If you go to this page on www.mugwumps.com and count up about 10 messages from the bottom there is an interesting tidbit regarding where Strad-O-Lins were built. Ignore the Kay/Harmony reference and note the part about someone swearing they were in the Strad-O-Lin factory in NYC in the 40's. That would point to both of my current favorites for the builders of these instruments.
