Stradolin Dating Question

[Marcelyn]

I took my mandolin camping last weekend, and while I had a blast, I spent a little too much time worrying about it with night temps dipping into the 40s and then rising to the 90s next day. With at least three more festivals planned this summer, I thought it might be a good idea to pick up a true camping mando. I've been looking at cheaper Stradolins. Believe it or not, even in buying a camping mandolin I tend to over analyze. Being a vintage nut, I think the prewar Stradolins are pretty cool, but I'm having a tricky time determining the era of these instruments. Here are two candidates, does anyone have an opinion on when they were made?

[Randi Gormley]

If it's anything like mine, it'll have a date stamp inside on the back around where the neck joins up and you should be able to see it with a strong light shined through one of the F-holes. You can ask the owners if they've checked -- to tell the truth, I couldn't see it, but when I had it in the shop, the luthier found it without any trouble and showed it to me. I'd initially thought mine was older and it was sold from the shop as a "1940's" instrument, but the stamp said very clearly Jan. 1952. They're great instruments regardless of year, though. Mine looks very similar to the top photo with a cloud tailpiece.

[Marcelyn]

Thanks. I'll check on that. They don't seem to change much on the outside over the years.

[Givson]

I wouldn't worry about taking either one camping. My two Strads are my preferred camping and travel mandolins. That said, the bottom picture shows a Stradolin Jr. which has a laminated top, and is probably less susceptible to weather. My guess is that the Strad Jr. was made in the early 1940s. Guessing by the style of the f-holes and headstock logo, I would guess the top mando was made in the late 1930s. I have seen Strads with the date stamped inside, and others with no date.

[Marcelyn]

Thanks, you're right on about the sunburst stradolin. The owner checked where I was told the date would be in the above post and found September 22, 1940. The other sold already, but I'll bet you were correct. I found one that's just as affordable and is a nice orange color I like better.

[bmac]

I suspect you will not be disappointed with a Stradolin I have two and am happy with them both. normally the finish on them is pretty delicate but in my view mine are both well built and sound quite good. One of mine has a maple (I think) top and the other has a spruce top... they sound a bit different from one another but both are fine sounding.. If in decent shape I dont think there are many new mandos which have as nice a tone for that kind of money. They come up fairly regularly on ebay.