Regal Octofone

[Petrus]

A mando, tenor guitar, lute, and baritone uke all in one. All it needs is a squid.

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This is a vintage mid 1920's Regal Octophone with Pat Applied For stamped on the back of the peg head, the original sales adv's claimed is could be played as a Mandola, tenor guitar, lute or baritone uke the scale length is 21" and it has had a fixed bridge put on it by Vintage Fret Shop (at the correct intonation point) which as designed to compensate for an old slight belly behind the bridge.

Regal Octophone
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141545066113

(BTW the head stock reads Octofone, not Octophone)

[Steve VandeWater]

Actually, an octofone requires an octopus. A squid would just be silly

[allenhopkins]

This is the fancier model, sunburst top, nifty binding, more fretboard inlay. I have the basic Octofone.

Price of $350 is near the top of what I'd pay, but this is the better model. Replacing the original floating bridge and tailpiece with a guitar-style eight-pin bridge wouldn't be my recommendation, but it's done, and Vintage Fret Shop (Ashland NH) is a pretty reputable operation.

My Octofone required a good deal of surgery after I bought it: carbon fiber neck reinforcement to correct warping, headstock repair, and a new ebony fingerboard to replace the dyed mystery wood Regal put on it. Anyone contemplating getting an Octofone -- and who among us hasn't been tempted by that siren Octo call? -- should be aware that [a] the instrument cost less than $20 new in the '30's, so it's not exactly a luthier's triumph, and [2] it's one of the most lightly built instruments I've ever owned, a real featherweight, so needs a bit of babying. (Which makes me wonder how this one'll hold out with that pin bridge; did VFShop install a bridge plate inside [let's hope]? Will the top belly up below the bridge, from the "twist" of that bridge structure?)

I string mine as an octave mandolin, with the lower two courses octave-strung. I like it a lot, use it quite a bit, mostly for vocal accompaniment and chording rather than lead/melody. Worth buying, at a reasonable price, and lots of fun if you take care of it and don't over-string it.

[ollaimh]

I looked at that. the price is decent , imho, but I have never played a regal octofone that really grabbed me. however that is the high end model. could be a deal if it needs no repair..

[allenhopkins]

To me the "risk factor" is the replacement pin bridge. My (limited) experience with Vintage Fret Shop has been positive, but the Octofone was designed with a tailpiece/floating bridge set-up. Flat-top guitars with pin bridges have a reinforcing bridge plate glued to the top under the bridge. The Octofone was not made with a bridge plate -- not needed with a floating bridge -- and I wonder if the tech who reworked the instrument for a pin bridge, installed such a bridge plate.

If so, the new set-up might be A-OK. If not, I'd be cautious. (Well, I'd be cautious anyway, but even more so if the top wasn't reinforced.)

[WoodlandRecluse]

Mr.Hopkins, might I ask for posted pictures of your Octofone?

[Russ Donahue]

Was wondering how long till "squid" came up again....thanks Petrus.

[allenhopkins]

Mr.Hopkins, might I ask for posted pictures of your Octofone?

Well, I don't take or post pics, but mine looks just about like this one (http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2012/09/c1930-regal-octofone.html) from Jake Wildwood's website. Same sound hole purfling, lightly figured birch back, oval "Octofone" headstock decal. The new ebony fingerboard I had made, is identical-appearing to the black-dyed "mystery wood" one that came originally on mine -- and is presumably on Jake's. I had a carbon-fiber reinforcement installed in the neck, under the new fingerboard. Tuners are still the original "cheapos."

Oh, and my bridge (dyed maple?) doesn't have a bone saddle; it's one-piece.