2000s Replogle Size 5 Tenor Guitar

Update 2019: The owner is putting this up for sale so I've updated the pictures, video clip, and parts of the description.

A Mr. Ken Replogle built this guitar somewhere in the 2000s and it seems he ran his business under the name "Skunk Bay Strings." I kept thinking I'd heard the last name somewhere before and I was connecting it to resonator instruments in my brain. A quick Google search reminded me that a Mike Replogle is responsible for some very good replacement resonator cones.

Anyhow, this tenor is built along the lines of a 12-fret Martin 5-21 tenor guitar from the '30s, though the neck is bulkier and it's built a fair-bit more heavily than any Martin I've come across. It's pretty, though, and makes use of nice-looking rosewood for the back and sides. The look is understated but elegant, too, featuring flamed maple binding and herringbone trim.

Work included: a replacement (same shape as the original) bridge fabrication and install, a fret level/dress, and a good setup. It sounds, plays, and feels a lot better than when it came in and now the thickness of the rosewood backing the sound is a bit more apparent. The neck's straight, the action is a spot-on 1/16" at the 12th fret, and the instrument is tuned to "Chicago" DGBE.

Scale length: 22 1/2"

Nut width: 1 1/4"

String spacing at nut: 1"

String spacing at bridge: 1 11/16"

Body length: 16 1/8"

Lower bout width: 11 3/4"

Waist width: 7 1/4"

Upper bout width: 8 1/2"

Side depth at endpin: 4"

Top wood: solid spruce

Back/sides wood: solid rosewood

Bracing type: x-braced

Fretboard: ebony

Bridge: rosewood

Neck feel: deep U-shape, flat board

Condition notes: there's wear on the upper bout top that's been covered-up with a small clear pickguard, though there's a very minor amount of usewear throughout otherwise.

It comes with: a good hard case.

The instrument has fancy, Grover, locking tuners.

Both the nut and saddle are Tusq, too.

I made my replacement (same shape as original) bridge out of rosewood. It's hard to notice that it's not ebony, however, with the clearcoat on it that darkens it. Compared to the original bridge, I also set the saddle for better compensation and filled/redrilled the pinholes for wider string spacing.

The owner added a clear plastic pickguard over the wear-spot at the bass side of the fretboard extension.

It came with one at the soundhole, though.

I love the volute on the back of the headstock.

The flamed maple binding looks classy against the pretty rosewood of the back and sides.

It comes with a nice, 0-sized hard case that's been padded-up to fit.