Need Help Identifying Stella guitar

[syoung]

Hi all, can anyone help me find out what year/model my Stella guitar is. It looks like a model H929 but it has a stamp of XXXXH928 visible on the inside. The painted stripes go horizontally where as on the H929 model, they go vertically. Anyway, the H928 model is supposed to be an ivory version as seen on the following website.
http://http://harmony.demont.net/guitars/H928/238.htm

Picture of my Stella here.
http://visualmantra.com


Anyway, any help would be appreciated!
Best,
Steven

[Ben M.]

Yours is a 929. A lot of the different Harmony models were the same guitar just a different finish. It's pretty common for them to have the wrong model number stamped inside.

[slide496]

I wouldn't initially identify it as a 929 unless it is an oddball. The stripes are going wrong way, the fretboard markers are different and the nut on the OP image is dark and usually those are white, maybe it was replaced.

[acoustigoat]

I agree with the above. I have an H928, which is the ivory flame finish. There is no model number stamped inside, just S48, which indicates it made in spring/summer 1948. Yours is much more like the H929 (see this page). There are a lot of variations out there.

For what it's worth, mine sounds great strung up with Silk & Steels. How's the playability of yours? Mine is pretty much for slide playing given the relief.

[slide496]

I'm pretty sure it is a Harmony 930, the page from Harmony database matches the stripes, fretboard markers and the dark nut on the one pictured -

Apparently its not on the page with the ones in the large collection but there is a page for it here, and reference the third picture from the left, the one with the case :
http://harmony.demont.net/model/503.htm

And I think this is it -the 8th image scrolling down on the page - from a stella ad:
http://chasingguitars.com/harmony-history/

[syoung]

Hi all, thank you so much for the awesome replies and information! I appreciate it! You guys are way more knowledgeable about these guitars than I will ever be!
Best,
Steven

[zombywoof]

I have whittled my Harmonys down to only one Stella. But it is a doozy - a 1942 H165 Stella. Why Harmony marketed it as a Stella I do not have a clue. I also do have a 1930s Supertone which was transformed into a Stella after Harmony acquired the rights to name..

Here is the guitar in the 1962 catalog.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by slide496

I'm pretty sure it is a Harmony 930, the page from Harmony database matches the stripes, fretboard markers and the dark nut on the one pictured -

Apparently its not on the page with the ones in the large collection but there is a page for it here, and reference the third picture from the left, the one with the case :
http://harmony.demont.net/model/503.htm

And I think this is it -the 8th image scrolling down on the page - from a stella ad:
http://chasingguitars.com/harmony-history/

Looks like it. I just assumed it was a later 929 and Harmony had changed tings up a bit. I'd never heard of the 930.

[slide496]

Originally Posted by Ben M.

Looks like it. I just assumed it was a later 929 and Harmony had changed tings up a bit. I'd never heard of the 930.

Neither had I.