Help identifying this mandolin

[Whyistheskybloo]

I'm looking to buy another mandolin and ran into this at a thrift store

Needs a bit of work but was wondering if anyone could identify it for me (it has no markings on it at all) I think quite old, worth it?
https://imgur.com/a/UTFA6bj

Thanks!

[Marty Jacobson]

Is that the price? $386.50?
No, it's not worth it.
$38.65, yeah, maybe. Not $138.65 though.
It's probably a worse instrument than the $50 Rogues which are readily available, and probably needs just as much attention to make it playable.

[JPS]

Is that pick guard just screwed directly to the face of the mandolin?

[pops1]

Is that pick guard just screwed directly to the face of the mandolin?

There are a lot of instruments like that. Quality all the way.

[Bob Buckingham]

It has all of the charm and character of an Harmony or Kay. Having said that it is worth about 1/3 or what they are asking at most. You may find you need a pliers to turn the tuning pegs. A look inside should tell you if the top is laminated as are the sides and back most likely are. For that money you could buy a used Eastman 305 or one of many Kentucky or Loar mandolins out there. Heck and Epiphone might even be better but they are consistent in their utter lack of tone. Just by aging this mandolin would sound better. It is in an antique shop isn't it. I saw an Ibanez 2 point, oval hole in one for $1200. Good luck there!

[tonydxn]

Definitely a laminated top. Definitely not even laminated spruce. Definitely not worth $386.50. As Marty said, may possibly be worth $38.65.

[mrmando]

Looks like it has a seriously bent A-tuner and would need new tuners.

[allenhopkins]

Comma shapes for the end segments of the "f?" holes often indicate a Kay, but not exclusively. Has the earmarks of a US-made student-grade instrument from perhaps 10 years either side of WWII.

If you could get it for less than 50 bucks, might be worth it, depending on playability. That bent second-string tuner is definitely a consideration; sometimes these can be made to work though bent, other times not. Definitely not worth buying a new set of tuners, unless your friendly neighborhood instrument shop can dig a used set out of the junk drawer.

If the "thrift" store thinks they can get $386 for this, they're dreaming.

[NickR]

I don't think it is a Kay or Harmony- I cannot see enough of it to make a solid identification. Those tuners may be old Kluson items showing button shrinkage. I don't think that pickguard is original to the mandolin. It's not worth the asking price, for sure. It looks a little like a Harmony Monterey but the fingerboard end is not tapered- like on the Monterey. Harmony did make a cheaper round hole model with this feature. It's just possible this is some cheapo version of the Monterey for a third party.

[Jeff Mando]

I like the look of it, but that style doesn't bring that kind of money. For $50-100 it might be fun, if it is playable. For $386 you can find something nicer that is ready to enjoy, IMHO.....

[Gregoryp]

Stradolin, made by Favilla (judging from the head piece), 1930's or 40's?

[nmiller]

It's a very interesting instrument. Not a Stradolin, and not a Kay, Harmony or Regal either; though the body shape is quite similar to Kay and the f-holes are quite similar to Regal, none of the big Chicago manufacturers had all these features combined. It could easily be a solid mahogany top, just not carved.

[Gregoryp]

Still think the head stock indicates Favilla.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/a...chmentid=89600

"Artist Series" based on the positioning of the bridge?

There may be a catalog page on the site that would help you get closer to the date?
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/g...hmentid=134714

Kay had a similar one, but the head stock was different and so were the comma shaped f-holes.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/g...hmentid=134714