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Thread: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

  1. #1

    Post Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    By way of background, the past year or so I have gotten into collecting guitars, so I am a textbook novice collector. Yesterday I made a purchase at an estate sale, and have not found too much information online regarding the make/model/year of the guitar. Overall, the guitar is playable and has its fair share of damage, but can easily be restored. Before I go wasting my time on restoring the guitar, I would like to know the full specifications of the guitar.

    The brand of the guitar I bought is a Galiano which, according to the guitar's label, was distributed by B-F Inc. in NYC, New York. The headstock of the guitar reads "Regent"; however, I have not found any guitar online that is branded Galiano with the model being Regent. I'm wondering if this is the same Galiano brand that was produced by the Oscar Schmidt Company around the 1920s in .

    I would greatly appreciate any insight some of you experts may have in properly identifying this piece.





    Last edited by Cobra_570; Jan-21-2020 at 3:38pm.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    Quote Originally Posted by Cobra_570 View Post
    The brand of the guitar I bought is a Galiano which, according to the guitar's label, was distributed by B-F Inc. in NYC, New York. The headstock of the guitar reads "Regent"; however, I have not found any guitar online that is branded Galiano with the model being Regent. I'm wondering if this is the same Galiano brand that was produced by the Oscar Schmidt Company around the 1920s in .

    I would greatly appreciate any insight some of you experts may have in properly identifying this piece.
    I have never heard of a Galiano Regent, but that's not to say they aren't out there.
    Pics would help immensely.

  3. #3
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    The Regent brand name has been kicked around on different guitars made by different manufacturers in different countries for decades. The Galiano name was used over the years by different manufacturers. Without pictures there's only a small chance anyone is going to be able to guess what you have.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
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    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  4. #4

    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    Quote Originally Posted by MikeEdgerton View Post
    The Regent brand name has been kicked around on different guitars made by different manufacturers in different countries for decades. The Galiano name was used over the years by different manufacturers. Without pictures there's only a small chance anyone is going to be able to guess what you have.
    Hi - Thank you for clarifying. I have attached some photos in my original post, so perhaps that may help in painting a clearer picture of the guitar itself.

    - - - Updated - - -

    Quote Originally Posted by oliverkollar View Post
    I have never heard of a Galiano Regent, but that's not to say they aren't out there.
    Pics would help immensely.
    Hi - I appreciate the response and your willingness to help. I have included some photos in my original post!

  5. #5
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    OK, I found a listing for a Galiano distributed by B-F as having been Made in Holland but I have no idea where that "made in Holland" is coming from. Looking for the distributor in some old directories to see if we can ID some years they were in business.

    Second look, the tuners don't look very old.

    Unfortunately the pictures are missing from this old auction, I'm guessing it was a similar model. Again, I don't know where the country of origin is coming from unless the one in this listing had a sticker on it.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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    Mando-Accumulator Jim Garber's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    Looks like a low end guitar, probably all birch. You may be lucky if it is solid wood but it could easily be plywood. B-F was probably a distributor. Could be fine as a funky blues axe or not. String it up and have at it.
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  7. #7

    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    Based on the photos this would not be a a Galiano produced through Oscar Schmidt.

    Cool looking guitar though.

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    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    I think it might be a guitar built after 1960 by the tuners but without holding it in my hands I can't tell if those are original to the guitar. I still can't find any further information on it, and I agree, this isn't an Oscar Schmidt product.

    Also, B-F was a distributor if we are to believe the label

    It does appear that guitar maker Egmond of Holland did use a slew of American vintage instrument names. That's pretty new territory to me. I never paid them much attention and that's assuming it was really made in Holland which is speculation based on a listing with no pictures but similar label information.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
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  9. #9

    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    Thank you everyone for the input - really appreciated, and some great info to lead with. Based on your responses, I can rule out that it's a Galiano produced by Oscar Schmidt. Mike, great call on the Egmond of Holland producers - after looking at some of their sticks, mine appears to be incredibly similar to much of what they've produced.

    Perhaps this weekend I'll bring it to a guitar dealer and see what they have to say. If all else fails, I'll fix her up and hack away. For a $20 purchase, I think I'll get my money's worth!!

    Thanks again all!!

  10. #10
    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    Egmond made Vega guitars for export to the US in the 1970's; they had stars inlaid into their headstocks, and I believe were distributed through Martin dealers, since Martin had bought the "Vega" trademark -- primarily to use on banjos.

    Here's what the Stella Guitars website has to say about "A Galiano guitars":

    1. All “A. Galiano” guitars were made by Oscar Schmidt.
    Untrue. Although many Galiano guitars were relabeled Stellas made by Schmidt, a fair number of them were made by independent Italian American luthiers such as Antonio Cerrito, Raphael Ciani, and Joseph Nettuno. Still others were purchased from various large Chicago factories like Kay, Regal and Harmony.


    From the looks of the OP's instrument, I'd suspect US/Chicago manufacture rather than Dutch/Egmond, but I'm far from expert.
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  11. #11
    Moderator MikeEdgerton's Avatar
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    Default Re: Help Identifying Galiano Guitar

    It doesn't look like a Chicago shape and the square tuners move it out of that realm. It actually resembles the stuff coming out of Egmond if you look long enough. I'm assuming these were at the tail end of the Folk Music Scare of the late 50's and 60's.
    "It's comparable to playing a cheese slicer."
    --M. Stillion

    "Bargain instruments are no bargains if you can't play them"
    --J. Garber

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