I just got my third vintage Harmony arch top! Another ‘60s H1215. This one’s a ‘66. My first was a ‘64 or ‘62 and I was driven to resurrect it after dragging it around in its previously unplayable state for about 15 years. One night I pulled it out from under the bed and put my thumb over the top of the neck and I realized I had found my perfect blues acoustic. I was too broke to afford a new guitar or a neck reset so I figured out how to do it myself. Luckily, the third one is amazingly playable right after it hit the front porch!
Congrats on the "new" archtop, Ryan! FYI - there are a few other videos in my vintage Harmony series. Here's the first one: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
My first guitar, that my father bought for me in about 1961 was a sunburst Harmony Bobkat and small 3 tube amp. To this day I can still remember feeling like a Rock & Roll king owning that guitar.
In the 70’s I didn’t had much money and I bought 3 Harmony Guitars. Picked them by ear in the music store. A 6 string, 12 string and a Stratocaster. The Strat I still have. The acoustic guitars are now in the home studio of our son. Vintage to him and the guitars he grew up with.
My first guitar was a Harmony H181 made only in '69 and '70.It was new and great for a 14 year old. I replaced the stings yesterday for the first time in decades and was amazed at the tone. It needs some minor adjustments, but it was the first thing I played this morning before the sun was up. (Followed by a Martin CEO 7 that I bought last summer, and an Alvarez all mahogany about one year old.) On a side note, I last gigged with a Washburn Tanglewood I bought in '83. Someone commented on the "vintage guitar "and I said "it's only 40 years old." He was in his twenties and looked at me like I was crazy.
Never played an H181, but it looks like a great guitar. And you have some beautiful acoustics to compare it to! LOL about the "vintage" thing - in guitar sales, the technical designation for a vintage guitar is anything more than 30 years old. By that definition, quite a few of the guitars I bought new are now vintage - just like us!
@Robert Cassard Guitars and houses become vintage . Cars and watches become classic. Beef and wine become aged. We become old and invisible. Lol...and I only mentioned about half of my guitars...but it all started with the Harmony. I couldn't get on the website you mentioned. I wish I knew more about it.
@@johnwashburn3793 Determined to stave off invisibility...unless it's as a superpower! The Harmony database went down when its publisher, Francois Demont, died a couple years ago. You should be able to access the most recent iteration at the following link: Harmony Database [Latest Version via Internet Archive] web.archive.org/web/20200806133357/harmony.demont.net/ Alas, I don't see the H181 in the list...
My dad had a 50's Silvertone archtop that I assume is Harmony, and I still have it. I bought an H21 Harmony bass online and, after fixing the truss rod and nut(which the guy had broken) it is fantastic in every other way. I helped repair a 60's Stella parlor nylon string guitar, and she just gave it to me a few weeks ago, so now I have three. So there's my cache!
When I was 17, my daddy just had to buy a $83 Harmony Guitars-Buck Owens for me. Heavy guage strings and picks were required. That thing made me work hard. Of course, I traded it in as soon as I could afford to. But, yeeaaahhh. look at what they go for now.
Sorry you don't still own that Buck Owens. My childhood experiences of Harmony guitars in the late 60s and early 70s was that they were HARD to play. Often they weren't carefully set up from the factory. High action that really required some muscle. And what was the obsession with heavy strings and picks back then? It was like guitar boot camp!
Young person here, my guitar is a completely beat up hand-me-down harmony sovereign, x braced koren made one sadly, but still like the sound, doesnt disappoint especially for something i got for free.
An influential player, Spencer Davis used a Harmony Jupiter Stratotone on the early hits like I'm a Man and Gimme Some Lovin...It was my 1st electric in the 60s..wish I still had it..
I wish you still had it, too, Dave! Yes to Spencer Davis and his Stratotone. You can see him at 3:16 standing to the left of Steve Winwood who also played a Harmony in the SD Group. Sorry I forgot to mention him!
Wow, what a great video about the most influential and underrated guitar brand in history. I'm happy I found your videos, I'm a Harmony fan myself and I was feeling lonely in my fandom. The average guitarist will act snobbish with anything that's not Gibson or Martin nowadays. Your video shows how many true musicians have appreciated the unique Harmony sound. Anyway, I would also like to mention Kurt Cobain who recorded with a Stella H912, Blind Willy McTell who recorded with a Stella H922 (in fact, many of the old bluesmen used Harmonies). Also, Keith Richards had an acoustic H1270 with which he recorded. The same model was Rory Gallagher's favorite guitar.
I love all those added nuggets, thunderbrand! I hope you've already discovered my other videos about Harmony guitars and the stars who play them. I've played and featured my Stella H929, my Harmony Rocket H59 and my Harmony H7 Lap Steel in separate vids, too. I can't get enough of 'em!
My 2 harmony guitars aren't 60s vintage but they are still good guitars...to me at least. One is a nylon string classical guitar. I like plucking classical guitars when I'm song writing . Mine is a smallish model. My other is a 70s era strat copy. It has a phenomenal neck on it. The electronics are awful but this guitar is on my lap unplugged all the time. It is light. I set it up with an action lower than I can get either of my Fender guitars to play at. The maple neck and fretboard play so light and easy. The guitar is at least a pound lighter than my Fender Strat. It is a thinner body profile. It was the best $5 yard sale find ever! I offered to trade a Rickenbacker 360 straight up for my friend's Harmony Rocket...the 2 pickup model of the guitar you're holding in the video and he turned it down.
Interesting tales, mike a! Your friend's refusal of your Rickenbacker trade offer says a whole lot about how devoted some Harmony owners are to their humble and lovable axes. I saw a beautiful 1965 2-pickup Rocket with Bigsby on reverb.com for $875 the other day, but it already sold.
I bought my 1960 Harmony Meteor in 1985, for $250AUD and have loved it ever since. In the nineties i bought a 1959 Rocket for about $400AUD. I have since owned Teles, Danos, Gretsches, and still haven't found anything that fits me better. It is my yardstick for tone, and when I tire of searching for another guitar that comes close, I go back to my Meteor, and I am home. Guitars have come and gone, but if I could have only ONE, it would be my Meteor. i can't wait to get the book!
Thanks for sharing your story, Karl. I have a very hard time narrowing down my electrics to ONE favorite. Probably a toss-up between my 65 Rocket H59 and my 91 Heritage 575. I can understand why you love that Meteor!
Hey Chris. With a Rocket 🚀 you’re in good company! Check this out: HARMONY ROCKET guitars - A trip to the stars and today’s stars trippin’ - Guitar Discoveries ruclips.net/video/KLlsxhusORM/видео.html
I really enjoyed this video. I went through a JJ Cale phase 6 years ago and was amazed to find out his main guitar was a modded H162 . I bought one immediately. Love it. Fast forward to today and I really love how the brand has been revived. Check out the new Harmony Comet. It’s one of the best semi hollow body guitars I’ve ever played.
Thanks, Matthew. Glad you liked the video...I have three more in this Harmony series, so check ‘em out. I really like the new Harmonys, too. Completely different company, and actually an upgrade to the build quality of original US-made Harmonys. Glad they brought back the brand in a high-quality way.
Hi Robert--Thanks as always for another “education”, This time, regarding Harmony guitars. I’ve seen them for years, but never played or owned one. I did not realize how popular they were with many popular bands on the early days ( 60’s & 70’s). Always thought they were most popular as student models. I will definitely need to get one. A job well done. Thank you
Thanks, George. Any reason to grow your collection. LOL. Sometimes uniqueness is the key, and it seems birch bodies, gold foil pickups, etc. offer magic in that regard. I think you’ll find Kay and Harmony have a lot in common...
I have two Baxendale Harmony Conversions that I absolutely adore - a 1968 (?) Harmony Sovereign 1203 and a Stella H912. Two weeks ago I came across a 1972 Harmony Stella H6130 - I got it for next to nothing. Yesterday, I cleaned it up and swapped the tuners. I will probably refret it eventually. I really like it. I have "nicer" guitars, but these have become my favorites. There is something about them. I used to look down my nose at these - but no longer.
Thanks for watching and commenting, Peter. I keep hearing about these Baxendale conversions. I know nothing about them, but would love an education. Sounds like we're in the same boat. I have some killer, rare and valuable guitars...but I keep reaching for the Harmonys!
@@RobertCassard Scott Baxendale does a great job on these. I would put my Harmony Sovereign 000 up against anything out there in the 000 category. My Stella 912 is my favorite out of 4 twelve strings I have had. He set the neck angle perfectly for me. Plays like butter. I really don't know how he did it, but it is great. In his conversion process, he takes old Harmony's, takes the back off, converts them to a scalloped X bracing configuration, replaces the tuners, resets the neck, planes the fret board, re-frets them and converts the bridge to a traditional pinned bridge. You can order directly from him, or you can find some of them on Reverb. I think totally worth it to bring these old guitars to a new life they wouldn't have otherwise. I have an H-165 on order from him. I MIGHT send the 6130 to him, but not sure if the conversion cost would be worth it for this little one. It actually has a great neck angle as is and since I replaced the tuners myself (I am pretty handy), plays just fine.
Thanks for the great video. Last Sunday I purchased a $40 Harmony Model 02805 at a Chicago yard sale. It's not one of the very good Chicago built Harmonys you described. It's from Indonesia. But it's a keeper. I'm 72 and newly retired. I walked into a Chicago backyard looking for film cameras (I collect them.) and fell in love with a beguiling black and white Harmony guitar. I don't even know how to play the guitar, yet. So your darn video is right. There's something special about Harmony guitars.
Congrats on the bargain Harmony treasure, Richard! Since you're not playing yet, now's the time to bring that treasure to a luthier and get it all checked out and properly setup. Ironically, it'll probably cost 2 or 3X what you paid for the guitar, but it'll certainly be worth it. I'm a big advocate for folks like you who decide to take up guitar later in life. I've done quite a few videos on this channel to inspire folks in your position and give you shortcuts and tips to keep you going. Here's one that may help get you started: ruclips.net/video/0QNckC3Yk_Y/видео.htmlsi=cDIXixfnrmn3XOlo
I just bought a Harmony h 910 classical for pennies. I am thrilled for it is a wonderful guitar. The Bridge has to be replaced because of a crack throughout. It stills holds a tune and has a rich wonderful warm tone and is very playable. I have a stack of guitars and you could not be righter when you speak of the spirt of the guitar. They are a mystical instrument indeed. I always replace the nuts and saddles and dress the neck and level the frets if needed. The one thing about the Harmony compared to its counter parts is that the were extremely liberal with glue and poorly wipe excess.
My pleasure. Knowing who played them and when has helped my listen for and recognize unique Harmony tones. It’s a little like listening for the natural “attic” reverb of the Hitville USA house which you hear on all the early Motown records.
I used to have a Rocket about 15 years ago. These days I have a 1972 Harmony Rebel. I also have a 1968 hollow archtop Silvertone 1418 and an early 70s Kay K-30. My first guitars in the late 70s and early 80s were a Kay Tulip and a Kay SG K2. The original pickups on all those guitars are fantastic. I hated how everyone used to swap them out for overwound humbuckers in the 80s and 90s.
Thank you, littlefury. I'm currently going deep on Harmony guitars. This one's about musicians and artists. This one's about my personal obsession and Harmony's history: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
Back in the mid to late 70's I bought a 1965 or 1966 Silvertone Bob Kat in Black from my Grandfather for I think $50. It came with a Gibson GA-5 amp. Both units are still together and working. I have the original case. My grandfather decided to remove the paint from the neck and head. I have no idea why. All the knobs, pickups and everything still work. Just had a pro go through the guitar and a couple of things needed to be fixed/adjusted. 2 of the frets were shot. Little things like that. And a few things needed adjustment but is mostly has original parts. I have never really played it. I am more of a Acoustic kind of player but am going to find something to use it for. My dad still has the guitar I learned to play on a Harmony Monterey in a Red fireburst color. That one is in great condition though to play it it will have to go see the guitar Dr for adjustments. Great video. Thanks
Congrats on those vintage Harmonys Clarence! There are more videos in this series, if you're interested. ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.htmlsi=b3DzQLQUR7j9wUwR
Thank you so much. I love Alabama shakes. Currently got a sweet Kay swingmaster, and Woking on a 1955 h1214. Love the honor payed to these beauties. Keep it coming.
It's truly my pleasure to create these videos, Jeremy. I did a series of four videos all in a row. Did you find the others? Here's a link to the first, where I confess to an obsession with vintage Harmonys: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
strange how so many expensive guitars lack soul and seem anemic and how many less expensive guitars are alive with vibe and soul. the new harmonys are wonderful.
I agree John. In many ways, the new Harmonys are much better-built than the old ones. That said, the old ones are the OGs, and they do have mojo in spades - especially after a trip to the luthier!
My first guitars (Circa 1993) were Harmony my parents ordered from Fingerhut mail order. Unfortunately, they were tough to play with crazy, high action. We all have to start somewhere.
That’s the real story…many Harmonys were difficult beats coming straight from the factory. But with proper tweaking and setup, they turn into unique sounding high-funk-factor beauties!
Robert, Hello I love old Guitars and they don't have to be expensive. I once had a couple of Normas Archtop electronics that I wished I still had. I played them through a old Gibson Amp. I really liked the tone. Thanks Robert.
I agree Duane. On my channel, I occasionally feature off-brand and low-cost guitars that I consider special finds. I did a recent series about sub-$300 guitars where I featured an old Stella acoustic, a $125 Squier Tele, a $150 vintage "Espana" from Scandinavia, and a relatively unknown cheap electric brand: ruclips.net/video/gPE_zdpYrqU/видео.html
I have a Harmony Meteor from 1959 I paid $750 for it. I pair it with a ‘61 Ampeg Revererocket. I put flat wounds on it and it plays and sounds fantastic. Not my main rig but it always adds something to a track.
Interesting video wow you sure did alot of research Thank you . I have a H165 - 1957 or 59 all mahogany and I just could not put it down when I first played it. It was like.. WOW here she is the guitar I have been searching for for 5 years or more.. and owning 9 acoustics trying to find her.I literally mean I could not put her down sitting on the sellers porch talking to him and he said go put that in your truck I have a few more I want you to play and I couldn't even put it in the truck haha. On the way home I had to stop while a train crossed the road and I even had to get it out and play it while I waited. Crazy eh ? When you were talking about a guitar saying "play me etc" and all of sudden you start playing something just playing around no song that you usually play as if she is telling me what to do haha... that is exactly what it is like did not know how to describe but you did it for me. Thank you and I will never sell this harmony sounds amazing with the all mahogany woody mellow sound and love the neck and string spacing. It is some special :-)
You’re describing a magical connection and I’m so glad you experienced it and that you own that H165, Linda! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
Guitars have a soul installed by the people who own them, as do all other instruments. My friend just gave me his Discovery to tune up (it was bad). It has the igniter pickups and would be a metal players dream. I like to play clean so it wouldn't be for me, but you dont even need a pedal to get some really solid crunch out of it. It plays better than my 93 Strat that has worn out frets. You can buy Harmonies for under 200 bucks still. A friend had a Stella, and I loved playing that guitar, he wouldn't sell it. They are underrated.
I bought a Harmony Stella in way rough shape. Missing brace, loose brace, warped top and back. Put some Silk and Posphor strings on it, and play it just as it is. Good neck and action. Needs tuned from time to time, but for my amateur playing it is fun, and has a unique sound. Always wanted one because of the blues players.
My cousin left me a Harmony Sovereign 3460H1203. I thought it was junk. It had no strings on it and the case was cardboard. I slapped some strings on it and tho the action is kind of high it sounds really good. It plays better than it should. It does have “mojo”. My cousin knew his guitars. RIP Paul.
If you have some cash to invest in Paul's old Harmony, bring it to a luthier for a professional setup. You can likely improve the action so you can really enjoy playing it.
The Sovereign I used from about 1964 was the best sounding acoustic guitar I've EVER played. It was a semi restoration so I could make it play. Everyone wanted to buy it from me and I sold it and two days later I began hunting for another. Found a wreck of one with the usual long crack on the bottom, and Jesus Saves and hippie stuff scratched in the top. I've got almost all of it out, put a real truss rod in it, a neck reset... I can't wait till I finally finish it. If you get one, get the one with the top loaded Ovation style bridge...they were the best ones. Nyms.
Your story could be called Big Yellow Guitar! "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone..." I hope your "new" Sovereign has the same magic as your first.
I just got gifted a 1962 Harmony h-162. I need to pick it up at my sister's house about 300 miles away. I've been playing guitar for over 30 years, but I've never owned a vintage guitar before.
Congrats, Lance. So you might get lucky and the guitar and neck may be in good shape. But in general, my experience with old Harmonys is that they almost always need a proper setup by a skilled luthier (guitar repairperson). It's worth every dollar to get it in comfortable playing condition!
I recently purchased one of the reissue Harmony Comets. It’s amazing! It’s the best deal for buying a US-made electric. Granted, it probably doesn’t stand up to vintage Harmonys, but I think they’ve tried to keep to the original soecs as much as possible.
I knew nothing about Harmony guitars until I discovered Katherine Blamire of Smoke Fairies who has some. I had no idea so many people played them, although I did know that Annie Clarke did. And the girls in the Suffragettes have Bobkats. Very informative video.
I write on an Epiphone Texan for fundamentals, record on a Collings CW for harmonics. Write Strat for sensibilities, record LPs for tone. Find a guitar you write with even if not recording it.
I’ve got an ‘56 H65 mint and a early ‘60’s Silvertone 367/61909 (hotrodded a bit) which I play regularly while my ‘64 Tennessean, ‘79 Les Paul Pro Deluxe, and ‘69 Gretsch Corsair New Yorker gather dust. And they are nice guitars. The H65 is flat out the best of the lot.
They're easy to love, Steven. I hope you have a chance to watch some of my other videos featuring my 58 Stella H929, Harmony H7 Lap Steel and Harmony Rocket H59. Cheers!
Steve Winwood and Spencer Davis both played Harmony Guitars before they had the hit record called " Keep on Running " ...then switched to Fe Dersingham.
I love my H162 and played a few of the newer models . I rebuilt the neck, replaced a few parts, and play it tuned to C#. It sounds amazing. I love to research and write about Harmony guitars, too. I can't believe it took me this long to finally watch this (it's been on my watch later list for a bit)
@@RobertCassard I'll check them out. LMK if you'd like to hear mine or read the article I wrote about Harmony some time. I'm looking to pick up one of the new Jupiter models soonish
@@colecantos3273 Here's a link to my first "Why I'm Obsessed with Harmony" video: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html. Yes I'd love to hear yours and read your article. send links!
I have a 1966-7 Harmony/Silvertone H-78 the single cutaway with D Armond "Tissue box" pickups x 3 has the Bigsby and a Red color. I had one a old Archtop f hole stolen but that happens I miss that guitar
It's great to discover these modern Jump Blues gurus usin vintage gear. Harmony guitars...! Rick Holmstrom, Jr. Watson, Ian Seigel (even John Hiatt's lead guitarist on "Perfectly Good Guitar") playing Harmony guitars. The Howlin' Wolf's early axe was this "peanut" style Harmony. My first ever guitar was a brand new 1961 Harmony acoustic, and in 2016 I was inspired to acquire the mighty Harmony Stratotone Jupiter, 1960 vintage. The Cadillac of the Harmony line. And I cherish it's woody DeArmond Gold Foils 10.5 ohms tone; light-weight playability; truss rod; multi-tone-controls; and the space-age West Memphis aesthetic. Excelsior Harmony! -Doug Pratt, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
@@RobertCassard My Jupiter's a treasure, Robert. Near mint condition, all original, thank goodness for the truss rod...this beauty is not relegated to the slide-only back-up role. -Doug Pratt, Atlanta, Ga., USA
@@edouglaspratt We are lucky boys, Doug. My 65 Rocket has a "steel reinforced neck" (no truss rod), but fortunately the neck is arrow-straight. Plays like a dream!
@@RobertCassard So now my curiosity's piqued...steel reinforced means it's got a non-adjustable truss rod? Ya know, I believe that's what George Gruhn installed in the neck of my 1936 National Duolian back in 1979. It's rock solid, straight as can be, with beautiful soft medium-low action so I can fret as easily as on a Guild or Martin. Is that what you have on your 65 Rocket? -Doug
@@edouglaspratt The short answer is yes. From my understanding, Harmony's "steel-reinforced necks" utilized two thin steel bars, running the length of the neck. Pretty sure this was their innovation. Harmony used to offer a one-year guarantee on every guitar, and I'd bet the steel bars probably prevented many returns from warped necks.
I've got a 72 Harmony Sovereign H1201 that's had the bracing changed over to "X" bracing (by a very good luthier) and it's really made it a great guitar.
@@RobertCassard I wish. No it's a luthier out of Maine. He wasn't very neat with his work and I had to route the saddle slot larger for an oversized saddle. And I had to work on the frets. But with the X bracing and going to 4 back braces instead of the 5 it came with, made a huge difference. He also recontoured the neck to give it a really sleek feel. The neck is almost perfect in my opinion. I call it Ugly Betty, because it's the all black Sovereign that's scratched up a lot. But the sound is phenomenal and it plays great now.
@@RobertCassard And you're icon really screws with me... 😂 I keep thinking I have a new reply from you and don't. When ever I go to my comments, there is a white dot, in the upper left corner, of anyone I've not clicked on yet. But I finally figured it out... 😂 I can be slow sometimes.
My first guitar I paid $50 for a Harmony Stratotone Mars, 60 years later I found another hanging at 30th street guitars. Like finding an old friend, same one Brian played, I call it the atomic guitar. I wish you had demonstrated the tonality differences between some of the models in your collection.
What was 30th Street asking for the Mars 60 years later? Here’s another fun video, and the Mars makes an appearance: HARMONY GUITARS - Why I’m OBSESSED with VINTAGE Harmony Guitars - Should YOU be too? ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
I had to bust out my Who folder and jam some Tommy! I didnt know that 12er was in it, nor did I know his love for Harmz. I have a ton of old Harmony acoustics, never played an electric. One day I will have my rocket. Never heard of LH, checked em out, good call man.
Glad this got you juiced up, Mark! My channel has some other videos you might enjoy including multiple vids about my own Harmony 🚀 Rocket, like this: ruclips.net/video/kQACFYxXPJ0/видео.html And my song blow-up of Won’t Get Fooled Again: ruclips.net/video/I3rZtbuUXr0/видео.html Have fun!
Robert didn’t mention one of the most influential stars of all time, Buck Owens. The red, white, & blue acoustics that were featured on the famous country music show Hee Haw were Harmonys. They were first made only for Hee Haw but so many people wanted one they were soon made available to the public. In several interviews, Buck said he was very happy with the Harmonys. I’m sure they were no Grammer or Mosrite, but for their quality at their price they were head and shoulders above the other choices. There’s one on display at The Crystal Palace, Buck’s venue in Bakersfield, and it looked well constructed and sounded good when Buck’s son Buddy Alan strummed it.
Dang, James. Thanks for leaving a comment. Buck Owens is a HUGE oversight, and that means I also neglected Ryan Adams, who pretty much plays vintage the red, white and blue Buck Owens Harmony model exclusively!
Just on a whim I purchased a Harmony classical guitar online from a Goodwill store in Dallas for $20 with an obviously broken string. A few bucks in nylon strings and this little jewel has a fantastic sound. The action in the first position is way too low causing some fret buzz. I'm going to find a local Luthie to get that addressed. Mine is from the 70's and I plan on buying a full size Harmony acoustic. They have a cool sound. Thanks for your video!
Hey Steve. I hope you find a luthier to bring your Harmony new life. You got a heckuva deal for $20, so even if you invest another $80 plus a set of strings, you'll have a beauty for a bargain price.
Great Video and info. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Charles Bradley and pretty much every daptone record feature a harmony electric. Amy winehouse’s Back to Black album features the dap kings. The Dap Tone guitar sound is so distinctive if you have not give them a listen. Also Rhode Island band Last Good Tooth is all Harmony electrics. Check them out
Great video! I have not known about most of my heros play those guitars for a period of time, I guess people have already mentioned daptone records in the comments 💕
I started playing guitar in the mid-late '60s. I saw the Stones and many more at that time. Frankly, apart from German made archtops (with terrible necks, the Harmony was the only half decent brand we could get in the UK apart from Levin (Goya) out of Sweden. I had an H1265.
Glad you enjoyed this, Kord. You can tell I love certain vintage Harmony guitars -especially when they've been given some TLC. I haven't played a new Harmony - so not able to compare. I love the way the new models look and sound in the hands of the folks I've heard using them. And I think they're available at a very reasonable price for high-quality US-made guitars.
I’ve wanted one myself. Ones with their necks reset and x-braced modification are getting more expensive, but still a bargain by vintage Martin standards
+Jerry Reed Reed was gravitated towards the vintage Baldwin 801 classical guitar (harmony classical with a Baldwin prismatone pickup- Willie Nelson uses the same pickup) he was mainly thrown towards this side of things because the 'strings didn't tear up his fingers' and also he absolutely loved the neck shape Of those early harmony classicals, and as a matter of fact produced his best records behind a harmony..... Just goes to show the broad spectrum of harmony guitars! ruclips.net/video/qOGiW-y-Vhs/видео.html
The guitarist of the brazilian band O Terno, Tim Bernardes also uses a Harmony Rocket (not is main instrument tho he uses a 1967 Hofner VTZ most of the time) it also appears in their debut album cover that you can look it up on youtube, it's called 66 (great video btw)
4 years ago I took the garbage bags out to the bin area and sitting there poking its head out was a 1972 Stella someone had chucked it out in perfect condition...Been with me ever since its a great little guitar...
Ive got a harmony electric gutair..the left hand side has rock n roll with a z like money sign and montley crue on right hand side both where the bridge is.. the nut is slotted and he took the cover off and placed a pick inside...i remember on youtube there was a gentleman that is now famouse that had that gutair but do to a move it got left behind by accident..for the life of me i cant remember who it was but if you can help me i would be greatful as i do want him to have it back..thank you for your time
Its soo crazy to see so many people gravitate towards these more vintage looking guitars. When i was a teenager, it was the ONLY kind of guitar i wanted. So much so, that when i WAS handed a guitar and it wasnt one like that..... i gave it up. Fast forward to my adulthood, and with my own money i went a got one (not a harmony, but it IS a semi hollow). Im just coming across these "HARMONY" guitars, and i want one soo bad. Hell, maybe even a few. I LOVE that jazzy sound. But i also like how with certain settings, i can play harder stuff like P U N K
Hey DJ. The magic of most vintage Harmony electric guitars is the gold foil pickups, made by DeArmond. As you say, they can play everything from clean "jazzy" tones to absolutely punishing distortion. I used my Harmony Rocket for a solo on a very mellow song, and my intent was to let the pickups really show their nasty side: ruclips.net/video/x_dHoNfGnYw/видео.html
Yep. I'm not an expert, but the glued bridge was available on certainly Stella models. (I Own one of 'em.) Guessing they'd had a pickup put in, hence the knobs. My older brother had a deArmond pickup and knobs on his Gibson B-25 back in the mid-60s.
You mentioned Elmore James, as a blues artist who played a Harmony guitar. That is true - he is pictured with a large-bodied Harmony archtop electric guitar - a 1950’s model, with a P13 pickup. You pictured Elmore though, with a guitar often mistaken for a Harmony or Kay guitar. In fact, that white, solid-bodied electric guitar Elmore James is pictured with, is a Kay-made, Silvertone 1361. It’s essentially the Silvertone catalogue version of the Kay K136 electric. You will see what one of those Silvertones looks like & sounds like, if you open my RUclips page. Great video though.
@@RobertCassard - well, for years, I thought Elmore’s white Silvertone was a Kay or a National electric- until I finally saw one for sale on ebay one day - and thought - “That’s it !!”
Kurt cobain also played a harmony stella for the recording of polly and something in the way on nevermind and it really crafted that sound. Nothing sound like a stella
When they're good they're really good but my harmony h90 was terrible until I replaced the electronics,tuning heads,nut,bridge, and reshaped the neck. That's when it got it's true tones especially with sustain cause the plywood body
Most vintage Harmony guitars were quickly made to the standards of a student guitar. But they can easily be upgraded with some TLC from a qualified luthier.
@@RobertCassard definitely I noticed the most rushed part is the neck pocket with most being oversized and uneven but can be easily fixed with some shims
Agreed. That’s why I used to turn up my nose at the Harmonys owned by friends back in the 60s and 70s. They were tough to play and nobody had a luthier back then!
Hi Robert! So glad to have found your talk on this topic!! Im very grayfir you snd your work. I had a Yamaha accoustic in basement from 1979..never Learned how to play at that time. During Covid I brought it uo in its hard case..had a friend great guitarist tune it etc. I picked it up and everyine lived what I was doing with it in spite on not having learned fretboard etc yet! My African Grey partit used to bang in his cage at nite letting ne know he wanted me to olay as Id been doing every night. Lol But my "partner" in his infinate childish immature ignorant mean ways destroyed ny guitar .hasnt bougt me another .. narcissist s never admit fault... someone gave ne an old electric...not what I want..im old with cripoled hands but I want a guitar so for now..it has no cables no model number nothing except Harmony on fret.. How can I id without going to luthier. My friend will tune ut drop it etc. Because Im too ill to get out right now? Thanks for any helo. I know tmi! Lol
Sorry to hear about your old Yamaha, Cher. Regarding your Harmony electric, my suggestion to discover the model number is to join a Vintage Harmony Guitars group on Facebook and post a photo. People are always eager to share their experience and love of old Harmonys!
Harmony also produced tons of inexpensive acoustic arch top guitars, the poor man’s version of the acoustic jazz box like a Gibson L5. Lots of them are on the used market cheap.
Hi Roy - Go back and watch the section starting at 5:57. All about Jimmy Page including interview footage about his Harmony Sovereign and the first four Zeppelin LPs.
Except for the Harmony Sovereign, Harmony guitars are an acquired taste. I use to buy, restore, and resell Harmony guitars for about 10 years about 10 years ago. Use to be nobody wanted them so they were very cheap to buy. I bought a pristine 1963 Airline 7032 which was a rebranded Harmony Sovereign 1260, for 100 bucks. With the case. Did a shit ton of research on them while I restored them. Many different Harmony models. Most of them sounded like tin cans with rubber bands attached to them or sometimes like a cardboard box with the same rubber bands. Depended on if they had a spruce top or a Mahogany top or a birch top. An acquired taste. But I loved their simplicity and the nostalgia connected to them so I fixed them and got them back out there to live again. I gave up the restoring after people started asking stupid money for them with the "If it is old it is Gold" attitude. I still have a Harmony model H-6277 which was the flagship classical model and a 1973 Stella model H933 parlor size guitar with the fat neck flat fretboard that the intonation is so bad on it is almost unplayable and hard to listen to even if you get lucky and get it tuned somewhat close. Mostly both wallhangers. I was tempted to buy one more Harmony to finish out my life with but I just do not want to spend the Martin or Taylor caliber money people are asking these days for basically hard to play and listen to guitars. So I will spend Martin / Taylor caliber money and buy a Martin or Taylor....
I hear you, Wally. There certainly is high variation in quality among Harmonys. In one of my other videos about vintage Harmonys, I talk about growing up in Michigan and how - living near the Gibson factory - we always looked down on folks who "had to play" a Harmony! Sounds like most of your restoration work was on Harmony-made acoustics, and from my experience, they're generally more challenging than electrics. As long as you can get an electric to play pretty well, the character of the guitar will mostly come down to the pickups. DeArmond gold foils really do have a unique tone, and I generally like where they fit in a mix. Seems like a lot of other players agree - at least for certain uses.
@@RobertCassard Yeah I am an acoustic guitar guy. I started life with a Harmony archtop model H1213 i think it was. I took lessons from a private instructor and the first thing he asked me was "Isn't that guitar a little rough on the fingers"? in reference to the 1/4" string height. I didn't know any different so I said naaa. He had a very valuable old 1950's Gibson electric acoustic cutaway arch top that most likely played itself. I knew nothing about guitars back then but I could tell his guitar wasn't a $75 Harmony. Anyway that is where my love for Harmony guitars came from. If people weren't asking such stupid money for them I would buy a couple again but seeing that they always need work I don't think they are worth the money anymore. Everybody is so greedy these days. And I do understand what you are saying about the harmony electrics. In reality you could take a tin can or cardboard box with rubber bands and with the right pickup(s) make them sound like a Gibson les Paul...
@@bultacowally it could be greed, or it could be NEED (or even desperation). But the market is just the market, even when we don't like it as buyers, right? There are still bargains out there. They're just getting harder to find. It defies logic, because the total number of guitars goes up daily. Regarding guitars that are "rough on the fingers," you and I started out the same way. For my first couple of years, I had a Japanese acoustic (with the word REJECT stamped inside the sound hole). I "bought" it with Green Stamps. The bridge was lifting and the strings were about 3/8" from the fretboard. But I was determined! LOL
Fun Fact, I grew up in Stockton California, where Chris Isaak was born. My Dad bought me a 1967 H54 with two gold foil mustache pick ups from a pawn in Fresno Ca, when i was 5. I've had it ever since then and hated it as a kid because it wailed with feed back thru my Dean Markley and it wasn't "cool" like a Strat, in about 1999 i decided i owed the Harmony some care and love.. So i took it to my good friend Bill Stevens (of the Studebaker Blues Band) who worked at a local guitar shop (The Music Box) for a set up and a fix for the feed back (Oh... the volume knobs don't need to be locked on 10 stupid kid) Bill calls me to tell me "it's done" I show up and Bill tells me "Hey, i almost sold your guitar but figured i should ask.. Chris Isaak said to give you $800 and call it sold" I said "chris Isaak the Wicked game song guy...?" Bill says "Yeah!!!" I said " I hate that song! Screw him for try to steal my guitar!!!" Hahahaha! I saw Bill last week, he still gives me crap about it LoL. My son is now 5 he can sell it to Chris when he's old enough !
@@RobertCassard The Only one of my guitars that has legit hard case (Gibson ES-335 case). Yeah she wont go anywhere one only things that really means something to me that my Dad got me no that he's passed on. Thanks for the Video and enthusiasm for our "Junk Low budge" guitars.
I suspect the Harmony ect. guitars Jack White and our contemporaries have had a lot of work done on them to make playable. These don’t have adjustable truss rods so often the neck has way too much “relief”. To correct, you can re-fret with thicker tangs, or remove the fretboard and add an adjustable truss rod or carbon fiber reinforcement. Then, reset the neck and address loose braces and deal with the cheap tuners with missing thumb pieces. After all this, a “cheap” guitar can really end up costing a lot. However, I agree, there’s a real coolness factor in them and it’s nice to see these old instruments find some love. The trick is to find one that has not been messed up by amateur repairs. I’ve got an old Silvertone arch top a friend gave me. He got it at goodwill. Someone re-glued the neck back onto the body with Gorilla Glue. What a mess, foamed cured glue all over the neck joint, plus they didn’t put it on straight. This guitar maybe a wall hanger for now on.
I now own 4 Harmony-made guitars. 2 acoustic. 1 hollowbody electric. 1 lap steel. All pre-truss-rod era. All 4 were well-built enough that a basic setup was all they needed to play very well. But maybe I’m just lucky… LOL
Kurt Cobain used a Harmony Stella H912 strung up with 6 strings for his acoustic stuff on Nevermind. Most likely inspiration from Leadbelly who played a Stella 12 string.
Thanks for that info. I'm sorry I missed including Kurt! I have more vintage Harmony videos on my channel if you're interested. Like this one: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
@@RobertCassard Stumbled across your video while trying to find info on some of the Harmony made Silvertone stuff from the mid 60's. I have a H604 with a Stella neck and fretboard but still has Silvertone screened on the headstock.... haven't seen another like it. It's the guitar I pick up the most, always there in the corner on my living room, and plays like a dream with a set of silk n' steels. Leadbelly's Stella was made by Oscar Schmidt, and not Harmony. I have a 30's Oscar Schmidt parlor husk I'm getting ready to rubberize and trying to get caught up on the history of some of these guitars. Something about the candystripe binding on those pre war Oscar's that appeal to me, finding one that can be made playable is another challenge in itself, lol Your videos are definitely appreciated and will check them all out. Thanks!
@@braaandooon3166 I love the idea of "rubberizing" your old Oscar Schmidt. Can I assume you've seen my Rubber Bridge videos? Starting with this one: ruclips.net/video/5vWIpwlXGpA/видео.html
It was a JCPenny Catalog guitar parlor size no clue the model or year. Since then I’ve had a 1965 H1215 Archtop and currently have a H165 (poor mans Martin).
EZEQUIEL La Voz Del Pueblo I haven’t ever seen SYD on a Harmony bridge and couldn’t tell you what that means. Maybe one of the experts on the Vintage Harmony Guitar Facebook groups can help you.
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I just got my third vintage Harmony arch top! Another ‘60s H1215. This one’s a ‘66. My first was a ‘64 or ‘62 and I was driven to resurrect it after dragging it around in its previously unplayable state for about 15 years. One night I pulled it out from under the bed and put my thumb over the top of the neck and I realized I had found my perfect blues acoustic. I was too broke to afford a new guitar or a neck reset so I figured out how to do it myself. Luckily, the third one is amazingly playable right after it hit the front porch!
Congrats on the "new" archtop, Ryan! FYI - there are a few other videos in my vintage Harmony series. Here's the first one: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
My first guitar, that my father bought for me in about 1961 was a sunburst Harmony Bobkat and small 3 tube amp. To this day I can still remember feeling like a Rock & Roll king owning that guitar.
You WERE a Rock & Roll king because you got the keys to the kingdom!
Harmony were the most commonly available guitars at a low price. So of course, they made their way into the musical lexicon.
Yes. At its peak, the Harmony company was cranking out over 1000 guitars A DAY. So there were, and likely still are, MANY Harmonys out there!
In the 70’s I didn’t had much money and I bought 3 Harmony Guitars. Picked them by ear in the music store. A 6 string, 12 string and a Stratocaster. The Strat I still have. The acoustic guitars are now in the home studio of our son. Vintage to him and the guitars he grew up with.
Vintage Harmonys were usually relatively cheap guitars, but many of them age beautifully...especially if they get some TLC along the way.
I grew up playing my Dads still play it today R.I.P. Dad love and miss u
Inherited guitars are beautiful things, eh James? What model did your Dad leave to you?
My first guitar was a Harmony H181 made only in '69 and '70.It was new and great for a 14 year old. I replaced the stings yesterday for the first time in decades and was amazed at the tone. It needs some minor adjustments, but it was the first thing I played this morning before the sun was up. (Followed by a Martin CEO 7 that I bought last summer, and an Alvarez all mahogany about one year old.)
On a side note, I last gigged with a Washburn Tanglewood I bought in '83. Someone commented on the "vintage guitar "and I said "it's only 40 years old." He was in his twenties and looked at me like I was crazy.
Never played an H181, but it looks like a great guitar. And you have some beautiful acoustics to compare it to! LOL about the "vintage" thing - in guitar sales, the technical designation for a vintage guitar is anything more than 30 years old. By that definition, quite a few of the guitars I bought new are now vintage - just like us!
@Robert Cassard Guitars and houses become vintage . Cars and watches become classic. Beef and wine become aged. We become old and invisible. Lol...and I only mentioned about half of my guitars...but it all started with the Harmony. I couldn't get on the website you mentioned. I wish I knew more about it.
@@johnwashburn3793 Determined to stave off invisibility...unless it's as a superpower! The Harmony database went down when its publisher, Francois Demont, died a couple years ago. You should be able to access the most recent iteration at the following link: Harmony Database [Latest Version via Internet Archive]
web.archive.org/web/20200806133357/harmony.demont.net/ Alas, I don't see the H181 in the list...
My dad had a 50's Silvertone archtop that I assume is Harmony, and I still have it. I bought an H21 Harmony bass online and, after fixing the truss rod and nut(which the guy had broken) it is fantastic in every other way. I helped repair a 60's Stella parlor nylon string guitar, and she just gave it to me a few weeks ago, so now I have three. So there's my cache!
That’s a great start, Michael. I’d love to hear your H21...I really love the Harmony bass tone.
When I was 17, my daddy just had to buy a $83 Harmony Guitars-Buck Owens for me. Heavy guage strings and picks were required. That thing made me work hard. Of course, I traded it in as soon as I could afford to.
But, yeeaaahhh. look at what they go for now.
Sorry you don't still own that Buck Owens. My childhood experiences of Harmony guitars in the late 60s and early 70s was that they were HARD to play. Often they weren't carefully set up from the factory. High action that really required some muscle. And what was the obsession with heavy strings and picks back then? It was like guitar boot camp!
Young person here, my guitar is a completely beat up hand-me-down harmony sovereign, x braced koren made one sadly, but still like the sound, doesnt disappoint especially for something i got for free.
I just picked up a tobacco sunburst Harmony model number 021815 and I love it as much as my Vintage Fender Mustang.
Guessing that's a post-Chicago-bankruptcy Harmony import. I keep hearing good things about those models.
An influential player, Spencer Davis used a Harmony Jupiter Stratotone on the early hits like I'm a Man and Gimme Some Lovin...It was my 1st electric in the 60s..wish I still had it..
I wish you still had it, too, Dave! Yes to Spencer Davis and his Stratotone. You can see him at 3:16 standing to the left of Steve Winwood who also played a Harmony in the SD Group. Sorry I forgot to mention him!
I bought me one last year and it's a great sounding guitar and it stays in tune no matter how long I play it .lb.guitar man .I love harmony guitars.
A lot of Harmonys are built like tanks. What model do you have, earl?
Wow, what a great video about the most influential and underrated guitar brand in history. I'm happy I found your videos, I'm a Harmony fan myself and I was feeling lonely in my fandom. The average guitarist will act snobbish with anything that's not Gibson or Martin nowadays. Your video shows how many true musicians have appreciated the unique Harmony sound. Anyway, I would also like to mention Kurt Cobain who recorded with a Stella H912, Blind Willy McTell who recorded with a Stella H922 (in fact, many of the old bluesmen used Harmonies). Also, Keith Richards had an acoustic H1270 with which he recorded. The same model was Rory Gallagher's favorite guitar.
I love all those added nuggets, thunderbrand! I hope you've already discovered my other videos about Harmony guitars and the stars who play them. I've played and featured my Stella H929, my Harmony Rocket H59 and my Harmony H7 Lap Steel in separate vids, too. I can't get enough of 'em!
I have a Bobcat and a Les Paul copy that plays great.
Glad to hear it, Jim. Have you done any recording with them? Anything you can share?
@@RobertCassard My playing isn’t worth recording, lol. Happy Thanksgiving.
My 2 harmony guitars aren't 60s vintage but they are still good guitars...to me at least. One is a nylon string classical guitar. I like plucking classical guitars when I'm song writing . Mine is a smallish model. My other is a 70s era strat copy. It has a phenomenal neck on it. The electronics are awful but this guitar is on my lap unplugged all the time. It is light. I set it up with an action lower than I can get either of my Fender guitars to play at. The maple neck and fretboard play so light and easy. The guitar is at least a pound lighter than my Fender Strat. It is a thinner body profile. It was the best $5 yard sale find ever! I offered to trade a Rickenbacker 360 straight up for my friend's Harmony Rocket...the 2 pickup model of the guitar you're holding in the video and he turned it down.
Interesting tales, mike a! Your friend's refusal of your Rickenbacker trade offer says a whole lot about how devoted some Harmony owners are to their humble and lovable axes. I saw a beautiful 1965 2-pickup Rocket with Bigsby on reverb.com for $875 the other day, but it already sold.
I bought my 1960 Harmony Meteor in 1985, for $250AUD and have loved it ever since. In the nineties i bought a 1959 Rocket for about $400AUD. I have since owned Teles, Danos, Gretsches, and still haven't found anything that fits me better. It is my yardstick for tone, and when I tire of searching for another guitar that comes close, I go back to my Meteor, and I am home. Guitars have come and gone, but if I could have only ONE, it would be my Meteor.
i can't wait to get the book!
Thanks for sharing your story, Karl. I have a very hard time narrowing down my electrics to ONE favorite. Probably a toss-up between my 65 Rocket H59 and my 91 Heritage 575. I can understand why you love that Meteor!
I just got a new Harmony Comet. It really stands up to the vintage models. They truly are magical guitars.
My parents bought me a Harmony Rocket from my music teacher in 1962, still have it today, my favorite one!!!
Hey Chris. With a Rocket 🚀 you’re in good company! Check this out: HARMONY ROCKET guitars - A trip to the stars and today’s stars trippin’ - Guitar Discoveries
ruclips.net/video/KLlsxhusORM/видео.html
I really enjoyed this video. I went through a JJ Cale phase 6 years ago and was amazed to find out his main guitar was a modded H162 . I bought one immediately. Love it. Fast forward to today and I really love how the brand has been revived. Check out the new Harmony Comet. It’s one of the best semi hollow body guitars I’ve ever played.
Thanks, Matthew. Glad you liked the video...I have three more in this Harmony series, so check ‘em out. I really like the new Harmonys, too. Completely different company, and actually an upgrade to the build quality of original US-made Harmonys. Glad they brought back the brand in a high-quality way.
Hi Robert--Thanks as always for another “education”, This time, regarding Harmony guitars. I’ve seen them for years, but never played or owned one. I did not realize how popular they were with many popular bands on the early days ( 60’s & 70’s). Always thought they were most popular as student models. I will definitely need to get one. A job well done. Thank you
Thanks, George. Any reason to grow your collection. LOL. Sometimes uniqueness is the key, and it seems birch bodies, gold foil pickups, etc. offer magic in that regard. I think you’ll find Kay and Harmony have a lot in common...
I have two Baxendale Harmony Conversions that I absolutely adore - a 1968 (?) Harmony Sovereign 1203 and a Stella H912. Two weeks ago I came across a 1972 Harmony Stella H6130 - I got it for next to nothing. Yesterday, I cleaned it up and swapped the tuners. I will probably refret it eventually. I really like it. I have "nicer" guitars, but these have become my favorites. There is something about them. I used to look down my nose at these - but no longer.
Thanks for watching and commenting, Peter. I keep hearing about these Baxendale conversions. I know nothing about them, but would love an education. Sounds like we're in the same boat. I have some killer, rare and valuable guitars...but I keep reaching for the Harmonys!
@@RobertCassard Scott Baxendale does a great job on these. I would put my Harmony Sovereign 000 up against anything out there in the 000 category. My Stella 912 is my favorite out of 4 twelve strings I have had. He set the neck angle perfectly for me. Plays like butter. I really don't know how he did it, but it is great. In his conversion process, he takes old Harmony's, takes the back off, converts them to a scalloped X bracing configuration, replaces the tuners, resets the neck, planes the fret board, re-frets them and converts the bridge to a traditional pinned bridge. You can order directly from him, or you can find some of them on Reverb. I think totally worth it to bring these old guitars to a new life they wouldn't have otherwise. I have an H-165 on order from him. I MIGHT send the 6130 to him, but not sure if the conversion cost would be worth it for this little one. It actually has a great neck angle as is and since I replaced the tuners myself (I am pretty handy), plays just fine.
.... a young Keith Richards played a Harmony Meteor..........
He sure did, Elaine!
Great video for Harmony guitar's lovers.... Well ... the right place for me 🙂
Thanks! That video is one of a series of four. Here’s the first: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.htmlsi=WsfHE7E-PxIlpkJm
Thanks for the great video.
Last Sunday I purchased a $40 Harmony Model 02805 at a Chicago yard sale.
It's not one of the very good Chicago built Harmonys you described. It's from Indonesia. But it's a keeper.
I'm 72 and newly retired. I walked into a Chicago backyard looking for film cameras (I collect them.) and fell in love with a beguiling black and white Harmony guitar. I don't even know how to play the guitar, yet.
So your darn video is right. There's something special about Harmony guitars.
Congrats on the bargain Harmony treasure, Richard! Since you're not playing yet, now's the time to bring that treasure to a luthier and get it all checked out and properly setup. Ironically, it'll probably cost 2 or 3X what you paid for the guitar, but it'll certainly be worth it. I'm a big advocate for folks like you who decide to take up guitar later in life. I've done quite a few videos on this channel to inspire folks in your position and give you shortcuts and tips to keep you going. Here's one that may help get you started: ruclips.net/video/0QNckC3Yk_Y/видео.htmlsi=cDIXixfnrmn3XOlo
I just bought a Harmony h 910 classical for pennies. I am thrilled for it is a wonderful guitar. The Bridge has to be replaced because of a crack throughout. It stills holds a tune and has a rich wonderful warm tone and is very playable. I have a stack of guitars and you could not be righter when you speak of the spirt of the guitar. They are a mystical instrument indeed. I always replace the nuts and saddles and dress the neck and level the frets if needed. The one thing about the Harmony compared to its counter parts is that the were extremely liberal with glue and poorly wipe excess.
Thanks JChris. The Harmonys do have a vibe and can sound amazing. They always benefit from some TLC and a pro setup. Too much glue? Fo sho!
Thanks. This is really informative showing how Harmony had a place in tone and not just budget.
My pleasure. Knowing who played them and when has helped my listen for and recognize unique Harmony tones. It’s a little like listening for the natural “attic” reverb of the Hitville USA house which you hear on all the early Motown records.
I used to have a Rocket about 15 years ago. These days I have a 1972 Harmony Rebel. I also have a 1968 hollow archtop Silvertone 1418 and an early 70s Kay K-30. My first guitars in the late 70s and early 80s were a Kay Tulip and a Kay SG K2. The original pickups on all those guitars are fantastic. I hated how everyone used to swap them out for overwound humbuckers in the 80s and 90s.
Gold foils rule. I can’t imagine switching them for anything else!
Important video! I don't think you can find a sum up like this anywhere else.
Thank you, littlefury. I'm currently going deep on Harmony guitars. This one's about musicians and artists. This one's about my personal obsession and Harmony's history: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
Back in the mid to late 70's I bought a 1965 or 1966 Silvertone Bob Kat in Black from my Grandfather for I think $50. It came with a Gibson GA-5 amp. Both units are still together and working. I have the original case. My grandfather decided to remove the paint from the neck and head. I have no idea why. All the knobs, pickups and everything still work. Just had a pro go through the guitar and a couple of things needed to be fixed/adjusted. 2 of the frets were shot. Little things like that. And a few things needed adjustment but is mostly has original parts. I have never really played it. I am more of a Acoustic kind of player but am going to find something to use it for. My dad still has the guitar I learned to play on a Harmony Monterey in a Red fireburst color. That one is in great condition though to play it it will have to go see the guitar Dr for adjustments. Great video. Thanks
Congrats on those vintage Harmonys Clarence! There are more videos in this series, if you're interested. ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.htmlsi=b3DzQLQUR7j9wUwR
Thank you so much. I love Alabama shakes. Currently got a sweet Kay swingmaster, and Woking on a 1955 h1214. Love the honor payed to these beauties. Keep it coming.
It's truly my pleasure to create these videos, Jeremy. I did a series of four videos all in a row. Did you find the others? Here's a link to the first, where I confess to an obsession with vintage Harmonys: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
strange how so many expensive guitars lack soul and seem anemic and how many less expensive guitars are alive with vibe and soul. the new harmonys are wonderful.
I agree John. In many ways, the new Harmonys are much better-built than the old ones. That said, the old ones are the OGs, and they do have mojo in spades - especially after a trip to the luthier!
My first guitars (Circa 1993) were Harmony my parents ordered from Fingerhut mail order. Unfortunately, they were tough to play with crazy, high action. We all have to start somewhere.
That’s the real story…many Harmonys were difficult beats coming straight from the factory. But with proper tweaking and setup, they turn into unique sounding high-funk-factor beauties!
Robert, Hello
I love old Guitars and they don't have to be expensive. I once had a couple of Normas Archtop electronics that I wished I still had.
I played them through a old Gibson
Amp. I really liked the tone.
Thanks Robert.
I agree Duane. On my channel, I occasionally feature off-brand and low-cost guitars that I consider special finds. I did a recent series about sub-$300 guitars where I featured an old Stella acoustic, a $125 Squier Tele, a $150 vintage "Espana" from Scandinavia, and a relatively unknown cheap electric brand: ruclips.net/video/gPE_zdpYrqU/видео.html
I have a Harmony Meteor from 1959 I paid $750 for it. I pair it with a ‘61 Ampeg Revererocket. I put flat wounds on it and it plays and sounds fantastic. Not my main rig but it always adds something to a track.
Sounds like a magical combination, zummo!
Interesting video wow you sure did alot of research Thank you . I have a H165 - 1957 or 59 all mahogany and I just could not put it down when I first played it. It was like.. WOW here she is the guitar I have been searching for for 5 years or more.. and owning 9 acoustics trying to find her.I literally mean I could not put her down sitting on the sellers porch talking to him and he said go put that in your truck I have a few more I want you to play and I couldn't even put it in the truck haha. On the way home I had to stop while a train crossed the road and I even had to get it out and play it while I waited. Crazy eh ? When you were talking about a guitar saying "play me etc" and all of sudden you start playing something just playing around no song that you usually play as if she is telling me what to do haha... that is exactly what it is like did not know how to describe but you did it for me. Thank you and I will never sell this harmony sounds amazing with the all mahogany woody mellow sound and love the neck and string spacing. It is some special :-)
You’re describing a magical connection and I’m so glad you experienced it and that you own that H165, Linda! Thanks for watching and leaving a comment.
My 1st decent U.S. electric an H54 John Fogerty Played Harmony acoustics as well.
Ooh...hadn't heard about Fogerty! Thanks for that info, Patriot.
Guitars have a soul installed by the people who own them, as do all other instruments. My friend just gave me his Discovery to tune up (it was bad). It has the igniter pickups and would be a metal players dream. I like to play clean so it wouldn't be for me, but you dont even need a pedal to get some really solid crunch out of it. It plays better than my 93 Strat that has worn out frets.
You can buy Harmonies for under 200 bucks still. A friend had a Stella, and I loved playing that guitar, he wouldn't sell it. They are underrated.
Yeah…a guitar’s soul comes from both the builders and the owners/players!
I bought a Harmony Stella in way rough shape. Missing brace, loose brace, warped top and back. Put some Silk and Posphor strings on it, and play it just as it is. Good neck and action. Needs tuned from time to time, but for my amateur playing it is fun, and has a unique sound. Always wanted one because of the blues players.
The funkier the better, it often seems!
My cousin left me a Harmony Sovereign 3460H1203. I thought it was junk. It had no strings on it and the case was cardboard. I slapped some strings on it and tho the action is kind of high it sounds really good.
It plays better than it should. It does have “mojo”.
My cousin knew his guitars. RIP Paul.
If you have some cash to invest in Paul's old Harmony, bring it to a luthier for a professional setup. You can likely improve the action so you can really enjoy playing it.
The Sovereign I used from about 1964 was the best sounding acoustic guitar I've EVER played. It was a semi restoration so I could make it play. Everyone wanted to buy it from me and I sold it and two days later I began hunting for another. Found a wreck of one with the usual long crack on the bottom, and Jesus Saves and hippie stuff scratched in the top. I've got almost all of it out, put a real truss rod in it, a neck reset... I can't wait till I finally finish it. If you get one, get the one with the top loaded Ovation style bridge...they were the best ones. Nyms.
Your story could be called Big Yellow Guitar! "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you've got til it's gone..." I hope your "new" Sovereign has the same magic as your first.
I just got gifted a 1962 Harmony h-162. I need to pick it up at my sister's house about 300 miles away. I've been playing guitar for over 30 years, but I've never owned a vintage guitar before.
Congrats, Lance. So you might get lucky and the guitar and neck may be in good shape. But in general, my experience with old Harmonys is that they almost always need a proper setup by a skilled luthier (guitar repairperson). It's worth every dollar to get it in comfortable playing condition!
Great video! I remember seeing these when I was a kid.
Thanks, Criss.
I recently purchased one of the reissue Harmony Comets. It’s amazing! It’s the best deal for buying a US-made electric. Granted, it probably doesn’t stand up to vintage Harmonys, but I think they’ve tried to keep to the original soecs as much as possible.
Thank you, Drill. From everything I hear, the new US-built Harmonys are every bit as good as the vintage ones. Glad you love your new Comet!
I knew nothing about Harmony guitars until I discovered Katherine Blamire of Smoke Fairies who has some. I had no idea so many people played them, although I did know that Annie Clarke did. And the girls in the Suffragettes have Bobkats. Very informative video.
Thanks for watching, Sadiq. And thanks for telling me about Smoke Fairies. ruclips.net/video/9IeukSDHdeU/видео.html
I write on an Epiphone Texan for fundamentals, record on a Collings CW for harmonics. Write Strat for sensibilities, record LPs for tone. Find a guitar you write with even if not recording it.
So cool they way certain guitars just have songs "in them," eh?
I’ve got an ‘56 H65 mint and a early ‘60’s Silvertone 367/61909 (hotrodded a bit) which I play regularly while my ‘64 Tennessean, ‘79 Les Paul Pro Deluxe, and ‘69 Gretsch Corsair New Yorker gather dust. And they are nice guitars. The H65 is flat out the best of the lot.
The H65 with the P-13 pickup? Oh yeah!
You bet!
I bought my acoustic harmony 2nd hand 29 yrs ago an love it
They're easy to love, Steven. I hope you have a chance to watch some of my other videos featuring my 58 Stella H929, Harmony H7 Lap Steel and Harmony Rocket H59. Cheers!
Steve Winwood and Spencer Davis both played Harmony Guitars before they had the hit record called " Keep on Running " ...then switched to Fe Dersingham.
Yes! 🌟
I love my H162 and played a few of the newer models . I rebuilt the neck, replaced a few parts, and play it tuned to C#. It sounds amazing. I love to research and write about Harmony guitars, too. I can't believe it took me this long to finally watch this (it's been on my watch later list for a bit)
Thanks, Cole. Your H162 must be impressive! I hope you watch the other videos in my Harmony series. I did four right around that same time…
@@RobertCassard I'll check them out. LMK if you'd like to hear mine or read the article I wrote about Harmony some time. I'm looking to pick up one of the new Jupiter models soonish
@@colecantos3273 Here's a link to my first "Why I'm Obsessed with Harmony" video: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html. Yes I'd love to hear yours and read your article. send links!
I have a 1966-7 Harmony/Silvertone H-78 the single cutaway with D Armond "Tissue box" pickups x 3 has the Bigsby and a Red color. I had one a old Archtop f hole stolen but that happens I miss that guitar
H-78s are hard to beat! Sorry to hear about the stolen archtop...
It's great to discover these modern Jump Blues gurus usin vintage gear. Harmony guitars...! Rick Holmstrom, Jr. Watson, Ian Seigel (even John Hiatt's lead guitarist on "Perfectly Good Guitar") playing Harmony guitars. The Howlin' Wolf's early axe was this "peanut" style Harmony. My first ever guitar was a brand new 1961 Harmony acoustic, and in 2016 I was inspired to acquire the mighty Harmony Stratotone Jupiter, 1960 vintage. The Cadillac of the Harmony line. And I cherish it's woody DeArmond Gold Foils 10.5 ohms tone; light-weight playability; truss rod; multi-tone-controls; and the space-age West Memphis aesthetic. Excelsior Harmony! -Doug Pratt, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Yes! Congrats on that Jupiter, Doug!
@@RobertCassard My Jupiter's a treasure, Robert. Near mint condition, all original, thank goodness for the truss rod...this beauty is not relegated to the slide-only back-up role. -Doug Pratt, Atlanta, Ga., USA
@@edouglaspratt We are lucky boys, Doug. My 65 Rocket has a "steel reinforced neck" (no truss rod), but fortunately the neck is arrow-straight. Plays like a dream!
@@RobertCassard So now my curiosity's piqued...steel reinforced means it's got a non-adjustable truss rod? Ya know, I believe that's what George Gruhn installed in the neck of my 1936 National Duolian back in 1979. It's rock solid, straight as can be, with beautiful soft medium-low action so I can fret as easily as on a Guild or Martin. Is that what you have on your 65 Rocket? -Doug
@@edouglaspratt The short answer is yes. From my understanding, Harmony's "steel-reinforced necks" utilized two thin steel bars, running the length of the neck. Pretty sure this was their innovation. Harmony used to offer a one-year guarantee on every guitar, and I'd bet the steel bars probably prevented many returns from warped necks.
I've got a 72 Harmony Sovereign H1201 that's had the bracing changed over to "X" bracing (by a very good luthier) and it's really made it a great guitar.
Lucky dog. It is a Baxendale conversion or a different luthier?
@@RobertCassard
I wish. No it's a luthier out of Maine. He wasn't very neat with his work and I had to route the saddle slot larger for an oversized saddle. And I had to work on the frets. But with the X bracing and going to 4 back braces instead of the 5 it came with, made a huge difference. He also recontoured the neck to give it a really sleek feel. The neck is almost perfect in my opinion. I call it Ugly Betty, because it's the all black Sovereign that's scratched up a lot. But the sound is phenomenal and it plays great now.
@@HayesTech glad you brought her back to life. Ugly can be beautiful!
@@RobertCassard
And you're icon really screws with me... 😂 I keep thinking I have a new reply from you and don't. When ever I go to my comments, there is a white dot, in the upper left corner, of anyone I've not clicked on yet. But I finally figured it out... 😂 I can be slow sometimes.
@@HayesTech LOL - not sure I follow exactly, but I'm glad you figured it out!
My first guitar I paid $50 for a Harmony Stratotone Mars, 60 years later I found another hanging at 30th street guitars. Like finding an old friend, same one Brian played, I call it the atomic guitar. I wish you had demonstrated the tonality differences between some of the models in your collection.
What was 30th Street asking for the Mars 60 years later? Here’s another fun video, and the Mars makes an appearance: HARMONY GUITARS - Why I’m OBSESSED with VINTAGE Harmony Guitars - Should YOU be too?
ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
Got a 1956 Harmony Montclair,it's in rough shape but it sounds so much better than any modern guitar I own
The old archtops have an utterly unique tone that I happen to love…
The Bobcat H15 is in my top three favorite guitars ever!
Simple and SO cool Steve. Thanks for watching.
I play an Harmony 1967 Silvertone acoustic which actually belongs to my wife and it sounds great.
Love it, Clyde.
I had to bust out my Who folder and jam some Tommy! I didnt know that 12er was in it, nor did I know his love for Harmz. I have a ton of old Harmony acoustics, never played an electric. One day I will have my rocket. Never heard of LH, checked em out, good call man.
Glad this got you juiced up, Mark! My channel has some other videos you might enjoy including multiple vids about my own Harmony 🚀 Rocket, like this: ruclips.net/video/kQACFYxXPJ0/видео.html And my song blow-up of Won’t Get Fooled Again: ruclips.net/video/I3rZtbuUXr0/видео.html Have fun!
Robert didn’t mention one of the most influential stars of all time, Buck Owens. The red, white, & blue acoustics that were featured on the famous country music show Hee Haw were Harmonys. They were first made only for Hee Haw but so many people wanted one they were soon made available to the public. In several interviews, Buck said he was very happy with the Harmonys. I’m sure they were no Grammer or Mosrite, but for their quality at their price they were head and shoulders above the other choices. There’s one on display at The Crystal Palace, Buck’s venue in Bakersfield, and it looked well constructed and sounded good when Buck’s son Buddy Alan strummed it.
Dang, James. Thanks for leaving a comment. Buck Owens is a HUGE oversight, and that means I also neglected Ryan Adams, who pretty much plays vintage the red, white and blue Buck Owens Harmony model exclusively!
Just on a whim I purchased a Harmony classical guitar online from a Goodwill store in Dallas for $20 with an obviously broken string. A few bucks in nylon strings and this little jewel has a fantastic sound. The action in the first position is way too low causing some fret buzz. I'm going to find a local Luthie to get that addressed. Mine is from the 70's and I plan on buying a full size Harmony acoustic. They have a cool sound. Thanks for your video!
Hey Steve. I hope you find a luthier to bring your Harmony new life. You got a heckuva deal for $20, so even if you invest another $80 plus a set of strings, you'll have a beauty for a bargain price.
Great Video and info. Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Charles Bradley and pretty much every daptone record feature a harmony electric. Amy winehouse’s Back to Black album features the dap kings. The Dap Tone guitar sound is so distinctive if you have not give them a listen. Also Rhode Island band Last Good Tooth is all Harmony electrics. Check them out
Thanks very much, Seth! Those Dap Tone artists drip with vintage vibes. Thanks for bringing them to our attention. Harmony lives!
Great video! I have not known about most of my heros play those guitars for a period of time,
I guess people have already mentioned daptone records in the comments 💕
Thank you, madre
I just ordered a H75, i really love its tone, pretty musical!
Right on, Tien Tien! Congratulations.
Just purchased a Harmony Juno, what a wonderful discovery
Thanks for the history!
I love the new Harmonys, and that Juno is a little powerhouse!
I started playing guitar in the mid-late '60s. I saw the Stones and many more at that time. Frankly, apart from German made archtops (with terrible necks, the Harmony was the only half decent brand we could get in the UK apart from Levin (Goya) out of Sweden. I had an H1265.
That may explain why so many British acts played Harmonys, at least on their early LPs.
Glad to have run across this video- I just bought a '54 H-62!
Ah…the H-62 is a beauty! Natural color or a burst?
@@RobertCassard Natural. All original with super flamey back and neck.
Thanks. This was a great video. I was looking for a vintage vs. new comparison.
Glad you enjoyed this, Kord. You can tell I love certain vintage Harmony guitars -especially when they've been given some TLC. I haven't played a new Harmony - so not able to compare. I love the way the new models look and sound in the hands of the folks I've heard using them. And I think they're available at a very reasonable price for high-quality US-made guitars.
The Harmony Sovereign seems like such a desirable tool for writing. I might have to add one to my Reverb list
I’ve wanted one myself. Ones with their necks reset and x-braced modification are getting more expensive, but still a bargain by vintage Martin standards
+Jerry Reed
Reed was gravitated towards the vintage Baldwin 801 classical guitar
(harmony classical with a Baldwin prismatone pickup- Willie Nelson uses the same pickup) he was mainly thrown towards this side of things because the 'strings didn't tear up his fingers' and also he absolutely loved the neck shape Of those early harmony classicals, and as a matter of fact produced his best records behind a harmony..... Just goes to show the broad spectrum of harmony guitars!
ruclips.net/video/qOGiW-y-Vhs/видео.html
Had no idea Jerry was ever a Baldwin/Harmony guy, Brad. Great player!
The guitarist of the brazilian band O Terno, Tim Bernardes also uses a Harmony Rocket (not is main instrument tho he uses a 1967 Hofner VTZ most of the time) it also appears in their debut album cover that you can look it up on youtube, it's called 66 (great video btw)
Thanks for the reference! Cool band and song.
Love my Harmony H77 (Regal brand). It does not sound like any other guitar.
That’s the magic, right?! Congrats on that special instrument!
Another great one - look up the original ad is the "Patrician" Ad calls it "A Reasonable Blond"
Heckuva claim! (said by a blond...)
4 years ago I took the garbage bags out to the bin area and sitting there poking its head out was a 1972 Stella someone had chucked it out in perfect condition...Been with me ever since its a great little guitar...
Oh wow, Stevie. Take out the trash, 🗑️ find a treasure!
Ive got a harmony electric gutair..the left hand side has rock n roll with a z like money sign and montley crue on right hand side both where the bridge is.. the nut is slotted and he took the cover off and placed a pick inside...i remember on youtube there was a gentleman that is now famouse that had that gutair but do to a move it got left behind by accident..for the life of me i cant remember who it was but if you can help me i would be greatful as i do want him to have it back..thank you for your time
Its soo crazy to see so many people gravitate towards these more vintage looking guitars. When i was a teenager, it was the ONLY kind of guitar i wanted. So much so, that when i WAS handed a guitar and it wasnt one like that..... i gave it up. Fast forward to my adulthood, and with my own money i went a got one (not a harmony, but it IS a semi hollow). Im just coming across these "HARMONY" guitars, and i want one soo bad. Hell, maybe even a few. I LOVE that jazzy sound. But i also like how with certain settings, i can play harder stuff like P U N K
Hey DJ. The magic of most vintage Harmony electric guitars is the gold foil pickups, made by DeArmond. As you say, they can play everything from clean "jazzy" tones to absolutely punishing distortion. I used my Harmony Rocket for a solo on a very mellow song, and my intent was to let the pickups really show their nasty side: ruclips.net/video/x_dHoNfGnYw/видео.html
Great video very informative I started playing guitar On a harmony sovereign I still have it!
That's awesome, Andre. You're lucky to have it. Has it ever needed a neck reset? Many of them do, but it's usually worth it!
@ 7:04 the Stella that Robbie is playing has a glued bridge, no tailpiece and looks like 2 Tele knobs.
Yep. I'm not an expert, but the glued bridge was available on certainly Stella models. (I Own one of 'em.) Guessing they'd had a pickup put in, hence the knobs. My older brother had a deArmond pickup and knobs on his Gibson B-25 back in the mid-60s.
You mentioned Elmore James, as a blues artist who played a Harmony guitar. That is true - he is pictured with a large-bodied Harmony archtop electric guitar - a 1950’s model, with a P13 pickup.
You pictured Elmore though, with a guitar often mistaken for a Harmony or Kay guitar. In fact, that white, solid-bodied electric guitar Elmore James is pictured with, is a Kay-made, Silvertone 1361. It’s essentially the Silvertone catalogue version of the Kay K136 electric.
You will see what one of those Silvertones looks like & sounds like, if you open my RUclips page.
Great video though.
I’ve mistaken Harmonys and Kays before, snakehips. Thanks for the correction and the kudos.
@@RobertCassard - well, for years, I thought Elmore’s white Silvertone was a Kay or a National electric- until I finally saw one for sale on ebay one day - and thought - “That’s it !!”
@@snakehips81 Always fun to solve musical mysteries like this.
Our lead guitarist Todd only plays Harmony Guitars and is on all our recordings….🎸
Another noted Harmony player... 🌟 That's a cool old box he plays!
@@RobertCassard if you’re ever in Huntington Beach come jam with us! 🎸🎸
@@HiredGunTrio I lived in Laguna Beach for over 15 years! I rarely make it down there, but glad you’re holding down the OC in my absence!
On John Hiatt's LP, Perfectly Good Guitar, he sings of a "Bright Red Harmony!"
He sure does! I imagine he was singing about my Harmony Rocket 🚀 ruclips.net/video/KLlsxhusORM/видео.htmlsi=IjfTX9XBWkGt7VTf
Kurt cobain also played a harmony stella for the recording of polly and something in the way on nevermind and it really crafted that sound. Nothing sound like a stella
I didn’t know that, but now that you tell me, it’s clear. The boxiness of the guitar and the short sustain add to the coolness factor.
@@RobertCassard 1000%
When they're good they're really good but my harmony h90 was terrible until I replaced the electronics,tuning heads,nut,bridge, and reshaped the neck. That's when it got it's true tones especially with sustain cause the plywood body
Most vintage Harmony guitars were quickly made to the standards of a student guitar. But they can easily be upgraded with some TLC from a qualified luthier.
@@RobertCassard definitely I noticed the most rushed part is the neck pocket with most being oversized and uneven but can be easily fixed with some shims
Agreed. That’s why I used to turn up my nose at the Harmonys owned by friends back in the 60s and 70s. They were tough to play and nobody had a luthier back then!
You left out Dave Alvin, who used an H-78 on his recordings with the Blasters and his solo shows, because it has that true rock-a-billy vibe
YES! Add Dave A to the list. Thanks.
Hi Robert! So glad to have found your talk on this topic!! Im very grayfir you snd your work. I had a Yamaha accoustic in basement from 1979..never Learned how to play at that time. During Covid I brought it uo in its hard case..had a friend great guitarist tune it etc. I picked it up and everyine lived what I was doing with it in spite on not having learned fretboard etc yet! My African Grey partit used to bang in his cage at nite letting ne know he wanted me to olay as Id been doing every night. Lol But my "partner" in his infinate childish immature ignorant mean ways destroyed ny guitar .hasnt bougt me another .. narcissist s never admit fault... someone gave ne an old electric...not what I want..im old with cripoled hands but I want a guitar so for now..it has no cables no model number nothing except Harmony on fret.. How can I id without going to luthier. My friend will tune ut drop it etc. Because Im too ill to get out right now? Thanks for any helo. I know tmi! Lol
Sorry to hear about your old Yamaha, Cher. Regarding your Harmony electric, my suggestion to discover the model number is to join a Vintage Harmony Guitars group on Facebook and post a photo. People are always eager to share their experience and love of old Harmonys!
Ahhh great idea. OK thanks much Ill do that
Harmony also produced tons of inexpensive acoustic arch top guitars, the poor man’s version of the acoustic jazz box like a Gibson L5. Lots of them are on the used market cheap.
Yes indeed…affordable, as long as you’re ready to have some work done. And even after that, usually MUCH less money than a vintage Gibson.
Mike Campbell of the Heartbreakers has said buy a new guitar get a new sound, write a song. It appears it worked.
So true! Every guitar has something unique it wants to say…
Jimmy page Plays harmony guitars most notably on stairway to heaven
Hi Roy - Go back and watch the section starting at 5:57. All about Jimmy Page including interview footage about his Harmony Sovereign and the first four Zeppelin LPs.
Except for the Harmony Sovereign, Harmony guitars are an acquired taste. I use to buy, restore, and resell Harmony guitars for about 10 years about 10 years ago. Use to be nobody wanted them so they were very cheap to buy. I bought a pristine 1963 Airline 7032 which was a rebranded Harmony Sovereign 1260, for 100 bucks. With the case. Did a shit ton of research on them while I restored them. Many different Harmony models. Most of them sounded like tin cans with rubber bands attached to them or sometimes like a cardboard box with the same rubber bands. Depended on if they had a spruce top or a Mahogany top or a birch top. An acquired taste. But I loved their simplicity and the nostalgia connected to them so I fixed them and got them back out there to live again. I gave up the restoring after people started asking stupid money for them with the "If it is old it is Gold" attitude. I still have a Harmony model H-6277 which was the flagship classical model and a 1973 Stella model H933 parlor size guitar with the fat neck flat fretboard that the intonation is so bad on it is almost unplayable and hard to listen to even if you get lucky and get it tuned somewhat close. Mostly both wallhangers. I was tempted to buy one more Harmony to finish out my life with but I just do not want to spend the Martin or Taylor caliber money people are asking these days for basically hard to play and listen to guitars. So I will spend Martin / Taylor caliber money and buy a Martin or Taylor....
I hear you, Wally. There certainly is high variation in quality among Harmonys. In one of my other videos about vintage Harmonys, I talk about growing up in Michigan and how - living near the Gibson factory - we always looked down on folks who "had to play" a Harmony! Sounds like most of your restoration work was on Harmony-made acoustics, and from my experience, they're generally more challenging than electrics. As long as you can get an electric to play pretty well, the character of the guitar will mostly come down to the pickups. DeArmond gold foils really do have a unique tone, and I generally like where they fit in a mix. Seems like a lot of other players agree - at least for certain uses.
@@RobertCassard Yeah I am an acoustic guitar guy. I started life with a Harmony archtop model H1213 i think it was. I took lessons from a private instructor and the first thing he asked me was "Isn't that guitar a little rough on the fingers"? in reference to the 1/4" string height. I didn't know any different so I said naaa. He had a very valuable old 1950's Gibson electric acoustic cutaway arch top that most likely played itself. I knew nothing about guitars back then but I could tell his guitar wasn't a $75 Harmony. Anyway that is where my love for Harmony guitars came from. If people weren't asking such stupid money for them I would buy a couple again but seeing that they always need work I don't think they are worth the money anymore. Everybody is so greedy these days. And I do understand what you are saying about the harmony electrics. In reality you could take a tin can or cardboard box with rubber bands and with the right pickup(s) make them sound like a Gibson les Paul...
@@bultacowally it could be greed, or it could be NEED (or even desperation). But the market is just the market, even when we don't like it as buyers, right? There are still bargains out there. They're just getting harder to find. It defies logic, because the total number of guitars goes up daily. Regarding guitars that are "rough on the fingers," you and I started out the same way. For my first couple of years, I had a Japanese acoustic (with the word REJECT stamped inside the sound hole). I "bought" it with Green Stamps. The bridge was lifting and the strings were about 3/8" from the fretboard. But I was determined! LOL
Fun Fact, I grew up in Stockton California, where Chris Isaak was born. My Dad bought me a 1967 H54 with two gold foil mustache pick ups from a pawn in Fresno Ca, when i was 5. I've had it ever since then and hated it as a kid because it wailed with feed back thru my Dean Markley and it wasn't "cool" like a Strat, in about 1999 i decided i owed the Harmony some care and love.. So i took it to my good friend Bill Stevens (of the Studebaker Blues Band) who worked at a local guitar shop (The Music Box) for a set up and a fix for the feed back (Oh... the volume knobs don't need to be locked on 10 stupid kid) Bill calls me to tell me "it's done" I show up and Bill tells me "Hey, i almost sold your guitar but figured i should ask.. Chris Isaak said to give you $800 and call it sold" I said "chris Isaak the Wicked game song guy...?" Bill says "Yeah!!!" I said " I hate that song! Screw him for try to steal my guitar!!!" Hahahaha! I saw Bill last week, he still gives me crap about it LoL. My son is now 5 he can sell it to Chris when he's old enough !
F-in' awesome story, Savage! Glad you still have the guitar, cuz I'm sure Chris has plenty of 'em...
@@RobertCassard The Only one of my guitars that has legit hard case (Gibson ES-335 case). Yeah she wont go anywhere one only things that really means something to me that my Dad got me no that he's passed on. Thanks for the Video and enthusiasm for our "Junk Low budge" guitars.
Hubert Sumlin was the first ever picking on the 1446 model long before Chris Issak.
Guess I need to do some research on Hubert!
I suspect the Harmony ect. guitars Jack White and our contemporaries have had a lot of work done on them to make playable. These don’t have adjustable truss rods so often the neck has way too much “relief”. To correct, you can re-fret with thicker tangs, or remove the fretboard and add an adjustable truss rod or carbon fiber reinforcement. Then, reset the neck and address loose braces and deal with the cheap tuners with missing thumb pieces. After all this, a “cheap” guitar can really end up costing a lot. However, I agree, there’s a real coolness factor in them and it’s nice to see these old instruments find some love.
The trick is to find one that has not been messed up by amateur repairs. I’ve got an old Silvertone arch top a friend gave me. He got it at goodwill. Someone re-glued the neck back onto the body with Gorilla Glue. What a mess, foamed cured glue all over the neck joint, plus they didn’t put it on straight. This guitar maybe a wall hanger for now on.
I now own 4 Harmony-made guitars. 2 acoustic. 1 hollowbody electric. 1 lap steel. All pre-truss-rod era. All 4 were well-built enough that a basic setup was all they needed to play very well. But maybe I’m just lucky… LOL
Kurt Cobain used a Harmony Stella H912 strung up with 6 strings for his acoustic stuff on Nevermind. Most likely inspiration from Leadbelly who played a Stella 12 string.
Thanks for that info. I'm sorry I missed including Kurt!
I have more vintage Harmony videos on my channel if you're interested. Like this one: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
@@RobertCassard Stumbled across your video while trying to find info on some of the Harmony made Silvertone stuff from the mid 60's. I have a H604 with a Stella neck and fretboard but still has Silvertone screened on the headstock.... haven't seen another like it.
It's the guitar I pick up the most, always there in the corner on my living room, and plays like a dream with a set of silk n' steels.
Leadbelly's Stella was made by Oscar Schmidt, and not Harmony. I have a 30's Oscar Schmidt parlor husk I'm getting ready to rubberize and trying to get caught up on the history of some of these guitars. Something about the candystripe binding on those pre war Oscar's that appeal to me, finding one that can be made playable is another challenge in itself, lol
Your videos are definitely appreciated and will check them all out. Thanks!
@@braaandooon3166 I love the idea of "rubberizing" your old Oscar Schmidt. Can I assume you've seen my Rubber Bridge videos?
Starting with this one: ruclips.net/video/5vWIpwlXGpA/видео.html
My Grandfather’s 1964 Silvertone 1446l got me into guitar. Most transparent humbuckers I’ve heard, made by Gibson.
Yes, great pickups for sure! Rockabilly dudes are addicted to 'em.
My first guitar was a Harmony so you got a new subscriber!
Right on, Brian. Do you remember the model and year?
It was a JCPenny Catalog guitar parlor size no clue the model or year. Since then I’ve had a 1965 H1215 Archtop and currently have a H165 (poor mans Martin).
👍👍 very cool info ☺️
Thanks, Thomas. I've done quite a few other videos about Harmonys. Here's where I started: ruclips.net/video/TpZjOqSRBR8/видео.html
Love my 1950 Kay and play all my gigs with it. Rub a little salt into Taylor snobs.
Amen, Allan. I don't get the Taylor obsession and never have. Generally too bright, characterless and upper mid-rangey for me.
Hello i have guitar HARMONY SOVEREIGN 1971 New state excellent.
Fantastic Ezequiel! You’re in very good company!
@@RobertCassard THANKS YOU .Mi guitar si written on the bridge ir says SYD
EZEQUIEL La Voz Del Pueblo I haven’t ever seen SYD on a Harmony bridge and couldn’t tell you what that means. Maybe one of the experts on the Vintage Harmony Guitar Facebook groups can help you.
Tim Barnes Guessing SYD are probably initials!
I didn't know Harmony guitars influenced so much artist pop music .
Amazing, right?
@@RobertCassard thanks
@@sadielampduo3762 My pleasure
So you know , that close up of "gold foil pickups" , at 8:25 were not even DeArmonds....they were contemporary import copies of DeArmonds.........
Nice sleuthing! But you get the idea...
I love my 67 and 68 Bobkats
Great pickups! I’d love to hear a sample of you playing them.
I'll try to make a video with them@@RobertCassard
Also Kurt Cobain used a harmony/stella acoustic on nevermind. Polly and Something in the way i think
Thanks for that info, Joe. A Stella seems perfect for Kurt!
I believe Courtney Love played a Stella on Doll Parts.
Syd Barrett had an Harmony sovereign H1260.
Awesome! Have you seen photos?
@@RobertCassard en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syd_Barrett#/media/File:BarrettHarmonyGuitar.jpg
@@Edward1312 LOVE IT!