Too cool––you’ve gotta’ love the dedication and devotion that some people have for their funky old guitars…
Peter over at The Practice Room posted a link to The Harmony Database this morning and I just had to share it with you, as I’m a huge fan of Harmony guitars.
I own two of Harmony’s acoustic models––the Master, and the Archtone––which in spite of their stenciled on fret markers, badly warped binding, and cheap-as-tin tailpieces, are two of the most soulful blues guitars I’ve ever heard.
Hey, that’s why I own them.
Anyway, according to the about page the Harmony Database was built by François Demont, a French Harmony Fanatic, and it must have been a true labor of love because he apparently pieced together most of the photos (a staggering 5,601 images at this time,) from e-bay auctions.
Heck, the site currently contains info on some 481 models of Harmony guitars, including many obscure beauties, not to mention those instruments sold under other brand names––Silvertone, Airline, Holiday, you know the score.
And yeah, those 50 Harmony guitars laid out on black plastic are his… amazing.
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January 3rd, 2009 at 11:20 am
i have a harmony “hollywood” guitar with a oscar statue on the neck of it. i have always wondered what it is and where it was made. a lot of people say it was a dept. store guitar. i bought it about 25 to 30 years ago and i paid $125.00 for it at a outdoor swap meet. if you have any information on this i would be extremely grateful.
December 4th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
Hey, I sold my double pickup Harmoney Hollywood at the State Fair Flea Market in Albuquerque about 30 years ago. Wonder if it’s mine?
Al
January 15th, 2010 at 2:42 pm
Ummmm, it was probably made in chicago back in the day, in like the 60’s or 70’s.
January 23rd, 2010 at 1:51 pm
Bill is right,
Your guitar came from Chicago.
I did not know that this company in Chicago had ceased to exist, and spent many months trying to find spares. Finally found a restorer in the UK.