I bought this at Chandler Guitars in the mid-eighties. I didn’t have much money at the time and so spent most weekends staying in playing. One nice summer day, I was in there buying some strings and I played this and knew I had to have it. I recouped the money I spent on it with interest by staying in and sitting on my porch playing it all summer long.
It’s a cheap, wood-bodied single cone resonator instrument. As far as I’ve been able to tell, it is a #27 style model, the bottom of the range of Regal models that Sears, Roebuck and others offered in the early thirties. The grain on the wood body is painted on! The tuners are authentic, but I’m pretty sure they’re not original. Everything else appears to be.
It sounds sweet, very intimate and detailed, and records fantastically. It’s my oldest guitar, and I would love to know more about it. So far, even the American experts I’ve been put in touch with via Vintage Guitar magazine haven’t been able to shed any more light…. More info would be welcomed …
I have one very similar. As far as I can tell mine is a 1937 – but shares a lot of features with yours. It has the wooden cover, harmony Identa tailpiece. I have seen one other similar but it has F-holes and a slotted headstock which I think make it earlier than ours
http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV/temporary_zps0efe3e0b.jpg
Thanks for the link your pix, very interesting. Close to mine in physical specs, but subtly different in shore slightly stockier from what I can tell and the headstock is wider/flatter/squarer. I’d love to see some more detailed shots if you have the time. What is the make? And is the woodgrain painted on like mine ?!?
Best wishes / ‘Rockbeare’