Harmony sisters

[dobrodave]

Just came home today. Looks like I'm getting into the sister thing, just did the sister mando's & here's the next victim (I mean candidate) for the Harmony X-brace treatment. Slightly different upper bout shapes. Bookmatched top on the new one and not the other. Interesting none the less. Love those old Hamony woods, especially the fingerboards & bridges ! I'll do ya a sound sample if you want but it's kinda apples & oranges; dead light guage ladder braced w/terrible action vs. newer med guaged- X-braced & set up well.
video :
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HCmJR...32ItJg&index=1


[IMG][/IMG]
Here's the new one; lots of nice honest play wear !
They pay extra for that, don't they ?
[IMG][/IMG]

[gitnoob]

Can't wait. In the meantime, here's a quick FAQ on adding pictures:
http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=231871

Edit: nice pair of H162's. And a good opportunity to experiment if you'd like. Check out the bracing I used in my H165 conversion. I'm planning to try it on an H162 next.

[gitnoob]

That's going to clean up nicely!

Here's what it might look like with the top off, sanded, a wash coat of shellac, and the bridge bolt holes plugged with rosewood plugs....

[dobrodave]

Aint' sandin' nothin ! 165's the Hog top right ? Still tryin' to get my model #'s down; I did 2 of those earlier, 1 bound 1 not. I think I've done ~ 8 or so projects of this sort, might have to do a video of them all together (only 1 or 2 I can't access). You think top off is more the norm than back off ? I know it's the norm in the viol world.

[gitnoob]

Yeah, H165 = mahogany top, no binding. H162 = spruce/mahogany with binding.

On first inspection, my H162 looked pretty clean. But the neck block cracked during shipping, so I decided to do major surgery. I would have left the bridge and pickguard alone, but it turned out that the bridge was pretty seriously off-center, so off they came, and out came the sander.

I take the top off rather than the back because it makes it easier to both unbrace and rebrace.

[dobrodave]

Gotta do what ya gotta do. The more I stare at em, the bridge placements are a bit, "unique" to each box. I imagine they came pre-slotted & were glued on for intonantion. Nice work on the plugs, that's not easy. So those original necks; Ash, Poplar, Birch ?

[gitnoob]

You can see the old pin holes relative to the centered bridge. I can't imagine that shifting the bridge to the right helps intonation much. Most of their braces are glued at odd angles, too. They were just cranking these things out as fast as they could.

I've read that the necks (and blocks) are poplar. Don't know why. They seemed to have plenty of good mahogany in stock.

[dobrodave]

I'm just talkin' bridge pacement might have been dialed in; centering's another thing, over time a neck/box can twist/warp a little, that's all I can think of as to why a bridge would be off center.

[gitnoob]

How's your latest victim coming along? I just closed up the box on mine.



Decided to try two bass bars this time. Hopefully, it's not too tight.

Also eliminated the cross-wise sound hole reinforcement. It didn't seem very useful structurally, and I think it could restrict some of the X motion.

These are fun guitars to work on.

[dobrodave]

Got the 2 latest rebuilds done, Favilla was a gamble but I think it paid off; tons of Mojo. Ridden hard & put up wet but she grows on you. Here's a couple vids:
Favilla:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQ0UeGfHEyg
Harmony's:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1FVJ6eRwYg

[MusicMan1]

gitnoob,

I sent you a PM , did you fall in the sound hole ! and can't get out ?


Let me know if ya got the PM.

Thanks

Carl