NGD - 1930's Harmony H1255 (Thanks WezV)

hobbio · January 2015

Hi, I've today acquired my wife's late grandfather's guitar on indefinite loan. I believe it was purchased in the 30's, and I know that it survived his stint in the navy in WWII. He took it round the world during active service and it was used right up until his death about 12 years ago, but since then it's been unused and unloved. I first saw it about 18 months ago and was horrified to see that is was just basically thrown in a corner without any sort of case or protection. I gave them a gig bag for it, and have played it on the odd occasion since then. I want to identify it but the label is illegible. It's a catalogue special from some time between 1935 and 1939 I think, my mother in law did have the catalogue it came from but she sold it on eBay(!) before I knew it was even there. She did photocopy the page, but from memory it was the wrong page and the photocopy is no longer with the guitar. I've got the original (perhaps) capo that came with it, check out that metal spike that screws directly into the back of the neck! You can feel the divots where it's been used! It'll never be used again, anyway, because the cork face is beginning to crack and crumble, but I like the fact that it's still with the guitar after all this time, if it's original that is. It all adds to the story, and I wish I still had the catalogue too. It's worth next to nothing I would imagine, but the family history in it is priceless.

I asked if I could borrow it today, and I'm glad I did because I found out it had been moved from the safe place I'd tucked it away and was wedged in behind a filing cabinet and computer desk with a foot spa dumped on top!

Condition wise, it's very, very well used with much patina. The tuning pegs are what you'd expect, but it holds tune reasonably well. The (rosewood?) fretboard seems to have shrunk a bit, leaving some sharp fret ends and the top and back have separated from the sides in a couple of places. There's also some quite long but fine cracks in the fretboard. The strings actually seem to be in good nick, leading me to believe that someone, somewhere has restrung it in the last decade. It's a fucking untidy job though. I'll give the fretboard a gentle clean and use a little lemon oil, and then see if the top and back can be easily reglued. The bridge, which doesn't seem to match the guitar, has been raised at some point and the saddle is pretty much non-existent. I realise now that I didn't get any pics of that but I can get some up later if anyone's interested.

Oh, and the screw holes on the top and side mean that it had a guard fitted at some point but that's obviously long-gone.

But...

The reason I really wanted it is for how it sounds! It's so mellow and warm, every time I pick it up I don't want to put it down. New strings will brighten it up again, but even with the old ones there's something about it that I love. It just sounds old. It intonates very well up to the 7th fret on these old strings and even up to the 12th it's totally usable.

The action is not exactly low, but it's by no means a harp and again is usable up to the body (14th). Down where the cowboy chords are played it's spot on, which isn't surprising really seeing as that's how it was used for 70-odd years. The small, narrow frets are used but still perfectly playable and look to be the originals so the wife's Grandad obviously had a light touch. The fret board itself has an unusual profile, it's actually slightly concave and feels more like a classical although this is definitely a steel strung guitar. There's a bit of a v in the neck but it's quite mild.

I absolutely love the repair to the tuning peg too! Mrs Hobbio's Grandad was an engineer and immensely practical man, so I have no doubts at all that he did that himself, as well as the bridge work. This is the man who once took a loaf of bread with him to Dixon's and insisted they allowed him to try out a toaster he wanted to buy!

I'm really, really happy I've got it and I want to make sure it survives for another 70-odd years.

Pics:

EricTheWeary · January 2015

Have a wow !

WezV · January 2015

Regal?

ThePrettyDamned · January 2015

Wow!

What's the fingerboard made of? I know it's a little worse for wear, but it looks like it could have been a rather nice slab of wood. And you know what sort of rosewood was used back in those days, right...?

I like how you say it sounds, too.

WezV · January 2015

possibly harmony, kay or even washburn - those are the brands I would be looking at

hobbio · January 2015

EricTheWeary said:

Have a wow !

Thanks, it's pretty much how I'm feeling about it!

WezV said:

Regal?

I don't know, maybe. I'll see if the photocopy is anywhere, it might give me a clue. I'll also try taking a hi-res pic of the label and playing with the contrast or viewing it in negative and see if anything pops out.

ThePrettyDamned said:

Wow!

What's the fingerboard made of? I know it's a little worse for wear, but it looks like it could have been a rather nice slab of wood. And you know what sort of rosewood was used back in those days, right...?

I like how you say it sounds, too.

I have no idea what it's made of mate. The fretboard is not figured, but it's very dirty and it might have actually been dyed or finished in some way. I'm hoping a clean and oil will shed some light. As for the body, it could be anything. It was a cheap guitar at the time, that's for sure. I love how plain it is though.

I'll see if I can record a clip of it somehow so you can have a listen. It's lovely!

hobbio · January 2015

@WezV I'm thinking Harmony myself. I did see the photocopy of the catalogue, and Harmony deffo rings a bell.

WezV · January 2015

is this a possible sibling

http://harmony.demont.net/guitars/H1234/427.htm

http://harmony.demont.net/images/0/H1234_1932_01.jpg

WezV · January 2015

or the next model up

http://harmony.demont.net/guitars/H1255/348.htm

http://harmony.demont.net/images/0/H1255_arched_roundhole_01.jpg

WezV · January 2015

yep, its a H1255

WezV · January 2015

so its most likely a braz RW board. I have a regal from a similar age which has harmony parts on it - chicago made in the 30's - that's blues heritage!

hobbio · January 2015

By golly I think it is!

Mine is a 14 fret to body, so it'll be the H1255. The bridge is different, but I think it's non-original anyway. Otherwise they're identical. The production years tie up, and the missing logo on the headstock can easily be explained by 5 years on board a ship fighting in the war.

Thanks mate, wisdoms awarded!

hobbio · January 2015

The plan is to give it a light service then. New strings, a gentle clean and oil for the fretboard and nothing else. I'll also see if the separated parts can easily be cleaned up and re-glued.

I'm thinking a very light string gauge until the top's better secured?

WezV · January 2015

Make some spool clamps for gluing the top back down... pretty cheap and easy to make with a few parts and a hole saw.

hobbio · January 2015

I'll look into it mate, thanks

equalsql · January 2015

You can make cheap, but very effective clamps from PVC piping.
(turn down the volume before listening to the clip)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4yZFtRZcFw

WezV · January 2015

that's a pretty clever idea - but i wouldn't use it for this job. you really need to be able to control the pressure which you can't really do with sprung clamps of any style

only need to make 2 or 3 of these:

hobbio · January 2015

Just a quick q, I was reading elsewhere that lighter fluid doesn't actually contain naptha these days? Is it still advisable to use Ronsonol as a fretboard cleaner prior to oiling? I *really* don't want to fuck this up!

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NGD - 1930's Harmony H1255 (Thanks WezV)

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