Soverign Concert size Model Flat Top Acoustic Guitar (1920s), probably Chicago, natural varnish finish, mahogany back and sides, spruce top, mahogany neck with ebonized fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This guitar is an interesting (if slightly quizzical) fancy concert size flat-top guitar looking to be around a century old. It is branded "Sovereign", which would usually imply that it was built in Jersey City by the Oscar Schmidt Company, but that does not appear to be the case. The "Sovereign" brand was generally used on higher-grade instruments and this example bears that out with genuine abalone trim around the top and soundhole. The guitar itself is almost certainly built by the Regal company in Chicago, though how it ended up sold under a Schmidt-identified brand is anyone's guess.
This is not only a fancy-looking piece but also a very good quality guitar for this maker, often identified with lower end product. The body has lovely grained solid mahogany on the back and sides. The spruce top edge and sound hole ring are decorated with inlaid abalone, bordered with several layers of wood and celluloid outer binding. The neck is genuine mahogany with a softer "V" profile than most older Schmidt guitars. The bound ebonized fingerboard features a mix of pearl dots and a sort of abbreviated vine inlay running from the third to eleventh frets. The bound headstock is faced in rosewood with small pearl inlay pieces, four dots and a clover.
Internally the top has four ladder top braces and a long thin bridgeplate. Under the sound hole is the classic Sovereign label as seen on Schmidt factory instruments. The label appears authentic and original to the instrument even though the guitar has no other typical Schmidt characteristics. This instrument is fancier than most Schmidts and may have simply been sourced from Regal to fill an order for something the Jersey City factory did not typically make.
This guitar is a nice sounding and very good playing instrument, though not up to period Martin standards. It has a nice punchy sound, with warmer-than-many and very responsive tone. This guitar shows a lot of play wear but remains in better playing condition than many Chicago or Jersey City instruments from the period, a lovely playable piece of history and a cool guitar for period blues or hillbilly styles or just general use.
Overall length is 38 in. (96.5 cm.), 13 1/2 in. (34.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 7/8 in. (9.8 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 24 3/4 in. (629 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar shows some typical wear and repair but Regal and Oscar Schmidt guitars like this have rarely survived the nearly 100 years without some issues creeping in. The original varnish finish has micro-checking overall and a large and varied collection of dings, dents and scrapes, most notably on the top which has a decent sized pickwear spot into the wood below the strings. The back of the neck has a lot of finish rubbed down to the wood and a great worn-in feel.
The guitar has had the neck reset, a solid job leaving minor steam scarring below the heel. The original straight bracing has not been altered but there is a smaller patch over the center of the bridgeplate and a very thin addition applied off its back edge. The pyramid bridge is a recent repro; other bridges have likely been on and off more than once. The abalone inlaid bridgepins are the period style and very classy. The openback strip tuners are modern repros and very functional. The guitar has been neatly refretted and these show hardly any wear.
This lovely has a rich sound for a small-body instrument and is very playable, a fine fingerpicking and blues machine even though a far more expensive-looking guitar than most authentic blues plated would ever have been seen with 100 of so years ago. It has a "Real Relic" feel to it, probably a good story or two played into it and a great vibe. Overall Very Good + Condition.
