I was interested in this dobro that was listed as a 1929 model 55, however in my brief learnings about dobro, I’ve never seen a 55 with a sunburst. I called the shop and they said it didn’t have a serial number and the only info they got was it was hand gifted by dobro to the grandfather by the company because he was a known bluegrass player. Not sure the validity of the story.
Did the shop know to look at the tip of the headstock for the serial number?
I'm out of town on vacation so I don't have reference materials with me, but some of the earliest Dobros from 1928-29 (which included some prototypes) did not have serial numbers. And many Regal-built in Chicago Dobros from the mid 1930s didn't have serial numbers either.
This guitar could possibly be an early Los Angeles made Model 36 or 37. Maybe 1930 or a little later- the coverplate screws with the top one toward the fretboard at the 12 o'clock position, and the squared off headstock slots indicate an early California built guitar. When Regal was licensed to start building Dobros around 1933, they moved the coverplate screws to the 11 and one o'clock positions, and the headstock slots were rounded rather than squared off.
Thanks for the info! I don’t think they had it in hand when I spoke with them but they said “we looked everywhere for a serial number. Even took off the resonator.”
Enjoy your vacation!
This has a 15th fret dot. I think they started adding those in 1930.
