Regal / Dobro Model 250 resonator mandolin

[wellvis@well.com]

So I won an auction for what I believe is a ca. 1935 Regal made Dobro mandolin. Unfortunately the seller packed it terribly and the headstock broke. Fortunately the guys at Gryphon Stringed Instruments in Palo Alto put it back together again.
I'm having a lot of fun with it so far.
I've only seen one of these before with this particular cover plate design.

[Bob DeVellis]

I have one of these with a National replacement cover plate. Surprisingly sweet tone -- and loud!

[allenhopkins]

Basically same body as mine, but mine has screen holes and the "crescent moon" coverplate. Nice instrument, except for the neck block, which my instrument repair guy said could have been "balsa wood," it was so soft. Hence, a neck re-set.

How do you know yours was Regal-built?

[Tavy]

Lovely job on the repair - looks great - hows it sound?

[Schlegel]

I love these guys. Mandolin plus spider bridge is one one of those things that just worked out right.

[wellvis@well.com]

How do you know yours was Regal-built?

I don't know for sure, but it seems like that's what Gruhn's Guide to Vintage Guitars says. There is no serial number anywhere on the instrument I can find, and there's obviously no decal on the headstock.
It sounds really nice to me, loud and metallic but with woody overtones (I sound like I'm tasting wine...). I'm not good enough yet to offer a sample, but I'll try to post something later when I have something to contribute.

[Chief]

I've also got one with "Dobro" on the headstock, and the moon and stars on the plate. Otherwise, looks exactly the same. Supposedly from 1935. I added an pickup to it, and it sounds great plugged in to my Ultrasound amp.

[Narayan Kersak]

Are you all, (who have won) able to "chord" on those, doing accompaniment? I'm getting an octave resonator mandolin for irish music, and was curious if I'll still be able to do my usual chordal back up, like I would on my regular octave mandolin. Just curious.

[Schlegel]

Are you all, (who have won) able to "chord" on those, doing accompaniment? I'm getting an octave resonator mandolin for irish music, and was curious if I'll still be able to do my usual chordal back up, like I would on my regular octave mandolin. Just curious.

Chords sound great on my Dobro mando. Don't see why an octave should be any different. Is your resonator style spider or biscuit?

[Narayan Kersak]

It is a biscuit style. What difference do you notice between the spider and biscuit? What should I note?

Chords sound great on my Dobro mando. Don't see why an octave should be any different. Is your resonator style spider or biscuit?

[Schlegel]

I think the spider bridge instruments are more mellow sounding, biscuits are louder, and even more metallic sounding. I think both could work for irish music- if banjo has been assimilated (tenor i.e. about octave mando in range) then other resonators are not a stretch.

[eastmountain]

I've made a couple reso-mandolin conversions.

[allenhopkins]

Own two resonator mandolins, both from the 1930's, the Dobro mentioned above, and a National Triolian steel-bodied instrument with a "biscuit" resonator set-up. Allowing for other variables (longer scale on the National, steel vs. wood body), I'd say that "biscuit"-bridge instruments, where the bridge is directly glued to the resonator cone, are louder, more "brash" sounding, with a really loud "bark" and a quicker decay; spider-bridge instruments, where the bridge sits on an aluminum frame and vibrations are transmitted to the cone through this "spider," have more sustain, more of a "ring-y" sound, and somewhat less volume.

Just generalizing from my own limited experience, but I do have several resonator guitars, of both types, and have found the same general phenomena there as well.

[wellvis@well.com]

While changing strings on my mandolin, I noted that way down under the left side F hole, just above the cone, is a small metal plaque that says "MONTGOMERY WARD". Now I need to find a MW catalog from around 1935 that pictures this instrument to verify it's what I think it is.
There is no "Dobro" decal on the headstock, nor was there one when I purchased the instrument. I note a similar instrument in slightly better condition just sold on eBay for $952 USD.

[anserg]

Great coverplate..what is it made of?

[eastmountain]

Great coverplate..what is it made of?

I buy stovetop grills at the thrift store and repurpose them. Works great, and I always get compliments on the look of the cover plates.