Regal Octofone (1930s)
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Item # 7438
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Regal Octofone (1930s), made in Chicago, sunburst lacquer finish, spruce top, birch back and sides, ebonized board, poplar neck, black gig bag case.
One of the more interesting experiments to come out of the Chicago-based Regal Company, the Octofone was cheerfully advertised as "Eight instruments in One". What it really appears to be is a small body double-strung tenor guitar, but Regal claimed: "The owner of the Octophone has the advantage of combining eight different instruments in one, namely Tenor Banjo, Tenor Guitar, Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello, Ukulele, Tiple and Taropatch. These changes are brought about by variations in tuning". This sunburst-top model is a late example of several Octofone variants Regal offered from the late 1920s, up into the end of the '30's, usually originally selling for around $15.00.
The birch body is single-bound on the back, and triple bound around the spruce top. It has a distinctive shape rather like an elongated guitar with both upper bouts cutaway. The one-piece tailpiece is stamped "Bell Brand, Patented, N.M.S. Co.", who are better remembered as the original makers of Black Diamond Strings. The soundhole has a colored wood marquetry rosette and white edge binding.
The neck is fairly narrow and has a slim slightly tapered headstock stamped PAT. APLD. FOR. On the back. The oval label under the sound hole reads "The Mark of Better Instruments, Made by the Regal Musical Instrument Co., Chicago." with a crown logo. This is a unique-looking and sounding instrument, perhaps not the miracle its makers claimed but a versatile and very playable one nonetheless. It is currently strung and tuned in octave mandolin tuning (G-D-A-E) which seems like the most useful tuning for this little oddball as few other vintage instruments are suitable for it.
Overall length is 34 in. (86.4 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) wide at lower bout. Scale length is 21 in. (533 mm.).
This Octophone has seen some old re-working long ago but is still a good looking, playing and sounding example. The entire instrument was oversprayed in lacquer, and the attempts to match the original sunburst on top are a bit clunky. Overall the instrument is still quite attractive. This also caused a lot of checking to the body binding, but it appears to be solid with a few chipped-away spots patched in neatly.
The neck has been reset solidly but not that artfully, and a large wood screw is visible under the finish at the heel. The bridge has a new saddle. This is not the most perfect Octophone we have had but a good player and actually a lot of fun to twang away on! Overall Very Good + Condition.
One of the more interesting experiments to come out of the Chicago-based Regal Company, the Octofone was cheerfully advertised as "Eight instruments in One". What it really appears to be is a small body double-strung tenor guitar, but Regal claimed: "The owner of the Octophone has the advantage of combining eight different instruments in one, namely Tenor Banjo, Tenor Guitar, Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello, Ukulele, Tiple and Taropatch. These changes are brought about by variations in tuning". This sunburst-top model is a late example of several Octofone variants Regal offered from the late 1920s, up into the end of the '30's, usually originally selling for around $15.00.
The birch body is single-bound on the back, and triple bound around the spruce top. It has a distinctive shape rather like an elongated guitar with both upper bouts cutaway. The one-piece tailpiece is stamped "Bell Brand, Patented, N.M.S. Co.", who are better remembered as the original makers of Black Diamond Strings. The soundhole has a colored wood marquetry rosette and white edge binding.
The neck is fairly narrow and has a slim slightly tapered headstock stamped PAT. APLD. FOR. On the back. The oval label under the sound hole reads "The Mark of Better Instruments, Made by the Regal Musical Instrument Co., Chicago." with a crown logo. This is a unique-looking and sounding instrument, perhaps not the miracle its makers claimed but a versatile and very playable one nonetheless. It is currently strung and tuned in octave mandolin tuning (G-D-A-E) which seems like the most useful tuning for this little oddball as few other vintage instruments are suitable for it.
Overall length is 34 in. (86.4 cm.), 11 in. (27.9 cm.) wide at lower bout. Scale length is 21 in. (533 mm.).
This Octophone has seen some old re-working long ago but is still a good looking, playing and sounding example. The entire instrument was oversprayed in lacquer, and the attempts to match the original sunburst on top are a bit clunky. Overall the instrument is still quite attractive. This also caused a lot of checking to the body binding, but it appears to be solid with a few chipped-away spots patched in neatly.
The neck has been reset solidly but not that artfully, and a large wood screw is visible under the finish at the heel. The bridge has a new saddle. This is not the most perfect Octophone we have had but a good player and actually a lot of fun to twang away on! Overall Very Good + Condition.