c.1965 Harmony-made Regal 0-size Guitar

Update 2013: This guitar is now on consignment and comes with a newer hard case ($100 TKL model I think). The endpin area is drilled out for a pickup jack and I will probably be installing a single-sensor K&K pickup in it and will have new pictures of this guitar available soon.

While slightly smaller than 0 size (this would be a modern 3/4 size), this late 1960s Harmony-made, Regal-branded guitar still packs a good punch. While it's physically similar to older Harmony models dating from the late 1930s, it has some upgrades that most Harmony makes in this body shape and size didn't have -- spruce top rather than birch, glued pin bridge rather than tailpiece, and solid mahogany back, sides, and neck, vs. the standard birch. It also has a truss rod, something Harmony didn't really start using on most models until 1966 or so.

I worked on this instrument for a customer of mine -- my work included a new (old stock German, rosewood model) bridge (the old one had fractured along the pins) as well as the usual setup and light cleaning. Said customer plays with 54w to 12s on this guitar so he can get around in alternate tunings and still have decent tension, so I set it up for that with 3/32" at the 12th on both sides to keep notes clean up the neck.

It's a cute guitar with more warmth and sustain than I'd ever suspect a ladder-braced small body like this to have. It's especially suited to fingerpicking in open tunings.

The headstock has a kind of cool multi-ply plastic veneer to it which gives it almost a deco look.

Radiused board, faux-MOP dots.

Here's that new rosewood bridge. This one has slightly longer wings and more rear-mounted pinholes vs. the original, bolted-on pin bridge. It's also true rosewood vs. some dyed mystery wood, so the tone's a bit better, too.

It's pretty amazing that the finish has held up so well.