View Full Version : Finally got a Strad-O-Lin!
fentonjames
Mar-30-2018, 3:06pm
My 'new' old friend. I finally found a crazy inexpensive Strad-O-Lin. I sold my Eastman for what I paid for it originally and put the $ in the bank. I consider this a big upgrade and one that netted me a few hundred bucks to boot. Yes, this guy is rather beat up and has some repaired cracks, but it sounds really nice! The more I play it, the better it'll sound too.
Excuse the mistakes, I was just noodling over some stuff, not really playing any thing in particular. Bits of Red Haired Boy, Rain and Snow, Shady Grove and Old Home Place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHrDJLTU8Cs&feature=youtu.be
LadysSolo
Mar-30-2018, 9:07pm
It's nice you were able to find what you had been looking for - congratulations!
Welcome to the club! Strad-o-lins come with a lot of mojo.
MikeZito
Mar-30-2018, 9:43pm
There is nothing better than finally landing one of those instruments that you 'have always wanted'.
Congratulations and ENJOY!
Jeff Mando
Apr-03-2018, 12:44pm
Sounds sweet! :mandosmiley:
Dave Sheets
Apr-03-2018, 1:33pm
Congrats! Serious mojo in a lot of these. Just a lot of fun.
your_diamond
Apr-04-2018, 11:46am
I finally found a crazy inexpensive Strad-O-Lin. Yes, this guy is rather beat up and has some repaired cracks, but it sounds really nice!
That's one of the good ones. I believe that pattern of F-holes were only used in 1935 & 1936. She's, more than likely all solid woods, spruce top & flamed maple back & maple sides. Love the asymmetrical fretboard & original bridge (they may be Brazilian rosewood). Lovely sound, though I'm sure it sounds even better in person. Where did you find her?
ollaimh
Apr-13-2018, 1:02am
i have seen quite a bit of talk about stradolins recently. i thought they were cheapos. that ones sounds nice. is there are best years rule of thumb for them? who made them? and are they solid woods?
I think generally the older the better; at some point Strad-o-lin branded instruments switched to being Asian imports that don't really have much relation to the older Strads. Even within years though there is a range of quality offered; someone posted an old catalog page once with various Strad-o-lin models for sale. There are some that are far nicer than most Strads.
your_diamond
Apr-29-2018, 12:41pm
Is there a best years rule of thumb for them? who made them? and are they solid woods?
When it comes to The Strad-O-Lin... It can best be explained by the ancient parable of the 6 blind men describing an elephant ...depending upon where they had touched ...In the case of the first person, whose hand landed on the trunk, said "This being is like a thick snake". For another one whose hand reached its ear, it seemed like a kind of fan. As for another person, whose hand was upon its leg, said, the elephant is a pillar like a tree-trunk. The blind man who placed his hand upon its side said, "elephant is a wall". Another who felt its tail, described it as a rope. The last felt its tusk, stating the elephant is that which is hard, smooth and like a spear. Their heated debate comes short of physical violence, but the conflict of just what an elephant is to a blind man, is never resolved.
...and so it is with The Stradolin (notice there are even two ways to spell it). It would be better to tell you what it is not. First off NOBODY KNOWS WHO MADE THEM. They could be made by several different American factories (from the 1920's through the 1960's). There's a rumor of a New York Factory and a N.Y violin maker ...but alas no proof.
The best ones are Pre-WWII. Then I was scolded for listing one made in 1941 as pre-war and told the war started in 1939. Many others have no date. The one piece flamed maple backs are usually solid & better than the more obvious faux two piece backs. Script logos are usually better than block logos & Jr logos & headstocks with a decoration below the name and/or an asymmetrical fretboard are often solid wood.
If you find one you like, it is best to list pictures here & ask questions before you purchase.
Jeff Mando
Apr-29-2018, 2:45pm
I agree with you on the pre-war, as it applies to USA made stringed instruments. Pre-war indicates pre-1942 manufacture. As far as the war starting in 1939, that is true, historically speaking, but nobody cares about that in the discussion of vintage instruments except in the way it affected USA production and quality. Two different topics, really.
And, then, there's always a smartie who likes to ask, "which war?"
I think the MIJ models are very obviously MIJ. Just generic Japanese built that carry a variety of brand badges.
My 'new' old friend. I finally found a crazy inexpensive Strad-O-Lin. I sold my Eastman for what I paid for it originally and put the $ in the bank. I consider this a big upgrade and one that netted me a few hundred bucks to boot. Yes, this guy is rather beat up and has some repaired cracks, but it sounds really nice! The more I play it, the better it'll sound too.
Excuse the mistakes, I was just noodling over some stuff, not really playing any thing in particular. Bits of Red Haired Boy, Rain and Snow, Shady Grove and Old Home Place.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHrDJLTU8Cs&feature=youtu.be
You consider the S-O-L an upgrade from the Eastman?
I picked up an Eastman at a local store and shredded my finger on the fret ends. QA must have been on break.
MikeEdgerton
Jun-13-2018, 12:33pm
The Strad-O-Lins that were imported are simple factory built instruments from Japan and Korea that bore no resemblance to the originals and had no connection to the original makers. All of the imported models I've seen were the same as these (https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?79118-Key-Brand-Info).
fentonjames
Jun-17-2018, 8:59am
sorry i haven't checked this thread in a while. i'll answer a few questions that i saw. i got it on reverb. i do consider it an upgrade to the eastman i had. maybe more of a lateral move. my eastman was an oval hole. they sound totally different and i was looking for something i can use in various styles of music easier. it is all solid woods. there is a Nov 1 (maybe 11) 1935 stamp inside.
NickR
Aug-01-2018, 12:22pm
I saw a Rex advertisement from the early 1940s. It had various guitars and a Stradolin. The blurb on the ad said something about the mandolin being made by experienced violin makers ar a violin factory. Unfortunately, I did not copy the ad but this lends credence to the violin maker story as there was no reason for the copy in the ad to be fanciful.
MikeEdgerton
Aug-01-2018, 12:56pm
There's every reason for the ad to be fanciful, it was an ad. There's no way a small shop could have turned out this many instruments. I'd love to see the ad only because we have several in the mandolin advertising social group.
I found the ad. What makes me laugh is that Rex is selling the K6 flat top for $30. Gretsch sold it with their name on the headstock for $20 and Kay sold it for $15! I will buy one, one day. There is an overpriced example on ebay- it was branded Calvert. I have no idea how to poat it on this site- it is too cryptic for me. Here is the ebay listing- you can see it there and perhaps post it up for me as I am useless! https://www.ebay.com/itm/1942-ADVERTISEMENT-REX-Hawaiian-Guitar-Royal-Mandolin-American-Made-Saxophone-/311318352640
MikeEdgerton
Aug-01-2018, 2:02pm
The best part about that is that is one of the Strad-O-Lin Artists models that are different than the rest of the Strads. The bridge sits in the middle of the f holes. Thanks for the link. That's a classic.
Wasn't Rex a Gretsch brand name? This basically shows the whole "building for the trade" portion of the musical instrument business. Lost of what we would call outsourcing these days.
Certainly, various Gretsch instruments had the Rex name- Rex-Playboy and I seem to recall seeing Kay made mandolins and guitars with that name. There was one fellow selling one on ebay and he made much of his long experience as a mandolin repairer and his Rex-Playboy was a much better instrument than a Kay- which is exactly what it was. I have seen Rex Aragon branded guitars being suggested as Gretsch made but mine is a late 30s Harmony while others I have seen were made by Kay. We know that because one model of S S Stewart was a Gibson made L-2 derived model all S S Stewart guitars according to their owners/sellers must be made by Gibson!
MikeEdgerton
Aug-01-2018, 2:28pm
Yeah, the Gibson second lines made a whole lot of instruments built by other builders into Gibsons :cool:
I recall seeing a Rex branded bowllback years ago as well. The Gretsch New Yorker mandolins are my favorite. Here (https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/showthread.php?118132-Gretsch-New-Yorker-Mandolins) is a thread where we found one on eBay with a Harmony model number in it. The new Gretsch mandolins are copies of Harmony mandolins and you can actually buy the real thing (only branded Harmony) cheaper and they are all solid woods.
brunello97
Aug-01-2018, 11:09pm
Yeah, the Gibson second lines made a whole lot of instruments built by other builders into Gibsons :cool:
That is, unless they were made (possibly) by the.......Larsons.
Mick
Mike, I would say 1950s as well. I have a very similar mandolin from the late 1930s- segmented F holes and tuners like you see on some Gibson models- I forget the type name. Anyway, it is an S S Stewart and it is a Monterey from Harmony- the more expensive model. What I like about it is it is made of mahogany and spruce but the mahogany is finished in a very nice faux maple that is "book-matched" as well! It was a mere $45 including the case and I need to find a clam shell tailpiece for it- somebody had screwed a Gibson style one on the end-in fact the screws were in the back! Of course, I should be saying as it was sold by S S S that it is clearly of Martin construction!
MikeEdgerton
Aug-02-2018, 7:55am
There is a Cafe member that makes a replica of the Waverly cloud tailpiece cover. You can usually find the base on eBay if you can't find the whole thing.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/ads/110265#110265
Mike, thank you for that- like me, he is in the UK. I have managed to buy two complete units on ebay- both in the USA. Indeed, I recently bought a $60 mandolin and case- probably Harmony made in the 1930s and this has an engraved tailpiece cover and I presume that is worth more than $60. However, the mandolin is so good I shall not remove the tailpiece and use it on the S S S (Monterey). It has a full 14 inch scale which is a bit of a challenge but it sounds superb and plays well. I have screwed on a single piece repro horror for the time being on the S S S. Ideally, I need the two parts but it is handy to be able to get the cover on its own.