Archtop Identity?

[Thomas James]

Ran across this. I am thinking it's a Chicago made. Other opinions appreciated. 18 inch lower bout. Grover tuners. No markings inside or out. Cheers. Tom

[John McDonald]

I think you're right about it being from Chicago. I'd put my money on it being made by Regal. Cool guitar.  

[Eric Steven Johansen]

I'd put my money on Regal as well. Cool guit-fiddle Tommy.

[Matt Haugen]

It looks a whole lot like a Slingerland I used to have.

[Kerry Krishna]

Thomas,can you tell me: Is the bridge  two sided? Can you flip the bridge over and use the other half? If so ( as it looks in the picture ) This is at the vera least , a Kay bridge. The F holes look like Kay, the pickguard shape is exactly like 4 of the Kays that I own,  AND the gold decal on the headstock is done by the same artist who did the golden Indian Head Decal Kay Kraft guitars.

   I'm gonna go out on a limb here and tell you this is a Chicago made Kay made guitar from likely early 40s. 

.. 

[Thomas James]

Thanks all.  Kerry, the bridge is a plastic/bakelite material. My memory says that yes, it might be 'flip-able'. I don't have the guitar with me. It is at a shop I do work for in Pittsburgh. I gave them an estimate on repair. Neck is loose. Frets are a mess. It's one of those: "This is my Dad's old guitar - how much to get it playing?"  I have feeling it will become a wall hanger after the estimate is received.  I also left a dollar amount for purchase :) 

p.s. Sorry for the bad spelling in my previous post.

[Kerry Krishna]

Bakelite. Yep. It's a Kay Kraft bridge, and confirms a suspicion I have had the last few years about these axes... Thanks for posting this as it has helped me too!

[Thomas James]

Kerry, please elaborate on your suspicions.

[Kerry Krishna]

The 20s 30s Kay Krafts that I collect, well, they have some odd appontments. First off, there is little in the way of being able to date them. Never any SE numbers, model numbers on these old school axes. This one thing makes it incredibly hard to date them. One of the things that has always puzzled me was the years of production of certain parts.  Certain of the Kay Krafts came with this bakelite bridge. The saddle is slanted on one side, and straight across for slide playing on the other. I have always thought that it must be a vera late in KK production thing on the two point axes that I have, but could never be sure. Now, after seeing this guitar, (though evidence is circumstantial)  I believe I was right about it. 

[Thomas James]

Thanks Kerry. I can confirm that the bridge on the Archtop is exactly like the one on your Facebook page where you are displaying three bridges.

[Kerry Krishna]

I was going to post that pic here actually. It's a pretty cool thing, and I have yet to see a single Baketite bridge that has even begun to distort from the string pressure. That is sure saying a lot about something like this being on a strung up guitar from 80 years ago!