Wulschner & Son 'Regal' Guitar c 1900 | SOLD | (v2142) We're pleased to offer this rare and beautiful 'Regal' grand concert-size guitar made by Wulschner & Son in Indianapolis, Indiana, circa 1900. The Wulschner & Son labeled instruments, according to Bob Carlin's well-researched book, Regal Musical Instruments, were only made from 1896 to 1900, making this a rare and historically interesting instrument. However, as things often go in manufacturing, the Wulschner operation was soon sold off, moved to Chicago and became the venerated Regal Musical Instrument Co., a huge producer of guitars in the first half of the twentieth century.
Based on the Wulschner & Son 1896-97 catalog, this appears to be a Style 104 grand concert-size acoustic guitar. The back and sides are beautifully figured Brazilian rosewood. The top is spruce, with colorful marquetry inlaid around the top and sound hole, both set off with white celluloid. The back also features an inlaid marquetry strip. Interestingly, this style of marquetry continued to be seen on many Regal instruments even after the move to Chicago. The neck appears to be mahogany and is carved in a comfortable 'C' shape. The fingerboard is ebony and inlaid with pearl position markers. The headstock is overlaid with ebony veneer, and sports a pearl inlay that looks very much like a stylized 'W'. The bridge is ebony (replacement). The top is ladder braced. The serial number, 7243, is dye-stamped on the mahogany heel block.
The body measures 14" across the lower bout. Scale length is 24 7/8". The fingerboard measures 1 3/4" across at the nut, and string spacing is 2 3/16" across at the saddle. The body depth at the end pin is 4", making this a relatively deep example.
We noticed a few old repairs on the guitar: the neck was reset; a 'popsicle' brace was added under the area of the fingerboard extension, we would guess to support the added tension of steel strings; the bridge was replaced; there appears to be a repaired side crack (nearly invisible) in the lower bass bout; the body appears to have been either French polished or sprayed; there is some dye discoloration in the spruce around the sound hole from the darker marquetry. Otherwise, a tidy and quite solid early 'parlor' guitar in a size that would have been large for its time.
The neck shape and size make this a real fingerpickers guitar. The combination of the larger body dimensions, old spruce top and Brazilian rosewood back and sides result in a guitar that has a wonderful tonal range and color. The notes are full, and carry a lot of power even when pushed with a thumb pick.
Comes with a new hard case.
You can sample the sound clip in our gbase.com store Vintage Blues Guitars.
Based on the Wulschner & Son 1896-97 catalog, this appears to be a Style 104 grand concert-size acoustic guitar. The back and sides are beautifully figured Brazilian rosewood. The top is spruce, with colorful marquetry inlaid around the top and sound hole, both set off with white celluloid. The back also features an inlaid marquetry strip. Interestingly, this style of marquetry continued to be seen on many Regal instruments even after the move to Chicago. The neck appears to be mahogany and is carved in a comfortable 'C' shape. The fingerboard is ebony and inlaid with pearl position markers. The headstock is overlaid with ebony veneer, and sports a pearl inlay that looks very much like a stylized 'W'. The bridge is ebony (replacement). The top is ladder braced. The serial number, 7243, is dye-stamped on the mahogany heel block.
The body measures 14" across the lower bout. Scale length is 24 7/8". The fingerboard measures 1 3/4" across at the nut, and string spacing is 2 3/16" across at the saddle. The body depth at the end pin is 4", making this a relatively deep example.
We noticed a few old repairs on the guitar: the neck was reset; a 'popsicle' brace was added under the area of the fingerboard extension, we would guess to support the added tension of steel strings; the bridge was replaced; there appears to be a repaired side crack (nearly invisible) in the lower bass bout; the body appears to have been either French polished or sprayed; there is some dye discoloration in the spruce around the sound hole from the darker marquetry. Otherwise, a tidy and quite solid early 'parlor' guitar in a size that would have been large for its time.
The neck shape and size make this a real fingerpickers guitar. The combination of the larger body dimensions, old spruce top and Brazilian rosewood back and sides result in a guitar that has a wonderful tonal range and color. The notes are full, and carry a lot of power even when pushed with a thumb pick.
Comes with a new hard case.
You can sample the sound clip in our gbase.com store Vintage Blues Guitars.