Seeing double

[atetone]

I recently acquired these 2.
I had to step up in regards to cost but I couldnt let it slip away.
I wanted the experience of having twin Larsons.
I hesitated to post them because i know that there will be posters who will take it upon themselves to be naysayers regarding them being Larson mandolins.
That is fine.It wont change my opinion.

They are labelled Wm Stahl and are 4 serial #s apart.

I do not have much luck when posting pictures but I will give it a try.

[atetone]

[atetone]

[atetone]

[atetone]

OOPS, I only have 2 folks,,, not 4.
I told you I am no good at this!

[atetone]

Original cases also,,, in good condition

[George R. Lane]

I think those are very cool looking. I have never heard a Larson, but I bet the sound very nice. Congratulations on yur twins,

[BiggT]

Really cool. Now time for sound samples

[MikeEdgerton]

Were they from an estate? A husband and wife or siblings? The Larson's did build instruments and those look to be right. Unfortunately too many people with no name and other Stahl labeled instruments assume they are the product of that house. I think I would have been hard pressed to pass that up.

[MikeZito]

Nice looking set - I am happy for you. NEVER let the naysayers put a damper on what you enjoy . . . if it is something that you like, go for it - regardless of the name on the headstock. You will never please the snobs, so just remember what Rick Nelson said:

'You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself.'

Enjoy!

[atetone]

Mike E,,,I got them in a trade and have very little info about them except that they popped up due to some sort of marital issue which is unfortunate but now they are in the public eye so that part is good.

I fully understand about the problem of individuals claiming that "everything" that even resembles a mandolin of this period claim them to be Larson instruments.
That is a bad situation because people buy them based on those claims which are very often not true.
I have a couple of such mandolins here that fall into that category but I would not unabashedly claim them to be Larsons.
I suppose that it is possibly that they are but I highly doubt it and even if it is possible that they are they would be non-special instruments and I would be overly cautious about selling them with any claim that they are Larsons.

I believe that the twins that I have here are Larsons and I would have no problem whatsoever in making that claim if I were to be selling them.
In my opinion,,, if these are not Larson mandolins, then there is no such thing as a Larson mandolin.
I am sure that others may see it differently and that is actually a good thing in my mind because it keeps attention on the fact that mandolins that are either not Larsons or are suspicious, are being sold as Larsons and buyers who have not really done their research can be sucked in.
Very unfortunate that this is occurring and it really bothers me.

[Jeff Mando]

What a beautiful find! Enjoy them!

[Randi Gormley]

very nice looking -- congrats!

[MikeEdgerton]

Mike E,,,I got them in a trade and have very little info about them except that they popped up due to some sort of marital issue which is unfortunate but now they are in the public eye so that part is good...

So much for two people in love playing duets under a full moon in the summer. I think these are Larson's. Like I said, I don't think I could have passed that up.

[atetone]

I don't have a duet partner to play with under a full moon, but I couldnt resist.
Once I saw them, I had to have them.
It is too bad that a person cant play them both at once.
It would be nice to hear them side by side in a duet though wouldn't it?

[Tobin]

It is mandatory that you learn to play this jingle on your new mandolins!

[Mark Wilson]

They are pretty cool X2. Have you played them yet?

[Tobin]

By the way, I notice that the pegheads are slightly different on them. One seems a bit longer at the end, with a more dramatic curve. If these were made on standard jigs or from standard patterns, I'd expect them to be the same. Is it possible that the pegheads were cut free-form by hand or something?

Also, the plates on the back of the tuners seem to have little banner areas where (presumably) someone could get their name engraved in it. They appear to be blank. Can you verify they're blank?

[William Smith]

Nice set man! I love pairs and close serial#'s are real kool! To me any old mandolin has something-something from a simpler time when things aren't what they are today. Mandolins had class, built with pride, care, the level of the craft even on the so called "budget" brands was just something. I'm not saying we have that today because we do but it's a different time. Faster pace lifestyle we have with tech! Some of the best of the "newish" makers use CNC, back then it was one at a time so to speak. Pride was a factor in everyday lives it meant put food on the table. Times sure are different. Maybe I'm just talking out my ___ but thats how I feel. I'd rather have old/antique mandolins any day of the week! But thats just how I am!

[Bob Clark]

Wow, who wouldn't want these?!! That's a great find. Congratulations to you.

[atetone]

Tobin,,, the headstocks are identical on them.
The camera angle just makes it appear that they are different.
Regarding the "little banner area" ,,, yes they are blank and I suppose that maybe they could be used for a name to be engraved there.
Mark Wilson,,, I am ashamed to say that I have played them very little since getting them.
It is only because I am very busy right now trying to get things done before I go in for a surgery to repair a couple of hernias. No biggy.
After that surgery I am expecting to play them a lot during the down time.
I think they are going to be very welcome and soothing friends during that down time.
I cant wait really. Bring on the scalpel!!!
So far they sound very much the same and ring like bells. I will have to restring them before making final judgements.

[allenhopkins]

To me, the "Larson or not?" question has only to do with market value, not with the quality of the instruments. A couple of lovely Stahl mandolins, regardless of who made them, and if it wasn't the Larson brothers, it was a contemporary maker of equal skill and taste.

We get hung up on "Larson" designations, because the vintage market's put such a premium on them. Undoubtedly the Larsons made first-class instruments, which deservedly command good prices, but I wouldn't make an ironclad attribution, one way or the other, into a crucial variable in evaluating the quality of instruments they may, or may not, have made.