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Thread: Stradolin

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    Unrepentant Dilettante Lee Callicutt's Avatar
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    So, the Stradolins have begun to pique my interest of late. Can anyone point me to a website with definitive information and/or pictures of a Stradolin collection?

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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    There isn't a definitive website as their really isn't a definitive Strad-O-Lin story. Strad-O-Lin was marketing company that farmed out the manufacturing. The question of who built them is grist for many discussions, most of them with nothing to point to that proves anything. There are several threads here that you can find by doing a search using the keyword Strad-O-Lin.

    Take a look through these threads. They all mention Strad-O-Lin.



    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

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    Unrepentant Dilettante Lee Callicutt's Avatar
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    Thanks, Mike. Yeah, I've done that search, as well as scoured the internet a good bit on my own. I was just hoping someone had "that" elusive website by "that" obscure collector. There appears to be a nice one on e-bay right now.

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    Unrepentant Dilettante Lee Callicutt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (MikeEdgerton @ Oct. 09 2007, 22:04)
    There isn't a definitive website as their really isn't a definitive Strad-O-Lin story.
    I should have added that this is probably part of the appeal!

  5. #5
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    They're cheap and some of them are actually pretty nice mandolins. Is the one you're looking at the one that the seller bought from Elderly? That's similar to one I sold about three years ago.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

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    I have 3 Stradolins and the main thing that I know about them is that they vary greatly in construction quality even if they do look identical in a picture.
    You have to be very careful that you don't buy one sight unseen #and then find out that it is entirely laminate (plywood), except for the neck.
    That did happen to me on one occasion. No biggy because I didn't pay very much, so little harm done, but it is easy to be fooled by these mandos.
    I can't remember who it is but a member here on this board has a fantastic looking Stradolin that is all solid woods with a very nicely flamed back. It is the only one like that that I have ever seen pics of.
    It is definately a huge step above most of them.
    I would jump at a chance to get one of that high calibre but I don't imagine that there are many like that kicking around.

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    Here is a pic of the loudest and best sounding Strad-O-Lin I have ever heard... mine!
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    Check out the back
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  9. #9
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Here's mine
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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

  10. #10
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    And the back
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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

  11. #11
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    I've never seen another Strad-O-Lin with a two-piece back and with this much flame. The sunburst is also pretty unique.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

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    Oh boy,,, now I feel silly.
    Mike your mando is the one I was just referring to!
    That is the best looking Stradolin that I have ever seen.
    I would really like to know where that one was built and who built it.
    It is in an entirely different league than any other Stradolin that I have seen.
    There has to be a good story behind that one.

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    Mandoben, nice old Stradolin! #I played one of those 2 points like yours a while ago.
    Sounded pretty good, felt really good and comfy too.
    I didn't buy it because I thought it was priced too high, but I was sorely tempted at the time.
    Those are funky old mandos. Lots of vintage vibe going on.
    I still want one but I am keeping my eye open for one that is more reasonably priced.
    I am pretty sure that the one that I played had a solid spruce top and a laminated back covered by a flamed veneer.
    You never know with these old Stradolins though,,, yours could be solid,,, they vary a lot.
    Does yours appear to be a solid maple back?

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    my very first mando was a stradolin that i got from david grisman. i told him i was about to buy one and he said to email him and ect ect.

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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (atetone @ Oct. 10 2007, 01:02)
    Mike your mando is the one I was just referring to!
    I'd like to know who built it as well, and I've never seen another one anywhere close to it and I've owned a few... maybe quite a few. I had one Orpheum branded Strad-O-Lin genre mandolin that was close but still way off.

    The general ideas as to who built these instruments that have been previously listed here and anywhere else has no real backup, not a branded instrument or any business records. I found one branded Strad-O-Lin genre instrument that "might" be the Rosetta stone but I've never been able to find anything else to corroborate that theory. I do know that this company was building this style mandolin from the 20's up into the early 60's but I've been told they never built for any other companies. The person passing that information along was born in the late 40's or early 50's and might not know the whole story. It would also fall in line with some other published anecdotal information regarding Strad-O-Lin and where they were built. More on this if I can ever uncover any more information.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

  16. #16
    Unrepentant Dilettante Lee Callicutt's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by (MikeEdgerton @ Oct. 09 2007, 22:36)
    Is the one you're looking at the one that the seller bought from Elderly?
    Yeah, that's the one I was referring to. I'm just starting to do my research, and not really inclined to actually buy anything too soon.

    Thanks for all the information. Mike, maybe you are the one to do the definitive Stradolin website? I knew there had to be a knowledgeable older gentleman out there, and it sounds like perhaps you found him.

    Oh yeah, there are occasional scenes of one being played on the current Transatlantic series.

  17. #17
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    I've only seen two or three with the pointed fretboard end that the one you're looking at has. It still has the original pickguard and tailpiece cover as well.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

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

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    For what it's worth to the Strad-O-Lin saga, we had one of their student sized acoustic guitars come through the shop and the label read "Made in Taiwan". This thing was at least 25 years old.
    Steve

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    acetone,
    my strad is laminated back and sides, but it does have a solid spruce top which appears to be carved, not pressed/bent like many later strads.
    I play it all the time and when I take it to jams it really puts a lot of Gibson F5's in their place

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    MandoBen, I was curious about the back on yours. I didn't think those 2 points had solid backs but I would not have been shocked if you had said that yours did.
    You never know, and if I were to stumble across one with a solid back it would be very difficult for me to pass it by.
    I am going to keep my eye open for one like yours.

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    Anytime I want anything, I just post in the wanted section of the classifieds. I always get at least a dozen replies from people with great things to offer, and I feel very comfortable doing deals with other cafe members. I'm sure someone out there has an old Strad to sell you that they don't need anymore.

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    Registered User Bruce Clausen's Avatar
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    Solid maple back, cut off the axis of the grain, probably due to a flaw in the piece.
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  23. #23
    Registered User Bruce Clausen's Avatar
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    Nice maple in the neck, too.
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  24. #24

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    I 've got a A from the 30's with a one piece back, beautiful birds eye. Darker sunburst. Plays like a dream and has a kind of "haunting" tone to it w/ 74's . I think I gave 300 for it a couple of years ago.

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    Bruce, that sure is a nice one also. Nice woods.
    It confirms that you never know with the Strads,,, anything from all laminate except the neck, to very nice solid woods.
    To some degree they are a roll of the dice if buying sight unseen.
    You need to do your research well when buying them.
    Bruce, do you have a picture of the top of that one?

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