~1915 Regal Victoria GC Natural

Regal 'Victoria' c 1915 | $1850 | (VC2101 consignment) Read on to find out why this guitar is among the best sounding and playing that we've offered. The 'Victoria' was marketed by the gigantic music house Beugeleisen & Jacobson (B&J) of New York City in the first quarter of the twentieth century. B&J didn't actually make guitars, but rather 'jobbed' them out from other makers, such as Oscar Schmidt and Regal, but with their own label. The Victoria guitars that we've seen over the years have all been pretty good instruments, with both quality materials and workmanship. This particular guitar appears to be model #460GC (Grand Concert), since a similar example appeared in the 1916 B&J catalog, priced at $16.25, a decent sum in those days.

The back and sides are solid mahogany, stained a dark oxblood. The top is spruce and trimmed with w/b/w/b binding and multi-colored 'rope' marquetry. A similar marquetry strip is inlaid down the center of the back, too. Top, back and sound hole are edged with white celluloid. The neck is mahogany, carved in a 'V' shape, with both the head stock face and heel cap finished in Brazilian rosewood veneer. The head stock is adorned with a pearl star inlay. The tuners are Stu-Mac Golden Age replacements, but the likely original tuners are in the case.

The grand concert-size body measures 14 1/16" across at the lower bout. Body depth is 3 7/8" at the end pin. Scale length is 25 9/16". The neck measures 1 13/16" at the nut and string spacing is 2 11/32" at the saddle. Action is set at 4 & 5/64" at the twelfth fret.

This guitar has been 'hot-rodded'; the top and neck were removed and the guitar rebuilt with new and upgraded components. It was originally ladder braced, but was X-braced in the Martin style by James Burkett. ​Several back braces and the back strip were replaced. A small maple bridge plate and a rosewood pyramid bridge of the period were installed. The neck was reset, and a new rosewood fingerboard with a 16-inch radius replace the original flat, 'ebonized' board. The frets are new. An additional position dot was inlaid at the twelfth fret, as well as side dot markers on the bass edge of the finger board. Several top and back cracks were repaired while the back and braces were off, and are quite stable and don't detract from the guitar's patina. Overall, the guitar is now more solid and stable than when new. The finish is original, and shows wear from age and use, including a few nicks and some lettering visible on the top.

With nice low action, a straight neck and new frets, the guitar plays effortlessly. But the sound produced is truly remarkable. The likely combination of the light build, quality materials, X-braces and body size elicit a tone easily on par with the best of the golden age Martins we've played. The tone is warm and pure, with nice sustain when played with bare fingers. When pushed with a flat pick, no matter how hard a player digs in, the tone quality remains, just louder, but with no unwanted, distorted overtones. A versatile guitar that succeeds as a solo instrument, or as acoustic lead in a small band.

Comes with a soft case.

Check out the sound clip