Don’t often do a NGD but….

Andy79

…can’t help but share this one. Early/mid 60s (can’t read the date stamp) Harmony Sovereign H55 with a Gibson P13 pickup from factory. Mmm Bakelite nobs….
Man o man it’s bloody beautiful. Bought from a thoroughly decent guy on Facebook. Yes they do exist 

The pickup is magical. Needs a neck set but who doesn’t and who cares.  Just look at it….

ElectricXII

That cool guitar doesn't help my GAS! There's an old guy near me with a Sovereign for sale for £550 (the Jimmy Page jumbo model) which I'd love, but I just bought an acoustic earlier this year and can't justify buying another one.

Mellish

That is nice! Good find  mate. Congratulations  

BigPaulie

Simply

Simply

Lovely

Soupman

Nice.  Top's in good condition for that age and I like the string through bridge. 

LastMantra

Cool. Interesting pickup arrangement, and the screws (either side of neck) don't look original? 

Will you try to clean it or anything or leave as is? Looks good imo.

bertie

LastMantra said:

Cool. Interesting pickup arrangement, and the screws (either side of neck) don't look original? 

if you google and check pics of others,  there are  3 or 4 

CMW335

Very cool @Andy79 ;

LastMantra

bertie said:

LastMantra said:

Cool. Interesting pickup arrangement, and the screws (either side of neck) don't look original? 

if you google and check pics of others,  there are  3 or 4 

Ah, thanks. Kind of looked like they're supposed to be countersunk but I suppose there's not much wood for that.

Interesting thing.

Andy79

LastMantra said:

bertie said:

LastMantra said:

Cool. Interesting pickup arrangement, and the screws (either side of neck) don't look original? 

if you google and check pics of others,  there are  3 or 4 

Ah, thanks. Kind of looked like they're supposed to be countersunk but I suppose there's not much wood for that.

Interesting thing.

Remember this is Harmony. Lutherie on a loose sense of the word. 

The 4 screw pickups are Gibson leftovers, the later 2 screw pickups used are Dearmond 

bertie

I do like the p/up to look like "part of the fretboard"   however trying to disguise it is kind of lost when you have to great conkers on the soundboard 

Andy79

LastMantra said:

Cool. Interesting pickup arrangement, and the screws (either side of neck) don't look original? 

Will you try to clean it or anything or leave as is? Looks good imo.

I’ll clean the muck of the fretboard but that’s it. 

marxski

ElectricXII said:

That cool guitar doesn't help my GAS! There's an old guy near me with a Sovereign for sale for £550 (the Jimmy Page jumbo model) which I'd love, but I just bought an acoustic earlier this year and can't justify buying another one.

Yes i owned that model - mine was from around ‘63 sadly was damaged beyond repair some time ago. I’ve looked at a few American Sovereigns since then but they have all needed neck resets from the top warping upwards around the bridge. It’s an expensive surgery to have done so I’ve mostly given up on the idea. Great guitars and volume - not to be confused with the later Far Eastern made guitars but pretty easy to tell apart.

Andy79

marxski said:

ElectricXII said:

That cool guitar doesn't help my GAS! There's an old guy near me with a Sovereign for sale for £550 (the Jimmy Page jumbo model) which I'd love, but I just bought an acoustic earlier this year and can't justify buying another one.

Yes i owned that model - mine was from around ‘63 sadly was damaged beyond repair some time ago. I’ve looked at a few American Sovereigns since then but they have all needed neck resets from the top warping upwards around the bridge. It’s an expensive surgery to have done so I’ve mostly given up on the idea. Great guitars and volume - not to be confused with the later Far Eastern made guitars but pretty easy to tell apart.

Poor man’s reset in progress. 

marxski

I’ve just spotted the Sovereign mentioned earlier it’s now on Gumtree for a reasonable price. This has had a reset. Alas it is up in Fife and I’m in Bristol. Too risky to ship me thinks. Shame as it looks like a good un.

bertie

marxski said:

 and I’m in Bristol. 

crikey another one................................................. there's 'undreds 

merlin

Lovely. My biggest gear related regret is selling my Harmony H75. 

Gandalph

Andy79 said:

marxski said:

ElectricXII said:

That cool guitar doesn't help my GAS! There's an old guy near me with a Sovereign for sale for £550 (the Jimmy Page jumbo model) which I'd love, but I just bought an acoustic earlier this year and can't justify buying another one.

Yes i owned that model - mine was from around ‘63 sadly was damaged beyond repair some time ago. I’ve looked at a few American Sovereigns since then but they have all needed neck resets from the top warping upwards around the bridge. It’s an expensive surgery to have done so I’ve mostly given up on the idea. Great guitars and volume - not to be confused with the later Far Eastern made guitars but pretty easy to tell apart.

Poor man’s reset in progress. 

You're a braver man than I am. Hope you get a good result!

Andy79

I’ve done these before with good results. Soften the hide glues and it all slips back into place 

earwighoney

Andy79 said:

marxski said:

ElectricXII said:

That cool guitar doesn't help my GAS! There's an old guy near me with a Sovereign for sale for £550 (the Jimmy Page jumbo model) which I'd love, but I just bought an acoustic earlier this year and can't justify buying another one.

Yes i owned that model - mine was from around ‘63 sadly was damaged beyond repair some time ago. I’ve looked at a few American Sovereigns since then but they have all needed neck resets from the top warping upwards around the bridge. It’s an expensive surgery to have done so I’ve mostly given up on the idea. Great guitars and volume - not to be confused with the later Far Eastern made guitars but pretty easy to tell apart.

Poor man’s reset in progress. 

What are you doing there?

Looks impressive nonetheless!

Andy79

Strap the guitar to the table, clamp the neck straight, pack out the body with towels leaving the neck block area, steam the neck block area and pull the neck angle back to where it should be. It stays like that for a few weeks. No idea if this is needed but it makes me feel better about it 

I did it on my FG180 which had a  collapsed top around the neck extension area and an updatable neck and it brought the top entirely back and now it has a 4mm saddle with 2mm at the 12th fret. Also done some old Chicago catalog guitars, all are now sorted and have stood the test of time  

I find it a pretty impressive process to be honest. It looks very Heath Robinson but there’s science in there.