#1
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"New" 1962 Harmony Archtop
Yesterday, after having lunch with my Aunt she surprised me by giving me her guitar, that was bought new for her in 1962 by my Grandparents!
I'd seen it a couple times before and played it the spring for a few minutes but I had no idea she planned this. Although she is a music lover and loves guitar music she never took lessons and never played, and never had kids around, so it probably has less than ten hours on its original strings!! There hasn't been a case for it so she wrapped it in blankets so it has picked up a couple very light dings in the last 57yrs. It's almost NOS. No truss rod, but "steel reinforced". Nice looking fingerboard, pretty much zero wear on the frets, though they could use a little dressing on the edges, just a couple are a little catchy. Either a model and/or lot number or serial number, I don't know. And a close up of what appears to be the 1962 production code. Going to take off the old strings and clean/oil the fingerboard and polish the frets lightly. Not sure what gauge strings it has, but I can mike them and find out. I'm pretty excited about this "new" toy!
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__________________ "Life goes on, within you and without you" |
#2
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Stunning!
Absolutely love it. Great story and history.
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Brucebubs 1972 - Takamine D-70 2014 - Alvarez ABT60 Baritone 2015 - Kittis RBJ-195 Jumbo 2012 - Dan Dubowski#61 2018 - Rickenbacker 4003 Fireglo 2020 - Gibson Custom Shop Historic 1957 SJ-200 2021 - Epiphone 'IBG' Hummingbird |
#3
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i had the exact same model guitar; it was way cool. Congrats!
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#4
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I would love to be gifted an old archtop. Lucky you!
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Happiness Is A New Set Of Strings L-20A |
#5
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You have a real survivor there - when I was taking lessons in Brooklyn about the same time as your aunt, these then-$27.50 guitars were standard fare; unfortunately most of them fell victim to the ravages of the old New Brunswick (NJ) Black Diamond strings (as did my own Harmony Broadway) - just one gauge thinner than bridge cable, and I strongly suspect it's the fact that the original strings were never changed that allowed it to retain its playability. As I'm sure you're aware they weren't the most refined instruments of their kind, but if you needed a lot of punch and cut these old Harmonys would deliver; don't quote me on this but TMK they were also made of solid birch (unlike many of their contemporary competitors) - another factor in their often surprising tone/volume, and if you need an acoustic lead instrument with a vintage vibe and the ability to cut through at your next song circle you'll be hard-pressed to find anything comparable at a reasonable price...
A couple caveats:
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#6
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Yep, it will continue to stay in the family and I will put it into the rotation.
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__________________ "Life goes on, within you and without you" |
#7
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What a beauty! Good story... that's one to treasure.
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#8
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I had this same guitar
Donated it to some of the victims of the CA fires. H1213 is the model number btw
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#9
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Quote:
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"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard |
#10
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Just for fun, I recently bought three sets of ancient shrink-wrapped Black Diamond flatwounds. (I'm half-tempted to try a set on my '64 Kay Speed Demon.) Quote:
Does it play OK? Quote:
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1955 Gibson ES-125 1956 Fender Champ lap steel 1964 Guild Starfire III 1984 Rickenbacker 330 1990s Mosrite (Kurokumo) Ventures 2002/2005 Fender Japan '60s Tele [TL-62-66US] 2008 Hallmark 60 Custom 2018 Martin Custom Shop 00-18 slot-head 1963 Fender Bandmaster (blonde blackface) 1965 Ampeg Gemini I 2020 Mojotone tweed Champ kit build |
#11
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The virtue of Black Diamond strings was you could get them pretty much everywhere. While string tension exacted a harsh toll on Harmonys. Neither they nor Kay were none too picky about necks. Speed trumped quality construction. Even the steel rods Harmony started going to in the late-1950s were often poorly installed resulting in their more easily bending. If you have ever done a neck reset on a Harmony what you often find are popsicle stick shims with a ton of glue slathered into the joint.
"Goin' down to Lillian's music store to buy a Black Diamond string. Gonna wind it up on my guitar. Gonna make that silver sing" - Tom Petty "Dreamville"
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"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard |
#12
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Congrats on your NOS Harmony!! Don't know who made the Wards Airline archtop that I got new in '64, but it could have been Harmony. I think it was about $30. Black Diamond is what I used. Man was that thing tough to play for a then 13 year-old! Traded that off in '66 for a Gibson Kalamazoo electric. Also a cheap guitar.
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#13
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For several reasons - value, playability, potential damage - I'd just stick them in the case with your '64 Kay and use them as a conversation piece and touch of period-accurate vibe (trust me, you don't want to play them ). FWIW several years ago I set up a gennie '58 LP (goldtop/darkback/PAF's) for a local nonagenarian who was no longer able to play, thanks to the Black Diamonds he had installed back in the day (FYI he also had two unopened sets in the case, along with a '50s Bobby Lee skinny strap - talk about period vibe); a set of D'A 12-52 flatwounds (comparable to what would have been OEM back in '58) and a bridge adjustment brought things back to spec - the smile on his face was priceless, and his grandkids have a "401(k)" heirloom that'll still rock the house...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#14
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Wow, fun to read the conversation this has sparked!
I am going to take off the current, such as they are, strings and at least mask off the fingerboard and take some 0000 to the frets, and then put on new proper lights. Until then I cannot really comment on its playability. Neck is straight and the action doesn't seem too high, though, so I'm optimistic .
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__________________ "Life goes on, within you and without you" |
#15
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I have a Broadway that was beat to death and a kid got it In His grandpa’s stuff. I gave him $5, and somewhat more to the local luthier to make it playable.
It is fun to have around. Enjoy yours! |