The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 10-07-2019, 05:40 AM
hat hat is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,371
Default Harmony guitars and Adi tops?

I've got an old U.S. made Harmony Western Special I've been messing with, and noticed the top wood is different in appearance than my Sitka topped guitars. The grain is wider, and it just has a different appearance to it. I just wonder where they sourced their woods, and what the odds are that they could have used Adi Spruce, or other species other than Sitka.
__________________
______________
---Tom H ---
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 10-07-2019, 06:16 AM
Osage Osage is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 2,145
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by hat View Post
I've got an old U.S. made Harmony Western Special I've been messing with, and noticed the top wood is different in appearance than my Sitka topped guitars. The grain is wider, and it just has a different appearance to it. I just wonder where they sourced their woods, and what the odds are that they could have used Adi Spruce, or other species other than Sitka.
Depends on when it's from but I believe they used white spruce at least through the mid 40's, sourced in neighboring Michigan. After that, my guess is Sitka as it was readily available at a low cost.

Also, basically every spruce can look exactly like every other spruce so going by visuals alone can be risky when determining which variety you have.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-07-2019, 06:51 AM
zombywoof zombywoof is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 9,356
Default

Harmony did not necessarily keep costs down by relying on more cheaply sourced wood. And Red Spruce was abundant before WII so finding enough sawn lumber was no problem. Harmony relied on speed of production to cut costs. I have seen and owned Harmony guitars (inlcuding Sears Supertones) with red spruce tops, ebony boards, fancy inlays and such. But to have an Adi top "old" would mean a guitar built before roughly 1945.
__________________
"You start off playing guitars to get girls & end up talking with middle-aged men about your fingernails" - Ed Gerhard

Last edited by zombywoof; 10-08-2019 at 12:06 PM.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-07-2019, 11:09 AM
Edgar Poe Edgar Poe is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 642
Default

Harmony Sovereigns aren't to shabby.

Ed
__________________
"Quote The Raven, NEVERMORE !"
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-07-2019, 03:47 PM
gmel555 gmel555 is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: Lower Slower Delaware
Posts: 2,778
Default

Wider grain could also mean the wood was not quartersawn, BUT I’m no expert for sure. Even if it wasn’t quartesawn, the fact that it’s lasted this many years suggests it’s not a problem....it sounds very cool either way. Can u post a pic?
__________________
“The tapestry of life is more important than a single thread.”
R. Daneel Olivaw in I. Asimov's Robots and Empire.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > General Acoustic Guitar Discussion

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:31 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=