Topic: 12 String Trash Can Find - IT'S HOME!

[sabocat]

This one was literally found sticking out of a garbage can - a Regal 12 string.  I don't know much about it as Regals are not the easiest guitars out there to figure out.  This one with the funky wrap around "smile" bridge shows up in the 1939-40 catalog.  It seemingly disappears from the Regal line after 1946.  But again, it is hard to determine anything for sure.  It has the double X bracing which was standard in Regal-made jumbos starting around 1935.  It is all there (except for one missing tuner post and the end pin) but when I removed the two strings that were on it I found that the neck was so loose it would pop off if I yelled at it.  So at the moment I do not have a clue how the guitar sounds.  Definitely worth fixing up and putting back on the road though. 

[nobocaster]

Nice find!  Agreed, definitely worth getting back into playing shape. 

[Parlor Picker]

We all dream of finds like this, but they rarely happen.

[SouthernSounds]

Any progress on the trash can find? And congrats, by the way. 

All the best,
Bruno

[sabocat]

Any progress on the trash can find? And congrats, by the way. 

Still up at the shop. 

[frankie]

FWIW - a Regal 12-string of approximately the same model and age was Alvin Youngblood Hart's main 12-string until his Fraulini came along.

[nobocaster]

FWIW - a Regal 12-string of approximately the same model and age was Alvin Youngblood Hart's main 12-string until his Fraulini came along.

He loved his Fraulini so much, he just tossed that Regal in the trash!   

[sabocat]

Alvis is the only guy I have known to play one of these Regals. 

Still waiting on it. 

[Prof Scratchy]

I have one. You won't be disappointed as long as you get used to the width and girth of the neck.

[sabocat]

Considering I am surrounded by 1920s and 1930s Schmidts, Kay Krafts and such I did not find the neck on the Regal intimidating.  It just feels "normal" to me. But I always have a bit of a laugh when somebody refers to the neck on my Banner Gibson J-50 as a "baseball bat."  Ain't even in the ballpark.

Have to ask,  does your Real 12 have the fixed bridge or Trapeze tailpiece?  Reason I am asking is the only ones I have been able to dig up all have the trapeze tailpiece.  Other than the 1939-1940 catalog I have never laid eyes on even a picture of one with the fixed wrap around bridge.

[Prof Scratchy]

Here's a pic. Was told this was probably a Regal or Harmony. No name, but rather large - hence Boris.

[sabocat]

At long last.  I made the two hour trip into the Middle of Nowhere Missouri to fetch it.  After a laundry list of repairs, the guitar probably plays better than it did when it rolled out of the factory in Chicago.  First song I played on it?  What else but Leadbelly's "Gallis Pole."  Three things immediately popped into my head.  First, that is still a tough song to play.  Second, I hate tuning 12 string guitars.  Third, this thing truly does have the biggest, fattest, thickest neck in the known Guitar Universe. 

Really nice lower end on the guitar but the upper end tends to "shimmer out" so I will have to work on calming the beast down a bit.  The guitar does ring out though.  You can strike a big fat A7chord and go have a cup of coffee and cigarette and it will still be going when you get back.  Figure I will go old school and string it with 13s, double up on the G string and tune down to B or C. 

[Lastfirstface]

Very cool. What's the scale length?

[EddieD]

Look beautiful!

[sabocat]

Very cool. What's the scale length?

25.5"