Lynn MikeHalloran 15K 349 Registered Member MikeHalloran 15K 349 Dec 15, 2007 10 2007-12-15T22:45 There was a Regal Custom shop in Sunnyvale, CA of all places.

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Or Learn more Continue The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum Login Join HOME The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum An Unofficial forum for those who love Martin instruments - Founded by Steve Stallings FORUMS DISCUSSIONS GALLERY MESSAGES NOTIFICATIONS The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum Archives The Vintage Corner Archives The Vintage Corner Archives Volume VII -- Early Regal Guitars.

I know the company changed hands several times, but what was the status in the 40s As far as I can tell the Regal flattops were made in Chicago by Harmony Are any of the models betterworse than others Are they mostly solid wood instruments Any owners want to post some pics bassrun 3,122 24 Registered Member bassrun 3,122 24 Dec 14, 2007 2 2007-12-14T21:16 Theres actually been a fair amount of discussion of Regals on this board, some of it masquerading as Washburn or Tonk Bros., since Regal made guitars under those labels, as well.

Mark Demaray has been a major contributor to these discussions.

I have a few, too.

These older threads have some neat photos, too.--John Old-Time Backup Guitar: Learn from the Masters WkndHack 1,256 Registered Member WkndHack 1,256 Dec 15, 2007 3 2007-12-15T18:59 This would be a good topic to parse out over time.

Most Regals were cheapies but their high-end models could be excellent.

MarkZizSteve K and others know quite a bit, though as far as I know theres no encyclopedic book or other source about the company (especially the nicer models).

I recently got a 20s-era koa uke made by the Regal custom shop.

And affordable compared to big-name brands of that era.

Gretchen fichtmueller 24K 6,359 15 Registered Member fichtmueller 24K 6,359 15 Dec 15, 2007 4 2007-12-15T19:59 Good evening Gretchen - would you mind putting a link or two of the old Regal-Sovereign threads into this thread.

Finding old stuff without knowing where to look for is rather.

I have heard that they would make and put any brand name and features you wanted on a guitar if you ordered 10 or more.

I have seen nearly identical Regal made guitars in shape style and appointments but with markedly different woods and bracing styles as well.

I believe that many of the so-called Chicago made instruments that show up with no names or markings were likely made by Regal.

I have also heard that one of Regals side-line business ventures was to import large supplies of wood from all over the world and then sell it - mostly to other musical instrument manufactures, but some was sold to high-end furniture companies as well.

This seems to be the case as I have seen instruments made by both by Regal and Harmony in the mid 1930s with the exact same curly Cuban mahogany used.

I have also heard that Harmony purchased a lot of that particular wood from Regal.

It would be very interesting indeed to know more about Regals history and inner workings.

Mark bassrun 3,122 24 Registered Member bassrun 3,122 24 Dec 15, 2007 6 2007-12-15T21:37 Here are a few photos of a Regal parlor guitar that I bought a couple years ago from Neil Harpe.

Mine is amazing condition and is about as good of a little ladder-braced birch guitar from the pre-war era as you could want.

The sound is a little sweeter than a comparable Oscar Schmidt, but it can hold its own as a blues guitar.

The high-end, x-braced Regals of the 1920s1930s are fabulous guitars.

Ive never seen anything of that level from Regal in the 1940s.

Seems like the business was concentrating entirely on the lower end by that time, but theyre good for what they are.

Regal Guitar Serial Numbers