Mystery guitar

[Ginridge]

I just got this guitar and am very curious about just what the heck it is! I came into the local music store and I traded it for part of a repair bill.

Cleary it's been radically damaged and repaired, but is intriguing. It's a small body Mahogany parlor guitar I'd guess from the 20s or 30s. The center section has been replaced with what I think is pine, it's been badly refinished and refretted and I assume the bridge is non original. That being said, there were intriguing details.









The first thing that caught my eye was the solid kerfing and clean workmanship. While this guitar has been put through the ringer, it was well made. I've been told that the plain nickel plated 3 on a side tuners have "Waverly" stamped on the back. The white, black, White Black binding on the top also looked well done. But the real surprise came when I photographed the inside of the guitar. I'd felt that it was X braced in the store, but closer inspection revealed that it was DOUBLE X braced. I've heard of this on rare occasions, but never come across it in a vintage instrument.



From what I've seen so far, I believe the double X bracing is original (not scalloped by the way). The fingerboard is not rosewood or ebony, but also isn't ebonized pear wood. The headstock has an unusual detail to the edge that I believe is original. At first I thought someone had cut out a damaged section of the top and inserted the new center piece but now I'm wondering if this was a three piece top that had the center section replaced. I'll know more when I start to tear into it but in the meantime, I'd love to hear the forums thoughts on this. With all these unusual features, it seems like it should be something that folks might have come across in the past.

OK instrument sleuths, have at it!

[Jim Garber]

Ok, my quick guess is Regal made this for some retailer. They did make double-X-braced guitars. Here is a shot from Bob Carlin's Regal Book:



It looks like that bridge plate is super thick (like about 1/2")—unless I am reading that photo incorrectly. It was probably added along with that varnished bridge and the piecework on the top by some amateur "restorer".

[Ginridge]

Ah, I could see this being a Regal. The neck sort of reminds me of the Tonk Brothers era guitars. Did Regal ever use a solid kerfing? That's definitely original to the guitar. I've got Carlin's book upstairs and and I'll check it out.

As you suggested, the thick bridge plate is new addition. You can see the original underneath it. Here are a couple better shots to illustrate the bridge plate and kerfing.





The mahogany top is original. I'll have to ponder whether to patch or replace the top.

[Jeff Mando]

I had that same slothead neck with that peghead inlay about 30 years ago, but I never found out what mine was either.

[Ginridge]

I just consulted Bob Carlin's book and while he says Regal used this Double X pattern on their Jumbo guitars, he also mentions that "other companies such as Harmony also utilized this simple bracing system that saved time and materials" Hmmmmm.

[RHDean]

I've owned numerous harmony's and various copies, and I know, I haven't owned them all, I don't think that's one, being mahogany and the various other characteristics about it, my best educated guess, having seen an identical one like that, a vintage Ibanez is a good possibility.

[MikeEdgerton]

If in fact this is from the 20's or 30's then the bridge has been replaced. The more I look at it the more I think it probably isn't that old. Can we get a straight on shot of the tuners?

OK, I see the tuners are Waverly. That would indicate built in the US but they could have been used much later than the 20's-30's.