Levin Mandolin Model 41 "King"

[s.lanki]

I am wanting to learn a little bit more about this mandolin I bought a few years ago.

Specs:

Good condition, mainly just needs new strings.
8-string Mandolin.
Arched top & back.
Body width: 260 mm.
Hand carved top & back.
Spruce top with undetermined bracing.
Walnut back & sides.
4-ply bound top with double-bound f-holes.
Single-bound back.
Triple-bound pickguard.
Single-bound headstock.
Mahogany neck with non-adjustable T-shaped duraluminum truss rod.
Single-bound ebony fingerboard with pearloid diamond inlay.
Adjustable ebony bridge.
White straight-sided plastic buttons
Sunburst

http://www.vintage-guitars.se/Levin/...dolin_info.htm

Based on the serial number (388220) it was manufactured in Sweden by the Levin company in 1959.

I'm considering selling it and am wondering if these mandolins are very rare and what they might be worth. I've tried looking for them on different sites and I haven't found many.

Any thoughts or other info on this instrument would be greatly appreciated!

- Seth

[s.lanki]

I am wanting to learn a little bit more about this mandolin I bought a few years ago.

Specs:

Good condition, mainly just needs new strings.
8-string Mandolin.
Arched top & back.
Body width: 260 mm.
Hand carved top & back.
Spruce top with undetermined bracing.
Walnut back & sides.
4-ply bound top with double-bound f-holes.
Single-bound back.
Triple-bound pickguard.
Single-bound headstock.
Mahogany neck with non-adjustable T-shaped duraluminum truss rod.
Single-bound ebony fingerboard with pearloid diamond inlay.
Adjustable ebony bridge.
White straight-sided plastic buttons
Sunburst

http://www.vintage-guitars.se/Levin/...dolin_info.htm

Based on the serial number (388220) it was manufactured in Sweden by the Levin company in 1959.

I'm considering selling it and am wondering if these mandolins are very rare and what they might be worth. I've tried looking for them on different sites and I haven't found many.

Any thoughts or other info on this instrument would be greatly appreciated!

- Seth

[MikeEdgerton]

They aren't particularly rare instruments. While you're waiting for some answers you might want to take a look through these past threads on the Cafe.

[Jim Garber]

You found that Swedish site so you now probably have more info than almost anyone here.

First of all, where are you in the world, geographically? If you live in Sweden, I would say you probably have a better market there por elsewhere in Europe. If you are in North America, maybe not as much.

Levin is sort of the Gibson of Sweden and, for mandolin, actually copied many of Gibson's styles. This, I would say, is an A-50 copy. An A-50 of that era in the US would go for maybe $1000-1200 for one in excellent condition. I would guess that if you wanted to move this quickly you would ask for about half that.

I have a Levin flattop and was always curious about them. Mine is decently made but nothing really special. The carved ones may or may not be different.

[allenhopkins]

Levin mandolins aren't seen that often in the US, but I wouldn't call them "very rare" (2009 thread). They're rated as high-quality instruments, as are most Levin products, at least before the company was bought by Martin, who then used Levin's "Goya" label (for Levin guitars exported to the US) on a variety of imports that, according to sources, didn't match the quality of Swedish-made Levin instruments.

Most of the Levin mandolins I've found listed, have asking prices from the mid to high hundreds of dollars, with the exception of their top-line "Aristokrat" model which gets up over $2K -- again, "asking," not "sale" price. You have a well-made, all-solid-woods mandolin, albeit by a lesser-known (in the US) manufacturer. You might want to price it similarly to, e.g., a Martin Style A of similar vintage. But be prepared to bargain.

Listing it in the Cafe classified ads would be a way to expose it to a more knowledgeable audience, one who might value overall quality higher than brand familiarity. You have a quality instrument, which, however, suffers somewhat from being an "off" brand.

[MikeEdgerton]

I've merged these two threads.

[s.lanki]

Hey Jim!

Thanks for the response. I'm located in Canada so like you were saying there is probably less of a market for these instruments here in North America. I really appreciate the info though! I wasn't aware that they were in the same style as the Gibson A-50 which will help with pricing it.

Take care
- Seth