Did a search here but couldn't find anything but never seen a SOL sticker like this, think it's a real SOL?
https://reverb.com/item/53296757-str...dolin-mahogany
Does this look like a real SOL?
Did a search here but couldn't find anything but never seen a SOL sticker like this, think it's a real SOL?
https://reverb.com/item/53296757-str...dolin-mahogany
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
A real object, I think, and given the varied ownership of the name, might be a ‘real’ SOL, too, but I think this is recent Asian one way or the other. The hyphens turned into apostrophes makes it sort of Celtic IMHO. Not an unusual case of name migration.
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
Ha, didn't even notice the hyphens turned into apostrophes! When I think SOL I always think instruments from the 40's and 50's, didn't realize that they morphed into instruments from Asia. Thanks. Rob
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
I don't know when Peter Sorkin Music went out of business but as the Strad-O-Lin distributor it is possible that the last instruments under that name were sourced from the Far East, as the domestic makers had gone out of business and/or a much lower cost manufacturer was required. This is the main reason why the US firms were folding up as the lower end of the market was undercut by these new competitors. Clearly, this mandolin was not made by whoever made the Strad-O-Lin mandolins in the past.
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
It's an import and has nothing to do with the sought after Strad-O-Lin mandolins. Several different models have been imported with that brand name on them over the years. The tailpiece and the tuners identify it as an import along with the label. Not even close to the real Strad-O-Lin genre mandolins.
It's actually 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: Does this look like a real SOL?
They never morphed, someone else bought the name.Originally Posted by robw95
"It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
--M. Stillion
"Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
--J. Garber
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
I didn't know there were imports using the name.
Thank you for the explanation.
For reference
NOT the real Strad-O-Lin
Thanks,
sounds_good
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
Are those plastic bushings? Not real, not much more than a toy.
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
It is a real SOL, not a Strad-O-Lin, but the other SOL.
Charley
A bunch of stuff with four strings
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
Here https://reverb.com/item/51343874-str...intage-antique is a Stradolin Junior (on Reverb) for $150 with the "make an offer" option and the shipping is $50 (so offer $100 and settle at $125 maybe). The tailpiece, bridge and tuners have been replaced (parts and labor ain't free) and it appears to have been set up. There is a youtube video (with soundbite. Sounds good). This is similar to the SOL played by Robert Plant's mandolin player. While it's not the best Stradolin (it's laminated) it would be difficult to find a better sounding mandolin for less money... and it's suitable for Bluegrass. She's a little beat up but there is something charming about old worn finishes on vintage instruments... people will think you've played it for years and there's a story behind it.
When I was a kid, there was this old Italian music store owner, who said, "The mandolin cost $xxx. You want a story, you want a dreams... dat cost extra"!
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the sound clip is a different but similar mandolin.
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
The final owner (Sorkin?) of the Strad-O-Lin name affixed it to a large range of musical merchandise distributed under that label, from a variety of sources. I've seen a Strad-O-Lin trombone offered for sale.
Surprised, if the nameplate is available for purchase, that some distributor of Asian instruments hasn't glommed it by now. We get Washburns, Epiphones, Regals, Oscar Schmidts. etc. etc. made in Asia, with no real connections to the original US makers except that the trademark was purchased at some point and later assigned to an import line.
Of course, Strad-O-Lin was seen as an "off" brand, without a high-profile pedigree; the label's only become somewhat prominent (and then only among our little "in-group" of mandolin enthusiasts) in the past few years, as people discovered that Strads were decent mandolins at affordable prices. Somewhat the same could be said for Washburn and Regal, widely distributed but not ranked with Gibson, Martin, et. al. However, someone's making a good deal of money selling Asian Washburns now, so all you entrepreneurs out there, buy the Strad-O-Lin trademark and sell a line of SE Asian mandolins, with segmented f-holes, to those of us who love our Strads.
Allen Hopkins
Gibsn: '54 F5 3pt F2 A-N Custm K1 m'cello
Natl Triolian Dobro mando
Victoria b-back Merrill alumnm b-back
H-O mandolinetto
Stradolin Vega banjolin
Sobell'dola Washburn b-back'dola
Eastmn: 615'dola 805 m'cello
Flatiron 3K OM
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
Good eye Sue!
Definitely a different SOL Jr. in the video/sound clip. So the one for sale might need a set-up.
Re: Does this look like a real SOL?
Re. the original photos here, is that one of those gold 'Made in China' stickers on the back of the head
stock at the top?
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