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Thread: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

  1. #1
    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Hi all, I am new here and today I found a pretty nice Stradolin. I admit I don't know much about them but it looks nice to me...

    Maybe you guys can help me out with some information about it. Here is what I can tell from looking at it... It appears to be solid wood, probably a spruce top and beautiful curly maple back and sides. The fretboard is ebony with mother-of-pearl markers. The pickguard is also ebony with ebony brackets and mother-of-pearl accents. The Strad-o-Lin logo is also inlaid as is all of the purfling. The finish is all original and is beautifully aged.

    Can anyone give me any specific info about it? Age, model, where made, etc.

    I think it is pretty sweet. Opinions?

    Thanks.

    Joel

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    Last edited by Ironwood8959; Nov-08-2015 at 6:30pm.

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  3. #2
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    That's more than nice, that's the professional model. It's actually called the Artist Deluxe. Here's the catalog page.
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    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Specifics. Nobody knows who made the Strad-O-Lins. The brand name was owned by a distributor named Sorkin. See this thread for more information on that. I believe these were built in the 30's. If you hit the Community button above there in the drop down is a category called Social Groups. There is a Strad-O-Lin Social Group with a lot of pictures. They were made in the US.
    Last edited by MikeEdgerton; Nov-08-2015 at 7:24pm.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Registered User Bruce Clausen's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Beauty. With that fingerrest it is from one of the earliest batches. For some period in the thirties Strads got a date stamp inside-- not sure if yours would, but it's worth a look.

  6. #5
    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    No. I checked and there is no date stamp. When you say "earliest batches" what year do you think?

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    The Amateur Mandolinist Mark Gunter's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    Specifics. Nobody knows who made the Strad-O-Lins. The brand name was owned by a distributor named Sorkin. See this thread for more information on that. I believe these were built in the 30's. If you hit the Community button above there in the drop down is a category called Social Groups. There is a Strad-O-Lin Social Group with a lot of pictures. They were made in the US.
    Thanks Mike, that was a very interesting and informative thread.
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Looks like there's an open seam issue. Should be a simple fix though. I'd get it checked.
    Don

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  9. #8
    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Hi Don, Where do you see an open seam? There is no open seam anywhere that I can see...

  10. #9
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    By earliest batch it would mean early 30's. There are some that have a date stamp inside. Mine does not have one. Bruce owns the same model that you have.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Quote Originally Posted by multidon View Post
    Looks like there's an open seam issue. Should be a simple fix though. I'd get it checked.
    Is this what you mean?
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  12. #11
    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Here is a close up of the area Don thought there might be a seam separation. There isn't one, it just looked that way in the pic. This Strad-o-Lin is in almost perfect condition, no scratches, dings, dents or cracks.

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  13. #12
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    How does it sound?
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    It has a nice mellow dry, woody, bluegrass sound with sustain that lasts as long as it needs to...

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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Cool. These are the only real Strad-O-Lin models with the bridge in the middle of the f holes. Enjoy it.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    NY Naturalist BradKlein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    The thing to watch with this model is the top. Whereas almost ALL other Stradolins have a heavy lateral brace across the top, not far from the bridge - this one model does not. The brace is still south of the ff-holes, while the bridge is in the center. And the top is fairly thin solid spruce, pressed to shape. So I'd say, light strings and keep an eye on things.

    It looks as if the top may have sunk some already, and the bridge may have been raised to compensate. In any event, in my limited experience, a tall bridge translates into a lot of downward pressure for this model, so go light on the strings unless experience and careful examination say otherwise.
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    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Thanks Brad.

    Took the strings off and started to humidify the Stradolin. Top has moved back to almost where it should be. Internal inspection and all the braces are perfect.

    I am going to get a new bridge with a wider foot than the one that is currently on it. Any suggestions from anyone as to what bridge to get?
    Last edited by Ironwood8959; Nov-09-2015 at 9:42pm.

  19. #17
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    I'm not sure that bridge is original anyway but I would contact Steve at Cumberland Acoustic and get a CA bridge.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  20. #18
    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Thanks Mike... I love this mandolin!

  21. #19
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    I can understand that. I love mine as well.
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    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

  22. #20
    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    I can't wait to get the new bridge and put on some strings! Thanks to all...
    "If you give it good concentration, good energy, good heart and good performance, the song will play you." - Levon Helm

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    Registered User Londy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Sweet lookin mando you found. Congratulations and enjoy this beauty. Post a sound clip when get time.
    Amateurs practice until they can play it right.
    Professionals practice until they can't play it wrong.

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    NY Naturalist BradKlein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    You may want to try a 'full contact' bridge instead of one with two feet, just to spread the load more evenly.

    Another option is to take off the top and replace the one lateral brace with a pair of 'tone bars' as has become standard in the years since that particular model was made. I know that sounds a bit drastic, but it's an experiment that I will get around to one of these days.
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  25. #23
    Registered User Ironwood8959's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Thanks Brad,

    Maybe I will try a full contact bridge...
    "If you give it good concentration, good energy, good heart and good performance, the song will play you." - Levon Helm

  26. #24
    NY Naturalist BradKlein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strad-o-Lin today! Any info?

    It's no problem to alter a full contact bridge to a 'footed' bridge, if you should ever want to - but going the other way is much harder. Anyway, have fun with your Strad. Brad
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  27. #25

    Default Re: Picked up a very nice Strat-o-Lin today! Any info?

    Quote Originally Posted by Ironwood8959 View Post
    No. I checked and there is no date stamp. When you say "earliest batches" what year do you think?
    1920-1938
    I have a midrange model from that era (Profile pic, and full size pix in the community), IMO the best ones are from the earlier years.
    IIRC they all came out of one shop in NYC during that era.

    Quote Originally Posted by Ironwood8959 View Post
    It has a nice mellow dry, woody, bluegrass sound with sustain that lasts as long as it needs to...

    Also IMO, once set up and intonated correctly they sound better than a lot of "Higher end" instruments I have heard.
    Mine is stupid loud when I lay into it.

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