Identifying a Harmony Sovereign

imalrightjack

I can’t find a model that matches my attempts to read this! No serial either. 

WezV

It’s not unknown to get oddities from these factories. 

impmann

https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/harmony-sovereign-70s-model-h6562-501487483

Slightly different but:

https://reverb.com/item/286439-extremely-rare-harmony-sovereign-har6364-authentic-reissue-parlor-guitar-w-original-case

I think its probably a 1970s one, judging from the label and the headstock face. Its unclear if its a US or Far Eastern made one, though...

impmann

Bingo (ish):

http://harmony.demont.net/guitars/H6364/180.htm

rossi

I have a 64 and it has no label inside .I bought it new in 64 The truss rod cover is white with Made in USA on it .Tuners are different and so the bridge in fact the whole guitar is different  except for the logo on the headstock .Production went to Korea I think way back when  . Mine is  all  solid wood construction .

spark240

Pretty sure I had one of those about 35 yrs ago !

merlin

The "Harmony est 18somethingorother" are not the same company as the American company. They are a far eastern company cashing in.... 

artiebear

Definitely 70's Korean made. It might even have a new bridge on it as a lot of those had a two piece bolted on bridge. 

jimmyguitar

I have a 50’s/60’s USA one for sale £300 and it’s yours!

imalrightjack

Interesting. The truss rod cover has been  replaced to the point of WHY?! Extra hole screwed for nothing. 

There’s a finished item on eBay at £81 which looks wrecked. Hopefully worth a bit more?

This sounds lovely, although needs a set up. Frets are clean, very little damage, undamaged neck, etc. 

100% Korean? Is that good or bad?

rossi

Wow some heavy prices on old Sovs .Mines battered ,bruised ,worn out ,fucked, and the truss rod slowly rises  out of its  tunnel to greet me as I try to play it. I do have a NOS fret board for it though  I got off ebay decades ago .Its not past redemption but I am past caring .

rossi

imalrightjack said:

Interesting. The truss rod cover has been  replaced to the point of WHY?! Extra hole screwed for nothing. 

There’s a finished item on eBay at £81 which looks wrecked. Hopefully worth a bit more?

This sounds lovely, although needs a set up. Frets are clean, very little damage, undamaged neck, etc. 

100% Korean? Is that good or bad?

The thing is the only highly rated Harmony was the USA Sovereign in the 60;s ,nothing else.It came after Martin ,Gibson and Epiphone in the acoustic pecking order .It does have its own sound though that just gets better as the guitar gets older.Its great for thumping out bluegrass and strumming low down cowboy chords .As they got older, better sounds come out ,more subtle .I could play stuff on a Martin that just didnt register  well on a Harmony but I couldnt afford one but we were playing mainly bluegrass and then blues  and  it did just fine  for the 85 quid I paid (might have been 65 ,cant remember )which of course was  still a lot of money .

impmann

rossi said:

imalrightjack said:

Interesting. The truss rod cover has been  replaced to the point of WHY?! Extra hole screwed for nothing. 

There’s a finished item on eBay at £81 which looks wrecked. Hopefully worth a bit more?

This sounds lovely, although needs a set up. Frets are clean, very little damage, undamaged neck, etc. 

100% Korean? Is that good or bad?

The thing is the only highly rated Harmony was the USA Sovereign in the 60;s ,nothing else.It came after Martin ,Gibson and Epiphone in the acoustic pecking order .It does have its own sound though that just gets better as the guitar gets older.Its great for thumping out bluegrass and strumming low down cowboy chords .As they got older, better sounds come out ,more subtle .I could play stuff on a Martin that just didnt register  well on a Harmony but I couldnt afford one but we were playing mainly bluegrass and then blues  and  it did just fine  for the 85 quid I paid (might have been 65 ,cant remember )which of course was  still a lot of money .

Stairway to Heaven was allegedly played on a Sov... same as all the acoustic on Zep 1 apparrently...

They are better than a lot of guitars - certainly I preferred my old Sov (sadly sold, due to needing a neck reset that I couldn't afford) to any Gibson acoustic I've played, but that could just be my personal preference...

imalrightjack

Any suggestion on working out the best string gauge for one of those? Is there a way to work out what’s currently fitted?

impmann

imalrightjack said:

Any suggestion on working out the best string gauge for one of those? Is there a way to work out what’s currently fitted?

Measure them!

I measure string gauges on guitars I've just bought using a micrometer - I'd imagine a lot of good techs will have them as part of their kit for exactly that reason and so you could ask a local tech.

artiebear

There's a 60's Sovereign somewhere up in my loft. It was my wife's guitar from before we were married. I can't say that it ever made much of an impression on me. I may go find it to see what state it is in.

rossi

I used the heaviest i could get in the 60;s, Epiphones usually when Epi was US made  .They wore out my frets and turned my fingerboard into farm ruts but it was fun  getting therre .I played 2-3 times a week at folk clubs mainly .it certainly sounded bette r on heavy strings than on thinner but time may have mellowed its response by now .

rossi

impmann said:

rossi said:

imalrightjack said:

Interesting. The truss rod cover has been  replaced to the point of WHY?! Extra hole screwed for nothing. 

There’s a finished item on eBay at £81 which looks wrecked. Hopefully worth a bit more?

This sounds lovely, although needs a set up. Frets are clean, very little damage, undamaged neck, etc. 

100% Korean? Is that good or bad?

The thing is the only highly rated Harmony was the USA Sovereign in the 60;s ,nothing else.It came after Martin ,Gibson and Epiphone in the acoustic pecking order .It does have its own sound though that just gets better as the guitar gets older.Its great for thumping out bluegrass and strumming low down cowboy chords .As they got older, better sounds come out ,more subtle .I could play stuff on a Martin that just didnt register  well on a Harmony but I couldnt afford one but we were playing mainly bluegrass and then blues  and  it did just fine  for the 85 quid I paid (might have been 65 ,cant remember )which of course was  still a lot of money .

Stairway to Heaven was allegedly played on a Sov... same as all the acoustic on Zep 1 apparrently...

They are better than a lot of guitars - certainly I preferred my old Sov (sadly sold, due to needing a neck reset that I couldn't afford) to any Gibson acoustic I've played, but that could just be my personal preference...

Cant remember even seeing a Gibson round the clubs like Les cousins .mainly Martins .A couple of Epiphones.

artiebear

If you’re planning to keep it and it’s structural good (( particularly the bridge) 12’s would drive it well enough. If you are planning to sell it on I would go for 11’s. An easier playing experience for the potential buyer, and less likely to cause potential action changes ( just in case it has been strung lighter as is often so with this grade of guitar ) hope it turns out to be a good one !

PeckhamGuitars

Hey guys,

anyone know what a Harmony Sovereign H1260 should go for roughly if its fully set up with no serious damage?