View Full Version : Levin 55 - a cheap Mandolin from sweden
I bought this little mandolin for holliday travelling. In our camper we have always instruments with us. A guitar, an accordion, ukulele, harp and a mandolin. In Germany mandolins were very common in the 20th century, but not nowadays. So you can get them everywhere for some Euros. This swedish Levin cost me 90 Euro incl. shipping. I cleaned it and spend a new set of Martin 10-34 strings and here it is.
https://soundcloud.com/leo-dilemma/40-somre-mandolin-duet-levin55
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Leo
derbex
May-01-2017, 7:46am
That's a good sounding mandolin at an even better price. I played a Levin couple of years ago and was impressed. Another good make that seems to come up cheaply is Otwin, from Germany I think, I sometimes play with a chap who has one strung with Thomastiks and it is loud with a good tone.
I think they are one of the best(ish) kept secrets out there....but occasionally people let the cat out of the bag ;)
This is my 1940's Model 340.....
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and I have a 1930's flat-top TG, (full size body) as well which is a lovely thing. Vry plain and simple but lovely tone.
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I think their aged, slow grown Northern wood supply back in the day was what attracted Martin to a tie-in in later years.
Hey Leo....here is a compatriot of yours hoping to get nearly $4,000 for a $120 instrument ! It just goes to show that all the dreamers haven't given up hoping...... I mean they are nice, especially the better ones, but not THAT nice !
http://www.ebay.de/itm/1959-LEVIN-Mandolin-/252900613663?hash=item3ae20d1e1f:g:uLoAAOSw5cNYZBQ s
Matt Long
May-04-2017, 4:21pm
From that Ebay ad:
"Maybe someone played it for a few years & put it in a case when the British Invasion happened and never looked back... Comes with original Strap and original canvas bag. MODEL 55 -- extremely rare example circa 1958-59."
So...the British invaded Germany in the 60s? :confused:
Or maybe they're just talking about the Beatles!
Bill Cameron
May-06-2017, 9:20am
Hey Leo....here is a compatriot of yours hoping to get nearly $4,000 for a $120 instrument ! It just goes to show that all the dreamers haven't given up hoping...... I mean they are nice, especially the better ones, but not THAT nice !
http://www.ebay.de/itm/1959-LEVIN-Mandolin-/252900613663?hash=item3ae20d1e1f:g:uLoAAOSw5cNYZBQ s
Advertiser forgot to include the magic phrase "by Martin", which imbues any Sigma from any decade with magical qualities and price inflation--turns out Martin owned Levin from 73 till 81 according to Wikipedia.