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Topic: Some pix of my old Regal lapsteel.......... |
Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 10 Apr 2008 8:27 am |
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I've had this one for a while but never played it much as the string spacing's a little wide for my tastes. It's a Regal which says "Made in Chicago" on the headstock. I never realized they ever made anything in the USA. I'd always associated them with foreign made resonator guitars. Does anyone know what vintage this guitar might be and if it has any value?.........Thanks JH in Va.
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Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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Richard Shatz
From:
St. Louis
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Posted 10 Apr 2008 10:31 am
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| Most Regal instruments were made by National Dobro in the 30s. That one is almost definitely a 30s instrument. |
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Fred Kinbom
From:
Berlin, Germany, via Stockholm, Sweden.
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Posted 10 Apr 2008 10:45 am
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| Richard Shatz wrote: |
| Most Regal instruments were made by National Dobro in the 30s. |
Wasn't it the other way around: Regal were licensed by Dobro (from the mid-1930s) to manufacture wood-bodied resonator guitars, some of which were Dobro branded and some that were carrying the Regal name (with Dobro-made hardware)?
Fred
_________________
www.fredrikkinbom.com - New lap steel album out now - listen here: fredrikkinbom.bandcamp.com/album/songs-for-lap-steel-and-harmonium |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 10 Apr 2008 3:03 pm
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Love the "walker" stand! Hope you don't need it for anything other than a stand! I have a Regal made Dobro, with Dobro parts made in the '30's. It was a cheapie, but it's also the best-sounding reso I've ever heard. And, "Best sounding" by a looooong shot!
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Richard Shatz
From:
St. Louis
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Posted 10 Apr 2008 4:06 pm
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Fred,
Thanks for calling me out on that. I just checked a few references (Gruhn, Brozman). Here's what I relearned. In the same year, 1932. that National and Dobro merged, National Dobro licensed Regal to produce, distribute and market instruments with Dobro-type resonators. Regal was a Chicago based company and National Dobro was based in California. Until 1937 both companies produced Dobro brand instruments, at which time Regal became the sole company marketing Dobro.
That's about as much as I could unearth. I'm sure other forumites have much more comprihensive knowledge of this subject.
What I do know from years of collecting lap steels is that Dobro electric instruments are rare. I've only seen photos of the woodbody model that started this thread. I own a cast aluminum model that I love.
I guess I really don't know which one produced most of the instruments. It was just an impression. I hope someone will enlighten us. |
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Jerry Hayes
From:
Virginia Beach, Va.
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Posted 11 Apr 2008 9:57 am
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If this one is old, it's in remarkably good shape and works very well. It does have a 1/4" phone jack on it though and most older steels I've seen have the screw on type.........JH in Va.
_________________
Don't matter who's in Austin (or anywhere else) Ralph Mooney is still the king!!! |
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John Billings
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 11 Apr 2008 10:40 am
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| When I zoom in on the pic, the jack plate does not appear to have the same plating as the other plating on the guitar. Does not seem to be near the same quality either. Maybe the jack has been replaced by a former owner????? |
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Russ Young
From:
Seattle, Washington, USA
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Posted 11 Apr 2008 11:18 am
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Regal was in business long before National and Dobro; the company was founded in 1896. In addition to Dobros, Regal built guitars that were labeled Washburn, Le Domino, J.R. Stewart, Bacon & Day, Slingerland and Recording King.
In 1954 Regal was sold to Harmony, and the Regal brand name was used infrequently until Harmony folded in 1976. The Regal name began appearing on Saga's Asian-made resonators in 1987.
Last edited by Russ Young on 11 Apr 2008 11:39 am; edited 1 time in total |
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