onewilyfool Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I have a '69 Harmony Sovereign 1203 OM sized, ladder braced 14 fret to body, guitar. I also had a '57 Gibson Lg-1 at the time I got this, and the LG-1 went soon after that. . While the Gibson was a great ladder braced guitar, the Sovereign really kicked it's butt sound.volume, tone…really in every way. When I got it, like just about EVERY Harmony guitar from this era, it needed a neck reset. I considered leaving the action high, and using it for slide, but decided to get the work done, and truly happy about that. Imagine this guitar in today's dollars…Brazilian Rosewood bound fretboard, one piece mahogany neck (very chunky), single piece solid mahogany back, solid mahogany sides, solid Sitka spruce top (VERY tight grain with a lot of silking) all put together with Hide glue!! The one I have is literally a "time capsule" example. With the exception of a few top dimples, it looks "showroom" condition. There is just something about ladder braced guitars. This guitar is significantly louder than my friend's Martin OM, with a certain "rawness" of sound that you only get from a ladder braced construction. Zomby will attest to this I'm sure. If you are a pure finger picker, you may not like the rougher sound, but if you like blues or rock on your acoustic, you may really take to this one…I know I did. I think I will record a few numbers with this one and get back to you….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
firestripe Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I guess what I'm wondering is why haven't you posted any pictures yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theevdawg Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 I guess what I'm wondering is why haven't you posted any pictures yet? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Yeah, you are definitely a man after my own heart. Back in the day a Sovereign was often the first good guitar any of us could get our hands on. They were kinda the in between step between something an all birch Silvertone Stella and a Guild or lower end Marrtin or Gibson. The Sovereigns were the best that Harmony had to offer. The only ladder braced bigger body guitar I have ever gotten my hands that I liked better than a Sovereign was a Vega Profundo. There were, of course, three basic Sovereigns - the 1203, 1260 and 1266 (four if you count the 1270 12 string). My favorite 1203s are the early ones from the late 1950s that have a figure 8 shaped body (Harmony later flattened the bottom out on them). But they were all were acknowldged as good sounding and playing guitars back in the 1960s and nothing has changed. They were made with top notch lumber, I dare say better quality wood than you find on guitars costing ten times as much these days. My Sovereign 1260 (no date stamp on it but the block letter logo shows it to have been made before 1962) has a neck that is very close in feel to that on my '42 J-50. They even have a pinless bridge. Granted, the price has gone up on these over the years (one of those egads they have become fashionable things) and finding one with a good neck can still be a daunting chore but the hunt is well worth it. Here be mine (with a new pickguard and TRC swiped from some other Harmony) sitting along side my mid-1930s Oscar Schmidt-made Galiano Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 Zomby….you STOLE that Galiano!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted August 12, 2014 Author Share Posted August 12, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Zomby….you STOLE that Galiano!!! Yes I did. But the way I see it it, it helps make up for all those times I laid out a price that was something more than a steal for a guitar. Best part about this one was the only other guy around who apparently knew what the guitar was was Fred Oster who I think was looking to snag it for himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zombywoof Posted August 12, 2014 Share Posted August 12, 2014 Now that is what I am talking about! That one really shines. Class act my friend. These guitars are the perfect lesson for what you can be missing out on if you place too much emphasis about what name is on the headstock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurfbird Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 The only issue I have with no-name guitars is finding them. I rarely, if ever, come across a nice no-name guitar and it's near impossible to find one on eBay. Lesser-known brands need to seen and heard in person. I guess old Gibsons should also be met in person, but I've had pretty good luck thus far buying long distance. If I could find cool cheap acoustic guitars, I wouldn't have any room for anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natstrat79 Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 Looks like I need to put mine back together and see what it sounds like. I bought a 1203 off craigslist a year ago that the bridge had come off and desperately need a neck reset with the intention of practicing some garage repair work. This thread has me thinking its time to glue a new bridge on and put the neck back on right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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