Harmony Guitars Club

[LGOberean]

Has anybody here played a Harmony H310? Better yet, does anybody here own one? This one’s really caught my eye and caused GAS big time! (Funny mixed metaphor, now that I actually see it in print!)

If you’re not familiar with this model, here’s what you’re missing: archtop, f-hole, solid spruce top; solid flame maple back, flame maple neck; ebony fretboard, bridge and tailpiece; gold hardware; floating mini humbucker, a single volume control mounted in the pickguard; 25 ½ scale neck, 20 frets; the color is listed as “brown” but it sure looks sunburst to me. Check it out at this web page.

http://harmonyguitars.com/ProductLi...DA7341625A59C6A666B77A065E15E183B25D3C20D34E0

And here are a few pics.

It has been favorably reviewed online by one reviewer at Harmony Central. But I’m hoping to get more input, particularly from fellow Harmony Guitars Club members/TDPRIers.

Well, since no replies yet about the H310, I'm guessing few if any here own or have played this model. I referred in my previous post about this guitar to its being favorably reviewed at Harmony Central. So in absence of any TDPRIer user reviews here, I'll post the URL to that HC user review. Here's the hyperlink:

http://reviews.harmony-central.com/reviews/Guitar/product/Harmony/H310/10/1

 

[AtlantaSpike]

LG, I confess I have never heard of that guitar before, and I follow Harmony auctions and such pretty closely. I've played/seen other reissue/modern Harmonies though, and would say just don't kid yourself about what you are getting into. It's a Chinese guitar. You can make it work, and sound just fine if you are willing to take the time to dial it in (setup, possible hardware changes, maybe a new pickup, etc.). If you're expectations are set properly, a street price of $600 is a pretty low risk starting point. I think it's pretty, and would probably give it a go if I needed a jazzy instrument inexpensively (and didn't have a pile of other stuff).

 

[Wild Rice Chris]

I've had a handful of Harmonys, as well as a bunch they built for other people.
Here's what I'm playing around with right now, and H906 bass.

 

[LGOberean]

LG, I confess I have never heard of that guitar before, and I follow Harmony auctions and such pretty closely. I've played/seen other reissue/modern Harmonies though, and would say just don't kid yourself about what you are getting into. It's a Chinese guitar. You can make it work, and sound just fine if you are willing to take the time to dial it in (setup, possible hardware changes, maybe a new pickup, etc.). If you're expectations are set properly, a street price of $600 is a pretty low risk starting point. I think it's pretty, and would probably give it a go if I needed a jazzy instrument inexpensively (and didn't have a pile of other stuff).

Well, I’m not trying to kid myself about the Harmony H310, that’s why I posted my question. As for it being MIC, I am a bit wary, but at the same time I’m not ready to write it off just because it’s Chinese. The reviewer at HC (an Ausie named Aaron?) praised its construction, calling it “very well made” and “solid,” saying “the overall quality of this guitar is equal, if not superior to some of the Gibson guitars being made today.” And yes, I think you’re right that I should expect to tweak it somewhat, to “dial it in,” as you put it (strings, action). Again, reviewer Aaron found this to be the case. But as you say, $600 is a fairly low risk starting point. So at this point I am just trying to get input on this particular guitar, and whether or not I pull the trigger on one is subject to a number of variables.

Not the least of which is my wife’s opinion. When I showed her the pic the first time, she said (after a moment of wary hesitation) “Yeah, it's pretty.” And when I showed it to her a second time, she just rolled her eyes! ).

 

[Fatmanstratman]

Surf's up!

Here's my beautiful little 1964 Harmony H14 Bobkat, in amazing condition for a 45 year old lady!

Just how sweet are those Dearmond pups?

I'll never part with this little bit of history....

 

[metropolis74]

Ah... Harmony guitars. Like some of you, my first guitar was a Harmony. Here is my dad's 1965 Harmony 'Roy Smeck' Rocket. I think model H73. He passed it on to me in 1989 when I took an interest in learning guitar.

I regret that I kind of mistreated that guitar when I was young and replaced the original bridge with a modded Gibson TOM. To me it was just an old piece of junk and I quickly replaced it with an HM Strat later that year

The Harmony was kept around just for nostalgia until I started playing it again last year, since of course my tastes in music have changed considerably since 1989. LOL. After a good set up and new strings it's really starting to grow on me! Those pickups sound great, very Gretsch-like. Too bad the neck has the girth of a tree trunk.

 

[BuddyLee]

Ah, the Harmony H1203 Sovereign. There were feature variations through the years of production. Early models didn’t have pickguards, had a more “hourglass” shape, etc.

Early (undated) Harmony H1203 Sovereign

1962 Harmony H1203 Sovereign

1971 Harmony H1203 Sovereign

Hmmm...from your pic, it looks like that Sovereign has white bridge pins. The Sovereigns I've seen had pinless bridges. I’ve never seen a bridge pin variation before. Am I just seeing things? Or was that a stock feature for the 1970 model, or perhaps a modification?

I learned on that exact guitar. My dad gave it to me, his brother gave it to him. It sounds great. But I need to take it to have it repaired, it is showing its age pretty bad.

 

[toadman]

HARMONY ROCKET! a friend of mine from highschool is liquidating his collection of old Harmony guitars and he saved this one special for me! just picked it up last weekend.
it needs a cleaning and the pots need a shot of juice but it plays great and looks cool as heck! i may try to upgrade the tuners even if it means drilling the holes bigger. somebody already shored up the input jack with a peice of metal.
i think it's a 66 or 67. it's got those cool "double moustache" pickups.
sorry for the crappy pix. i think my wifes camera has taken on a personality of it's own!

 

[toadman]

any of you'se guys hang out on the Harmony forum?? awful nice folks over there! real helpful and knowledgable in all things Harmony! i already scored some handmade tuner bushings for my new/old rocket from a member there! just need to spread the love!

 

[eyerish]

My first guitar was a Silvertone acoustic from Sears. The guitar was made by Harmony. I got it for Xmas from My Nana.

i have a pic of my getting it,I'll have to scan it in.
i won't bother telling you how long ago it was though.

Ah... Harmony guitars. Like some of you, my first guitar was a Harmony. Here is my dad's 1965 Harmony 'Roy Smeck' Rocket. I think model H73. He passed it on to me in 1989 when I took an interest in learning guitar.

I regret that I kind of mistreated that guitar when I was young and replaced the original bridge with a modded Gibson TOM. To me it was just an old piece of junk and I quickly replaced it with an HM Strat later that year

The Harmony was kept around just for nostalgia until I started playing it again last year, since of course my tastes in music have changed considerably since 1989. LOL. After a good set up and new strings it's really starting to grow on me! Those pickups sound great, very Gretsch-like. Too bad the neck has the girth of a tree trunk.

 

[eyerish]

well heres some OOOLLLLDDDD pics of me with my first guitar and my second (another silvertone) and even my first drums.
first my nana knew I wanted a guitar so she teased me by giving me a Xmas card that had a picture of a git saying sorry all I could do this year

Then after I opened everything else. she does the old "gee what this?" thing

Then a couple years later. She got me another one,larger and better to play and in sound. Still a Silvertone made by Harmony. Its right handed I am just screwing around

And just for fun here is a pic of me at 3 years old maybe 4 getting my first drum set. Even at such a young age I wanted to be Buddy Rich. LoL

Wow these are way back when but hey good memories.

 

[LGOberean]

well heres some OOOLLLLDDDD pics of me with my first guitar and my second (another silvertone) and even my first drums.
first my nana knew I wanted a guitar so she teased me by giving me a Xmas card that had a picture of a git saying sorry all I could do this year

Then after I opened everything else. she does the old "gee what this?" thing

Then a couple years later. She got me another one,larger and better to play and in sound. Still a Silvertone made by Harmony. Its right handed I am just screwing around

And just for fun here is a pic of me at 3 years old maybe 4 getting my first drum set. Even at such a young age I wanted to be Buddy Rich. LoL

Wow these are way back when but hey good memories.

I'm sure those old pics do elicit good memories, and they actually conjure up some pleasant memories from my own past with similar scenes. And that old Silvertone/Harmony. Dad had one of those as well as the Archtone mentioned earlier.

Man, Robert, I guess you've just always had music in you.

 

[eyerish]

I'm sure those old pics do elicit good memories, and they actually conjure up some pleasant memories from my own past with similar scenes. And that old Silvertone/Harmony. Dad had one of those as well as the Archtone mentioned earlier.

Man, Robert, I guess you've just always had music in you.

Thanks Larry. that one with my second guitar and I was me doing my best Paul McCartney thing. Maybe if I wasn't wearing my BC glasses and had longer hair it might have looked more authentic,eh? LoL
My very first instrument was those drums you see the pic of. From there it was guitars,piano's cornet trumpet,flute,clarinet(can't play to save my life). Tried harmonica's accordion and some others. I love music but even more I love trying to make it.

Thank goodness for Sears and JC Pennys and Woolworth's and Wards. May be I should say Thank you to Harmony,Regal,Danelectro and Olds(all the brands out of Elkhart Ind) those georgous Italian accordions as well as Lyon and Healy and Story and Clark for there great and reasonably priced pianos.

The 60's and 70's were an absolute blast for music and the making of it.

Sorry for being overly dramatic but i can still remember the sensation of my first drum roll attempt and the first guitar strum. The first time I played a whole song on the piano(granted it was probably twinkle twinkle little star,but it was still a song) They were for my nerdy backside imbued with the same sort of energy as my first kiss with my first girlfriend. Her name,Donna and here is a pic of her and I many many moons ago

Wasn't she a cutie?
music and women have always been both an inseparable pair and the most powerful muse.

The first kiss and the first guitar both meaningful and very powerful events in ones life.

 

[LGOberean]

Boy, Robert, you did wax philosophic there, didn't you?

But you sure are right. Women and music just go together. The one so often inspires the other. And the 60s & 70s were a great time for music and the making thereof. And just so this post will have at least a modicum of pertinence to this topic of this thread, for me the making of music in the 60s & early 70s involved the aforementioned Harmony Archtone & Silhouette.

 

[bo]

I wish I had my 3 mustache pickup Rocket with stock (!) Bigsby back. Awesome if microphonic rockabilly guitar.

 

[eyerish]

Those first two Harmony made Silvertones were my six string sonatas to nirvana as well. Many other Harmony Made gits and amps fallowed. They were both gift and curse. The gift of more then just listening to music but participating. The curse is trying to learn to play AND have a life. A life One finds dificult to afford as we are always out to buy another guitar,LoL.

I always thought it was humorous that some folks malign the Harmony guitars. I try to explain that they were so good that even Gibson and Fender would have Harmony put their names on them and they sold quite well for big F and big G.

If not for the fall of the guitar(brief but devastating) and the Japanese imports. Companies like Fender and Gibson might still be Doing business with an American Harmony.

Don Mclean says the music died with Buddy Holly. For me it was little by little.

like when we lost Bobby Darin or When Gibson left Kalamazoo (I am from Detroit I know people that move hurt and not just musicians), and of course in the early 70's when Harmony went under the hammer.


After that,all to often,American made meant "expensive" The real shocker for me was in the eighties and on,I noticed some of the old git names were back. like truetone and western and so on. They were names that companies like Harmony and Regal had made for others that were bought and or controlled by "overseas" interests putting the old American names on asian made instruments. The silvertone name on Teisco made instruments back in the day was bad enough but now look. Silvertone is from China or indonesia and Danelectro is Korean or Chinese and Regal is from who knows where. It reminds me of when my friends way back when we would see them tear down a beautiful old building so they could erect a cookie cutter glass and pot metal monstrosity. We would look at each other and say with utter disgust. "So this is progress?"

Going in to a music store back in the 60's and 70's and seeing a beautiful archtop Harmony that sounded great and I could actually afford was a lot of fun. It was also a blast to hear a frien talk about the Gibson acoustic archtop he bought and show him the Harmony archtop that was like a 100.00 or 150.00 less and both were made by Harmony,ha ha ha,good times.

Boy, Robert, you did wax philosophic there, didn't you?

But you sure are right. Women and music just go together. The one so often inspires the other. And the 60s & 70s were a great time for music and the making thereof. And just so this post will have at least a modicum of pertinence to this topic of this thread, for me the making of music in the 60s & early 70s involved the aforementioned Harmony Archtone & Silhouette.

 

[endzone]

any of you'se guys hang out on the Harmony forum?? awful nice folks over there! real helpful and knowledgable in all things Harmony! i already scored some handmade tuner bushings for my new/old rocket from a member there! just need to spread the love!

Can you post a link or a web address of the Harmony Forum. All I found was the Harmony Central Forum, which I want no part of.

 

[RodeoTex]

Hey LGO, I swear I have that same exact body from the Harmony factory (in Chicago I believe). I found it on ebay 10 or so years ago. It a bare wood finished body that was sold off when the factory folded. I've had a few thoughts about what to do with it but will probably never do anything with it.
So what kind of sound does yours have?

I should probably just pass it along to someone who would finish it and play it.

 

[toadman]

Can you post a link or a web address of the Harmony Forum. All I found was the Harmony Central Forum, which I want no part of.

here ya go, mr endzone!
http://harmony.demont.net/links.php

 

[LGOberean]

Hey LGO, I swear I have that same exact body from the Harmony factory (in Chicago I believe). I found it on ebay 10 or so years ago. It a bare wood finished body that was sold off when the factory folded. I've had a few thoughts about what to do with it but will probably never do anything with it.
So what kind of sound does yours have?

I should probably just pass it along to someone who would finish it and play it.

RodeoTex, I think you've gotten the wrong impression. I don't have either of the old Harmony guitars I played back in the 60s. I sure wish that I did. The Archtone was my father's, and when I left home I didn't take it with me. Dad probably would have let me, but I didn't take it. Same with the Silhouette. Dad bought it for me, but when I left home I left it behind for my younger brother to play.

The pics in my OP, as I said then, are some pics I found online that show what guitars I’m talking about.