The wonderful Harmony H 1260!!!

blue-wily-fox · #1 03-07-2010, 01:11 PM

This weekend I got a 1964 Harmony Sovereign H1260. Let's just say, it has TONS of mojo, and has a few miles on her, but man.....what a guitar. It is my new baby, and somewhat of an ugly baby, but the sounds that come from this are almost unbelievable. This is a Jumbo guitar with a fat waist, somewhat larger than a Dreadnaught. The key to the sound of these is that the top is LADDER braced instead of "X" braced, which really tends to open up the sound on these big boys. I'm into the acoustic blues traditions, and this guitar is a blues Monster. This guitar has one of the most amazing bass notes of any guitar I have played, bar none. Very powerful, yet great highs and mids. The sound is not as "sweet" as an "x" braced guitar, but is more open and dynamic. It sounds loud from the player's side, but WOW from the listener's side. This is a louder guitar than any Jumbo or Dread I have played. (and that's a lot) These were made by the thousands by Harmony (who took over Stella) when Harmony was the world's largest maker of guitars. The specs are solid Adirondak spruce top, Solid Mahogany back and sides (back from single piece of mahogany, big trees back then) Bound Brazillian Rosewood fretboard, single piece mahogany neck. American made with 100% Hide glue. Used you can find these on EBAY for $250 (needing work) to $600 and up (all work done), but generally they need neck resets, fret work, all the usual stuff for a 45-60 year old guitar. If you EVER see one of these on a wall, please take a moment to play it, you will astound yourself, thinking this guitar must be amplified somehow. These are considered the best of the Harmony's of this era, along with the 1266 and the H55....lol....enjoy!!!

Here are some of our ancestors who played Harmony's H1260 for blues:
Sleepy John Estes, Howling Wolf, Mississippi John Hurt, Melvin "Lil' Son" Jackson, Robert Curtis Smith, Robert Pete Williams, Mance Lipscombe

Pete Townshend plays the 12 string version of this and Jimmy Page recorded "Stairway to Heaven" on Led Zeppelin III in the studio with a 1260 which is a trivia claim to fame of this model.

Below is a Harmony website with a little history of the guitar and lots of pics of the various incarnations. By the way, anyone with a Harmony guitar, you can find almost EVERYTHING on this website.....

http://harmony.demont.net/model.php?id=44

Harmony-Central reviews....

http://reviews.harmony-c...mony/1260+Sovereign/25/1

Brent Nelson · #2 03-07-2010, 01:38 PM

Another fan here! I've owned a couple different ones, including one under the "Silvertone" moniker that was sunburst and in amazing condition. Dropped a K&K in that one and it was my regular gigger. Wish I still had that one!!

When/if you can find one in playble shape, JUMP on it! I agree. Great bang for the buck and a tone all their own.

Brent (Madison, WI)

Chris Kemp · #3 03-07-2010, 02:28 PM

And another fan here! I love those old Harmonys and it won't be long before people start to realize this and the price will start to jump.

JohnZ · #4 03-07-2010, 03:51 PM

Had mine since 1965.

Dotneck · #5 03-07-2010, 06:31 PM

What is the neck like? I would imagine a big thick baseball bat but rather thin at the nut....

marvin gardens · #6 03-07-2010, 06:43 PM

I had one that had belonged to my dad. It was a 63 or 64 model...had a very high set up and a thick neck that warpped. I tried to have it repaired to no avail, but I do know that before the neck warping it had great tone and playability. It got me through my high school folk song days quite well. I sure do miss that old guitar.

Jim

blue-wily-fox · #7 03-07-2010, 08:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dotneck

What is the neck like? I would imagine a big thick baseball bat but rather thin at the nut....

Neck is thick, but comfortable, also this one has the pin bridge instead of the hole-through bridge, I think better sound transfer. I knew you guys who had one would understand what I'm talking about....lol......nice guitar....

jlkitch · #8 03-08-2010, 06:37 AM

My favorite blues guitar is a Harmony 12 string. I learned with an old Leadbelly song book and a set of black diamond strings. My last one died a sad death (busted slothead) and I've yet to find a good 12 string to replace it. The Seagull is nice, but not very bluesy.

grampa · #9 03-08-2010, 10:19 AM

I have a 12 string that strarted its life as one of those back in the 50's. In the 60's a guy I knew wanted a 12 string but couldn't afford one so he converted the Sovereign into one. He widened the neck with Ebonite, the stuff bowling balls were made of, reconstructed the headstock and saddle and after several attempts and modifications, voila! a very interesting 12 string.
With silk and steels on it, I could tune it up to standard but a few years ago it started bowing too much so now it's tuned to a very low modal type tuning. It is still fabulous.

blue-wily-fox · #10 03-08-2010, 04:23 PM

Grampa, they do make the 12 string version, I've seen one or two on Evilbay, Sounds like an interesting conversion....

grampa · #11 03-08-2010, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue-wily-fox

Grampa, they do make the 12 string version, I've seen one or two on Evilbay, Sounds like an interesting conversion....

It's nothing like a "normal" 12 string. It is extremely lightly braced so the sound is much more vibrant than something with heavy braces. The guy who made it couldn't assure me that it would stay together, he thought it was too lightly braced but it has stayed together for me since I got it in 1966.
It is truly unique and interesting.

Petespix · #12 03-09-2010, 08:23 AM

The 1260 is a good one for me too. I just picked up one a few months ago in good playing and cosmetic shape with a LR Baggs M1A for $450. No neck reset needed at all. I really like to play this guitar, the sound is just like previously described. Unfortunately I did get very disappointed when I brought it along to play with some friends one night. I was looking forward to acoustic jamming with it but when I played it with others the sound was near terrible. I had strung it with New Tone 80/20 lights which sound great playing alone. I'll have to try different strings on it and then take it back for a nights playing with friends to see if it is any better in that situation.

Anyone else notice something like what I described when playing the 1260 with others ? What strings are you using?

Peter

Folkstrum · #13 03-09-2010, 08:30 AM

Had the 1260 in high school. I was always "trading up," and never owned more than one guitar at a time until I got ancient; she was a cannon, and with a new set of Black Diamonds on her, rang to kingdom-come. Traded her in for a 1968 Guild D-40, which is ALSO a guitar I sorely wished I'd kept.

I picked up a Sovereign 12-string much later, and the bridge and action was so bad, I took it into a college machine-shop to have the rosewood ground down, and leveled. The bridge moved, as there was a tailpiece. Well, after that, she played like buttah, and nary a buzz or sour note. Considering back then I thought truss rods adjusted action, I guess I did the right thing unawares. THAT guitar was a cannon as well, and like her cousin, traded her in on my first Guild Jumbo 12: a 1972 Guild 212XL.

Those 1260's will fetch a pretty price on Ebay these days. I think if I saw one at a local pawn shop, I'd snatch it up ASAP!

weisser · #14 03-09-2010, 10:18 AM

My father bought a Harmony Sovereign 1260 for me at the original Sam Ashe in Brooklyn in 1964. It was my first decent guitar and I played it until my first wife trashed it in the early seventies. I had the opportunity to buy one this past fall. This one had been sitting in a garage for years and needed a neck reset and some minor crack repair. Since I'm a salesman at Mandolin Bros,, the work was expertly done in our shop and I know have a great example....lots of mojo and memories. I got rid of the old chipboard case and bought a new Guardian Arched Top dread case that fits perfectly. The Harmony seems to sound and play best with 12's. A bone saddle was made and the guitar is awaiting a new bone nut.

I also have a really good '72 Martin D-18 and it's interesting to compare the two guitars. All I can say is that if you're thinking that the Harmony will blow away the Martin, it won't happen. They are two very different instruments and should be judged on their own merit.

blue-wily-fox · #15 03-09-2010, 03:59 PM

Weisser, great story about your 1260, by the way, My guitar came WITHOUT a case, so if you can give the model number of that case I would appreciate it....thanks....

Quote:

Originally Posted by weisser

My father bought a Harmony Sovereign 1260 for me at the original Sam Ashe in Brooklyn in 1964. It was my first decent guitar and I played it until my first wife trashed it in the early seventies. I had the opportunity to buy one this past fall. This one had been sitting in a garage for years and needed a neck reset and some minor crack repair. Since I'm a salesman at Mandolin Bros,, the work was expertly done in our shop and I know have a great example....lots of mojo and memories. I got rid of the old chipboard case and bought a new Guardian Arched Top dread case that fits perfectly. The Harmony seems to sound and play best with 12's. A bone saddle was made and the guitar is awaiting a new bone nut.

I also have a really good '72 Martin D-18 and it's interesting to compare the two guitars. All I can say is that if you're thinking that the Harmony will blow away the Martin, it won't happen. They are two very different instruments and should be judged on their own merit.