New uke day - Vintage Harmony

D

dhoenisch

Guest
Just picked up this "new" uke today. I went to a music store near me to pick up a uke book I ordered, and saw a Harmony uke on the rack for $99. I've been looking for one for a while, but I had three things I needed to stand by.

1. It needed to be an American Harmony
2. It needed to be made of SOLID Mahogany
3. It needed to NOT have a plastic fingerboard

This uke met all three of my personal standards. It's in really good shape and only needs new frets as they were all filed flat. The action is good. And, even with el cheapo strings on it, it sounds great. tomorrow it'll get new frets and new Martin Fluorocarbons.

Well, here she is:

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Dan
 
Aloha Dan,
Great score man....congrats and it looks great, been looking for a green label myself... oh your list should have said...needed to be from chicago....so sad they went out of business in 1975
Harmony was founded in 1892 by Wilhelm Schultz. In 1916, Sears, Roebuck and Co. purchased it, in part to corner the ukulele market. In 1928, Harmony introduced the first of many Roy Smeck models, and went on to become the largest producer in the U.S. They sold 250,000 pieces in 1923 and 500,000 in 1930,
 
Very cool....congrats!
My first guitar was a Harmony Stella.....wish I still had it (1973).
 
Congratulations! I have a few Harmony ukes (non-plastic), and I really enjoy them. They sound good and are fun to play. Great with fluorocarbon strings
 
Green label! Sweet!
 
That's a sweet ukulele! Good find and a good price as well. Congratulations!
 
Thanks all. Man, I performed a refret yesterday and installed some Martin fluorocarbons on her, and she just sings. One of my favorite songs to play on the uke is the Joe Brown arrangement of "I'll See You In My Dreams," and there is one part in that song where you barre the fifth fret. Any other uke I have, it seems to go a bit limp as far as sound. Not this Harmony. It's ready to play no matter where I play. Also, when fingerpicking "Only Fools Rush In," I barre the 7th fret and my third finger on the first string, 10th fret, and this Harmony also has no problem whatsoever up there. I am very happy with this uke. Now I need to get rid of the ones I know I will no longer play.

Dan
 
Saw this on the Goodwill website and thought I'd share on this thread. There's a pack of random instruments up for auction including what appears to be this same Harmony green label uke. I'd throw a bid on it, but have my sights on a few other ukes right now. Nonetheless, if anyone on here wants to go for it, it could turn out to be a sweet deal!

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=12731322
 
Also sold under other labels internationally in the 1950s and 60s. I have a Lyra baritone which is the same as the Harmony. Same factory.
 
UKEonomics said:
Saw this on the Goodwill website and thought I'd share on this thread. There's a pack of random instruments up for auction including what appears to be this same Harmony green label uke. I'd throw a bid on it, but have my sights on a few other ukes right now. Nonetheless, if anyone on here wants to go for it, it could turn out to be a sweet deal!

http://www.shopgoodwill.com/viewItem.asp?ItemID=12731322
Click to expand...

I think that;s the laminate model with the plastic fretboard and painted binding. hard to tell from the pic.
 
Definitely the birch model with the plastic fingerboard. I'm sure it still sounds pretty good. I just can't stand those plastic fingerboards.

I'm not sure if it's laminated or solid birch as Harmony used solid birch for their guitars during this time period. I have a 1968 Harmony H942 guitar made of solid birch. Great guitar.

Dan
 
dhoenisch said:
Definitely the birch model with the plastic fingerboard. I'm sure it still sounds pretty good. I just can't stand those plastic fingerboards.

I'm not sure if it's laminated or solid birch as Harmony used solid birch for their guitars during this time period. I have a 1968 Harmony H942 guitar made of solid birch. Great guitar.

Dan
Click to expand...
here's another one for you Harmony fans. seems reasonably priced.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-BLU...332&pid=100009&prg=1088&rk=2&sd=290879674262&
 
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