Slingerland Songster - built by Regal?

**HSI** · Dec-05-2011, 7:31am

I was wondering if anyone has tried to get these May Bells sounding a little better ? The sides are ~3/8" deeper than a modern mando, the tops were pressed not carved, and the x-bracing is pretty heavy. Has anyone tried to cut the rims back to a typical mandolin depth, carve the top (advertised in a 30's era brochure as Adirondack) a bit as well as take the bracing down a bit ? I'm sure some are horrified at the thought of it, but it seems like these little mandos could be turned into something half way decent.

As it is, mine is a wall hanger and worse: it may be put back out for sale to finance a mandolin that I have my 'ear' on !

**Charles E.** · Dec-05-2011, 8:02pm

I am in Jakes corner, as soon as I saw the pics, esp the F-holes, I thought "nice Kalamazoo!"

**MikeEdgerton** · Dec-05-2011, 11:06pm

Jake isn't in that corner anymore Charley.

**Charles E.** · Dec-06-2011, 6:12pm

Mike, I saw that after I responded, but I think he has a valid point. There sure looks to have some Gibson DNA in there. Any way whatever corner Jake is in more then likely where the fun jam will be, so thats where I will be.

**Jake Wildwood** · Dec-06-2011, 9:39pm

Originally Posted by Charles E.

Any way whatever corner Jake is in more then likely where the fun jam will be, so thats where I will be.

Tehe, thanks for that, Mr.

**MikeEdgerton** · Dec-06-2011, 10:25pm

If Regal did build them and I'm not sure they did, then the Gibson connection is still the fact that they were apparently enamored with the shapes of the Kalamazoo instruments.

**bobbyburns** · Dec-07-2011, 7:26pm

I used to think Slingerland had guitars and mandolins made for them by Regal, but the more af them I see in person, the more I'm sure they made most of them in house. There are a lot of things about them that may look like Harmony, Regal, or Kalamazoo, but yet they all look like Slingerlands. If you trace the outlines, they are slightly different. The arch in the top is different. The finish material on Slingerlands has a different texture about it than any of the others. The shape of the neck where it joins the peghead is unique. The spacing of the tuners, the length of the head, and the peghead angle, are all different too.

**mandroid** · Dec-21-2011, 7:27pm

A May Belle banjo-uke has Slingerland burned in the rim stick, that I have, FWIW.

**MikeEdgerton** · Dec-21-2011, 10:17pm

I too once felt they were built by Regal or one of the other builders. Now I'm pretty sure Slingerland was building them and why not? The trained work force was there in Chicago, the suppliers were there in Chicago. They were building drums themselves, they could have easily built these instruments.