Newly found Harmony Uke

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Page_Inspired

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Hello all,

I am not really a uke player, or at least a very experienced one. I play guitar and mando, but I recently acquired a Harmony Uke that used to belong to my great-grandmother. I am very curious as to the age and wanted to see if anyone on here would be able to identify the model/age if I posted pics of it, or if someone could direct me to a site that would be helpful in this matter. Thank you.
 
You'll be surprised at the amount of help you'd get!
 
Also you could take a look on elderly instruments:
http://www.elderly.com/

Also if you post pictures that would be helpful. Good luck.
 
Go ahead and post pictures. When my father-in-law gave me this Harmony Uke, that's how I was able to learn more about it.

100_0997.jpg

It was made to be cheap - plywood, plastic fretboard, combination saddle/bridge, and cheap friction tuners (The plastic on the knobs is cracking now, I'd like to find some original tuners for it), cheap strings.

But it sounds nice, just wish it would hold pitch better (and I've tightened the tuner screws already.) I'll be changing the strings soon (it still has the originals form the early 1950s).

And just as, if not more important- it was my father-in-law's, and it is the first playable ukulele I've ever had.

-Kurt
 
Ive seen in the past here another UU member listed the site for harmony ukes and pictures of the different decals to date them...
 
Thank you all for the help. It came with some old looking nylon strings. Any idea if these would be the stock strings? I would have no idea.
 
I think in the 50's all you could get for ukes were nylon strings. I'd pop some fluorocarbon strings on that Harmony. I have a Roy Smeck Harmony, frets in neck (i.e., no plastic fretboard) - it's a decent sounding ukulele. I think yours would be as well, and easier to play.
 
Agree with Jake, those shark tooth style tuners look like it's 50s, and it looks to be in nice shape. It should have a good loud sound. You should put flourocarbon rather than nylon strings on it, I'd suggest Worth Brown mediums to give it a warm mellow sound, and the strings will look nice against the mahogany.
 
I guess my biggest concern is any detraction in value that may occur if I put new strings on it. This is not something that I have a mind to sell, but this was a point made to me by someone in my family. Would changing the strings affect the value much? I want to avoid lessening the quality in any way possible, however I'd hate to see a perfectly good instrument just collect dust because the strings can't hold their tune, rendering it unplayable for all intents and purposes. Although I can't quite tell if it's the strings that won't hold the tune or the tuners themselves.
 
Take the strings off and save them if you feel you must, they are used and not in their original package so they are worthless to you. Harmonys are abundant and cheap so it doesn't have a huge collectible value, say about $75-$125 tops. Old strings will make it sound like crap, then you only get $25, lol. The first thing anyone who wants it would do is to put new strings on it. It's not like you're swapping out the tuners. If you want anyone to be able to play it, it needs new strings. Depending on amout of playing time, strings may last a couple of months to a couple of years tops. The difference in the sound will be amazing between the strings you have on it now, and new Worths or Martin flourocarbon. Strings have coma a long way since that uke was made, assuming the strings are original to the uke from when it was brand new.

If the tuners don't hold when you turn them, the little tiny screws in the top of the buttons need to be tightened very gently until they just hold the string tension. Too tight and you can strip the thread or won't be able to turn the tuner.
 
Last edited:
Page_Inspired said:
I guess my biggest concern is any detraction in value that may occur if I put new strings on it. This is not something that I have a mind to sell, but this was a point made to me by someone in my family. Would changing the strings affect the value much? I want to avoid lessening the quality in any way possible, however I'd hate to see a perfectly good instrument just collect dust because the strings can't hold their tune, rendering it unplayable for all intents and purposes. Although I can't quite tell if it's the strings that won't hold the tune or the tuners themselves.
Click to expand...
Aloha Page _inspired,
I agree with TOUTH,
For the money you are going to sell it for, it's not worth losing a family heirloom....you may not appriciate it now, but the future generations ahead of you might and will appriciate you keeping it
in the family....Believe those string on it now wasn't the first, and the are worthless if they cannot stay in tune...if the mean so much to you keep them on the side...put some worths on and
you will hear the difference...and as Teek said..tighten the little screws on your tuner post on the knobs...if they are slipping.. Your strings are dead..
 
Awesome. Well I will try to get ahold of some of those flourocarbons sometime in the next week or so. Is restringing a uke very much different from a guitar or mando (sorry about how novice of a question that may be)? Thank you all for the help and advice though.
 
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