Took the plunge!

  1. Prophetsnake
    Prophetsnake
    And found a nice Strad-o-lin on eBay. The mandolin is in excellent shape. The tuners are the usual mess for a mandolin that hasn't been played in who knows how many years, but it's straight and completely undamaged. No cracks and hardly a mark on it. There's a little fret wear, but nothing that needs to be dealt with right away.
    Clear finish throughout. One piece Spruce top, one piece flamed maple back and plain sides - not sure about the wood on the sides, but I've read elsewhere that they're usually ply. The back is almost certainly solid, as there's flame on the inside and it seems to match the outside. The back may be pressed, (I don't know how to tell) , but I don't think that the top is. The grain around the F holes remains vertical from line to line as you look at one and the next laterally. I don't think spruce bent in that way would stand the test of time in any case. There's no fingerboard extension. The fingerboard is radiused and fairly thick, so it just pokes out above the belly violin style.
    If there's a date on the neck block, I can't see it, but I haven't tried a mirror yet. The mandolin is giving me a 1950 vibe, but I have nothing but a feeling there.
    The noise this thing makes is unbelievable. It's far and away the loudest mandolin I've ever played and has a sweet, sweet tone, particularly around the bottom, where it has a really satisfying growl. There's not a lot of sustain around the top end, at least not as much as some other instruments I've played, but it does ring brilliantly.
    All in all, this is one of the nicest instruments I've ever played, and dollar for dollar nothing can touch it!
  2. JRG
    JRG
    Sounds like you scored big time. These mandolins are amazing and by far the best bang for your buck. If there is a date, it will be inside the bass side F-hole. It's hit and miss with these but if it's solid wood, probably late 40's early 50's. Post some pics and welcome to the world of Stradolin.
  3. Prophetsnake
    Prophetsnake
    If I could figure out how to post pics, I would gladly share a few! It seems as if I need to post them elsewhere and then provide a URL to that site though. Is that right?
  4. Prophetsnake
    Prophetsnake
    Okay, I figured it out eventually. Anyone have any idea as to the year?
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