I don't think this is real Strad-O-Lin?

[Sue Rieter]

Doesn't really have the look to me.
Pretty pricey, too.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/19569920883...&segname=11021

The mando in the picture on the method book could be one, though.



In any case, it's not the SOL oval I'm watching for.

[EdHanrahan]

The seller claims it's a "Stradolin" (no usual hyphens or internal capital letters), while the instrument itself claims only to be a "US Strad".

The body cosmetics (painted soundhole, purfling, sunburt), even the showing internal backbrace, look like my '63 Kay parlor guitar ($29.95 new). Not saying it's a Kay, just maybe from a similar assembly line.

And "mahogany" would seem to be a stretch!

[Richard500]

Seller probably did a quick search and the closest name she found is SOL, and people HERE have been talking these up so much that she might have also seen some high prices. Agreed it doesn’t look like a 50’s one, but the instruction book is the very same one that came with mine!
And, except for we educated folk, mahogany is a color, not a tree.

[CarlM]

A Google search on "US Strad", like on the peghead label comes up with a few parlor guitars and a baritone ukelele. At least one seller says they are a product of the United Guitar Company that took over the Oscar Schmidt factory. The link below shows several guitars and one f hole A style flat top mandolin.

https://jedistar.com/us-strad/

[MikeEdgerton]

US Strad was a brand name that appeared on some but not all very late laminated Strad-O-Lin genre mandolins. This one is simply a branded instrument that bears little resemblance to the originals. The United source is probably a good guess. Have they got a picture of the back of the headstock? Either way the mandolin isn't worth 1/10th of the starting price even on a good day when all of the planets align.

Actually it belongs in this thread.

[rcc56]

If that instrument came from an east coast factory that built the Strad-o-lins that we generally discuss here [and I doubt that it did], it is an example of their lowest grade of craftsmanship. It looks more like low-end Chicago workmanship form the 1950's - 1960's to me.
And no, it's not an example of what I think of as a "real" Strad-o-lin.

At any rate, a more realistic price would be a fraction of what the seller is asking.

[MikeEdgerton]

If that instrument came from an east coast factory that built the Strad-o-lins that we generally discuss here [and I doubt that it did], it is an example of their lowest grade of craftsmanship. It looks more like low-end Chicago workmanship form the 1950's - 1960's to me.
And no, it's not an example of what I think of as a "real" Strad-o-lin.

At any rate, a more realistic price would be a fraction of what the seller is asking.

I think it came out of Jersey City and I wouldn't be surprised if the tuners and tailpiece were originally attached with nails instead of screws. I don't think the Chicago builders on their worst day would have put that out.

[Richard500]

The US Strad in the green case CarlM found is almost exactly my 55 SOL, except for one extra fret, and the veneer top, so in a sense, US Strad does have a connection to SOL even just as a rebranding. Still leaves open who was actually building any of them.

[NickR]

It's a United instrument, all right. One of the defining features of the low end builds is that the tuners and tailpiece are nailed on! Over time, some people have replaced the tacks with screws- Jake Wildwood does this. Here is a site that shows a whole range of United guitars- from the cheapest to the more expensive and shows the headstock of a US Strad example. Indeed, some of the guitars made were good instruments. The later mandolins often have a shield shaped stamp (shown in the link below) with Made In USA inside the outline while the guitars usually have just the words in capital letters. A very good history of United was posted up here a while back and the firm lasted beyond the Chicago makers it seems. Here is the site with plenty of photos:
https://mydirtyguitarhabit.com/to-te...of-new-jersey/

This is the upper price for one of these mandolins- you can see the nails in the tailpiece but one screw has replaced a nail. There is one United mandolin on eBay being touted as a Harmony and it is not selling at $55.

https://reverb.com/item/7592108-penn...style-mandolin

[Jeff Mando]

Yep, $1000 starting bid is well............beyond hopeful, IMHO. I'm no expert but I've never heard of a SOL going for that much. I've seen NYC asking prices of $750 for some really nice ones, but this ain't one of 'em!