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#1
09-18-2015, 01:29 PM
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Thrift store find- What kind of guitar is this?
Looks like an old harmony-type. There's serial number of some sort that reads 304390, no other labels or numbers.
Pretty sure it's not worth a million $$ but it would be cool to know who the manufacturer was and what year it's from. More pics included upon request. Thanks in advance!    
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#2
09-18-2015, 04:05 PM
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Looks like a Harmony-made Supertone to me although I do not have a clue about the stamped number. The fret marker on the 10th fret instead of the 9th and the tuners with the tuning shaft below the cog indicates an older instrument made before the later 1920s. The nut, if original, says it was sold as a Hawaiian lap guitar although some were "convertible" designed to be played both Hawaiian and Spanish style.
Because of the position marker on the 10th fret there is a possibility that the instrument was built by Oscar Schmidt. Easiest way to tell if it is a Schmidt-made instrument is that it will have features such as an angled neck heel and square top kerfing.
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"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard Last edited by zombywoof; 09-18-2015 at 04:11 PM.
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#3
09-18-2015, 04:23 PM
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Looks like a Lyon & Healy from around the turn of the century. Probably has a warped neck or needed a reset and someone put the nut riser on it to play Hawaiian style.
 From Antebellum Instruments. I have a similar looking solid spruce over solid oak parlor that I want to get around to restoring some day... 
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#4
09-18-2015, 07:51 PM
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Quote:
He's a great guy, and very knowledgeable about the older gems that are still around... Not to mention, if anyone's in the market for a "steal of a deal" on some great old guitars, check out his site. He's a "stand up" guy to deal with.
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Will
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#5
09-18-2015, 08:15 PM
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Thanks for the responses. The steel piece on the nut is removable. I can't make out the first part of it (looks like it could be Hawaiian name) but the rest says "... Patented 5-3-1916"
By the looks of things it was set to be convertible from regular to slide. The neck is surprisingly straight. When I take a straight edge to the fretboard it hits pretty high on the floating bridge (doesn't rest right on top but for a potentially almost 100 year old guitar i would say that's pretty good). The wooden nut is still in good shape too. Gonna try to clean it up some and see if its playable. If anyone has any more leads into this baby's origin please let me know!
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#6
09-18-2015, 10:39 PM
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Problem is the tailpiece, bridge, tuners, headstock shape, what looks to be a stained board, and such are generic and can be found on guitars built by a dozen or more builders. Confusing the issue further is the jobbers would build the same instrument for various customers and simply slap a different name on them.
__________________
"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard
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#8
09-19-2015, 09:19 PM
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Steve knows his stuff and is one of the nicest guys around but I disagree about it being a 1930s Regal. It could be something like a Regal Concertone but I still say it is earlier if nothing else because of the tuners. By the late 1920s the gear under style of tuner had become standard.
__________________
"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard
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#9
09-22-2015, 10:42 AM
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