Jon - you're holding the Mystery Guitar! I've tried to find info on the "ghost" Harmony H-178 Classical Guitar but it doesn't exist - I've never seen one for sale or read any information on when it was made, what it's made of etc. Can you please post any information or links you have on the H-178. Is it actually stamped H178 on the inside and what's the date stamp? I have a H-177 which is a great guitar and would certainly like to find a H-178 for sale.
Stamped 2094H178. I think I found another stamp when I had the neck off that allowed me to date it to 1961. It's a Classic guitar designed by "The Limeliters" that was made exclusively for the Vega Guitar Company, as a label on the inside proudly proclaims! I got it in dilapidated state when I seemed determined to collect everything Vega produced guitar wise. From what I gathered at the time, it's basically the same guitar that Harmony made for Baldwin that was originally favored by Jerry Reed and, quite obscurely, Willie Nelson. Baldwin, of course, added the nifty piezo pick up. Vega just added a sticker touting the Limeliters connection, probably hoping for some bounce from the folk boom of the early 60's. I did a video about all this.ua-cam.com/video/8dGt9VEbV2Q/v-deo.html. The audio is pretty quiet, but if you turn it all the way up you can make out what I am yammering about. Not interested in selling, BTW.
@@jonpratt7948 Sounds great. I have 3 Harmony Classical's H-173, H-175, H-177 and they all sound great. These 1960's Harmony guitars were great builds and really under appreciated. My H-177 sounds as good or better than my Martin 00-16C, it's certainly louder and fuller. You say in your other video that the Vega Limelighter was a H-174 and not a H-178? What does the label on your H-178 look like - pretty much like the H-174? I'll keep looking for a H-178; and probably another H-177.
@@plparshall Sorry to confuse with my passing off conjecture for knowledge. My Vega Limeliter is an H-178, at least according to its label. I just don't see any difference between it and an H-174 (not that I've ever touched one of those), which I assume is the Harmony brand equivalent model. Builders often do special runs for other manufacturers. In my experience, the changes for the special runs are purely cosmetic. So, if you have your heart set on an H-178, I think the guitar you need to search for on Reverb, ebay, etc. is a Vega Limeliter.
@@plparshall Tried them on my nylon string banjo and wasn't really converted. However, the Solana is a unique beast, and I'll keep them in mind when I change out the Harmony!
Jon - you're holding the Mystery Guitar! I've tried to find info on the "ghost" Harmony H-178 Classical Guitar but it doesn't exist - I've never seen one for sale or read any information on when it was made, what it's made of etc. Can you please post any information or links you have on the H-178. Is it actually stamped H178 on the inside and what's the date stamp? I have a H-177 which is a great guitar and would certainly like to find a H-178 for sale.
Stamped 2094H178. I think I found another stamp when I had the neck off that allowed me to date it to 1961. It's a Classic guitar designed by "The Limeliters" that was made exclusively for the Vega Guitar Company, as a label on the inside proudly proclaims! I got it in dilapidated state when I seemed determined to collect everything Vega produced guitar wise. From what I gathered at the time, it's basically the same guitar that Harmony made for Baldwin that was originally favored by Jerry Reed and, quite obscurely, Willie Nelson. Baldwin, of course, added the nifty piezo pick up. Vega just added a sticker touting the Limeliters connection, probably hoping for some bounce from the folk boom of the early 60's. I did a video about all this.ua-cam.com/video/8dGt9VEbV2Q/v-deo.html. The audio is pretty quiet, but if you turn it all the way up you can make out what I am yammering about. Not interested in selling, BTW.
@@jonpratt7948 Sounds great. I have 3 Harmony Classical's H-173, H-175, H-177 and they all sound great. These 1960's Harmony guitars were great builds and really under appreciated. My H-177 sounds as good or better than my Martin 00-16C, it's certainly louder and fuller. You say in your other video that the Vega Limelighter was a H-174 and not a H-178? What does the label on your H-178 look like - pretty much like the H-174? I'll keep looking for a H-178; and probably another H-177.
BTW Have you ever tried Thomastik Infeld John Pearse PJ116 strings on your Harmony - they sound great.
@@plparshall Sorry to confuse with my passing off conjecture for knowledge. My Vega Limeliter is an H-178, at least according to its label. I just don't see any difference between it and an H-174 (not that I've ever touched one of those), which I assume is the Harmony brand equivalent model. Builders often do special runs for other manufacturers. In my experience, the changes for the special runs are purely cosmetic. So, if you have your heart set on an H-178, I think the guitar you need to search for on Reverb, ebay, etc. is a Vega Limeliter.
@@plparshall Tried them on my nylon string banjo and wasn't really converted. However, the Solana is a unique beast, and I'll keep them in mind when I change out the Harmony!