Looking for Strad-o-Lin Info

[Joe712]

Hi,

I'm looking to get some information on a Stradolin I purchased. I can't find a marking on the inside to date it or where it was manufactured. Features include segmented f-holes, pearl? pegs, and a solid, nonadjustable bridge. Any help would be appreciated.93792
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[Jim Garber]

No one really knows for sure who made the SOLs. There are some real afficionados here on the Cafe. You can find them at the SOL Social Group (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/group.php?groupid=53), but I am sure that some will chime in here.

[Schlegel]

I can't prove it, but my suspicion is the solid bridges were on WWII and later ones, and 30's had adjustable bridges.

[allenhopkins]

I've seen that "arched" script "Strad-O-Lin" on models that were represented as earlier, pre-WWII. I have one that's probably 1940's or early 1950's, and the script goes straight across the headstock.

However, there's so little authoritative documentation on these mandolins, that much of what's represented as "fact" is really inference or SWAG.* The consensus is that they were built somewhere in the NYCity metropolitan area, probably New Jersey. Manufacture's been attributed to Oscar Schmidt, Hoverick Bros., and Homenick Bros. (Think it likely that the latter attribution(s) owe a lot to the similarity of names.) None of these attributions is, to my knowledge, "nailed down."

Strad-O-Lins came in a wide variety of models, some fairly fancy, most just "workmanlike" featuring painted-on "binding," little ornamentation, basic stock tuners and tailpieces, etc. They've become the "surprise/flying under the radar" brand of vintage instruments, since they often out-perform their appearance and their prices. As I never tire of telling, I picked mine up for $25, had a big top crack repaired, and have gotten extensive mileage out of it since -- performance, recording, jamming, travel, etc.

Keep hoping that some grizzled vet of the old Strad-O-Lin "factory," wherever that was, will surface and give us all the lowdown on SOL history. Hasn't happened yet.

* Sophisticated Wild-As*ed Guess -- US Army terminology (unofficial)

[Randi Gormley]

Mine is from 1952 and the original bridge was adjustable. fwiw. Depending on luck, you may be able to find the build date on your strad by looking inside the f-holes on the back up toward the neck joint. some of them were stamped there, which is where I found that mine was built in January 1952.

[Cliff K]

That looks similar to my Strad-O-Lin, but mine has an adjustable bridge. I can't find any numbers on mine, I don't see any printing or labels inside. As far as I can tell it has a solid spruce top, maple back and sides with light flame, a maple neck, looks like a rosewood fingerboard and bridge, 14" scale. I would like to know if the back and sides are solid woods. The binding looks like it's painted as the spruce grain can be seen where the binding is worn. When I got it I took it to the World of Strings in Long Beach and they replaced the tuners. The fret markers look like some sort of metal discs rather than pearl. It seems like an old instrument as it has a lot of lacquer checking in the finish. It would be great to learn more about it and the Strad-O-Lins. This one sounds pretty good and plays nicely, but I am a newbie to the mandolin, so what do I know.....
Here are some pictures:
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[Michael Richmond]

The fret markers look like some sort of metal discs rather than pearl.

My Stradolin is a lower end model than Cliff's, based on my strad has no binding, a stenciled name on the headstock, no logo between the tuners, and has a solid wood pickguard that is screwed to the top.

For what it's worth, the fret markers on my Stradolin look similar to Cliff's picture 4. When I was cleaning up the fretboard and polishing the frets/fretboard with micro-mesh I realized that the markers are actually a metallic paint.