Harmony archtop?

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 5 Sep 2005 5:58 am

I've got a hankering for a cheap archtop guitar, maybe a Harmony or the like. I'm not necessarily looking for a collectors item. Got anything?

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 5 Sep 2005 7:13 am

Steve. Go to your local music store or online and look at the Ibanez Artcore guitars. They are very nice and budget priced. For what you would pay for an old Harmony or Kay archtop that would need some work to make it play nicely you can get one of these for less than $300 when discounted. They are made in China I believe along with just about every other item imported into America these days sad to say. Just a thought.

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 5 Sep 2005 9:10 am

Thanks for the recommendation, Bill. That's just more money than I can justify for a hankering! Maybe if it was an outright yearning.... I like to tinker,that's part of the fun!

Bill Hatcher · Post by **Bill Hatcher** » 5 Sep 2005 10:07 am

Your welcome, but I may I remind you that a Harmony or Kay archtop in good playable condition will cost you more money than this.

Lee Baucum · Post by **Lee Baucum** » 5 Sep 2005 2:15 pm

I didn't know you guys up north had "hankerings"! I thought those were only found in the south.

Lee, from South Texas

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 5 Sep 2005 5:20 pm

Lee, we have hankerings up here-powerful hankerings- we're just a little reluctant to talk about 'em! This by way of a bump- doesn't anybody have an archtop that's "old and in the way"?

Henry Nagle · Post by **Henry Nagle** » 6 Sep 2005 6:55 am

Do you mean an acoustic archtop, or an electric like a Harmony Rocket?

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 6 Sep 2005 11:58 am

I'm looking for an acoustic archtop, Henry.

Henry Nagle · Post by **Henry Nagle** » 6 Sep 2005 8:50 pm

I see those a lot around here. Good playing ones in reasonable condition go for $200-$300 at a local music store that always has a few Kays or Harmonys. A friend of mine picked one up for almost nothing at a garage sale recently.
Bill Hatcher may be right about those Ibanez' being a good deal (I bet they even have truss rods!), but nothing quite compares to a clunky old guitar. They sound very distinct and sometimes they can be an inspiring change of pace from a higher quality instrument.

Richard Shatz · Post by **Richard Shatz** » 8 Sep 2005 9:02 am

How's this?
http://cgi.ebay.com/HARMONY-GUITAR... <font size="1" color="#8e236b"><p align="center">[This message was edited by b0b on 09 September 2005 at 01:03 PM.]</p></FONT>

Steve Frost · Post by **Steve Frost** » 18 Sep 2005 2:16 pm

Just for informational purposes and closure ,I ended up buying a 60's Harmony archtop on eBay, about $90 including shipping. It needs a tailpiece, bridge, tuners, and strings, most of which I have or can make. This is for utility, and hankering, not for a collection, so I can get by cheap if I choose to. Thanks for the help! b0b, you can close her up. I'm all done!