Any information on this Mandolin

[mpolito44]

Greetings,

This is my first post on this forum. Could anyone please provide me with any information pertaining to the (make, originated year, and maker of this mandolin). Thank you for any information pertaining to this matter.

Much appreciated.

Thanks

Matt P.

[8ch(pl)]

It is a 1920's Stomberg Voisinet. Later became Kay I believe.

[Jim Garber]

Like Mr. 8ch(pl) says...

That Stromberg-Voisinet looks like it is in good shape. I am not 100% sure that the bridge is positioned correctly. You may want to have that checked for intonation. Usually they would be on the soundhole side of the cant (bend) in the top.

[mpolito44]

Thank you so much for your help. Any idea of its value?

[mpolito44]

Thank you so much. I was going to have it restored but it plays well. Any idea of its value?

Thanks

[mrmando]

Not valuable. Looks like some heat damage to the top. Worth no more than $250, I'd say.

[allenhopkins]

This one (http://www.ebay.com/itm/1920s-Vintage-Stromberg-Voisinet-Venetion-Mandolin-/270997971746) went for $300 on eBay. It was in better shape and had its pickguard.

[8ch(pl)]

The center of Fret Number 12 is the halfway point of the Scale Length. If you measure the distance from the face of the nut to that fret, the bridge position should be the same as measured back from that fret. Then it is slightly adjusted to correct intonation.

[Elliot Luber]

Welcome to the Cafe!

[August Watters]

OK - now I'm really confused.

I have TWO of these mandolins - both with labels that say "The Vernon - Bruno & Sons, New York." I understand Bruno was a distributor, not a manufacturer, so is it fair to say that Stromberg was the manufacturer of these two mandolins? And that they just stuck "Bruno - The Vernon" labels on their "Voisinet" model?
91512

[August Watters]

91513

[mrmando]

Stromberg-Voisinet was the original name of the company. (Not related to Stromberg guitars AFAIK.) It's not a "Voisinet" model by Stromberg.

You see these with several different brand names from distributors, including "Bruno - The Vernon."

[MikeEdgerton]

Stromberg-Voisenet and Stromberg guitars have no connection. Stromberg-Voisenet, as it has been pointed out, later became the Kay company. Stromberg-Voisenet (Kay) was one of the major Chicago based builders that built instruments "For the trade". These instruments were manufactured with no brand name or with some other company's brand name to be sold as their own. Harmony, Regal, and Lyon & Healy did the same. Bruno bought from everyone as far as I can see and simply had the manufacturer label or applied the labels themselves. Some of the "for the trade" instruments can be easily traced back to the actual builder. This is one of those cases. The shape and the headstock design identify it as a Stromberg-Voisenet built instrument. Others are a bit more difficult. To my knowledge no one has identified this shape by any particular model name that is in common usage.

[August Watters]

Thanks to you guys who are so well-informed, and your generosity - this is what I love about the Cafe!