Swedish made LEVIN mando's

[bluesyswede]

Hi folks!
Here's two old ones from Sweden, made by Levin in Gothenburg.


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


I don't play much mandolin really but it's fun to play the mando-blues sometimes! :)

[Jim Garber]

Very cool. You rarely see those over here in the US. I have (I think) am 1950s Model 46 modest flattop and I have seen a few of the AristoKrats.

[Jake Wildwood]

I love Levin products. Unfortunately I don't let myself keep too much in my private stable so I never get to keep them!!!

[Ron McMillan]

I'd love to get my hands on a 1950s Levin, maybe from '58, the year I was born. One of these days......

[bluesyswede]

Thanks, guys!
Levin did export a whole lot, especially to the US. Most instruments got the name GOYA then.
Their top of the line models are awesome!!

[brunello97]

Nice. You can do anything but stay off of my Blue Swede Shoes! ;)

Mick

[Shelagh Moore]

A good Levin is a nice instrument.

[Colin Lindsay]

A good Levin is a nice instrument.

Last time I was in London there was a Levin guitar for sale on Danmark Street, very strange shape and from the 1920s if I remember correctly.

[bluesyswede]

Yes, the finest Levin models are world class instruments. Even their low end mandolins were solid woods.
And Colin, they sure made some strange shape one's too, haha!

[Spruce]

How common are Levin instruments in Sweden, bluesyswede?

I have an old Hagström 12-string (that I found in the Cafe Classifieds!) that is one of the finest instruments I've ever played, so have aways been curious about the Levins, too...
Especially after seeing the Django pic... ;)

Thanks for sharing...

[bluesyswede]

Hey Spruce!
In Sweden the Levin istruments are extremely common.
Also in the rest of Scandinavia they're fairly common but in Sweden they're everywhere..

The best of the Levin models are stunning, most however are of simpler construction with less exciting tone and looks.

Take a look at my Levin pages somtime to see some of my instruments:
http://www.bottleneckjohn.com/levin.htm

I do have a few.. :grin:
128044

[Sheryl McDonald]

I've got a 1939 oval hole Levin I purchased from Bernunzio 3-4 years ago. Someone had refinished the top so it looks aged blonde, and the back is still the darker wood color (birds eye). My avatar is how the top looks. It's definitely got that vintage oval hole sound!

[Jim Adwell]

I have a 1938 near bottom of the line flat-top flat-back Levin mandolin, that looks like it's been through the war. The top was 'repaired' at some point with some kind of dark glue, and the neck has been glued apparently with the same glue. When I got it most of the top and back braces were loose so I took off the back and reglued them, and fixed another crack in the top. The finish was removed at some point (probably by the same person that glued the top and neck) and it looks like back and sides were stained in blotches to imitate figured wood. I was unable to remove the stain easily, so I slapped some shellac over it, intending at some point to finish it dark or even black (never did, though, it isn't really worth the time or effort). It looks like hell, but it sounds pretty good, much better than my Chinese Washburn or any of the cheap mandolins at the local Guitar Center. It sounds more like a decent bowl-back than anything else, actually.

Here's a crummy picture of the top.

128065

[bluesyswede]

Nice one, mcH!
Should be a model 335.
Congrats!! I have one too and you can see that one in the video clip above.

Jim, good one!
Most of the 1930's model are fine instruments. And all are solid woods, cheap but ok!