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*** NEW LISTING! 04/10/2024 - Restoration Completed - full set of completion photos now displayed!

*** Normally my price for a restored Vintage 1930s Archtop like the one would not be less than £699, so this one offered at a very keen price of £549, reflecting the lack of clear brand history...although to my mind the look of the guitar is just the essence of a pre-war guitar.
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This guitar is thought most likely to have been sold new under the "Playtime" banner, one of the in-house brands for Sears at the time, and was almost certainly made in Chicago, most likely by the Regal company or by Kay, and is believed to date from the late 1930s, or the very start of the '40s, at the latest. All the "Playtime" guitars I have seen photos of have a purely painted on headstock logo...readily removed, as I guess that this one was, early in the guitar's life. Photos include images of paper reproductions in the case, of wartime photos showing the guitar in use in a serviceman's band.

Over the years I have sold a good number of examples of the various vintage acoustic archtop models, made in the USA between the 1930s & 1960s, mainly Harmony built, but also Kay & Regal models. The default maker's attribution for most advertisement descriptions of Playtime guitars, is "made by Harmony", but I have seen it reported that in the Blue Book of Acoustic Guitars it is indicated that "Play Time guitars were made around the 1940s.? Kay /Regal. House brand for Sears."

That the Playtime name was a Sears brand is certainly correct, as is the era of many Playtime guitars, but I would suspect they started to appear before the end of the '30s...I think I well know a Harmony made guitar, when I see one....certainly some Playtimes are clearly Harmony, but others are not....hence the other two most likely candidates, are indeed Kay & Regal, and I suspect this one is from one or the other!

Stock Number: VTG1396.

This guitar came in some years ago, with advice that it had come over from the States with an American GI during WW11. Photocopied images in the case, and reproduced in the photos to this description show the guitar being played in a band by a British serviceman in Royal Signals uniform....note, the headstock brand name had already gone!

The guitar appears to be of all solid Birch construction, typical of Chicago-made guitars of this period, with grained finishes to resemble Spruce & Maple effects to top & back respectively. In terms of dimensions, headstock & F-hole styles, and some other fittings, the guitar closely resembles the Carl Fischer archtop I also have currently available. Possibly made by the same maker...likely Regal or Kay?

Cosmetically the guitar is generally in good shape for age. Top & back seams have traditional bindings, rather than the painted ones on the similar Carl Fisher archtop currently in the workshop. There is some not unsightly crazing to parts of the finish, and sections of localised finish wear and limited loss, as per photos, but I think that the photos show that the guitar remains a handsome c.85 year old!

Restoration repairs were assessed with the professional luthier I work with, and completed work has included neck reset, having removed the fingerboard and glued/added hardwood veneer liner to the underside to correct unevenness in the fingerboard, and adjust alignment, followed by re-levelling the 'board, maintaining original approx. 12" radius, and re-fretting has been completed.

After completion of neck and fingerboard reset, it was decided that the loss of limited areas of finish, over and beyond the natural finish wear the guitar showed, did warrant some limited finish restoration work, skilfully completed by the luthier, Colin Keefe, still maintaining maximum originality.

Original tuner machines were not in good shape, and have been replaced with new StewMac Golden Age Restoration tuners, which are a drop-in replacement, with dedicated matching bushings, giving the precise tuning of new tuners, whilst maintaining vintage fittings style, but slightly shaped, "Bell-end", just shows small shadow imprint of the original square end tuners.

The floating bridge in place when it came is possibly not the original, is very much the same age/type. It has been adjusted and retained as it is entirely in keeping in terms of style and period, and I have adjusted the base to provide better seating on the top which not unusually has developed a slightly uneven profile, with additional reinforcement to the underside.

The original looking nut has been removed and is sound, and of bone. It has been adjusted and re-fitted following fingerboard work. The metal tailpiece is sound, generally clean & bright. Original black pickguard has also been re-fitted.

With relevelled and re-fretted fingerboard and corrected neck angle the guitar plays very well, with a comfortable "V" profile neck, typical of similar guitars of the period, with good archtop action of around 3mm. at the 12th fret. It has been strung with a set of Newtone Masterclass Monel 12-54 strings.

There is an old case with the guitar, of substantial hard construction, quite possibly the case that brought it across the pond (with military escort?), which with a replacement for the broken handle, and other TLC, might be again made serviceable. I may be able to offer additional options of period or modern hardshell cases (including Hiscox Liteflite), or a gigbag, and the guitar will be packed securely if postage is required.