scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 A few years ago one of my friends left a guitar with me asking if i could repair it,i am not sure why he asked me because i had never repaired a guitar in my life,so i took a look at it and saw that there was a big crack where the neck joined the body ,there was no way i could repair it so i put it back in its gig bag and there it stood for the last ten years,i often wondered what happend to my friend,because i have not seen him in years,lol any way i have included some pics,just to see if anyone knows anything about this Harmony guitar best wishes scarrabri ps i hope i have put this in the right forum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Dunno anything about that one, but I grew up playing one of these Harmonys........ Wish I still had it - it had 2 DeArmond single coil gold foil pickups.....I beat the living daylights out of that guitar for 20 years.....was a great lil "surf guitar" :)/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 Dunno anything about that one' date=' but I grew up playing one of these Harmonys........ [img']http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj65/rsdxrsd/Namm_2008_Harmony_booth_03.jpg[/img] Wish I still had it - it had 2 DeArmond single coil gold foil pickups.....I beat the living daylights out of that guitar for 20 years.....was a great lil "surf guitar" :)/ Thanks for reply RSDx ,nice looking guitar ,good to see some one else had one best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 The original Harmony Guitar Co, based in Chicago went out of business in 1975. Not sure what happened to the brand name before 2008 when the brand was resurrrected and now made in Korea. http://harmonyguitars.com/ That one appears to be a LP clone. From the laminations on the side, it appears to be an entry level guitar, and from the H serial number tag..possibly a 1973 model. It would be interesting to find out if it actually is that date, because you would have one made (possibly) in the Chicago factory before operations ceased. I had a 65 Harmony Meteor back in the late 60s. A great little guitar..traded it in on an Epiphone Riviera and then sold the Epiphone...wish I hadn't been so stupid and kept both of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 The Harmonys I played in the '60s & '70s were total crap. There's a reason why companies like Harmony are not in business anymore. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 I can't find anything resembling a Les Paul under Harmony in my price books, but that doesn't mean anything, they made a ton of different kinds of instruments under their and many other names. Assuming the neck is straight and you have the desire, that body crack could be repaired fairly easily with epoxy, a few clamps and cauls. Cheers, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 The original Harmony Guitar Co' date=' based in Chicago went out of business in 1975. Not sure what happenedto the brand name before 2008 when the brand was resurrrected and now made in Korea. http://harmonyguitars.com/ That one appears to be a LP clone. From the laminations on the side, it appears to be an entry level guitar, and from the H serial number tag..possibly a 1973 model. It would be interesting to find out if it actually is that date, because you would have one made (possibly) in the Chicago factory before operations ceased. I had a 65 Harmony Meteor back in the late 60s. A great little guitar..traded it in on an Epiphone Riviera and then sold the Epiphone...wish I hadn't been so stupid and kept both of them. [/quote'] Thanks for the info carverman very interesting best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 I can't find anything resembling a Les Paul under Harmony in my price books' date=' but that doesn't mean anything, they made a ton of different kinds of instruments under their and many other names. Assuming the neck is straight and you have the desire, that body crack could be repaired fairly easily with epoxy, a few clamps and cauls. Cheers,[/quote'] Hi and thankyou brianh i may have a go at repairing it to see what it sounds like,,best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 The Harmonys I played in the '60s & '70s were total crap. There's a reason why companies like Har mony are not in business anymore. Hi tulsaslim,nice to know what crap i have lol,best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Hi tulsaslim' date='nice to know what crap i have lol,best wishes scarrabri[/quote'] Well not all the Harmony guitars were "total crap", the dual pickup thinline Meteor that I had (with a Bigsby) had a nice slim neck and the p_ups didn't sound that bad. It was a poor man's single cut "335" and with a sunburst, a nice flashy guitar. Yes, they did make a lot of cheaper brands for the chains, like Sears, but so did Kay, another Chicago guitar maker that went out of business around the same time. I visited the Harmony factory in 67, (when I wanted to visit the Gibson Kalamazoo factory, which were on strike after Ted McCarty left), toured the production line and was well received. Harmony and Kay were always considered lesser brands to Gibson and Epiphone, but today with the dozens and dozens of Asian manufacturers making LP clones and other models, they are comparable to most asian brands on the market. D'Angelico, which was once made in the USA is now also made in Korea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carverman Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 I can't find anything resembling a Les Paul under Harmony in my price books' date=' but that doesn't mean anything, they made a ton of different kinds of instruments under their and many other names. Assuming the neck is straight and you have the desire, that body crack could be repaired fairly easily with epoxy, a few clamps and cauls. Cheers,[/quote'] If it was mine, I would repair the crack and refinish it. It's hard to tell what kind of wood the top is, as the picture only shows the side laminations, which could be plywood. In any case, if it doesn't sound half bad, and the neck is good shape and not warped, it certainly deserves a minor repair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 Well not all the Harmony guitars were "total crap"' date=' the dual pickup thinline Meteor that I had (with a Bigsby) had a nice slim neck and the p_ups didn't sound that bad. It was a poor man's single cut "335" and with a sunburst, a nice flashy guitar. Yes, they did make a lot of cheaper brands for the chains, like Sears, but so did Kay, another Chicago guitar maker that went out of business around the same time. I visited the Harmony factory in 67, (when I wanted to visit the Gibson Kalamazoo factory, which were on strike after Ted McCarty left), toured the production line and was well received. Harmony and Kay were always considered lesser brands to Gibson and Epiphone, but today with the dozens and dozens of Asian manufacturers making LP clones and other models, they are comparable to most asian brands on the market. D'Angelico, which was once made in the USA is now also made in Korea. [/quote'] Thank you very much ,its interesting to know so many facts about the guitar,,like i said its really my friends guitar ,but he has not been back for ten years ,so i dont think he wants it lol best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 If it was mine' date=' I would repair the crack and refinish it. It's hard to tell what kind of wood the top is, as the picture only shows the side laminations, which could be plywood. In any case, if it doesn't sound half bad, and the neck is good shape and not warped, it certainly deserves a minor repair. [/quote'] thanks for your comments, like i said the guitar has been standing for ten years,waiting for my friend to pick it up,doesnt look like he,s coming back,so i know there is a crack in the body ,but i could not help wondering if it would play,so i restrung it,and to my amazement it played sweet as they come,so now i really must repair the crack,thanks for your support ,very best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JefferySmith Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 The Harmonys I played in the '60s & '70s were total crap. There's a reason why companies like Harmony are not in business anymore. Very cheap, at least. This one appears to be made of such inferior materials (read: plywood) that it would be better to buy a cheap Chinese LP instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 OK, but there's a place for beater guitars. They're great for leaving in the rehearsal space, a car trunk, at your nutty cousin's house or to give to a younster as a starter guitar. I've seen plenty of guitars that might as well be kindling, but that's not one of them. I'd fix it and maybe learn something along the way. Then give it away or donate it to a worthy cause if you can't find a use for it.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
generation zero Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 OK' date=' but there's a place for beater guitars. They're great for leaving in the rehearsal space, a car trunk, at your nutty cousin's house or to give to a younster as a starter guitar. I've seen plenty of guitars that might as well be kindling, but that's not one of them. I'd fix it and maybe learn something along the way. Then give it away or donate it to a worthy cause if you can't find a use for it....[/quote']+1 for sure. You never know when having a guitar you just don't care much about will come in handy. Leaving it in the rehersal room is a great idea, in case you get stuck at work and have to go straight to practice, or be late because you still had to go home to pick up your guitar. Or, if you break a string in the middle of practice and would rather not make everyone wait while you change it... Or, like my beater, you can just leave it sitting out near your desk or wherever you sit mainly at home, so if inspiration hits, you can grab it immediately and play away, LOL! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 +1 for sure. You never know when having a guitar you just don't care much about will come in handy. Leaving it in the rehersal room is a great idea' date=' in case you get stuck at work and have to go straight to practice, or be late because you still had to go home to pick up your guitar. Or, if you break a string in the middle of practice and would rather not make everyone wait while you change it... Or, like my beater, you can just leave it sitting out near your desk or wherever you sit mainly at home, so if inspiration hits, you can grab it immediately and play away, LOL![/quote'] Hi i have become attached to having it around, and having just played it i could not abandon it again,so i will repair the crack and give it a good shine,and play the hell out of it best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tulsaslim Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 Hi tulsaslim' date='nice to know what crap i have lol,best wishes scarrabri[/quote'] I just don't want you to invest a bunch of money into a guitar that might not be worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 I just don't want you to invest a bunch of money into a guitar that might not be worth it. thank you my friend ,no problem ,i knew you were only helping best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest icantbuyafender Posted March 17, 2009 Share Posted March 17, 2009 ive rocked on a old wilshire-ish bodied harmony with twin toaster pups and jazzmaster type controls. i liked the twangy jangle of the bridge and jazzy neck like brianh said: "They're great for leaving in the rehearsal space, a car trunk, at your nutty cousin's house or to give to a younster as a starter guitar" i miss that guitar. sadly my cousin sold it at a yard sale... that nutty bastard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 17, 2009 Author Share Posted March 17, 2009 Hey icantbuyafender thats sad but good to know some one else played one best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntrem Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 Here is a site concerning the original Harmony company of Chicago. I own two, an H-17V and Rocket III. They're not Gibsons or American made Fenders, but they're not crap. In the 70s the Harmony name was sold to an Asian company and that is where your guitar came from. Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys plays Harmonys. He seems satisfied. http://harmony.demont.net/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scarrabri Posted March 18, 2009 Author Share Posted March 18, 2009 Here is a site concerning the original Harmony company of Chicago. I own two' date=' an H-17V and Rocket III. They're not Gibsons or American made Fenders, but they're not crap. In the 70s the Harmony name was sold to an Asian company and that is where your guitar came from. Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys plays Harmonys. He seems satisfied. http://harmony.demont.net/[/quote'] Hi Johntrem thanks for the link ,and happy they are not crap,i will take a look at there site ,it seems an ok kind of guitar maybe not well looked after,but plays very well,best wishes scarrabri Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johntrem Posted March 18, 2009 Share Posted March 18, 2009 scarrabri, On the site there is a link-Made In Asia. There are a couple of Les Paul copies, but yours is labeled H37 and is not represented. Lots of interesting stuff though. Here is a site for the new Harmony company. They are making Korean copies of the old Chicago guitars, plus new models. http://harmonyguitars.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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