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[ol fred]

Anyone knowledgeable regarding Harmony Sovereign H6561 ?

[milod]

Well... waaaaaay back in the olden days, I had a girlfriend who had one. Knowing her then, she'd likely still have it whether she plays it or not unless it got stolen or burned in a fire. That was the first half or so of 1965 up through August.

 

Anyway, sounded pretty decent; nobody in the folkie bunch knew how, or even thought of setup in those days so you kinda suffered a bit from that.

 

Harmonies were IMHO not only mostly poorly adorned, but also the bodies were a bit overengineered kinda like the old DC-3 airplanes that still have a number of examples still flying some 70 years later.

 

Necks tended to be of the baseball bat variety, at least on those I saw or touched, up through '65.

 

But they were real wood, at least on the Sovereigns and classical guitar models I remember from then. My 1950s electric archtop definitely has the ball bat neck.

 

Help any?

 

m

[ol fred]

Well... waaaaaay back in the olden days, I had a girlfriend who had one. Knowing her then, she'd likely still have it whether she plays it or not unless it got stolen or burned in a fire. That was the first half or so of 1965 up through August.

 

Anyway, sounded pretty decent; nobody in the folkie bunch knew how, or even thought of setup in those days so you kinda suffered a bit from that.

 

Harmonies were IMHO not only mostly poorly adorned, but also the bodies were a bit overengineered kinda like the old DC-3 airplanes that still have a number of examples still flying some 70 years later.

 

Necks tended to be of the baseball bat variety, at least on those I saw or touched, up through '65.

 

But they were real wood, at least on the Sovereigns and classical guitar models I remember from then. My 1950s electric archtop definitely has the ball bat neck.

 

Help any?

 

m

 

Thanks Rod? Saw your name in one of my searches (after my purchase) I figured a setup was minimal, but from what I've read they were well constructed including a TR, at least the Sovereigns.

I guess right now my biggest question is the years of production. From what I've read pinpointing a mfg date is almost impossible. I've read posts that say tonally after a pro setup that they almost approach a J-45.

 

I've seen similar models go for $300.00 picked this one up on ebay for 77. Looks to be about 80% from the pics, we'll see next week. If nothing else it might make a good wall hanger.

[tvguit]

The Harmony Sovereign is one of my favorite guitars ever made. I had heard a lot of talk about them before I got mine but I wasn't sure if it was true. My local shop called me one day and said that they had a guitar that I would like. When I got there I saw a bean-shaped guitar with a sunburst with the name Silvertone on the headstock. I recognized the body and bridge as being a Sovereign.

 

It needed a neck reset and didn't have a case so they sold it to me for $75. I was overjoyed! I told them what it was but I don't think they cared. I cleared my schedule for the weekend and reset the neck angle. It came out great. It is now a really great strummer.

 

My complaints with the Sovereign lie with the bridge design. The saddle slot does not allow for a taller saddle. I would like to get a pin bridge for this one so I could replace the tiny plastic saddle with nice bone. There is a guy that rebuilds these with his own X brace design and replaces the bridge, too.

[milod]

Dunno if I'd imagine comparing it to a Gibbie at all.

 

That and some of the classicals had a sound that was plenty good enough for folk music.

 

Of course, my recollection is too darned close to 50 years ago. @#$%#$%#$

 

The girlfriend at the time was "long, lean and lanky." I'm betting she took after her mother and became more of a mesomorph in middle age.

 

I'd say that your $77 if it's in the stated condition should be money very well spent.

 

m

[ol fred]

The Harmony Sovereign is one of my favorite guitars ever made. I had heard a lot of talk about them before I got mine but I wasn't sure if it was true. My local shop called me one day and said that they had a guitar that I would like. When I got there I saw a bean-shaped guitar with a sunburst with the name Silvertone on the headstock. I recognized the body and bridge as being a Sovereign.

 

It needed a neck reset and didn't have a case so they sold it to me for $75. I was overjoyed! I told them what it was but I don't think they cared. I cleared my schedule for the weekend and reset the neck angle. It came out great. It is now a really great strummer.

 

My complaints with the Sovereign lie with the bridge design. The saddle slot does not allow for a taller saddle. I would like to get a pin bridge for this one so I could replace the tiny plastic saddle with nice bone. There is a guy that rebuilds these with his own X brace design and replaces the bridge, too.

 

Mind you I'm just going by the pics, the bridge looks meaty enough that it would be possible to enlarge the slot a mm or two. Thanks for your input. I'll let you all know what I actually have it in a week or so.

[tvguit]

Mind you I'm just going by the pics, the bridge looks meaty enough that it would be possible to enlarge the slot a mm or two. Thanks for your input. I'll let you all know what I actually have it in a week or so.

 

It is meaty enough. I asked my luthier to route it for me (one of the guys that sold it to me). He said it wasn't worth the time (or price). I didn't push it. Hopefully the guy you know will do it!

 

Really the problem is that it doesn't allow for enough adjustment. The necks are set from the factory with the short saddle so they go into "neck reset" territory often.