#1
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Unique Regal cutaway archtop
The seller advertised this Regal as 1950s, but the original, enclosed tuners were used in the late 30s, early 40s. Solid, pressed, spruce top, laminated maple back, ebony fretboard. The guitar is loud, with suprising bass and a sharp attack (what archtop players refer to as "cutting power").
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#2
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Posting better pics
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#3
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I'm not an expert on Regals but I'll date this one as ca. 1949-51 - still within the postwar transition period, and IME it wasn't uncommon for prewar appointments/hardware to be incorporated in newer production until existing stocks ran out (the binding, tailpiece, and uncompensated bridge also straddle the pre- and postwar eras). The pressed solid top was a common practice in low-midline archtops (Epiphone proudly declaring themselves as the notable exception - all their New York-era acoustic instruments boasted carved tops regardless of price) - FYI Gibson recently attempted to revive this cost-cutting technique in their Solid Formed 17" jazzbox (which, at $6300 street, was ironically priced over $1K higher than a comparably-appointed all-carved Mark Campellone Standard) - and many transitioning flattop players appreciate the extended bass response, compared to the more midrange-focused tone of an equivalent carved instrument. As budget guitars many of these were used up and discarded, but yours appears to be a real survivor: well-played judging by the handwear along the length of the (fairly hefty-appearing) neck, never converted to electric, and in better shape than most far-pricier 70-year-old flattops I've seen (which IME tends to be the case with archtops in general) - use it well and often...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#4
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Good stuff Steve. I have found two other examples of this guitar without the cutaway (one in a past auction) and one for sale in Sweden. All three had the the tuners that date from 1940 or so. By the way if anyone knows the make of those tuners please let me know. One tuner button split and fell off last night!
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#5
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And yes the neck is full. Has the virtue of keeping my thumb in proper position!
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#6
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Not to worry - I'd remove those originals, keep them in a plastic bag in the case (replace the broken button in your own time, and re-install them when you're ready to sell), and replace them with something period-accurate; FYI StewMac has a number of quality tuners that might meet your needs - here's a sample (stay with the open-gear or stamped-cover stuff if you're looking to keep the postwar vibe):
https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-ha...a3l3r&o=Lowest
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#7
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Good thinking. I am partial to carved tops (have an Epi Devon) bit this guitar has an undeniable vibe.
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#8
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Had some work done on the Regal and it turned into and an amazing archtop https://jakewildwood.blogspot.com/20...y-archtop.html
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#9
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Very nice! Love old archtops.
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#10
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That is a very good looking archtop! I like it a lot.
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Brian Evans Around 15 archtops, electrics, resonators, a lap steel, a uke, a mandolin, some I made, some I bought, some kinda showed up and wouldn't leave. Tatamagouche Nova Scotia. |