My Daddy's Regal, My Uncle's Stratotone

[Sausagefingers]

Hiya's.. I'm new here, and don't know alot about guitars, but have been admiring all the sweet instruments.. I have aquired a few cool guitars from the family over the years..figured i throw'em up here and see what y'all think.. My first was this Regal that my pop picked up used from a pawnshop prior to WWII. As the label indicates that it was made in Chicago, I figure it was made in the 30's.. ? I been playing it since I was a kid.



Here's a Harmony H88 that belonged to my Uncle.. He bought it new sometime in the 50's


And lastly, a Gibson Archtop that I discovered when cleaning out my late Grandma's house.. I have no idea where she got it.. but was told it is from the 40's?


Any info as to their values or histories would be appreciated..but really, after enjoying all the great stuff everyone has contributed here, i just thought i'd share.

[simonm]

... um ... the Gibson appears to be signed by Ted Nugent - is/was your grandma a fan? Are you in Michigan by any chance?

Nice guitars!

[Sausagefingers]

[simonm]

Heh!
well, the only one I know anything about is the Harmony - it's an H88, 1955-57-ish, the switch tip and maybe the bridge have been changed
see

Rarer than the single pup H44 - one of those sold on ebay for $1000 a few days ago.

[VintAxe]

Hi Sausagefingers.

I'll take a stab at identifying Grandma's Nugentator.

I think it is a Gibson L-48 which was their budget model archtop marketed to students. Right now I'm thinking it is more likely a mid 50's model than a 40's model. The L-48 was produced by Gibson from 1948 til at least 1969 according to my shipping totals literature and I certainly haven't sorted through all the Gibson literature I have from this era. However, I have taken a look at a late 1940's catalog, a mid 50's catalog and an early 1960's catalog and this is what I see.

Let's start with the late 1940's:


Notice that this model has a more rectangular tailpiece than yours and appears to have a two ply pickguard.

Now for the 1956 model:


I think we have a match in terms of the pickguard and the tailpiece on this one.

If you take a look at the early 1960's model, you'll see that they have returned to the more rectangular tailpiece:


So, without doing exhaustive research on your guitar, my best guess is that it is a mid 1950's L-48.

[Sausagefingers]

I appreciate the info guys.. looks like that 1956 pic nails it for sure vintaxe.. spot on simon .. both the bridge and the switch tip where missing when I got it.. great pics in that link. thanks again !