c.1930 Regal Carved-Top & Back Reverse Scroll

[Jake Wildwood]

Well, by now you've all seen a TON of the cheapo Regal reverse-scrolls... but here's a luxury version from the Montgomery Wards catalog, also probably built by Regal. I jumped on this mandolin when I saw it because I've been wanting one just like it for a very, very long time.

And as far as how she plays and sounds? Pretty much like a good-quality round-hole F with a bit more growl. I love it.

More photos, info, etc. at my blog post for it:
http://antebelluminstruments.blogspot.com/2009/11/c1930-regal-carved-top-reverse.html

[Bruce Clausen]

Neat, Jake. So yours is the $12.98 version? Cool! Hope we'll get to hear it sometime.

The tailpiece looks like what I have on my Stradolin-- it has a small channel designed to take some kind of strap (or more like a piece of string). You're securing your elegant strap by putting a knot at the end? That has the ring of authenticity.

BC

[Jim Garber]

I think you are spot on with the Regal ID. This is a Regal Ultra with a Regal label.

There was also two even fancier models even fancier under the B&D label. One was called Ramona and one Sultana.

[Jake Wildwood]

Bruce: Yup, the $12.98 -- and certainly you'll get to hear it ASAP. And the "strap" is attached exactly as described, though I may go for something different than this equally-old curtain cord that was at one point attached to a 1920s guitar that was in the shop.

Jim: Thanks so much for the lead on this little chapter of the Regal story. It'd be great to compare brothers and sisters of this mando... and the trim on the Ultra and Ramona... classy!

[Jake Wildwood]

Ready for a sound clip? Cause here's one!

[Bruce Clausen]

Great, Jake. Good strong sound-- I love what you're getting out of the A strings especially. Thins out a little on the E's after the fifth fret, but still really clear. That sounds like exactly the way it was meant to be played too. You could make a pretty good Mando-tasting CD playing only on the old oddities you dig up. Keep up the good work.

BC

[billkilpatrick]

sounds very sprightly for an old 'un ... congratz' - great find. can't say i share your enthusiasm for its appearance, however - the reverse scroll looks smurf-y and tumorous.

(go ahead! - trash my mandolins! ... )

[Jake Wildwood]

Bruce: Definitely has a nice strong sound... despite the strings being light generic PBs with only 9s on the top (I ran out of loop-end 10s in my bin-of-homeless-strings)... which might also account for the "thin" you're hearing. As far as recordings go... stay tuned for my next outing, which will have a bunch of mandolin throughout. :)

Bill: Or perhaps it was me coming from Smurf Village toting the mandolin? Perhaps it's not the mandolin, but myself, who looks smurfy. Or as we like to call ourselves... "Les Schtroumpfs." But I digress.

p.s. How ugly is your F-style? Yo' mando's so ugly you have to play it from behind a wall so the audience don't faint... ba-dum!

[billkilpatrick]

oh yeah! ... well yo' mando's so smelly they call him a zoo ... call-him-a-zoo ... call ... him ... a ...