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I got this guy off ebay, no label at all except “made in japan” sticker on the back of the peg head. It looks a lot like the stradolins I see posted - same shape, pickguard, bridge and tailpiece. But the f-holes are a style I’ve never seen and i think most (all?) stradolins have some kind of logo on the head.
Is this a real stradolin or some kind of Japanese copy?
Attachment 181259
It looks very much like the far eastern mandolins that were copies of the Kay pear-shaped mandolin style. They seems to appear with all manner of names after Kay folded in 1968. A photo of the tuners would assist but I think it is definitely a Kay clone.
Ah, that makes sense. I don’t really know the history of these makers that well. This is the back of the peghead.
Attachment 181267
Here is one of those "Kay" mandolins- but not from the original company but from one of the revivals selling far eastern versions- the same happened with the Harmony company- the name was revived and the instruments were imports.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kay-Mandoli...QAAOSwh4tdzb44
You can always tell real Strad-o-Lin’s by the segmented f holes. This one doesn’t have it. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, there is an s shaped hole with a round one just above and below it.
I know what you mean - that’s why I wondered about this originally, it didn’t have that style of f-holes. I didn’t know that all Stradolins do. Thanks for the info!
It's one of these. They were imported under dozens of names and many without labels. Available weekly on eBay.
Trying, trying to "wrap" my mind around what I just read.......
Ok, when given a choice between an original USA mandolin that commonly sells for $100-150 or an import copy, the buyer choses the copy? :disbelief:
Ain't eBay great.........:mandosmiley::mandosmiley::mandosmil ey:
Quote:
Originally Posted by multidon
I think the last time this was discussed there were at least three different segmented f hole styles on Strad-O-Lins. One of them uses round holes, two other use comma shaped holes if I recall. The Strad-O-Lin Social Group has pictures of plenty of them if anyone wants to go though it again. As far as I recall they are all segmented.