2-point Orpheum branded Strad-O-lin on eBay

[Sue Rieter]

Claims he took off the strings because they were rusty. It seems installing a new $10 set of strings would go a long way toward helping to sell a $400 instrument, IMHO. Makes you wonder about neck issues, doesn't it?

I did think about this. How would you know anything about action, etc?

[Richard500]

This one also has the aluminum fingerboard dots. Cool looking.

Odd, tiny detail: The (probably) aluminum dots on my ‘50s SOL were inserted before the board was sanded, that is, before fretting, so show the sanding scratches. The two pointer has what could be called engine turned ones, which would have to somehow be fitted flush afterward, which is possible. Yet another maker, or evolution, or something. Very clean object; also suspicious of neck issues.

[your_diamond]

$499 for this mislabeled "1960's" Stradolin. Sure looks like 1930's to me. https://www.ebay.com/itm/185637216898?
He has raised the price on this, once or twice since the listing started.

[Sue Rieter]

$499 for this mislabeled "1960's" Stradolin. Sure looks like 1930's to me. https://www.ebay.com/itm/185637216898?
He has raised the price on this, once or twice since the listing started.

"Hmmm, people are looking at this. I might be able to get more $$ (tap tap tap, changes price).
I don't like stuff like that
Figure it out before you list.

For informational purposes, though, what makes you lean toward 1930's, Mike? Do you think it really looks as red as it does in the ad?

[NickR]

Duplicate! Deleted.

[NickR]

Jim Garber posted this Pmico ad from 1941 up a while ago. It shows mandolins with that headstock shape and logo and other similarities- I have not really compared them to see of one is the same:




https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...-Catalog-Pages

[Eric Platt]

The Special description in that ad, as well as mine, make me think earlier than 1960's. The comma shaped ends of the f holes are often presumed to be earlier work. Or an earlier builder.

Also, the red of the eBay one is wrong, but that's almost certainly the camera settings. The tool handles are the wrong color to my eyes in those photos.

Do think that it's very close to the one I presently own. And that is a fair price, IMO.

[your_diamond]

I might be able to get more $$ (tap tap tap, changes price).
I don't like stuff like that
Figure it out before you list.

I agree!

For over a year now, he has a 50's-60's oval hole mandolin, that is unbranded (listed as a Stradolin $269+). So he should have an idea what they are worth... but I don't think he plays them, so he can't judge just how much better this f-hole sounds than that 50's-60's oval hole mandolin.

Almost everything he sells has a "Make Offer" designation (a line through the price) in his sold listings. He is not on ebay to make friends, he's there for profit and he is shooting for the stars $$$!

what makes you lean toward 1930's? Mike

The six Stradolins I have owned that had "apostrophe" end segmented f-holes were ALL dated and all were from the 1930's.
I have heard of one dated in the 1940's (anybody got one?) but never seen one or even pictures (but it's a Stradolin, so anything is possible).

Do you think it really looks as red as it does in the ad?

I would not trust this guy to play "Stairway to Heaven" properly.*

* That's a guitar joke... wrong forum... please forgive.

** Sue, It was the one song EVERY guy guitar player learned "to impress", before switching to the mandolin. Mike P.S. He's seems more a guitar player than mandolin.

Eric, He prices everything $50 to $100 more than he wants. I would have to put on new strings before pricing it. He would probably charge $20 for new strings (kidding around). It might be worth $400 but there is a 1937 SOL on reverb for $500 that he offered to me for $450. So, at $450... I like the one on reverb.com better. Mike

[Richard500]

The 1941 catalog page posted above shows co-existing round and comma details, plus a non-adjustable bridge on the -pro, so maybe there’s some hangover, or, again, different factories!
Today, before coffee, I saw, on auction, an unlabeled but very SOL thing with a grave for the pickup, holes for the pots, BUT NO SOUNDHOLES. Researched it via Google. Seems like another hangover ca. mid-50s of our friends moving toward mass-market electrics. Likely a Premier Marvel, but weird. For Halloween.

[your_diamond]

The 1941 catalog page posted above shows co-existing round and comma details

That's why, I always add, "but it's a Stradolin, so anything is possible". The six I've seen plus the maybe one hundred in the Stradolin mandolin social group photos are only a fraction of what's out there. Are there 10,000 Stradolins? Are there 100,000? Nobody knows. I hope, one day, we will be able to say, the first apostrophe f-holes were made in year 193X and the last Apostrophe f-holes were made in year 194X. Even if 1941 catalog page posts reflect what was available at that time, The war effort (WWII) ended all production (even of Stradolins) by early 1942 (Pearl Harbor was bombed Dec.,7th, 1941). Did the company making the apostrophe F-holes retool and go back into production??? Somebody Stradolin did. Stay tuned.

Today, before coffee, I saw, on auction, an unlabeled but very SOL thing with a grave for the pickup, holes for the pots, BUT NO SOUNDHOLES. Researched it via Google. Seems like another hangover ca. mid-50s of our friends moving toward mass-market electrics. Likely a Premier Marvel, but weird. For Halloween.

Link please.

[Eric Platt]

I agree!

For over a year now, he has a 50's-60's oval hole mandolin, that is unbranded (listed as a Stradolin $269+). So he should have an idea what they are worth... but I don't think he plays them, so he can't judge just how much better this f-hole sounds than that 50's-60's oval hole mandolin.

Almost everything he sells has a "Make Offer" designation (a line through the price) in his sold listings. He is not on ebay to make friends, he's there for profit and he is shooting for the stars $$$!


The six Stradolins I have owned that had "apostrophe" end segmented f-holes were ALL dated and all were from the 1930's.
I have heard of one dated in the 1940's (anybody got one?) but never seen one or even pictures (but it's a Stradolin, so anything is possible).





I would not trust this guy to play "Stairway to Heaven" properly.*

* That's a guitar joke... wrong forum... please forgive.

** Sue, It was the one song EVERY guy guitar player learned "to impress", before switching to the mandolin. Mike P.S. He's seems more a guitar player than mandolin.

Eric, He prices everything $50 to $100 more than he wants. I would have to put on new strings before pricing it. He would probably charge $20 for new strings (kidding around). It might be worth $400 but there is a 1937 SOL on reverb for $500 that he offered to me for $450. So, at $450... I like the one on reverb.com better. Mike

And the 1937 has round f-hole ends. So go figure. Looking at the body shape, I also wonder if the body is narrow like my present one.

[your_diamond]

And the 1937 has round f-hole ends. So go figure. Looking at the body shape, I also wonder if the body is narrow like my present one.

I believe the bodies (with top purfling/inlay) are usually narrow and the neck is probably also narrow (like 1&1/8" at the nut) but I would ask the guy, to be sure. Also, looks like it comes with an F case. There is also this (slightly beat up) apostrophe SOL https://reverb.com/item/51935453-str...-1938-mahogany repriced to $385.17 + $104 Shipping (maybe no case).

So, no shortage of SOL's at the $400+ price range.

[Eric Platt]

I believe the bodies (with top purfling/inlay) are usually narrow and the neck is probably also narrow (like 1&1/8" at the nut) but I would ask the guy, to be sure. Also, looks like it comes with an F case. There is also this (slightly beat up) apostrophe SOL https://reverb.com/item/51935453-str...-1938-mahogany repriced to $385.17 + $104 Shipping (maybe no case).

So, no shortage of SOL's at the $400+ price range.

The 1941 has inlay purfling and is the wider body. Both that one and my current one have nuts that measure out to 1 3/16" so just slightly wider than 1 1/8".

The 1938 is in Canada and I would definitely be worried about importing without all the proper paperwork filled out. But that's me and maybe it's a non-issue.

[Jeff Mando]

The 1938 is in Canada and I would definitely be worried about importing without all the proper paperwork filled out. But that's me and maybe it's a non-issue.

The Canadian SOL also appears to have a weird chunk of the top wood cracked and reglued near the tailpiece. Also, the body seems to be refinished or at least finished-over, especially noticeable on the backside. Very amateur job, lot of pock marks, etc., showing, IMHO. It could be just poor pictures, but looks refinished to me. (which would make it way overpriced, besides all the international shipping nuisance....)

[your_diamond]

The original 2-point Orpheum (that started this thread) is relisted. https://www.ebay.com/itm/304684972089? IMHO its overpriced (at $300) for a laminated (or as one of my repairman calls it, PLYWOOD) mandolin that is very beat up and has no case. It will, more than likely, languish on ebay until the seller reduces the price or some poor soul comes up with an offer that outbids all the $150 offers.

www.ebay.com/itm/385200714140? This much nicer, but still overpriced ($395 with no best offer option) laminated Orpheum mandolin has a Nut width of 1 1/8”, lower bout is 10 1/4” wide. No mention of case.

[NickR]

This one has a pickguard that would have suited the one with the celluloid tailpiece. Tuners suggest 1950s:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/19544485806...Bk9SR_Co1JWHYQ

[Sue Rieter]

Temptation on the first 2-pt is gone. Sold for $150!
I was really agonizing.

[Eric Platt]

Interesting. I was watching that Orpheum. Wondered why it was re-listed and now it's no longer available. Hmm.

As to laminate vs. solid - the 1941 I've mentioned is laminate back and seems to sound better than my current one which is all solid. In addition Jake Wildwood seems to think the back on Sue's is laminate. And he really liked the sound.

[Jeff Mando]

...As to laminate vs. solid - the 1941 I've mentioned is laminate back and seems to sound better than my current one which is all solid.

Agree, over the years I've had several 70's made in Japan copies of Martin dreadnought guitars. None were all solid. All sounded fantastic! The nicer ones were solid top with laminate back and sides -- keep in mind, very attractive laminates, at that! I had a Yamaha that was all laminate and it sounded great, as well.

[your_diamond]

Tuners suggest 1950s:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/19544485806...Bk9SR_Co1JWHYQ

Not sure what's going on with the back on the bass side edge.

[NickR]

It's over $200 now but you are right- the binding is coming away and the area next to it is distinctly odd, all right. If I was interested, I would want a close up to see if the wood is degrading as it must be more than finish cracking.

[Eric Platt]

It's over $200 now but you are right- the binding is coming away and the area next to it is distinctly odd, all right. If I was interested, I would want a close up to see if the wood is degrading as it must be more than finish cracking.

Looking at the binding there, it might be celluloid binding gassing out. Looks like what can happen on a Gretsch guitar.

Two other things - that case appears to be early 1950's. And, more importantly, the neck joins the body around the 9th fret. My guess is it's a short scale with the regular body and bridge. Strange.

[cerebarat]

Binding rot is common to most New York guitars from the 1950s. Both my United built archtop and Sorkin built solid body have it to varying degrees.

Interestingly it doesn’t seem to affect Epiphones particularly. Whether this is because they used a different plastic or a different finish I don’t know.

[NickR]

It could be then- if this binding rot is seen on United products- and Sorkin bought from United that this mandolin was also made by United as Strad-O-Lin was a Sorkin brand.

[Madphingers]

So somehow I ended up getting the two point that started this thread. I had made an offer of $175 when it was first listed and never received a response. As soon as I saw it relisted I offered $150 and it was immediately accepted. Made me raise an eyebrow, but I've been on the hunt for a project and am looking forward to seeing what this one has in store for me. Should get delivered this afternoon. I will chime in with a report over the weekend!