Good idea- here's the top.
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Good idea- here's the top.
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Oh, and mine seems to have the exact same clamp mark on the head block as yours-
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
You'd have to make the assumption that they were related and came out of the same shop then.Originally Posted by Schlegel
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
I have had a longtime affair with Stradolins. The first one was an F-hole model with the dark sunburst and 1930's tuners. Since then, I have bought a few more and sold a couple. AFAIK, all the solid wood models are pressed. That explains why the lateral top brace is necessary to maintain the arching.
I once showed one to George Gruhn, who poo-pooed it as a 'budget' mandolin, probably Chicago made. I simply pointed out that they often sound better than a Gibson A-50, for a fraction of the price.
Before they got discovered on Ebay, I could buy them for considerably less than $150.
John
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Other than the mention on Mugwumps of one being carved, I've never seen one and I own one of the nicest Strad's I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure it was pressed. I bought mine for $50.00 including the shipping. Check out the Strad-O-Lin Social Group for more pictures.
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
How have I not seen this thread before? Wonderful stuff.
I ran across an "ARTIST" model but pictures don't do it justice.
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
There are a bunch of Strad threads here
Have you got pictures of that one up in the social group yet? The coloring looks similar to mine.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Well let's see the front at least!
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Here they are...
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/g...=grouppictures
Does the top look slightly darker, on my 1941?
Mike, What year is yours?
P.S. I should have bought that Waverly tailpiece (that was on Feebay) for this one.
Last edited by your_diamond; Apr-19-2017 at 10:09am.
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
There you go...
View more (Hay Everybody, feel free to join) the Strad-O-Lin Mandolins Social Group.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/group.php?groupid=53
Last edited by your_diamond; Apr-19-2017 at 10:11am.
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Interesting to see some Strad O Lin interior shots. I don't have any interior images but I did document the approximate bracing layout of my PJ Homnick labeled Strad O Lin. I sketched this best I could peering through the F-holes with mirrors inside.
Here are a few current pictures of the front and back. The pictures I have in the Strad O Lin social group are the mandolin as found. I have since done a re-hab and it is a fine player now.
The flame in the back and neck are pretty good but seem muted through the finish.
My PJ Homnick labeled Strad O Lin was the first thread referenced in the Strad O Lin social group. Interesting discussion but the who done it mystery remains.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/s...light=homenick
I have wondered if the Homnick Bros may have been responsible for the Strad O Lin examples with flamed Maple backs and necks. There are too many different body and head stock styles, also the vast numbers produced to be done in a small operation. I think it is not possible that they where the sole producers of Strad O Lin branded mandolins. The examples I have seen like mine and the Artist model pictured in this thread seem to exist in much smaller quantity. It seems compelling, with the PJ Homnick shell inlay in the head stock. I have only seen one other Strad mandolin with the PJ Homnick inlay and it is a more nicely appointed mandolin than mine. I can't find the thread with it, maybe someone else remembers and can post it. I'll keep looking.
Sucker for a hard luck case
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Geez, I just noticed the dates in this thread, been rollin' around for a while....
Sucker for a hard luck case
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Sucker for a hard luck case
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
I don't think Homenick made these. They weren't all that big and there were a ton of them. Mine is highly flamed as well. The vast majority of these are pretty plain jane with a few that are nicer along the way. It had to be somebody that had more manufacturing capacity that would have shown up other instruments that were labeled from the same shop. I still go with Big Tom Favilla telling me they had been making these mandolins since the 20's but they never made them with any one else's name on them. Tom knew they made them, Tom didn't start with the company until 1957 if I recall. By that time the day of the Strad was done. I still think they came out of Favilla. Mike Holmes mentioned on his site that an old timer recalled being in the Strad-O-Lin factory in NYC.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
That's actually similar to mine. The Artist Series had the bridge centered in the F holes. These aren't part of that series. By the way, that's what your tailpiece cover looked like new. I'm pretty sure they are from the same batch. My headstock has the same markings as yours as well except someone went to the trouble of buffing the name off. You can still see the shadow. The staff stencil remain. I'm pretty excited to see another one of these.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Mike, did you get a chance to hear the one that Paul has? I wonder how good it sounds. I know Paul (I'm actually the mandolin player in his band) so I'll have to see if he still has it. He's re-fretting a guitar of mine right now.
Larry Hunsberger
2013 J Bovier A5 Special w/ToneGard
D'Addario FW-74 flatwound strings
1909 Weymann&Sons bowlback
1919 Weymann&Sons mandolute
Ibanez PF5
1993 Oriente HO-20 hybrid double bass
3/4 guitar converted to octave mandolin
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
I haven't heard it. I'll be taking a guitar down to see him when the weather gets better. If he still has it I'll check it out and I knew you were his mandolin player
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
OK, the Strad-O-Lin Artist Model in ad and a picture from the social group. Note the position of the bridge on the f holes and the shape of the top of the headstock. These might have been made by someone else. Jim Garber floated the idea that there could have been multiple builders and that's possibly true but some things stayed pretty constant until you go to these.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
By the way, I just looked at the pictures you have in the social group. That may not be the artist model but it's one of two of the nicest Strad-O-Lin's I ever saw. Mine cost me $50.00 with shipping a few years back. It had a big old J in a circle on the headstock and a crack in the top. I have the same neck and tuners as yours. I still have the tailpiece cover. Congratulations on finding that one. That's a keeper.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Thought I'd add yet another peek inside a Stradolin but a 2-point this time. The brace under the bridge had come loose on the bass side. Took me months to work up the courage to attempt a fix but as luck would have it, things turned out well. Have to give props to tech guys @ Franklin Int., I was able to speak to a very knowledgable human after the third ring and his info on adhesives was invaluable. Props also to all the Cafe members who take the time to post all this amazing info about mandolins. I could not have pulled this off without you, thank you.
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
That's actually a pretty cool example. The difference between the A and the two pointer? The points and that's about it. Thanks for posting this.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Including this info here so folks can find it later -
No photos, but my oval hole Californian label Strad-O-lin genre mandolin has just the single brace under the bridge. No other bracing. It also has the clamp marks on the neck & tail block. Another tidbit - there are pencil marks on the sides where the brace goes. As it doesn't appear this one had been worked on, have to guess it was done at the factory.
Photos are in my thread and the Strad-O-lin social group.
Brentrup Model 23, Boeh A5 #37, Gibson A Jr., Flatiron 1N, Coombe Classical flattop, Strad-O-Lin
https://www.facebook.com/LauluAika/
https://www.lauluaika.com/
https://www.facebook.com/Longtine-Am...14404553312723
Re: Inside a strad-o-lin
Yeah, that clamp mark is all telling.
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
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