ShortScale.org

This morning I accidentally found myself in a guitar store across town that I don't frequent (literal mom and pop shop, they've never been unfriendly, but just have the personality where I sometimes feel awkward browsing without a reason for coming in).

Thought about buying a Zen-on labeled as a project for $80, but then saw they had records for sale so I started crate digging. As I was giving up I noticed this Harmony propped up against the table just sitting on a crate of records. Strung up but not tuned - great action, no buzz, straight neck, and no tags. I put it back quickly before changing my mind and asking if it was for sale. $100 as is. Sold.

I've started to work on some cosmetic stuff as I'll need to order some parts. The beautiful tort had been painted white, sanded off then painted black. It's starting to come out but is going to take multiple stages of sanding and buffing to look right.

Debating what I want to do for the body. It would be easy to just put it together as is, but part of me wants to paint just the face an aged LPB (much like the blue Coronados look now). I'm thinking a sealer, lpb coat and a tinted clear to age the blue. Any advice or suggestions are welcome.

Here's how I got it, will update progress in this thread:

That is a nice score.

Oh man, that's lovely. I love bridges like that where there's so much going on.

Here’s a Vintage Guitar Magazine article about it.

http://www.vintageguitar.com/35666/harmony-h27/

plopswagon wrote: Sun Sep 22, 2024 1:14 pm Here’s a Vintage Guitar Magazine article about it.

http://www.vintageguitar.com/35666/harmony-h27/

Fascinating.

Like its pickups, the H27’s bridge and tailpiece were unique. Touted as “precision 6-way adjustable,” it had a snap-on cover and was similar to Gretsch’s Space Control bridge; i.e., the six-way adjustment was for spacing between the strings and height on either side. But it could not be used to intonate the instrument. The tailpiece, hidden under a cover that screwed onto the body, was a metal block with string grooves.

I read that in the article but it's false information. It is intonatable

The intone is in your fingers.

I would be all over that for three times the price, beautiful score.
Guarantee it'd sound amazing with flats.

It came with flat black tape wounds, they seemed like a good fit in the short time I played before I started working on it so I'm gonna keep them. But yeah, semi hollow and shortscale - flats for sure.

I think I've changed my mind about the finish, but I have some time to think about it while I work out all the sanding scratches from the previous owner.

So far progress has mostly been on the headstock faceplate/truss rod cover. Previous owner had painted them white, then sanded most of the white and painted them black. The celluloid has definitely shrunk a bit but it's not too bad.

Also it looks like a previous owner had plans to reshape the headstock (maybe because the celluloid was shrinking)...looks like I saved it in time: (I do have the Harmony badge, but safely removed it to clean up the glue and paint)

Incredible!

Been doing a lot of sanding to the body. It has a million fine scratches from what I imagine was 200 grit or less. Ugh. But I'm working at it little by little with 600 to 1500 grit by hand.

The maple top has some serious flame to it under all the surface scratches. I'm still very undecided for the finish, but I'm definitely not hiding the wood.

Current progress:

That would look epic with a nice burst! Nice score!

Mock-up...I'm actually really liking the maple look, but at this point I'm going to have to live with the imperfections as some of the deeper scratches don't look like they'll come out without going through the laminate top.

Kinda this feel

Nice looking behs

Love it, nice resto work too.

Started applying some Keda dye...taking a break to let things dry but will probably try to darken the corners a bit then work on the sides.

Love this bass, hope you get it where you want it to go!

(edit) they seem to change hands for a bit these days ... http://reverb.com/au/item/91927412-vin ... -flame-top

Yikes! It does bother me a little that I'm playing with something considered so valuable. At the end of the day tho this will always be a "player grade" based on previous mods and work that was done. Remind myself I paid $100 for it, plus another $60 or so in electronics and dyes, and anything I do should only increase its value.

I messed with the stain some more, getting happier with the top, with a glossy sealer it should make the flame pop more like it does when wet.