- Glen Campbell with a Regal Resonator Mandolin.jpg (2.66 MiB) Viewed 460 times
The Dobro company was formed when the Dopyera brothers pulled out of the National Guitar Co. in a dispute with George Beauchamp, co-founder of National. This was in the early 1930's. A few years later National folded, or rather was acquired by Dobro, forming the National Dobro Co. which produced instruments of both designs. The basic resonator design of Dobro instruments (the "spider bridge") differs significantly from the resonator design of Nationals (the "biscuit bridge").
Dobro made mandolins almost from its inception. There are also a fair number of near-identical mandolins labeled "Regal". Regal and Dobro cooperated on building resonator instruments, with Regal supplying wood bodies, Dobro the resonators, and the headstocks sporting alternate decals.
Neither Dobro nor National was noted for the quality of wood used in construction, resulting in very few of the instruments being around today.
The Regal Resonator Mandolin was introduced around 1929-1930 and discontinued sometime before the decade was out, probably no later than 1938. The Regals were marked with a coverplate had "Licensed by National Dobro Corp." engraved just below the bridge.
The Dobro & Regal versions are virtually identical in construction - wooden bodies, aluminum, spun cones & nickel-plated cover plates. The Dobro sports the Moon & Stars pattern coverplate and the Regal has the more traditional round hole design. From what I can tell, Glen has the Regal version. A friend is holding his Montgomery Ward Plainsman Cowboy guitar at the top right of the picture. You can read about it here!
Here is a video of what the mandolin that Glen is holding would sound like.
Interestingly, this design could have possibly influenced Glen in his continued interest in resonator guitars. He had several at his disposal in the 60's and 70's.
- Glen with Resonator Guitars.jpg (77.2 KiB) Viewed 460 times
- Glens Mosrite Californian.jpg (94.65 KiB) Viewed 460 times