Flat Top Mandola, most likely made by Regal, c. 1932, made in Chicago, black lacquer finish, birch body, basswood neck with ebonized maple fingerboard.
An unusual little instrument, this is a double strung, flat topped guitar-shaped box with a mandola scale neck. It has a tailpiece and floating bridge and is clearly intended for steel strings, but of a lighter gague than most mandolas! We currently have it strung and tuned to D,G,B,E (four string baritone uke style) and it seems very happy. Overall black finish with white binding and a charming rose decal on the top. This is a hybrid of some sort, a cousin perhaps to Regal's distinctive Octophone but with a shorter scale. We've never seen one before, or even a catalog listing of one but here it is, a nice playing and sounding little mystery!
Overall length is 29 1/4 in. (74.3 cm.), 10 1/2 in. (26.7 cm.) width, and 3 1/4 in. (8.3 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 17 in. (432 mm.). Width of nut is 1 1/4 in. (32 mm.). Excellent Condition.
