vintage harmony rocket

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon May 19, 2008 8:55 pm

so.....
this is a friends guitar, we are trying to figure out what modle it is and have come up empty handed.
i think its a rocket, but its not as.....japanese looking as most rockets i have seen.
anyone got any ideas?

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:27 pm

Might be one of the USA Harmonys that was made in Chicago - is it Harmony branded? I've seen Kay Switchmasters with that same topology. The knobs are 50s Harmony "Dakaware" knobs, though Kays were mad in the same factory. Is that a spruce top?

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:37 pm

it is branded as a harmony, and its actually inlaid on the headstock.
the top appears to be solid spruce, but becuz the f-holes are covered in dust and finish drips its rather hard to see the if the grain follows thru, but im pretty sure its solid.

Justin J · Post by **Justin J** » Mon May 19, 2008 9:42 pm

i got some knobs exactly like those from an old radio.

Will · Post by **Will** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:28 pm

Those knobs were used on a lot of the stuff made for Sears, including Silvertone radios

Someone had a link to scans of old Sears catalogs somewhere, I think it was Westtexasred

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Mon May 19, 2008 10:59 pm

It has those Gibson made P-13 pickups that came in alot of Harmony and Silvertones, nice.

dodgedartdave · Post by **dodgedartdave** » Tue May 20, 2008 12:03 am

A while back, i posted a Harmony website with tons of info. I though it was in resources. I can't find it now. Maybe someone else will remember where it is.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Tue May 20, 2008 12:49 am

how does it sondz?

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:02 am

yea, that looks older than a harmony rocket. I saw some of those pickups on ebay the other day going for a shitload. here's the website I think dave is talking about http://harmony.demont.net/

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:07 am

i didn't get to play it actually.

im pretty sure its a rocket, just an older/later one,
i looked through about a million and a half pics of rockets and altho i did not see one that was identical, i still saw the same parts, inlays, pickups, knobs and everything on the others.

Mages · Post by **Mages** » Tue May 20, 2008 1:16 am

it looks like an H62. the comments on that page are great:

# Carl Croce - 2008-03-04
In 1957, when I was 4, as a birthday present for my father, my mother ordered a non-cutaway acoustic archtop from Montgomery Ward and paid for it up front. About a month later, accompanied by a letter of apology that the model she ordered was out of stock, and hoping she would accept an upgrade instead, the Harmony H62 arrived. I couldn't quite reach around the body 3 years later when I started guitar lessons, but I could and did play it - carefully - by the time I turned 9. I have been playing it ever since. The H62 can ring Wes Montgomery octaves, growl Brian Setzer leads and purr Joe Pass chord melodies. I will always play this guitar.
# Charlton - 2008-03-21
I absolutly love my H62 (1959 model). I bought my blonde beauty at a pawn shop. This model is so great the neck is just the right size, the action is just about perfect. I own other guitars but I guess you already know this my go to axe.
# anonymous - 2008-04-09
Had the opportunity to restore an H62 with the intention of selling it for a sweet profit. But once I had her set up and playing, there was no way I'd sell this guitar. You'll have to pry her from my cold dead hands.
# nuttysadguy - 2008-05-16
I've been playing one of these for the last 15 years. I've recorded several CDs with it. One of the most versatile guitars ever. Awesome clean sound through a twin reverb. The neck is chunky - good for big hands. The pickups are my favorite ever. I think they are the same as Gibson was using at the time (1954?). If you can find one buy! You won't be sorry.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Tue May 20, 2008 11:50 am

jcyphe wrote:It has those Gibson made P-13 pickups that came in alot of Harmony and Silvertones, nice.

Shocking.

I was waiting for you to show up with the model name, the year/factory of production, and an anecdote about some obscure artist who uses this guitar.

CHINK FOUND IN JCYPHE'S ARMOUR/JCYphE NOT INFALLIBLE ect.

jcyphe · Post by **jcyphe** » Tue May 20, 2008 10:20 pm

BacchusPaul wrote:
jcyphe wrote:It has those Gibson made P-13 pickups that came in alot of Harmony and Silvertones, nice.
Shocking.

I was waiting for you to show up with the model name, the year/factory of production, and an anecdote about some obscure artist who uses this guitar.

CHINK FOUND IN JCYPHE'S ARMOUR/JCYphE NOT INFALLIBLE ect.

No, i just don't care. The best thing about that guitar is the pickups and I just told you what they were. It's obvious it was harmony, those guitars are so abundant, there is nothing rare about them really.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:49 pm

No anecdotes?

luke · Post by **luke** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:54 pm

What's that black shit around the pickups?

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:57 pm

Malik wrote:What's that black shit around the pickups?

It's yer ma.

luke · Post by **luke** » Wed May 21, 2008 4:59 pm

BacchusPaul wrote:
Malik wrote:What's that black shit around the pickups?
It's yer ma.

I feel dirty, but it had to be done.

Bacchus · Post by **Bacchus** » Wed May 21, 2008 6:33 pm

Malik wrote:
BacchusPaul wrote:
Malik wrote:What's that black shit around the pickups?
It's yer ma.
I feel dirty, but it had to be done.

And so's yer ma. On both counts.

robert(original) · Post by **robert(original)** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:46 pm

OH SHIT PAUL!
that was hilarious!

ElCapitan · Post by **ElCapitan** » Wed May 21, 2008 9:37 pm

malik walked right into that.