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  #16  
Old 03-20-2015, 09:07 PM
jjracer jjracer is offline
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I have a 60's model Harmony all mahogny, not sure the size, smaller tann a dred. Was my wife's when we first met she left it with her mother when we got married some 42 years ago. A short while ago the mother in law had a garage sale. We went up to visit and the guitar was on the table. I asked what gives and she said she was offered 25 dollars for it. I gave her 40 and put it in my car not a great guitar but sounds good, straight neck and tons of sentimental value.
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  #17  
Old 03-20-2015, 09:46 PM
syrynx syrynx is offline
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Gosh, didn't I just post about my fondness for my Harmony H165?

Oh, yes-- but that was in the Harmony H 165 thread, three days ago, so I might as well copy and paste an edited version of my reply from that thread here.

I love my H165. I'd love to have two or three more of them.

Mine is actually my most recently acquired guitar, $90 four years ago. The Mother of Utility Pole Steel Reinforced Neck would need to be reset for conventional playing, but I bought mine specifically for the purpose of playing it as an acoustic lap steel, so the neck dimensions and high action are desirable features for me.

The neck dovetail joints on all Harmony guitars were sloppily cut and the gaps filled with glue, rather than having appropriate wood-to-wood bearing surfaces. I agree that acquiring an instrument which has already had the neck reset is likely to be more cost-effective than buying one that needs the surgery and then finding and paying the surgeon. But do take a look at the Kitchen Lutherie page at the Harmony Database. You might decide that a DIY reset is within your capability. (While you're at the Database, I'm sure you'll spend some time at the H165 page anyway, so I might as well link it for you.)

My H165 has one piece back and top.

It also has other features which mean a lot to me, but may be meaningless to you:

- No body binding, no purfling, no rosette. It's a musical instrument, and its form faithfully follows and fulfills its function. To my eyes, it's more attractive visually than bound and purfled guitars with rosettes.

- Bound sound hole. I'm a magnetic sound hole pickup junkie, and the sound hole binding serves a very important function for me in protecting the rim of the sound hole from the pickups.

- Pinless bridge. I damp the sixth and fifth strings at the bridge with the heel of my hand, and the pinless bridge is more comfortable than the pin bridge on the Martin 0-15 which I also play as an acoustic steel guitar. (My third acoustic lap steel, a '70s Ovation Balladeer, also has a pinless bridge.) In addition to improved comfort, I never have to lose a minute's sleep agonizing over plastic bridge pins vs. bone vs. fossil ivory vs. Power Pins.

Obviously, my answer is not objective. YMMV.
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  #18  
Old 03-20-2015, 09:59 PM
H165 H165 is offline
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As you might guess from my moniker, I am a BIG fan. My fave is the old style H165, which is fatter and curvier than the common model. It would be called an SJ nowadays, I guess.
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  #19  
Old 03-21-2015, 07:57 AM
Hurricane Bob Hurricane Bob is offline
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My 1975 Harmony that I bought for $50.00. Had a free neck set from the repair guy at my store and some braces re- glued. Shes been from the Bahamas to Alaska as my travel guitar.

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  #20  
Old 03-21-2015, 10:47 PM
fogrider fogrider is offline
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Long live the Harmony 1260 Sovereign!!!

Jumbo body, ladder braced, 1 3/4" nut, 25" scale, super comfy neck, one piece solid mahogany back, hog sides, solid aid top.... need I say more?

If you can pick one up for a good price, and if you can do a neck reset yourself, a 1260 is the bargain of the century, IMHO.

Blues, country, folk, fingerpicking, flat picking....a 1260 does it all!
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  #21  
Old 03-22-2015, 02:26 AM
mds08 mds08 is offline
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I have a 65 Harmony Stella H929. Awesome little blues guitar and the neck is straight to my surprise. This one pictured is not mine but identical to it. I think they are great little travel/couch guitars, plus all solid wood too.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8z3wZ4hhGN...00/stella1.jpg
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  #22  
Old 03-22-2015, 04:35 AM
Silly Moustache Silly Moustache is offline
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My third guitar was a Harmony Sovereign H1265 - A sunburst jumbo with faux tortoise headstock veneer and an oversized, double pick guard whith was about 1/4" think.

It looked like this one (which sold for $1500 ?!?!?

http://www.myuswarehouse.com/en/ebay...d=121404943860

The only Harmony I have now is an excellent condition '60s Harmony Monterey H1325 with that totally original sunburst design.

When I first started going to see the Rolling Stones they had Harmony semis - with a strange white triangular pick guard.
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  #23  
Old 03-22-2015, 08:12 AM
zombywoof zombywoof is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mds08 View Post
I have a 65 Harmony Stella H929. Awesome little blues guitar and the neck is straight to my surprise. This one pictured is not mine but identical to it. I think they are great little travel/couch guitars, plus all solid wood too.

They may be all solid wood but its birch which was only used because it was dirt cheap. To me though, these are the perfect slide guitars as they are hollow and slightly tinny or metallic sounding to begin with.

Finding one with a neck that is not inky though is always a pleasant surprise. The only reason I bought that Supertone I own is that the neck on it is perfect. Felt I could not pass it up plus the fact I got it with its original canvas case and songbook for $30.
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  #24  
Old 06-11-2015, 06:19 AM
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Ed-in-Ohio Ed-in-Ohio is offline
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Default Strings for harmony Sovereign Jumbo (H1260)?

Quote:
Originally Posted by fogrider View Post
Long live the Harmony 1260 Sovereign!!!

Jumbo body, ladder braced, 1 3/4" nut, 25" scale, super comfy neck, one piece solid mahogany back, hog sides, solid aid top.... need I say more?

If you can pick one up for a good price, and if you can do a neck reset yourself, a 1260 is the bargain of the century, IMHO.

Blues, country, folk, fingerpicking, flat picking....a 1260 does it all!
As mentioned to kickoff this thread, I have a Regal R235 (rebranded H1260) that I love.

I have only ever had Martin SP Lifespan Phosphor Bronze (11-52) strings on it, and have been very pleased with the tone. However, I'll be changing the strings this weekend, and I'd like to try something different. Here's what I've got:
  • GHS Phosphor Bronze 11-50
  • Martin Retros 11-52
  • Martin M175 80/20 11-52
  • La Bella Silver-Plated 11-52

So, what should I try next? (I'm sure I'll eventually get to them all, but what would be your choice for the first "different string experience" on this guitar).

My music is Americana, my playing is mostly strumming with some hybrid finger picking.

Thanks.
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  #25  
Old 06-11-2015, 08:52 AM
mwalk mwalk is offline
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I love my vintage Buck Owens "American!"

http://cdn.americansongwriter.com/wp...L1B8362new.jpg
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  #26  
Old 06-11-2015, 09:49 AM
wrathfuldeity wrathfuldeity is offline
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Recent find on CL...absolutely adore the little hog...early/mid 60's H165. And she came with the reset neck, newer tuners, pin bridge, good frets, still has the ladder bracing, spot on intonation, good action and stays in-tune...all for $150...I just had to do a wee bit of diy... compensated saddle and lube 3 tuners. Had been actively looking for a high-end acoustic to noodle around on for the rest of my days on the planet...but no more...she is warm, intimate, fits well and sooo sweetly broken in. With light picks and strums she just jumps...she's not loud or bold and can get over whelmed or driven. An absolute gem for just playin to my self. Love showing her off






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  #27  
Old 06-11-2015, 10:03 AM
gretchen55 gretchen55 is offline
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There is a very interesting department store/ guitar shop in Southold, NY, on the North Fork of Long Island that specializes in old Harmonys. They also have new Martins and others, it's a very funny old place and worth a visit.
http://harmony.rothguitar.com/
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  #28  
Old 10-14-2015, 06:04 AM
vlado vlado is offline
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I've had mine H159 - Birch jumbo for 4 years now and I can't complain. I got it in Berlin when I needed a wider-neck guitar for recording, a friend of mine trades instruments and got it for me, we tried it against the Guild and Martin that we had in the studio and I must say I used it on most recordings there. Some people say it's ugly, but I don't mind, I like the sound and the playability of it more then I'd care for the looks.
http://beta.www.jmxpic.com/y-my-auct...-guitar/#START
This is not my guitar that is seen on the picture, I found this on the net, but it is exactly the same kind.
The only bad thing about it or something I'd like to change is the set of mechanics, which at certain points didn't hold if I occasionally tuned some strings up for some open tunings, and I also want to make some fret marks on the side of the neck, 'cause I sometimes cannot see the marks at the front. But those are all minor issues and have only been delayed for so long now 'cause I had some other investments to make for other instruments...
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  #29  
Old 10-14-2015, 06:27 AM
Long Jon Long Jon is offline
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Can I join in ?

I've got one of these , tho' mine has the "shield" style headstock logo above the trc. Not a clue how to play it ...



I believe it was formerly owned by Batman.
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  #30  
Old 10-14-2015, 10:09 AM
wrathfuldeity wrathfuldeity is offline
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in the past 4 months picked up 2 more...the middle a barclay labled h162 and another h165 on the right all had neck resets, frets and the last one has upgraded epoxied steel tress rod, jumbo frets 1/4" bone saddle and nut and p/u...it will hang with martin 15


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