Help ID a Regal flat top

dobyman

Turntable Addict
I recently picked up a vintage Regal flat top, and the guy said he got it when he was 7 and it was used then, and he was 60-65 now. Its a little beat up, and the bridge was coming loose so he screwed it down....:tears:, but when I ran my fingers across the strings, it had great tone.
The one thing that caught my eye was the tortoise shell headstock. Cant recall seeing this before.
Anyway, here is a couple pictures.

regal1_zpsplt7mbq3.jpg

regal2_zpslybmqken.jpg

regal4_zps40zo5eqo.jpg

regal7_zpsi7pevttx.jpg


Inside it is stamped 1151.
Thanks in advance!
Steve
 
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Looks like a "pearloid" veneer @ the face of the headstock? The 'guard is more likely nitrocellulose adorned to loook like tortoise, unlikely genuine tortoise. The bridge strip appears to have developed cracks @ each side where the former owner used (wood?) screws to reattach the bridge? That's wicked. Top appears to have seen a lot of thrashing w/ picks -- someone who regularly exceeded the range of the 'guard by many inches - get a load of the pick wear @ the bottom edge of the lower bout. Speaking of which, what are the dimensions of the thing: thickness (top to back) @ lower bout, maximum width @ lower bout, length of fretboard, and width @ the nut? I'll dig through some literature for a match to the logo on the headstock, but it will help if you can confirm that the "design" on the face of the headstock is a pearloid veneer.
 
Top wood appears to be a decent variety of spruce. Can you tell what the side & back woods are? Oh, definitely rosewood 'board. One last thing: keys look awfully "contemporary", wonder if they were changed? Can you tell us what manufacture they are (posting a closeup pix of the back of the headstock would be better still)
 
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The back is 2 piece mahogany. Sides are too. The body is 15" wide, 3-5/8" thick. fretboard is 17-1/2" long and nut is 1-3/4" wide. The tuners are newer. They are Pings.
Pretty sure the headstock is pearliod. Cant be sure. Not my area of expertise.
Actually the bridge isn't cracked, thank god. Looks like it can be shaved and re-glued.
Here's a few more pics.

regal5_zpsdkmxturb.jpg

regal6_zpsjqkburiz.jpg

regal9_zpsdqbbfef6.jpg

regal10_zpspepxrdro.jpg
 
Looks like it once had Kluson 3-on-a-strip tuners. I see what I thought was cracking @ the bridge is nothing more than an overly aggressive slot for the string saddle (plastic or bone?. I've got some work to finish a few errands to run, but I'll delve into my geetar identification resources later on, if not tonight, then tomorrow. Meantime perhaps s.o. who knows this model will chime in.

BTW, it looks pretty solid and w/ that wide nut, large body, and good tonewoods might be a decent player. How's the action @ the 1st & 12th frets?
 
Thanks mystic. I appreciate the help. Right now the action at the 12th is a little higher than I like, but that's probably because of the bridge being pulled up. I can always file the saddle down a little too, but I would like to tackle the bridge 1st.
Its not TOTL, but I can always use a little beater flat top at arms length to fool around with. The nice tone just intrigued me at the rummage sale.
 
When you're Googling around, I bet you'll find a connection between your Regal and Washburn (and/or Lyon & Healy). That headstock is rather unique, though...

Happy trails,
Larry B.
 
Is there a label affixed inside the body w/ Model Name a/o Serial Number? Is there a serial number or factory order number taped/stamped/impressed into the neck block?

I'm starting to think your guitar is of the early Harmony-built Regal Folk Concert and/or Folk Deluxe lines, ca. mid '60s-'72, @ which time (ie, around '72) Harmony switched the name on the headstock from Regal to Harmony. The pearloid headstock veneer is perplexing as Regal customarily applied this to its resophonic and higer-end arched-top models in the 40s & 50s, and not to any flat tops that I can recall. Perhaps this veneered piece was added by a former owner? Who can say? In any event it's an interesting instrument and more of a challende to investigate than some old, well-documented Gibson, Ric, etc. I think you scored a cool, possibly quite unusual, example of an early Harmony-made Regal flat top. Enjoy your geetar!
 
Mystic, there are no labels inside, just a ink stamp of 1151. Nothing on the headstock at all. Like you said, its a unique one so I think I am going to buy a bridge clamp and see if I can get that bridge glued down correctly, then maybe fill in those screw holes with something, maybe pearl dots or similar.
I didn't buy it to sell, so I am happy just fixing it up a little and having a player close by. I was just curious of the date.
Thanks for all of the help!! :thmbsp:
If the previous owner was my age (60), and he got it at 7 years old, that would put it early 60's.
 
No (Harmony era) model 1151. There is an 1141 -- the fabled Harmony Stella, the line's cheapest "student" model. But that's not close to what you have. My guess is is 1151 is either a serial or factory order number. Whatever, whichever, it's a cool guitar. :thmbsp:
 
Since you're gluing wood-2-wood and not, say, wood to a carbon fiber surface, which usually calls for an epoxy compound, I'd go with good 'ol, time-tested Titebond Original: it dries crisp, doesn't dampen vibrations, and holds for decades. If you wanna be old school, you could try your hand at hot hide glue, but it's a hassle and (purposely) heat-sensitive in case a joint needs to be unglued (e.g., removal of top of an antique violin for repairs, etc.) Note there are also products called Titebond II, Titebond III, and a "dark" variant of Titebond Original that's waterproff, so good for gluing water-impregnated strips of wood for getting them to curve. You won't need that, but you might wanna investigate types II and III to see how they differ from "Original".
 
Thanks Mystic. Ill grab some this weekend.. hopefully it will lift right off after I remove the screws. I will keep this thread updated as I go along.
Thanks again for the input. I am anxious to get this guitar back to right, except for the tuners. I will leave them as is. I have a feeling I am going to like this one a lot. :thmbsp:
 
Thanks Mystic. Ill grab some this weekend.. hopefully it will lift right off after I remove the screws. I will keep this thread updated as I go along.
Thanks again for the input. I am anxious to get this guitar back to right, except for the tuners. I will leave them as is. I have a feeling I am going to like this one a lot. :thmbsp:

I'm sure this goes w/out saying, but be sure to remove the strings & have no tension on that bridge @ the point where you remove those (wood?) screws. And when unscrewing them, do so steadlily and s-l-o-w-l-y.
 
As long as you are removing the strings it may be revealing to remove the tuner nuts on the face of the headstock to see if the veneer is removable. I agree that it may have been added in the past from a more totl Regal archtop. If you look closely, it looks like there are some truss rod cover screws underneath that veneer. It may reveal more info on the guitars model ID.

Just do not force it. The veneer may have grown brittle over time. I don't believe it is true turtle shell.

The bridge screws may be OEM per many Harmony models from this era was made that way (Harmony purchased Regal in 1950). Normally they would have been hidden underneath pearloid dots. Titebond is the way to go, make sure you give it plenty of time to dry (I recommend at least a week) as the stresses on the bridge can cause it to pull back up again.

Interesting guitar though. I'll see if I can find anything in my guitar history books. Tom Wheeler's American Guitars may shed some light.
 
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Tom Wheeler's American Guitars may shed some light.

One of the references - and classic @ that -- that I let "get away" (ie, lent to s.o. and never got it back) many years ago. Loved that book. I was digging through my stash of '50s-'70s instrument catalogues, the only one for Regal in my collection is too early, ca. 1940, to include anything close to a Harmony era model. I'd quite forgotten how many very nice arched-top models Regal offered in the prewar era.
 
dobyman & Falstaff,

Have a look @ the model below. With a little customizing, this could be dobyman's axe. And note that the bridge (assuming the example depicted is original) is held down w/ a couple of screws.

LINK: http://harmony.demont.net/guitars/H162/87.htm

The following model is closer still in dimension (lower bout) and, again, therre is a variant depicted w/ screw-held bridge.

LINK: http://harmony.demont.net/guitars/H165/89.htm

The years of manufacture (for both of the above) would also be in the correct range: ca. 1941-1971
 
As long as you are removing the strings it may be revealing to remove the tuner nuts on the face of the headstock to see if the veneer is removable. I agree that it may have been added in the past from a more totl Regal archtop. If you look closely, it looks like there are some truss rod cover screws underneath that veneer. It may reveal more info on the guitars model ID.

Just do not force it. The veneer may have grown brittle over time. I don't believe it is true turtle shell.

The bridge screws may be OEM per many Harmony models from this era was made that way (Harmony purchased Regal in 1950). Normally they would have been hidden underneath pearloid dots. Titebond is the way to go, make sure you give it plenty of time to dry (I recommend at least a week) as the stresses on the bridge can cause it to pull back up again.

Interesting guitar though. I'll see if I can find anything in my guitar history books. Tom Wheeler's American Guitars may shed some light.

I removed the tuner nuts and no way. This tortoise is factory installed. The bond is solid. I only wish the bridge bond was this good. :yes:
So, do you think I should put the screws back in after I glue it on?

dobyman & Falstaff,

Have a look @ the model below. With a little customizing, this could be dobyman's axe. And note that the bridge (assuming the example depicted is original) is held down w/ a couple of screws.

LINK: http://harmony.demont.net/guitars/H162/87.htm

The following model is closer still in dimension (lower bout) and, again, therre is a variant depicted w/ screw-held bridge.

LINK: http://harmony.demont.net/guitars/H165/89.htm

The years of manufacture (for both of the above) would also be in the correct range: ca. 1941-1971
Only thing is my upper half of the body is quite small. Most of the ones pictured seem bigger than mine. Could be just the angle of the picture, but it looks that way.
I also tried to remove the saddle, but either its such a close tolerance to the slot, or its glued in there. Didn't want to break it, so I stopped.
I am looking at bridge clamps on the bay, so I will order one tomorrow, and get down to business. :thmbsp:
 
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