Fender Champ 5F1 Tube Guitar Amplifier (1958)
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Item # 6640
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Regal Octofone, c. 1929, made in Chicago, natural top, dark stained back and sides finish, birch back and sides, spruce top; poplar neck with ebonized fingerboard.
One of the more interesting experiments to come out of the Chicago-based Regal Company, the Octofone was advertised as "Eight instruments in One". What it really seems to be is a small body double-strung tenor guitar, but Regal claimed "The owner of the Octophone has the advantage of combining eight different instruments in one, namely Tenor Banjo, Tenor Guitar, Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello, Ukulele, Tiple and Taropatch. These changes are brought about by variations in tuning" This is the lower priced of two Octofone models Regal offered in the late 1920's, originally selling for $15.00.
The birch body is double bound on the back, single (black) bound around the spruce top, and has a distinctive shape rather like an elongated guitar with both upper bouts cutaway. The one-piece tailpiece is stamped "Bell Brand, Patented, N.M.S. Co.", who are better remembered as the original makers of Black Diamond Strings. The small wooden squared-off movable bridge has bone saddle. The rosette has red, white, and orange wood marquetry and black binding. The neck is narrow and has a slim slightly tapered headstock stamped PAT. APLD. FOR. With an oval decal on the face reading "OCTOFONE - reg. US pat. Off". The oval soundhole label reads "The Mark of Better Instruments, Made by the Regal Musical Instrument Co., Chicago." with a crown logo.
Overall length is 32 15/16 in. (83.7 cm.), 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 21 in. (533 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/8 in. (35 mm.). A very nice example overall, all original with some average wear (most notably to the headstock edges). There are some long scratches to the top that look like cracks on first glance, but are not through the spruce. A nice player, currently strung and tuned in Octave mandolin (Irish Bouzoiki) tuning. Excellent - Condition.
One of the more interesting experiments to come out of the Chicago-based Regal Company, the Octofone was advertised as "Eight instruments in One". What it really seems to be is a small body double-strung tenor guitar, but Regal claimed "The owner of the Octophone has the advantage of combining eight different instruments in one, namely Tenor Banjo, Tenor Guitar, Mandolin, Mandola, Mandocello, Ukulele, Tiple and Taropatch. These changes are brought about by variations in tuning" This is the lower priced of two Octofone models Regal offered in the late 1920's, originally selling for $15.00.
The birch body is double bound on the back, single (black) bound around the spruce top, and has a distinctive shape rather like an elongated guitar with both upper bouts cutaway. The one-piece tailpiece is stamped "Bell Brand, Patented, N.M.S. Co.", who are better remembered as the original makers of Black Diamond Strings. The small wooden squared-off movable bridge has bone saddle. The rosette has red, white, and orange wood marquetry and black binding. The neck is narrow and has a slim slightly tapered headstock stamped PAT. APLD. FOR. With an oval decal on the face reading "OCTOFONE - reg. US pat. Off". The oval soundhole label reads "The Mark of Better Instruments, Made by the Regal Musical Instrument Co., Chicago." with a crown logo.
Overall length is 32 15/16 in. (83.7 cm.), 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 in. (7.6 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 21 in. (533 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/8 in. (35 mm.). A very nice example overall, all original with some average wear (most notably to the headstock edges). There are some long scratches to the top that look like cracks on first glance, but are not through the spruce. A nice player, currently strung and tuned in Octave mandolin (Irish Bouzoiki) tuning. Excellent - Condition.