Stradolin ?

[Strad]

Does anyone still use their Stradolin as their main gig mando ?

[MikeEdgerton]

Mine is my backup.

[Spruce]

I've toyed with the idea, but not as of yet...

[cbakewell]

Ditto what Spruce said.

I take it to the pub and play in public every now and then, but it hasn't yet made to the proper live gig stage yet.

[grassrootphilosopher]

Does anyone still use their Stradolin as their main gig mando ?

I used mine for years as my main mando until I bought my "expensive" mando. Depending on the gig I still use it as THE gig mando. This would be a gig with people that have instruments that would be drowed out by my F-5 (even if I would play it very softly; this means most modern guitars, cheaper banjos, inexpensive fiddles etc.). Also I´d rather take my Strad-O-Lin to a gig where the weather condition might prohibit the use of an "expensive" mando. As I do not play "Blues Brother" gigs (behind chicken wire) and I do take care of my instruments the location is a minor factor.

Otherwise my Strad-O-Lin puts high priced instruments to shame. It looks cool, sounds great and plays well. It is an instrument that plays proudly.

[Strabo]

My Stradolin likes to travel and play everywhere. It is strong, fearless in the face of unknown or unusual conditions, and it sounds great. Like Olaf said, it is an instrument that plays proudly.

[Randi Gormley]

I'd probably still be using it as my main gigging instrument if I didn't have to sideline it because the neck is too wide for my (occasionally arthritic and carpal tunnel-afflicted) left hand. I loved playing it but had to get a narrower neck after I developed shooting pains from my thumb up to about my elbow.

I recall dragging it to an Irish session a while back and had one of the alpha fiddlers ask to see it and telling everybody what a great instrument strad-o-lins were, how you could run them over with a truck and they'd still be playable.

[Strad]

Thanks guys for your input. I've owned my stradolin since 79 or 80 it was my first mandolin given to me by my father, it just puts all my other "much Higher priced" mandolins to shame, (sound wise), it's fun to play and a great conversation piece in the bluegrass circle. This is the reason I've been thinking about doing a gig with it, if i decide to do it I'll let ya'll know how it works out.

[MikeEdgerton]

I've done gigs with mine, it's been fine. It's just not my primary mandolin. By the way, I wouldn't back a truck over it.

[Jeff Mando]

By the way, I wouldn't back a truck over it.

That would border on instrument abuse, IMHO..............................

[allenhopkins]

Mine is my "everyday" mandolin, the one I take to sit in on sing-arounds, do some miscellaneous back-up at open mics, etc. I usually pull out either one of my Eastman DGM's, my Gibson "A/N Custom" pancake, or my luthier-made Lehmann 5-course mandolin/dola for my more serious gig needs.

However, the Strad-O-Lin is out of the house three or four times a week, on average, and it gets more playing time than any of my "better" instruments.

[Spruce]

...it just puts all my other "much Higher priced" mandolins to shame, (sound wise)....

Mine's one of those too...
Check out a sound clip of it here...

[Strad]

Spruce, that sure is a good lookin ole mandolin and some fine pickin, I'm not that computer savy, I really don't know how to post a picture or a sound clip of mine.