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Post subject: What are "Harmony" guitars like now?
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 4:56 pm
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I was just curious. Before my dad acquired [what is now] my 1961 Gibson Melody Maker, he had a Harmony Les Paul knock-off (any senior players start with a Harmony?). Although that was quite a few years ago, what are they like to this day? I never hear any reputation amongst Harmony guitars. :roll:


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Post subject: Re: What are "Harmony" guitars like now?
Posted: Thu Oct 23, 2008 9:53 pm
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Rocker_Gamma wrote:
I was just curious. Before my dad acquired [what is now] my 1961 Gibson Melody Maker, he had a Harmony Les Paul knock-off (any senior players start with a Harmony?). Although that was quite a few years ago, what are they like to this day? I never hear any reputation amongst Harmony guitars. :roll:


Roger that!! First guitar was a blond Harmony F-hole acoustic which I ultimately 'electrified' with two DeArmond pickup sets. Had to use a rotary type selector switch cause I couldn't quite figure out how to wire the one I traveled all the way to the Gretsch factory in downtown Brooklyn to buy.

Next came a twin short horn Danelectro double pickup ca. 1960 and then the '58 Strat.

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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 7:46 am
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I couldn't afford a "Harmony"! My first guitar was a "Crown" (very superficial Strat style guitar). I played that bad boy through a Silvertone amp. SWEET! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA NOT!

At least it got me started

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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 8:04 am
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mthorn00 wrote:
I couldn't afford a "Harmony"! My first guitar was a "Crown" (very superficial Strat style guitar). I played that bad boy through a Silvertone amp. SWEET! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA NOT!At least it got me started


I played that guitar through a rewired portable radio :idea: We called it 'the little amp.' First amp was a Danelectro 'Centurion'. The Strat came with a Fender Concert.

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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:29 am
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'Did not know Harmony was still in business. The factory in Chicago closed decades ago.

First guitar was a Harmony H-78(?) Jazzmastrer-ish thing which, combined with the Fender advertisement of the bikini'ed brunette with a JM, made obtaining a real Jazzmaster and marrying the brunette, essential to life.

Thanks, Harmony and Fender.


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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 10:32 am
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[quote="JSJH"]'Did not know Harmony was still in business. The factory in Chicago closed decades ago.

Don't know if they are. Just talking 'how we were born" :wink:

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Posted: Fri Oct 24, 2008 1:14 pm
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Dont no were there made but you can buy them again. There in Palatin Illinois and owned by Charlie Subecz on there web site they show a cool Vintage Line of Guitars as well as Custom.

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Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 4:16 pm
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cvilleira wrote:
Dont no were there made but you can buy them again. There in Palatin Illinois and owned by Charlie Subecz on there web site they show a cool Vintage Line of Guitars as well as Custom.


http://harmonyguitars.com/ProductHome.asp?pl=vintage

Actually they're apparently currently based in PALATINE, IL, but I'd bet that the guitars are Chinese or other Asian country-made. They have some 'modern' looking (what they call 'custom') models listed as well, and a list of dealers. I think that it's odd that the website doesn't have a 'www.' to it. The 'vintage' models look pretty close in design to the originals, but it's tough to know what they're like for sure without having one in your hands.

It's nice to see that the latest incarnation of Harmony appear to have gone back to their Chicago roots (at least in part), but I also think it's strange that there hasn't been much buzz about these reissues, either. At least from what I can tell.


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Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:34 pm
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Sadly it is all about "offshore" production these days. Look at how many people on this forum own MIM's, Squiers. Epiphones etc. There is no loyalty to "Made in the USA" anymore. :cry:

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Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 5:45 pm
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I now think they may be being made at the same place that is making Eastwood guitars. It seems that Eastwood distributers are now selling Harmony as well and the models look the same. They are owned by different people though. Eastwood are made in Korea and China depending on the model.

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Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:00 pm
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mthorn00 wrote:
Sadly it is all about "offshore" production these days. Look at how many people on this forum own MIM's, Squiers. Epiphones etc. There is no loyalty to "Made in the USA" anymore. :cry:


Don't be so sure of that.

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I feel like one of the few, but there are a LOT of people here who own MiA's.


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Posted: Sat Oct 25, 2008 6:13 pm
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It's not a question of loyalty. Who cares were its made if it plays good. I did not buy my American Tele because its American I bought it because it played nice. I dont try out guitars because of where there made.

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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 9:17 am
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cvilleira wrote:
It's not a question of loyalty. Who cares were its made if it plays good. I did not buy my American Tele because its American I bought it because it played nice. I dont try out guitars because of where there made.


Come on lets be honest. The MIMs and Squiers get purchased because they cost less. I'm sure everyone who owns an MIM or Squier could have found an American made Fender that played and sounded just as good and probably better.

In the name of saving a buck most consumers have sold out. I completely understand if someone can't afford to buy American. Just don't try to dress it up and claim it's all about the quality of the MIM's et al.

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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 11:38 am
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cvilleira wrote:
I now think they may be being made at the same place that is making Eastwood guitars. It seems that Eastwood distributers are now selling Harmony as well and the models look the same. They are owned by different people though. Eastwood are made in Korea and China depending on the model.


On overseas manufacture, there's a 'core' guitar maker over there under contract to several US marques. I suggest you have a close look at the PRS SE series guitars which are built under strict supervision of the company here.

You can't do stuff like that in the US any more for the price point accessible to consumers +/- one standard deviation from the mean. If Fender's MIM's were closer to those in fit and finish, they could close out the MIA market completely and leave just the Custom Shop competing with PRS's American build guitars.

The Custom Shop's "when you're ready" logo is the truth. Then there's the rest of their consumer base.

We are witness to another industrial revolution. The world IS flat and we are just going to have to find our place in a global market community.

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Posted: Sun Oct 26, 2008 2:20 pm
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mthorn00 wrote:
cvilleira wrote:
It's not a question of loyalty. Who cares were its made if it plays good. I did not buy my American Tele because its American I bought it because it played nice. I dont try out guitars because of where there made.


Come on lets be honest. The MIMs and Squiers get purchased because they cost less. I'm sure everyone who owns an MIM or Squier could have found an American made Fender that played and sounded just as good and probably better.

In the name of saving a buck most consumers have sold out. I completely understand if someone can't afford to buy American. Just don't try to dress it up and claim it's all about the quality of the MIM's et al.

Sure people look at what a guitar cost and try to buy the best they can afford but that has nothing to do with loyalty. But if you want to be honest just because a product says made in America does not mean its better. I have been in several Countries over seas in inductrial situitians for my job and not every thing thats made over seas means cheaply made. I guess if it did all the Cars on the roads would be GM's a, Fords Chysler. Well all I can say is that if you try a guitar and you like the feel and sound and can afford it turn it over and look at the head stock and see where it was made and then buy it because if you liked it before you saw place of Manufacture you should still like it after you find out it was made off shore.

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