Regal

[Tiderider]

Here's a Regal I've owned for a number of years. I know it was an inexpensive mandolin in it's day, but it plays well, stays in tune and has a nice sound. I've always figured it was a depression era instrument maybe even late 30's. Can anyone tell me more? Thanks

[MikeEdgerton]

They made that same mandolin for years. I'd put it 30's-40's. I have the Regal book but unfortunately not with me right now.

[bmac]

My wife has one, but sold under a different brand name (La Melodia). Yours has more deluxe features . I agree though that they can be nice sounding instruments, just not what is generally thought of a "modern sound", The thin wood used on the (birch I think) body of the instrument gives ours a resonater-like sound.

Similar ones, though not usually as fancy as yours, come up quite often on eBay.

[Tiderider]

Thanks Mike and Bart. This one has a rather tubby sound especially if played hard. If it's played with a lighter pick and touch it can be manipulated to achieve a more focused tone, very bell like and responsive.

[JEStanek]

That mandolin has a ton of character.

Jamie

[Tiderider]

Thanks Jamie, It has the mojo for sure.

[ollaimh]

i have one with mahogony back and sides and spruce top, i used it as my busking mandolin. i eventually had a neck reset done by a freind who wanted the practice. he did a nice job . it doesn't have a modern sound but it has a loud and woody twang, much nicer than my fender busking mandolin.

[DerTiefster]

My great-great-uncle's Regal-esque birch mandolin has a body and heel looking like that. But you know yours was a Regal already. I don't know whether Gibson initiated the M.o.T.S. fretboard, but their A-Century uses white heavily. So does this. If the A-Century came first, then that puts an upper age on this. But I don't know the answer to my own question.

[allenhopkins]

If that's a Pearloid fingerboard, that says "'30's" to me. So "Depression era" makes sense. Regal put Pearloid on ukuleles and guitars; most guesstimated dates found by Google search seem to be "late '30's." Didn't find another Pearloid-fingerboard mandolin.

[bmac]

For those who want a nice sounding really cheap instrument these are great. But apparently the very thin wood can cause top to buckle a bit from string pressure on the bridge. At least I had to repair mine a bit to raise the bridge up a little. Use light weight strings only.

These show up quite regularly on eBay and sell for between $20 and $60 depending on condition but the above one would sell for more being far more deluxe and in better shape than mine. If nothing else these are nice looking wall hangers.

[MikeEdgerton]

Most of these I've seen didn't have real thin tops.

[Tiderider]

If that's a Pearloid fingerboard, that says "'30's" to me. So "Depression era" makes sense. Regal put Pearloid on ukuleles and guitars; most guesstimated dates found by Google search seem to be "late '30's." Didn't find another Pearloid-fingerboard mandolin.

Allen do you know the composition of the Pearloid fingerboard? It has held up quite well over the years.

[MikeEdgerton]

Pearloid is more commonly referred to as Mother-Of-Toilet-Seat as it resembled the plastic used on pearloid style toilet seats in the mid century last. It is sometimes referred to by the acronym MOTS. It is an early use of plastic.

[DerTiefster]

....Didn't find another Pearloid-fingerboard mandolin.

Allen, What am I missing here? Have I simply failed to understand something you're saying?
http://www.vintageinstruments.com/mu...dofulpage.html

[allenhopkins]

Allen, What am I missing here? Have I simply failed to understand something you're saying?

Probably I was unclear; I couldn't find another example of a Regal mandolin with a Pearloid fingerboard, through Google searching. I was trying to ascertain when Regal used Pearloid for instrument fingerboards, and found several examples of Regal guitars and ukuleles, which had "guesstimated" dates of "late '30's."

Other manufacturers, Gibson included, used Pearloid on mandolin fingerboards around this period. There are myriad examples of Pearloid-fingerboard banjos, from various manufacturers, as well. The "flash" of the tenor banjo was enhanced by making fingerboards of fake mother-of-pearl. Does anyone have experience with how this material stands up to fingerboard wear?

[JeffD]

Thanks Jamie, It has the mojo for sure.

I'll say!

[MikeEdgerton]

Regal
Regal

Just as a reference point (thanks Jake):

Oscar Schmidt
Harmony?

I can probably find a few more Regals. It wasn't uncommon but I'm sure it wasn't the bulk of what was being sold.

[brunello97]

Mike, I've never run my fingers across one of those fretboards, but to my eye that black and MOTS Regal/Schmidt/Stella from Jake's site is really hot.

Mick

[DerTiefster]

I agree, and it brings to mind the Domino instruments featured in this cafe thread:
http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/sh...omino-Mandolin
Thanks to all for these very interesting pictures. Too much gets covered with dust over the decades.

[DerTiefster]

Well, here's another almost like the O.P.'s mandolin: ebay #120993372325. It looks Regal-esque to me, anyway, from the headstock and body shape, although it seems to have no label. An "estate find" in NC. Also another "private auction" with someone nibbling the price up for no apparent reason but being bored, or (a bit more cynically) being the seller.

[Jim]

I've had a blond one of that shape but not as fancy for several years, it sounds great but I've been glueing the top and back on a couple inches at a time as it comes apart a little each year in a different place. Mojo was the first word that came to mind when I got mine as well.

[MikeEdgerton]

The Le Domino instruments were built by Regal.

[DerTiefster]

Can't seem to keep my cut-n-paste straight here. That pearloid fingerboard mandolin above in Regal shape is
http://search.ebay.com/130776506138
Sorry 'bout the number mis-paste. The other one was an older Kay-labeled but other-looking headstock oval-hole. The headstock and coloration brought to mind certain other well-loved instruments, but I had no opportunity to follow up on the issue.