Older Harmony archtops - decent at all?

[SlipKid]

I ran across a number of these the other day as I was checking out some stuff on Ebay. I watched one that was actually quite nice-looking, and it ended up going for a hair over $127.

 

I'm after a new (to me) acoustic, and although I don't want to spend a load of cash at this point in time, I do want to get a good (for the money) guitar. I like the old archtop acoustics, but aside from a few of the really expensive ones, there seems to be little choice out there. The Harmonys and Kays (and their ilk) seem to have a following, and I wanted to find out if it's justified.

 

Any of you have one of these, and want to suggest/recommend that I get one or stay the hell away from them? Or have an idea of an alternative?

[Guest Anonymous]

I think their tone is kind of homely, but I have use for it. One Harmony I had from the '50s (small body flat-top) was a great playing/sounding guitar. I have a Kay archtop sitting right here with me..I like it. Pretty flat response,big neck,cheesy paint job trying to look like a jazz guitar. I paid $40. I dig 'em.

[54merk]

Harmony and Kay archtops were inexpensive guitars and were never really prized instruments. Laminate (plywood) bodies were common, however any guitar this old is going to need some major work. That's the problem with buying an a cheap old instrument sight unseen on ebay. If the strings are high then it will cost more than you paid for a neck reset. These guitars are often kept as is for slide.

 

You can buy a new Yamaha, Washburn or equiv. for $200. Why take chances on an old instrument?

[acidmaster]

If you can find a good one (one that the neck isn't bowed or detached from the body), they are pretty neat. They were made with both non-steel reinforced necks as well as steel reinforced necks.

 

 

They were cheap back in the 50's and 60's. Most of the ones I see on Ebay look pretty beat. Those old Harmonys fall apart pretty fast. I think the glue, after 40 years, kind of disintegrates because alot of them have seperated sides and back as well as need neck resets.

 

The several that I have played sounded pretty nice, not very loud, kind of mellow and nice for blues, slide.

[The Eristic]

There are a few higher-end Kays floating around, and they are REALLY nice, but good luck finding them.

[EvilTwin]

They have a strange cult following. The really good examples can go for around $300 on eBay now. One in decent shape that still needs a neck reset can go for $150. Why someone would pay $150 for a guitar that needs a neck reset is beyond me.

 

I found an old "Kent" (it might just be a made-up name painted on the headstock) archtop on eBay for $50. It didn't have a straight neck, but I bought it to experiment on. I clamped the neck in two vices to straighten it and put nylon strings on it for the hell of it.

 

The neck hasn't bowed back too much, and the laminated woods are so weak after all these years that the nylon strings actually generate a good amount of sound. A neat guitar for gypsy jazz. The neck is pretty narrow, though...so it's kind of a hard transition from it to my other guitars.

 

I wouldn't pay more than $75 for the majority of the old Harmony/Kay archtops on eBay. They usually need too much work and aren't worth the investment. But that's jmo.

[Terry Allan Hall]

Depending on what year it was made, some ARE solid, if not particularily distinguished wood. I've got one from the mid-40s (single P/U, single cut-away "jazz box") that is really great sounding, whether plugged-in or "acoustic"...but these vary a lot, so I don't know if I'd pay much for one w/o hearing it 1st.

 

And all Harmony instruments benefit from better tuners.

[guitarcapo]

The problem is a lot of them have really thick necks made out of really soft wood and no adjustable truss rod. When they bow the only remedy I've found is to remove the frets and plane the fingerboard straight and refret. A lot of work for such a cheap guitar. Sovereign flattops are made of quality woods like mahogany and spruce so are more worth fixing. I think a lot of them might be o.k. as slide guitars with a pickup installed....

[ChrisNJ]

After I started taking lessons and getting tired of my $100 crappy Yamaha, my dad gave me his Harmony archtop that he had when he was little. It was probably from somewhere in the 1950s. It was an ok guitar, but not good because it had a real thick neck with a completely flat fretboard. It only had a neck pickup that sounded lousy and the tuners were really hard to turn. My dad only had it because he took a month's worth of lessons when he was little. I wish he had kept up with it Anyway, now that guitar is in storage; I never really used it anyway once I got my own guitars

[mahayana]

This is my first post, realize that this is an old thread.

 

There are still plenty of these guitars on Ebay, and I copied the headstock picture from one that looks like mine. Just wanted to expand on some of other peoples' comments here.

 

First off, they are really cheaply made guitars. I got mine in pieces in a box for $20, reassembled it and refinished it. It's playable (I had to replace the tuning machines) but I use it for a wall decoration mostly.

 

Both the front and back are made of formed maple veneer plywood. What's interesting is there are NO braces inside. But it's not very acoustically sensitive, so it's really quiet like a lot of acoustic/electric archtops. I considered buying one of the little strap button mikes but never did.

 

The original finish is actually painted on, there is no binding around the edges(that's painted on, too) The fretboard is painted or stained black, the headstock is painted black with "made in USA" and "steel reinforced neck" prominently advertised. LOL. The neck doesn't have an adjustable truss rod. Anyway, after you remove the paint the guitar looks fine.

 

To get it intonated you just play with the moveable bridge, and if the neck's not too bad the action is adjustable there, too.

[Buttcrust]

the necks bow and become detached at the heel. The glue that Harmony used deteriorates and the guitar falls apart at the seams, and the tops crack at the F-holes. Good luck finding a good one, The ones on scam-bay are mostly {censored}. I guess if you are into doing complete rebuilds they would be good project guitars. They have a very nice tone, but not too loud.

 

you would be better off buying a Washburn HB-15 or HB-15C I think

[mahayana]

Just another note or two-

 

The neck on mine is poplar, you can see the green and darker brown colors in the wood. The fretboard is maple under the blackening.

 

I'd be interested in buying a Harmony decal for the headstock if anyone knows where they can be obtained. thanks.

[Buttcrust]

 

Originally posted by mahayana Just another note or two- The neck on mine is poplar, you can see the green and darker brown colors in the wood. The fretboard is maple under the blackening. I'd be interested in buying a Harmony decal for the headstock if anyone knows where they can be obtained. thanks.

 

be better off scanning something, enlarging it to proper size and making a stencil.

[guitarcapo]

I bought a nice Harmony Patrician from the 1940's. All solid wood archtop with an adjustable rod and Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard...for 120.00

 

Also a mint Kay all plywood mahogany archtop I plan to install pickups in for around the same price.

[sid langley]

Go Hofner - if you can find an old Senator your troubles are over