$200 is a good price on a stadolin, right?

[Bill Bradshaw]

I walked in to a local antique store with a friend, to "see if they had any mandolins". Expecting nothing, I was suprised to see two of them. A Seranader and a Stradolin. The Stradolin was tagged as a 1940s model and had a vertical rectangular design on the headstock. It seemed solid and sounded suprisingly nice. Based on a Google search, I gather $200 is probably a reasonable price for one of these?

Thoughts?

Thanks,

Bill

[Brutus1999]

1) Play it, taking into account that the strings are old --

2)Remember, we tend to agonize over $$ and get mixed up in our heads as to whether we want the feeling of a good instrument or the feeling of "a good deal."

$200 for a fairly well kept (no sunken top, warped neck, etc.) Stradolin is a good price. If I'm wrong, and 175 is the going price, you could sell it for 175 some day; the risk is $25. If you don't get it and find out that it was REALLY worth $240 and you "missed a good deal", then what you really are concerned about is $40, since you could probably find another one for, say, $240.

I have no advice on whether you should get it at this price. My advice is that you should really WANT that mando, and if you do, there's not much risk (assuming decent condition) and if you don't, and then don't get it, well, so maybe you missed making a few $$ profit reselling (after much work) a mando that you really don't want. Play it. You have to like the feel of it, most of all, and the sound of it (almost as important) --

[Bill Bradshaw]

1) Play it, taking into account that the strings are old --

2)Remember, we tend to agonize over $$ and get mixed up in our heads as to whether we want the feeling of a good instrument or the feeling of "a good deal."

$200 for a fairly well kept (no sunken top, warped neck, etc.) Stradolin is a good price. If I'm wrong, and 175 is the going price, you could sell it for 175 some day; the risk is $25. If you don't get it and find out that it was REALLY worth $240 and you "missed a good deal", then what you really are concerned about is $40, since you could probably find another one for, say, $240.

I have no advice on whether you should get it at this price. My advice is that you should really WANT that mando, and if you do, there's not much risk (assuming decent condition) and if you don't, and then don't get it, well, so maybe you missed making a few $$ profit reselling (after much work) a mando that you really don't want. Play it. You have to like the feel of it, most of all, and the sound of it (almost as important) --

Thanks for the comments. I'm not interested in it to make money off of it, I just don't want to pay $200 for something worth $50. I've got a couple of mandolins and though the the Stradolin sounds kinda cool, It's not one I just gotta have. It seems in decent condition and is playable, so is probably worth what they are asking.

Thanks again,
Bill

[allenhopkins]

Good price, depending on condition. The Parlor in Knoxville currently lists six Strad-O-Lins, all priced $4-450.

And since you're dealing with an antiques dealer rather than a music store, you might find some room for negotiation. Strad-O-Lins are the "ugly ducklings" of old low-to-mid-range mandolins, surprisingly good sounding for their no-frills (generally) construction. I bought my Strad-O-Lin badly cracked for $25, spent $1-200 getting it fixed and set up, and have gotten decades of use out of it, from live performance to recording to just jamming.

For the asking price, or especially if you can bargain with the dealer, I think it's a decent purchase.

[Capt. E]

Depending on the exact age and model, a Stradolin can be worth considerably more. Worth $200 if it is in good playable condition (straight neck, good frets, solid bridge, top with no sinkage or cracks). If it would require repairs, then you might want to pass it up. They are prized by many players, but also pretty common and easily found. Make an offer.

[Bill Bradshaw]

Good price, depending on condition. The Parlor in Knoxville currently lists six Strad-O-Lins, all priced $4-450.

And since you're dealing with an antiques dealer rather than a music store, you might find some room for negotiation. Strad-O-Lins are the "ugly ducklings" of old low-to-mid-range mandolins, surprisingly good sounding for their no-frills (generally) construction. I bought my Strad-O-Lin badly cracked for $25, spent $1-200 getting it fixed and set up, and have gotten decades of use out of it, from live performance to recording to just jamming.

For the asking price, or especially if you can bargain with the dealer, I think it's a decent purchase.

I agree. It is suprisingly nice sounding. If I don't pick it up, I'd certainly steer anyone looking for a first madolin. It plays just fine all the way up the neck. It's got a nice ringy old time sound to it I guess.

Thanks,

Bill

[Clement Barrera-Ng]

Based on a Google search, I gather $200 is probably a reasonable price for one of these?

Thoughts? l

It's a terrible, terrible price. You best give me the seller's number so I can call to talk to him about it

[Capt. E]

It is amazing...prices for Stradolins are getting close to those for a basic Gibson A. Vintage instruments are the coolest!