1940s Strad-O-Lin Archtop Mandolin

Overview: This is likely an early-'40s Strad-O-Lin as it has the "pinned" Kluson tuners as seen on same-period Kalamazoo and Gibson models. It's a good-looking instrument, with snappy, deco-style appointments and a cool, see-through-tortoise pickguard. It plays like a champ and has a good, poppy, bluegrassy tone to it. I think of these as having a "springy" sound as compared to something like a Gibson A.

Repairs included: I reset the neck and fit the bridge. Molly gave it a level/dress of the frets, side dots, and setup work. A friend of mine had previously touched-up paint (it's oversprayed black at the back of the neck and heel and endpin) and fixed some seams around the heel and near the endpin. It's playing bang-on and ready to go, with a good, steep, neck angle and tall, adjustable bridge.

• Weight: 1 lb 14 oz
• Scale length: 13 3/4"
• Nut width: 1 3/16"
• Neck shape: medium fuller C/V
• Board radius: flat
• Depth at first fret: 7/8"
• Depth at seventh fret: 1 1/8"
• Body width: 10"
• Body depth: 2"
• Top wood: ply spruce
• Back & sides wood: ply maple
• Bracing type: ladder
• Bridge: modern adjustable rosewood
• Fretboard: rosewood
• Neck wood: poplar
• Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (fast, spot-on)
• String gauges: 34w-10
• Neck relief: straight
• Fret style: narrow/smaller

Condition notes: The finish shows lots of fine-line weather-checking throughout. It has black spray-paint overspray on the back of the neck, sides of the heel, and near the endpin. There is an extra dot at the 12th fret on the fretboard. The bridge and strap buttons are unoriginal. The tailpiece is, too.

It comes with: It's got an old chip case.

Consignor tag: PLRI