1930s Regal "Pagoda Stencil" Parlor Guitar

I was traded this cool old Regal 0-size "parlor" guitar just recently. I had been working on it when the owner proposed a swap. I think it's pretty fantastic -- it has a weird, greeny-metallic, gold-silver, sunburst finish on it and crisp, orange and green stencil work on the top-lower-bout. The edges have painted red faux-binding that looks slick, too, and the pearloid fretboard veneer is also a nice touch.

It needed the usual work to get it up to snuff, but now that it's playing nicely it's definitely a good contender as a sweet fingerpicker or "relaxed flatpicker" guitar. This has Regal's normal "transverse ladder bracing" with the angled main brace which gives the tone a bit more warmth and sustain than the average ladder-braced guitar from the time. 

Repairs included: someone else had already done a neck reset and shaved the bridge a little. I gave it a level/dress and seating of the frets, fit a new bone nut, added side dots, cleated and sealed a back crack, reglued a number of loose braces, filled and recut and redrilled both the saddle slot and pinholes (all in not the best locations), fit a new bone saddle, cleaned it up, and set it up on-the-dot.

  • Weight: 2 lbs 15 oz
  • Scale length: 24 1/8"
  • Nut width: 1 7/8"
  • Neck shape: big curvy-edged V
  • Board radius: flat
  • Body width: 13"
  • Body depth: 3 7/8"
  • Top wood: solid birch (I believe)
  • Back & sides wood: solid birch
  • Bracing type: transverse-ladder-braced
  • Bridge: ebonized maple
  • Fretboard: maple with pearloid veneer
  • Neck wood: poplar
  • Action height at 12th fret: 3/32” bass 1/16” treble (fast, spot-on)
  • String gauges: 52w, 40w, 30w, 22w, 16, 12 custom lights
  • Neck relief: straight
  • Fret style: narrow/medium-tall

Condition notes: aside from a long hairline crack (repaired) in the back and then two shorter ones besides in the back, it's actually very clean for its age. The graphics are all crisp and accurate and the trim shows very little wear. It's all-original save saddle, nut, and bridge pins, too. There's weather-check to the finish and light scuffing/scratching here and there throughout but nothing to write home about.


It comes with: sorry, no case.


Consignor tag: JW



















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