1930s Supertone

[George Roberts]

A friend just brought this over.  It had been in his 92 year old mother's attic.  She remembers having bought it as a teenager, but can't remember whether she played it as a regular guitar or as an Hawaiian.  The nut is missing, but there are frets.  Other than the bridge and the nut, it seems to be in pretty good shape.  The pick guard shrinkage has started a small crack in the top.  It is in the original black alligator paper case.

I know that Supertone was a Sears brand, and that several different makers produced guitars under that label.  Does anyone know who the maker was for this specific guitar?

Were these always set up as Hawaiian?  With the frets, I'm wondering if they were set up for regular playing, or, perhaps some of each.

Thanks, George

[George Roberts]

A couple more pictures.  Same decal, opposite sides of the guitar.

[Steve Bettesworth]

I've  couple of Supertones. One is almost playable, very high action and probably needs a neck reset the other has had a new fingerboard stuck on, been sanded and painter and is unplayable. One day I'll fix her up. I bought the first one believing it to have been made by Regal and I'm sure some are very similar to the old Stella's.

[Steve Bettesworth]

The Supertone I believe to be a Regal has the same binding as yours:

[URL=http://s1082.photobucket.com/user/derekfisk/media/Mirecourt%20guitar/regal/guitarstone.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j367/derekfisk/Mirecourt%20guit...[/IMG][/URL]

This is the sound hole with the same binding.

[URL=http://s1082.photobucket.com/user/derekfisk/media/Mirecourt%20guitar/regal/stonelable.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j367/derekfisk/Mirecourt%20guit...[/IMG][/URL]

And here's the wall hanger. One day....

[URL=http://s1082.photobucket.com/user/derekfisk/media/Mirecourt%20guitar/regal/wallhanger.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1082.photobucket.com/albums/j367/derekfisk/Mirecourt%20guit...[/IMG][/URL]

Steve

[George Roberts]

Hey Steve,

Thanks for the input.  The purfling sure looks similar.  There does seem to be some variation in the body shape, as well as the label.  Maybe from different years.

I used to haunt the music stores and pawn shops back in the '60s, and "Regal" was the name that first popped into my mind when I saw this guitar.  On the other hand, that was a long time ago.

[RETROROD]

Very cool painted/decaled guitar, George. It evokes a time period ,long gone and well worth restoring, IMO. Sorry that I can,t answer any of your questions, but best of luck with the restoration,

Actually....after a second look.... I simply love the looks of that guitar.....The fretboard intrigues me....what is it??

Rod

[George Roberts]

The fretboard is genuine, exquisite, frequently copied, but rarely duplicated, MOTS.  I have always been a pushover for the parlor guitar shapes.  #1, single 0, and double 0 have always been my favorites, and this somehow fits into that category.  I turned up my nose at hundreds of these back in the 1960s.  Who could have known?