Stradolin- Gaylord Brand

[NickR]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Ton...temCondition=4


And this rather nice Orpheum as well- another Stradolin, I assume.


https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Orp...temCondition=4

[allenhopkins]

Interesting that we call these "Strad-O-Lins," because they are identical (or close) to the instruments sold under the Strad-O-Lin brand.

But we don't know who made those Strad-O-Lins; there was never a Strad-O-Lin factory, that we can identify. We tentatively attribute their manufacture to maybe Oscar Schmidt, maybe the Hoverick or Homenick Brothers (two separate companies!), maybe Favilla, maybe someone else. Face it, we don't know.

There are thousands of these mandolins out there, most labeled "Strad-O-Lin," but plenty with the Orpheum label; this is the first Gaylord I've seen, but surely there are more. It's weird that we can't definitively attribute their origin.

So, for want of a better name, we call them Strad-O-Lins. At least everyone, pretty much, knows what that means.

[NickR]

Yes, I thought that Gaylord was uncommon for this Stradolin type of instrument. Orpheum often means Kay and I think before that, Harmony in the late 1930s.

[Seter]

Too bad there isn't a better picture of the tailpiece on the Gaylord to assess whether there is an issue, it might just need the old toothpick/dowel in the hole trick or there could be serious structure issues. Maybe it's the tailpiece cover rather than the tailpiece itself with an issue, who knows? Worth a gamble at $49.50, but at what point is it not worth the gamble I guess we'll find out.

[MikeEdgerton]

Actually both are Strad-O-Line Genre mandolins, made by whomever made the Strad-O-Lins. I don't see anything unusual about them. I've had Orpheum branded Strads as well as brands that I never of.

There are Orpheum branded Strad-O-Lins in the Social Group. They weren't picky who they ordered mandolins from.

[Eric Platt]

Is it me, or does the Gaylord have 2 finish nails below the heel in the back?

[MikeEdgerton]

It does. I have a Regal that belonged to my uncle that has 7 or 8. It didn't come from the factory that way

[NickR]

I found just one other Gaylord in a Google search at Gbase. It is shown as a 1955 made instrument but the tuner type is what I think is a style briefly made in the late 30s very early 40s- for guitars and mandolins- judging by the shape of the plate.

[MikeEdgerton]

It's not from 50's, it's earlier. It was probably a retailer. Also, I think you'll find that one isn't a Strad-O-Lin genre mandolin and probably has a date code inside.

[NickR]

Yes, it is a Harmony made mandolin from the late 1930s. It is mahogany and is therefore probably a Harmony Patrician mandolin sold as a Gaylord. Patrician was the name Harmony gave to a series of mahogany instruments over the years. I have a very similar instrument- the body is mahogany and it has a faux maple finish but the top is spruce and it was sold by B & J as an S S Stewart in the late 1930s. It has a Harmony code inside but o date stamp that I can see.