Rust inside my Regal RC-2

[Niek]

I wanted to upgrade my Regal RC-2 and so I first opened the guitar. Inside I discovered a lot of rust! See picture below. This is one where you can see the neck of the guitar inside the body.



Is this normal with a steel guitar or is this something to worry about?

Then I need some advise in replacing the cone. Which one should I use best? A Quarterman or a National? Do I also have to upgrade the biscuit and If yes......what would you advise me?



Then I discovered on the inside of the tailpiece a green seal or something. Maybe to protect the body or to prevent buzz.



Then there is the nut. I am not sure if this one is made of plastic or bone.

The outside of this guitar looks very good, but the inside.....I was a bit dissapointed, but then again, it isn't a National

[LouisianaGrey]

I wouldn't worry about the rust as long as you are keeping the guitar in a dry environment, it shouldn't get any worse

Most people prefer National cones rather than Quartemans, although they are both good they have a slightly different tone. If you buy a National cone you get a biscuit with it, but bear in mind that the National cone is taller than the Regal cone and the National biscuit is thicker too. Even if you use the Regal biscuit bridge, because the cone is taller it will project through the coverplate so it's worth trimming the biscuit around the edge on a belt sander. Alternatively use one of Paul Norman's carbon fibre bridges, which have a much thinner biscuit so it remains below the coverplate.

That green stuff - I don't know why they do it like that. It's probably to try to prevent buzzes, but if the tailpiece is going to buzz it will usually do it at the front edge, which is where you need to put the padding.

The plastic nuts they use are quite yellow in colour, whereas the bone nuts are much lighter - almost white. Which one it is will depend on the age of the guitar. On the older ones the nut is plastic.

[Niek]

Hello,

Thanks for your reply.

So this is something I should not worry about to much? Pfff.........

The nut on this guitar has a yellow color. So this is a plastic nut and an older model Regal?

I also noticed that the cone is rather thick.

I am very curious how the guitar will sound with the improved parts.

[Colin McCubbin]

Many of the prewar National and Dobros (especially Hawaiians) I buy/see have bone nuts that have broken. Although I prefer the tone, new bone nuts look too white so here's a hint to 'age' them.

Make and fit the new nut . (Bone blanks are available from most good lutherie suppliers, I usually use ones from Stew Mac)

Then simply make a cup of tea (no milk )and chuck the bone nut in the cup for a few minutes. Get it out and allow it to dry. The bone is porous and the tannin will have turned the nut to a mottled brown, it is very effective, and definitely looks old!

[Michael Messer]

Only an Englishman would suggest 'simply make a cup of tea' to stain your bone nut!!!! Colin is right, tea is an excellent dye. It must Waitrose organic, Tetley just doesn't have the depth of colour.

Shine On ( Two sugars please)
Michael.

[Dave King]

Just a quick note on the tea thing,,, as a young guitar maker (to dam long ago) I discovered tea added to cellulose laquer gave an excellent aged colour. The way I discovered this was heating up cellulose laquer on the gas stove with a tea bag in,,,,,,,,,, ummmmm and I am still here,,,, oh to be young I guess

Dave King

[Dave King]

maybe I should have kept the above quite

Dave King

[Ian McWee]

I reckon "Rust inside my Regal" is a crackin' title for a blues guitar song!!

Slide On!

Ian.

www.diamondbottlenecks.com

[silverslider]

Yes Ian

Wasn't it a Rod Stewart/Faces song?

Something like :

'Rust inside my Regal made a 'blueser' out of me'

Or maybe it was what made Milwaukee famous.....I'll get my coat.....

silverslider

[Niek]

Maybe it is a great title for a blues song Lets first think of some nice lyrics for the song

Does anybody know where I can find the lyrics of old blues songs, like say for instance: John Hurt or Big Bill Broonzy?

[Colin McCubbin]

Dave... My guitar?..........

[Colin McCubbin]

Michael.

I know we make coffee when I visit you, but for all my 'younger' years on UK building sites the mantra was "Tea's up.. Tools down.. Time to read the... er... Sun? (does that paper still exist?)"!

I had years of practice at that one. PG tips rules.. OK?

Aloha

Colin

[Deleted]

Hi SpoedNick, Usual starting place for lyrics is a search engine on the internet, so far I've found everything I need in this way. Failing that Mike (from Bluesweek) has a massive file of lyrics.