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Department stores are usually known for low quality instruments. Post pics of your favorite department store guitars. (past or present)

My favorite one is my first guitar. Airline 7032 - Jumbo Flat Top. It belonged to my dad and I recently reacquired it from him. He originally bought it at Montgomery Ward. Harmony guitars distributed guitars at Montgomery Ward under the Airline brand. It needs some serious work because the action is terrible but it sounds so good. It's the classic tale of cheap guitar that is too expensive to fix but I know I will one day. It's actually made of solid mahogany and a vintage profile neck. The pickguard is coming up and the binding is yellowing. Here are some example pics. I will post the actual pics when I get home later.

cool as hell

what's up skip!?
nice airline btw

Airline/Harmony/Silvertone/Alden, Strat-o-tone



probably my favorite guitar.

I had one of those stratotones....black with gold flake and single pickup in the neck. Nice playing guitar but definitely very plinky and the pickup was dull and completely lifeless.

I like these:



Parkway had one last month for like $600.....I loved it but no cash/room for it. I wish more guitars from that era shared those pickup rings....truly unique for no reason whatsoever.

I've been trying to aim a bit higher than airlines/harmony these days for the sake of having a collection of solid gigworthy guitars but I know if I ever hit the jackpot I would buy one of each just cause they're all so cool.

Just saw the thread was "guitars", plural....here's some more of my favorites



Parkway also had one of those a few years back....$400 I think...I was very tempted...the built in amp circuit sounded awesome and fuzzy.

I always wanted one of these too:

pacafeliz was selling one of those harmony rebels in the classifieds not too long ago. what are the necks like on them? baseball bat?

My Kent. Given to me by robertnickerson. The neck on it makes you feel like you are climbing a tree, which is totally awesome. If you beat it up hard enough it starts to make really cool noises. If you gently beat it up, it also makes cool noises. I've actually started using it more than my jaguar hh black bitch special.
Sorry for the cell phone picture quality and the sprite on the kitchen cabinet(I know some people are deeply offended by Sprite 12 packs).

mage wrote:pacafeliz was selling one of those harmony rebels in the classifieds not too long ago. what are the necks like on them? baseball bat?

yep i had it at $350-400 or so, shipped.
great fun little guitar with a baseBALL bat neck yes.
too bat-ish for my girlish hands. bummer.
went to france to a jazzman who loves 'er. good.

Pat.

i'd have to say that these are my two fav department store guitars..
`72 Harmony Les Paul clone.. not sure what the actual model was called..
i bought it in 1994/5


and this `52 Harmony Acoustic
that my dad bought new probably from sears and was given to me in 1993 when i started to play guitar

The department store models that John Spencer and Dan Auerbach play are pretty sweet... not sure how "Dept Store" that Kay hollowbody is tho

Woolworths use to sell these as like their begginer guitar



I've played one, it's really nasty and gritty sounding but in a good way.

BTW, I completely forgot...this is probably my all time favorite....made by Sekova/Truetone in Japan late 60's I believe



I seriously miss this guitar....don't necessarily regret selling it since it went to someone who loved it, but it was so damn easy to play, like a toy but a really solid one decent sounding one.

I am not sure if the Harmony Rocket was a Ward's guitar or not but if it was, then my vote would go for that. I have a 66 2 pickup one and it rips, it's like a guiltless 335 I can throw around with no regrets and it has dearmond foil pups on it.