To preface this, I don't believe that Tony Rizzo intended on scamming me but rather that he simply found himself in a situation where he made a mistake and he didn't want to face the consequences. I learned a valuable lesson about always obtaining good photo evidence even if the person seems trustworthy because of their role; people don't like to admit they are wrong.

Anthony "Tony" Rizzo is a moderator of the Awesome Cheap Guitars Facebook group and fancies vintage Japanese guitars. If you ever get the chance to

He resides at:
818 East Washington St.
Joliet IL 60433

The situation:

We agreed to a trade; my green Greco beatle bass for his sunburst Winston electric 12 string. My instrument was packed in a full sized box with care and his instrument was packaged with less care in a very small box. I confronted him and discussed working something out and he blocked me leaving me with a broken instrument.

His mistakes

1. He left it strung to tension in the middle of a hot September
2. He put it in a small box with insufficient padding
3. And he didn't purchase shipping insurance

My mistakes

1. I didn't take photographic evidence of the neck bow
2. I didn't notice that he did not purchase shipping insurance
3. I trusted that a 51 year old man who runs a guitar Facebook group would be trustworthy

I raised attention to this in the group in September and was ignored by moderation and received no official word about it. I contacted the page admins again in October and was similarly ignored.

After months of giving up, I made another post in March trying to follow up on the case and FINALLY after 6 months I received a reply by Jack Rainwater saying that he didn't think my evidence was sufficient enough and so he did not respond to my earlier messages. I was furious and Tony Rizzo made disparaging comments towards me but kept me blocked so that I was unable to see and respond to them. People used the logic that because I did not respond to his rebuttals (because I could not see them), I was a scammer. Overall it was a complete disaster and I was not thinking straight because of my sheer frustration and how Tony's friends accused me of being a liar and scammer so I left the group.

People who did question Tony and why he had continually kept me blocked instead of trying to reach a civil conclusion were temporarily muted in the group. While this gentlemen below was a little more aggressive than I was, I think his point still stands.

Finally

I fixed his guitar up after leaving it sitting on a shelf for months because it irritated me so much to think about. It needed a new truss rod because the old truss rod was not strong enough to get the warp out of the neck and the neck was twisted. The separating body plys are unfortunate but appear to be stable and so I left them alone. I then had to plane the fretboard, refret it, and restring it. Its a decent guitar but nowhere near as good as the bass I traded him

I know not all of my evidence is concrete and I've learned a lot from this. I just wanted to make sure people know what he did

Kay 

• "K-#### ####"
• Black ink
• Stamped on the back usually visible through the soundhole or f-holes
• "K-####" is the model number of the instrument and can range from one to several digits
• The last 4 numbers have no discernible meaning and are likely related to the batch
• "L#### ####"
• Black ink
• Stamped on the back usually visible through the soundhole or f-holes
• No discernible meaning with regards to model numbers or years
• Likely related to the batch
• "N#", "P#", "B#"
• Black or red ink
• No apparent meaning relating to brand, model, or year
• N Value Range: [1, 12]
• P Value Range: [1, 7]
• B Value Range: [2, 10]
• N and P can occur together
• N and B can occur together

Harmony

• "H####"
• The model number of the instrument
• The DeMont Harmony Database is a great resource for finding information onmodel numbers
• "F-##", "S-##"
• Black or blue ink
• Denotes whether the instrument was built in the [F]irst or [S]econd half of the given year
• [F]all and [S]pring are often incorrectly attributed to those letters
• Sometimes followed by a letter with no apparent meaning
• Includes the phrase "Made in U.S.A" underneath it
• All enclosed in a box
• "Carved-Top"
• Red ink
• Indicates a higher-end model with a carved (rather than heat pressed) arch top.
• Dovetail Stamps
• Some Harmony guitars have numbers stamped on either the male or female end of the dovetail which are only visible with the neck removed
• These are likely internal numbers for construction and have no apparent meaning

This is my attempt to try and consolidate some knowledge about the tailpieces that appear on old acoustic guitars from the mid century. I am mostly focusing on lower end instruments from factories like Kay, Harmony, and Regal and specifically their guitars.

No.
Appears On:
Years:
Construction: 

Screws:
Mounting Face: 

Mid Face:

Front Face:

Flattop Tailpieces

[8]

No. 11356
Appears On: Wurlitzer-branded instruments
Years: Early 1900s
Construction: Stamped, nickel-plated brass
Screws:3
Mounting Face: Spade shaped

Mid Face: Hourglass figure with 3 distinct curves per side

Front Face: Folded over for string mounting

[5]

No. 12R5186
Appears On: Sears Roebuck
Construction: Stamped, nickel plated brass

Screws: 3
Mounting Face: Spade shaped

Mid Face: Hourglass figure with 5 curves per side

Front Face: Folded over and notched for strings

[16]

No.
Appears On: Kay
Years: 1960s
Construction: Stamped, nickel plated steel 

Screws: 1
Mounting Face: 

Mid Face: 9 lines are etched into the left side, The Kay stylized 'K' is etched in the middle, and 3 diamond shapes are cut into the metal

Front Face: Sharp triangular raised portion for the strings to sit

[2]

No. 706
Appears On: Regal
Construction: Stamped, nickel plated steel
Screws: 3
Mounting Face: Spade shaped 

Mid Face: Trapezoid with center cut out

Front Face: Raised portion for strings to sit in, smooth front

[12]

No.
Appears On: Harmony
Years: 1950s-1960s
Construction: Stamped nickel plated steel

Screws: 2
Mounting Face: Two nubs, one for each screw

Mid Face: Trapezoid with raised lines and center cut out

Front Face: Raised portion for strings

[10]

No. 1711
Appears On: Harmony
Years: 1950s-1960s
Construction: Stamped nickel plated steel

Screws:3
Mounting Face: Spade shaped 

Mid Face: Trapezoid with raised lines on the edges and a 4 hole decorative cutout in the center. 

Front Face:Raised portion for the strings to sit, small convex curve

 [1]

No. 1701
Appears On: Harmony, Kay
Construction: Stamped, nickel plated steel
Screws: 3
Mounting Face: Spade shaped

Mid Face: Hourglass shape with 4 curves per side

Front Face: Raised portion for strings, serrated front

 [1]

No. 1705
Appears On: Harmony
Construction: Stamped, nickel plated steel
Screws:1
Mounting Face: Square shaped with cutout that comes to a point below the screw

Mid Face: Trapezoid with shield-esque cutout

Front Face: Raised portion for strings, comes to a point

[6]

No. 707, 6084
Appears On: Regal, Kay, Tonk Bros
Years: 1930s-1940s
Construction: Stamped, welded, nickel plated steel
Screws: 3
Mounting Face: Spade shaped

Mid Face: Trapezoid with cutout. All sides are folded over for a smooth feel and appearance

Front Face: Claw string mount is hidden by tailpiece cover.

[3]

No. 12L5190, 54
Appears On: Regal, Kay, B&J
Construction: Stamped, nickel plated steel
Screws: 3
Mounting Face: Raised portion in the center, 3 curves on each side that come to a singular point

Mid Face: Smooth, hourglass shape with a single curve for a fan-like appearance. Raised center for a beveled appearance.

Front Face: Raised portion for strings to sit with decorative rivets (?)

[11]

No.
Appears On: Harmony
Years: War time 1940s
Construction: Wood

Screws:2
Mounting Face: 

Mid Face: Elongated heart shape

Front Face: Small channel with holes for strings

 [1]

No. 1710  "Idento" tailpiece
Appears On: Harmony
Construction: Stamped, nickel plated steel 

Screws: 2
Mounting Face: Ornate, comes to a point

Mid Face: Art-deco, trapezoidal shapes.

Front Face: Removable insert for a card, intended for the owner's name. More art-deco influences.

[4]

No. 45
Appears On: B&J
Construction: Stamped, nickel plated steel
Mounting: 3 holes in a triangle formation

Screws: 3
Mounting Face: Spade shape

Mid Face: Hourglass figure with 4 curves

Front Face: Raised portion for strings to sit in. Two nubs on the front resemble Mickey Mouse's ears

Archtop Tailpieces

[1]

No. 1703, 6086
Appears On: Harmony, Kay
Construction: Stamped, welded, nickel plated steel 

Screws: 4
Mounting Face: 2 arms with 2 screw holes each

Mid Face: 2 arms

Front Face: Plain, rectangular cover with holes for the strings to go through

[6]

No. 6085
Appears On: Kay, Tonk Bros
Construction: Stamped, Riveted, nickel plated steel
Screws: 4
Mounting Face: 2 arms with 2 screw holes each

Mid Face: 2 arms

Front Face: Plain, rectangular cover with holes for the strings to go through. 4 rivets visibly mount each arm to the center portion.

[1]

No. 1735
Appears On; Harmony
Construction: Stamped, assembled nickel plated steel
Screws: 3
Mounting Face: Spade shaped

Mid Face: One bar bent into a U shape with acorn nuts on each end. Hinged

Front Face: Sliding string mount with fully enclosed holes for the ball ends of the strings to rest.

[13]

No.
Appears On:
Years:
Construction: Stamped, machined, nickel plated steel

Screws: 3
Mounting Face: Spade shaped with a strap button hole

Mid Face: Rod bent into a U shape, held in a hinge, and with acorn nuts affixed to the ends

Front Face: Floating bar with slots for the strings to go through and 3 lines cut into the top

No. "Adjustotone"
Appears On: Vega
Years: Late 1930s
Construction: ?
Screws: ?
Mounting Face: Adjustable thumb screw for changing the break angle of the strings. Trapezoidal construction

Mid Face: small art-deco cut out

Front Face: Thick block with holes for the strings

Image and Information Sources

 [1] http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/vintaxe_viewer.pl?cat_1940harmony_page35&cat_1940harmony_page35
[2] http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/vintaxe_viewer.pl?cat_1940regal_025&cat_1940regal_025
[3] http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/vintaxe_viewer.pl?cat_1915b_j_09&cat_1915b_j_09
[4] http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/vintaxe_viewer.pl?cat_1927B_J_020&cat_1927B_J_020
[5] http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/vintaxe_viewer.pl?cat_1902sears_006&cat_1902sears_006
[6] http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/vintaxe_viewer.pl?cat_1937tonk_041&cat_1937tonk_041
[7] http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/vintaxe_viewer.pl?cat_1939vega_005&cat_1939vega_005
[8] http://www.vintaxe.com/cgi-bin/vintaxe_viewer.pl?cat_1906wurlitzer_007&cat_1906wurlitzer_007
[9] https://www.ebay.com/itm/263632723231
[10] https://www.umanovguitars.com/store/item/1950s-harmony-1711-tailpiece/
[11] https://reverb.com/item/20921872-harmony-wood-carved-tailpiece-for-archtop-guitar-h1301-clipper-1940-rosewood
[12] https://www.ebay.com/itm/Chrome-Vintage-Stella-Silvertone-Harmony-Guitar-Tailpiece-/283440183202
[13] https://reverb.com/item/6323481-kluson-vintage-kay-harmony-short-trapeze-guitar-tailpiece
[16] http://thumb1.zeppy.io/d/l400/pict/293061655482/kay-deco-1960s-arch-top-guitar-tailpiece-silvertone-harmony-old-kraftsman-nr

This list is the culmination of research done by myself and others into the various brand names that appeared on instruments in the 20th century. Sources and more info can be found on the respective manufacturer pages. Not all of this information is mine, a lot of it I have compiled. Credits go to JediStar.com, Harmony.DeMont.com, Jake Wildwood, and more

Brand	Distributor	Built By			Years Active	Notes
		Kay	Harmony	Regal
A. Rogers	Selmer UK		Y		1940s
Airline	Montgomery Ward	Y	Y		1958-1968
Alamo						Purchased parts from Kay
Aloha			Y
Ambassador		Y	Y
Arch Kraft	Vitak-Elsnic co	Y			1933-1937
Armstrong			Y		1940s
Barclay	Unity Buying Service	Y
Beltone	Sorkin Music Co	Y				kayvintagereissue.com claims distribution by “Monroe or P&H”
Biltmore	Vitak-Elsnic		Y
Broman	Broman		Y		1940s
Bruno			Y
Buckeye			Y
Carelli			Y
Catalina	Abercrombie and Fitch	Y				Not to be confused with the Harmony Catalina model archtop
Columbian	Selmer UK		Y
Commander	Aldens		Y
Continental	Continental Music Company	Y			1929-late 1940s
Coronado	Gamble-Skogmo	Y			1960s
Crest	Sears		Y		Late 1930s
Custom Kraft	St Louis Music Co	Y	Y		1930s-1968
El Rancho	Sorkin Music Co	Y			Late 1950s	Western motif
Encore			Y		1940s-1950s
Esquire	Selmer Indiana		Y	Y	1938
Fascinator			Y
Fender			Y		1970s
Fischer	Carl Fischer Catalog	Y	Y		1929-1936 1950s	Also seen branded “Carl Fischer”
Franklin	Franklin Music House	Y			1930s
Futuramic		Y			1950s	Space age motif
Gagliano		Y	Y
Galaxy		Y
Galiano		Y	Y	Y
Gaylord			Y
Gretsch		Y	Y		Wartime 1940s
Groehsl					1918-1921	Absorbed by Stromberg-Voisinet
Heath	Heathkit		Y			Primarily electric
Holiday	Aldens	Y	Y		1960s
Hollywood	Schireson Brothers	Y			1933	Commonly mispelled as “Shireson”
Jay Johnson			Y
Kamico	Kay	Y			1947-1951	Budget line of Kay instruments
Kay Kraft		Y			1927-1937	Venetian style
Kaywood		Y			1934	Wooden resonators
Lark Jr		Y	Y		1930s-1950s	Music-note inlays on the Harmony models
Lee Gibbs / Concertone	Montgomery Ward	Y	Y		1914-1930s
Liberty		Y			Post-War 1940s	Patriotic red-white-blue motif
Lombardi			Y		1930s-1940s	Also known as Nobility
Manhattan	Selmer Indiana		Y
Marathon	Southland Musical Merchandise Co	Y			1950s
Marvel	Peter Sorkin Co	Y	Y		1940s-1970s
Marveltone		Y		Y	1930s	No apparent relation to the ‘Marvel’ line
Marwin	Barth-Feinberg	Y	Possible		1940s-1950s
Master Art			Y
Mayflower	Stromberg-Voisinet	Y			1920s
McKinney				Y
Melody King	Bronson Music Co	Y	Y		Post 1931
Minerva	Eaton’s Canada		Y
Mitchel			Y
Montclair		Y	Y		1950s-1960s
Nobility			Y		1930s-1940s	Also labelled as Lombardi
Oahu	Oahu Publishing Company	Y	Y		1927-1938
Old Kraftsman	Spiegel	Y			1942
Opus			Y		1974-1975
Orpheum	Montgomery Ward	Y			1930s-1950s
Paramount	William Lange Banjo Co	Y	Y
Penn	Pennino Music Co.	Y			1950s
Penncrest	J.C. Penney	Y			1950s-1960s
Playtime	Sears	Y			1940s
Prairie Voice	Calgary Stampede		Y
Premier		Y	Y
Regal		Y	Y	Y		Kay-built in the 1930s Harmony-built post 1954
Rex	Gretsch Catalog (1948)	Y	Y		1930s-1940s
Rhapsody		Y
Royalist	RCA Victor	Y
Serenader	Buegeleisen and Jacobson	Y	Y
S. S. Maxwell		Y	Y		1930s
Sherwood	Montgomery Ward	Y			1940s-1960s
Sierra		Y
Silvertone	Sears	Y	Y	Y		Most common brand. Italian-built models exist from the 60s
Sonata			Y		1940s
S. S. Stewart	Buegeleisen and Jacobson	Y	Y		1930s-1950s
Sterling	Tonk Brothers	Y			1930s
Stromberg		Y			1921-1932
Supertone	Sears	Y	Y		1914-1941
Suprema	Eaton’s Canada	Y	Y		1930s
Supro		Y			1960s	“P.S. Supros were only built by Kay for about 2 years at the very end of their existence.” - Greg Z
Sylvia		Y
Telleno		Y
Tone King			Y
Tonk	Tonk Brothers Co				Till 1938
Tower			Y
Truetone	Western Auto	Y	Y		1950s-1960s
Vega			Y
Vibratone	St Louis Music Co	Y	Y			Resonator models exist
Vita Uke			Y			Roy Smeck endorsement
Wabash	David Wexler Company	Y
Walters			Y		1930s-1950s
Ward	Montgomery Ward	Y			1925-1961
Webster		Y	Y		1940s-1950s
Weymann			Y
Windsor	Montgomery Ward	Y	Y
Wizard			Y			References to these instruments only appear from South Africa