of his instruments did not have serial numbers.

We know that serial number 4 was made prior to Aug 1911 and serial number 7 was made after Aug 1911.

We also know that around serial numbers 1033-1046, it was about 1920.

So serial number 44 is fairly early.

**David Aumann** · May-23-2012, 10:02am

See Style B Dayton mandolin for sale on eBay right now. Serial no. 1104.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Dayton-S...item35bc713381

Originally Posted by Slingerland

Thanks for the photos! Where is this one located? Is it for sale? I've got the Dayton mandolins I want, but I am still curious. This one looks very nice.

Is that serial number 44?

Jim-

Why would you expect it to sound like a Gibson? Although Dayton mandolins and Gibson mandolins have some cosmetic similarities, their constructions are entirely different. Mr. Rauch was issued a patent for his mandolin design with internal soundboard, which can be found at the link below.

http://www.google.com/patents?id=4yg...rument&f=false

**brunello97** · Jul-27-2012, 8:06am

Lots of Dayton mandolin thread fragments here so I'll link this ebay sale of a 'student model' here for continuity.

Dayton Student Model Ebay

Discussion Thread

Has this appeared in the registry? The SN is frustratingly obscured. 153? 453?

Mick

**Slingerland** · Jul-27-2012, 8:19am

Thanks for posting. This is my mandolin. The serial number is 455, which, according to our research, puts this mandolin at ca. 1915.

Check out our The Dayton website.

http://www.daytonstringinstruments.com/

**brunello97** · Jul-27-2012, 9:10am

Sorry for the redundancy. Nice to have the images here, too, I guess. Good luck with the sale. A very curious construction method on the student model.

Mick