~1928 Regal Style 2019 Natural

Regal Style 2019 Guitar c 1928 | $775 | (v2404) Regal, with factories in Chicago, was one of the largest guitar manufacturers in America through the first half of the twentieth century. Probalby produced by the millions, not many have survived with the Regal label. A good number have surfaced with proprietary labels, but it's very likely that most Regal factory production was sold without any label at all. These unlabeled guitars were sold by jobbers to retail stores. This example, based on a surviving catalog from 1928, appears to be a Style 2019 Standard Size guitar, and sports the oval Regal label that appeared in the 1920s era.

The top, in natual finishand ladder braced, is solid spruce edged in colorful marquetry around the top and sound hole finished off with white celluloid. The back and sides are mahogany-stained birch, with the back sporting a decalcomania strip down the middle. The neck is poplar or basswood and is carved in a 'V' shape typical of the period. The neck features a sunburst on the headstock and back side. The tuners are original. The bridge may or may not be original since many Regals featured a 'flat pyramid' bridge, however, Regal also used the plain wing type bridges, too. The pins appear correct to the era.

This is a 'standard' size guitar and measures 13" across at the lower bout. Scale length is 24 3/8". The fingerboard measures 1 13/16" across at the nut, and string spacing is 2 1/4" at the saddle.

The guitar appears to be all original, with the jury out on the bridge. Prior repair was a bridge reglue, with some glue residue visible. We recently reset the neck; glued one back brace; leveled and dressed the frets and installed a new saddle. Action is set a ~ 5&6/64".

The guitar plays well, and produces the typical dry, 'barky' ladder braced sound. A nice little fingerpicking guitar!

Comes with a gig bag in excellent condition.

Check out the sound clip!