Regal Basso-guitar

Mr-Raines · #1 07-19-2009, 06:48 AM

Howdy all,
This is my first post so please be gentle if I don't follow protocol.

I went to an estate auction yesterday, suffered temporary insanity and bought an ancient Regal Basso-guitar.

I don't know much about it except that I thought it was REALLY COOL.

Anybody know anything about these?

Anybody know what the market value would be on one that plays great but is a bit beat up? I don't think I paid too much for it but I also don't thing I want to play some rare bird. I have too many kids in my house.

draftsmann · #2 07-19-2009, 08:46 AM

Google on "Palm Guitars" - they are a Netherlands based dealer that sometimes sell oddities like this.

Adrian

Pfretzschner · #3 07-19-2009, 05:23 PM

Mr-Raines, I don;t post here much myself but I just happened to have owned a Regal Bass. They were made by Regal in 1937. Some had frets and some were fretless. They even made one with a metal dobro resonator the size of a garbage can lid. Like mine,the bridge on your's is not original. Stan Werbin at Elderly Music has one in his museum in Michigan, and he was kind enough to take pictures of the bridge so I could have one made. At that time Stan said that it was worth from $1,500 to $2,000. Mine is now traveling with Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals. It's quite a unique bass and a real show stopper on stage.

Mr-Raines · #4 07-20-2009, 05:32 AM

Looks like yours is in better shape than mine. I probably paid a dollar to two more for it based on Elderly's assessment of yours. Maybe not. It was so cool I had to buy it.

Haven't decided if I'll keep it or not. Probably will depend on what I might be able to sell it for.

Pfretzschner · #5 07-20-2009, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr-Raines

Looks like yours is in better shape than mine. I probably paid a dollar to two more for it based on Elderly's assessment of yours. Maybe not. It was so cool I had to buy it.

Haven't decided if I'll keep it or not. Probably will depend on what I might be able to sell it for.

That was the way I was when I first saw the Regal. I bought mine from a guy in Alabama and had to have the bridge made and also had the fingerboard replaced. I spent a lot of time on the tuners taking them apart and cleaned them up. The finish on mine was pretty good and came back with a little bit of elbow grease,,,,, and the help of my local luthier.

I only found 7 others during the 10 year period I had mine. The price Stan gave me was back in 2004,,,,, but I really didn't buy it at the time as an investment. It was just so unique, and really didn't sound bad once I got it set up right. I put Pirastro Oliv strings on it because they are a lower tension than steel and the gut core gives you a little more mellow sound. You are not moving much air so the bottom end is lacking. I sold mine pretty much for what I had in it because I hoped it would be played rather than gathering dust in someone's collection or closet.

TroyK · #6 07-20-2009, 09:46 AM

That's really cool! I've never seen anything quite like that, though I seem to recall some sort of Gibson that shows up now and again. I'd love to get a chance to play something like that to see how it sounds. The flat top design puzzles me a bit in terms out how it would put out sound. I'm sure our luthier set would love to get a look at the bracing and things that go into something like that.

What is the mensure (scale, bridge to nut)?

Mr-Raines · #7 07-20-2009, 11:26 AM

This is in really playable condition. I went to the auction to look for a regular bass fiddle. It was in a poorly lit out building and I didn't notice the shape or frets for a few minutes. The sound fooled me as well--it sounds like a fiddle. Maybe not as loud or deep but that could be the strings.

I didn't buy it as an investment and I didn't buy it to play. I just bought it because....I don't know why I bought it.

I also didn't intend to pay what I did but it was less than a new chinese bass fiddle so it probably wasn't too much.

If I keep it--which is unlikely since the wife said it's me or the guitar that lives in the house--I'd consider changing the bridge. The action is pretty high past the 6 or 7th fret. Or, perhaps I have wimpy hands...I think the action is high.

I haven't tried looking inside it, but I'll try to get a look. It has some cracks in the top which have been braced and it doesn't seem to have a lot of bracing under the top. I'll see if I can't get a camera inside and post some more pics.

Pfretzschner · #8 07-20-2009, 12:43 PM

If I remember correctly the top was X braced and the original bridge feet spanned about 8 inches. When I changed it from a modified 3/4 bass bridge to the original style bridge,,, the sound improved tremendously. It never had a lot of volume but that could be corrected electronically. I had the action set close to that of my other basses, and it played very easily anywhere on the neck. I'd suggest that the right bridge will make a big difference in looks, and in sound,,,, and it might make a big difference in what you get for it. When it sounded good instead of like a toy,,, it made a lot of difference on how it was accepted.

I can sympathize with you about how you came to be the owner of it. I saw mine on e-bay late one night with about 9 hours to go and I had to have it. I sat here all night glued to the screen until I knew I owned it. When I opened the crate it was in it was one of those,,,,"What the hell did I do!" It only took one time of taking it out to play to see just what a novelty and conversation piece it was.

Pfretzschner · #9 07-20-2009, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TroyK

That's really cool! I've never seen anything quite like that, though I seem to recall some sort of Gibson that shows up now and again. I'd love to get a chance to play something like that to see how it sounds. The flat top design puzzles me a bit in terms out how it would put out sound. I'm sure our luthier set would love to get a look at the bracing and things that go into something like that.

What is the mensure (scale, bridge to nut)?

It had a 42 inch scale.

MR PC · #10 07-20-2009, 01:28 PM

Go with the wife on this.

Since a similar one is being played on stage with Ben Harper, you ought to be able to market it and make some bucks. Call the shop where he found some of his instruments

Folk Music Center - www.folkmusiccenter.com - (909) 624-2928

..............and nobody has asked about the mildew factor here either.

Jaco played acoustic bass guitar early on on this old Ira Sullivan album down there in Florida.......hmm, I wonder.

CamMcIntyre · #11 07-21-2009, 01:12 AM

I don't know anything about them nor do I have a whole lot to add to this thread.

I do want one though.

Pfretzschner · #12 07-21-2009, 07:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MR PC

Go with the wife on this.

Since a similar one is being played on stage with Ben Harper, you ought to be able to market it and make some bucks. Call the shop where he found some of his instruments

Folk Music Center - www.folkmusiccenter.com - (909) 624-2928

..............and nobody has asked about the mildew factor here either.

Jaco played acoustic bass guitar early on on this old Ira Sullivan album down there in Florida.......hmm, I wonder.

Folk Music Center was actually the people that made the initial contact with me for Ben Harper. He was on tour in Miami and I delivered the bass to them at their show in Jacksonville.

The Regal Bass was also played and endorsed by Israel Crosby in 1938

bass_snake · #13 07-21-2009, 12:26 PM

Kinda cool and ugly at the same time.

Welcome to TB and good luck with your new instrument.

Fred

Mr-Raines · #14 07-21-2009, 04:57 PM

Pfretzschner,

How did you clean yours up? I would like to clean and pretty this thing up a little, but I've zero experience with this kind of thing and am a bit leary of it all.

Also, mine has this kind of ugly green patina on the tuning keys. Did yours?

I doesn't look like tarnish, it looks like paint but why anybody would paint something like this a color like they are seems...really hard to understand.

MandoDave · #15 07-21-2009, 08:21 PM

I missed out on one at an estate auction in June. If anyone knows of one for sale, PLEASE email me at mandodave1@aol.com...I'd love to have one.

Thanks!

MR PC · #16 07-22-2009, 01:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr-Raines

Pfretzschner,

How did you clean yours up? I would like to clean and pretty this thing up a little, but I've zero experience with this kind of thing and am a bit leary of it all.[/IMG]

It's good to acknowledge having no experience with this kind of thing........you really should be careful......the mold can be very toxic. I know it sounds fanatical......but a friend of mine had a fatal seizure while attempting to clean up the inside of an old instrument.

I'd take it to a pro for evaluation. Good luck!

Pfretzschner · #17 07-22-2009, 07:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr-Raines

Pfretzschner,

How did you clean yours up? I would like to clean and pretty this thing up a little, but I've zero experience with this kind of thing and am a bit leary of it all.

Also, mine has this kind of ugly green patina on the tuning keys. Did yours?

I doesn't look like tarnish, it looks like paint but why anybody would paint something like this a color like they are seems...really hard to understand.

I had no experience when I picked up the Regal either but you have to start somewhere.
It looks like the keys and pegs on your's were painted green. I'm sure you can find how to remove the paint without damaging either. I removed, cleaned and polished the 4 tuners and keys. The tuning pegs on mine had their original black finish and were in good shape. They just needed cleaned and polished. I got a cleaner and polish from my friendly local luthier Joel Burke and spent hours working on all of the wood. I decided to replace fingerboard at the same time I had the bridge made, and of course I had Joel do that. I scraped the back of the neck to get down to bare wood to make it slide a much easier. As I said earlier, the new original designed bridge and the Pirastro strings made a world of difference in the playability and sound. I just took my time and got good help and information from a pro.

kurt ratering · #18 07-23-2009, 06:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MandoDave

I missed out on one at an estate auction in June. If anyone knows of one for sale, PLEASE email me at mandodave1@aol.com...I'd love to have one.

Thanks!

hey dave, this ones on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/1920-REGAL-Uprig...3A3%7C294%3A50

Mr-Raines · #19 07-23-2009, 08:57 PM

I don't think that auction is accurate. I think it is a 1937 regal which has been repainted and not that well. That sunburst has a mighty amateur looking fade to it.

But, what do I know?

Pfretzschner · #20 07-24-2009, 07:37 AM

I agree about the accuracy of the auction,,,, I don't see a single thing that would suggest that the Regal listed on e-bay is anything other than a 1937 production model. The label in the instrument that is pictured in that auction, is the same as was used in the 1937 models,,,, and I find it hard to believe that the same one would also have been used in a 1920 prototype.