Working On the Regal Tenor Guitar

Last week I made a video unboxing a customer repair project: a 1920-30’s Regal tenor guitar. This is the model that my tenor guitars are roughly based on. It is in pretty good shape, with no cracks or loose braces. It needs a bridge, a new tailpiece and a setup for sure. First up is the tailpiece. Here is the old one, which I don’t believe it is original. It is a banjo style tailpiece, but has a height adjustment screw that presses into the spruce top. I don’t think it is suitable.

I found a nickel plated mandolin style tailpiece in my parts bin that I think is better. But, it is a little too shiny. I dunked it in this solution to tarnish it, then rinsed it off and steel wooled it. I think it matches the old tuners pretty well.

Next up is the new bridge. I have blanks already milled that match the original Regal bridges made from Walnut or Wenge. Neither looks quite right. Then I remembered that a lot of the originals are either Ebony or Maple that is dyed black. I grabbed a Wenge one, dyed it black with India ink and added some oil/wax. Looks sharp!