I remember us guys who only could afford the Harmony and the Tiesco with the Sears and Montgomery Wards amps back in the 1980's. As much as we loved these guitars, you had that "Hair rock" crowd whose parents could afford to buy the neon pink BC Rich, the Ibanez with the Floyd Rose whammy bar system and the Marshall amplifiers. Those guys would make fun of us for playing "Junk" guitars and amps. One of those guys took my Tiesco Tulip from me, beat me up and smashed my guitar. I was 13 trying to fit in and learn more about playing guitar. I put that guitar back together and had to get a new plastic plate. It didn't hurt the neck. Those necks were strong. It eventually fell apart and I stopped trying to learn till 4 years later A guy gave me a 1975 Fender Strat. I never forgave those hair metal guys and I hate hair metal to this day. I got more into punk and Mod revival stuff.
Oh man.... on Long Island, the mullet gangs were real. I remember this sort of thing. Thanks for tuning in Heathen. I'm glad these days that most players now get that we're on the same team. Even if not the same unit.
Very well put together video. I recently inherited a Bobcat from my uncle in the red burst style. The guitar sat in the OG box for all of its life so its in really nice shape 😄
If you check under the pickguard there should be a stamp from Rowe Industries which will give you a manufacture date. I'm assuming it would be later '60's as it has mustache DeArmonds as opposed to S type which were usually on this model (Silhouette later renamed Bobkat).
@@breilly66 I have an H17 from '63. The underside stamp is Oct. 9, 1963, Lennon's birthday. Also have a Rocket H59 with an inside the F hole stamp of S-67 (Spring of1967). It has the mustache DeArmonds.
Lots of us poor kids got Harmony's in the early 60s. The price alternative was re-branded Tiesco's. The Tiescos had some very flashy guitars with multiple pickups and switching combinations. I think the Harmonys sound much better. That really brought back some memories, thanks!
You're very welcome! These things had a bad rap when I was a kid. And tho they're not some wild Gibson, when setup they do the job just fine! We were using the same stuff in the 80s. Just with more wear and stickers all over them :)
@@breilly66 Nobody I knew ever got an actual setup, It was all hit or miss. Today, I'm 73 and have 6 Harmonys. They were made in Chicago, USA by Roe Co. One is Airline branded and one Truetone. Now, the gold foil pickups have become popular again.
Totally. Luckily, the internet has basically decentralized trends in modern music. Metal going full speed while Indie and roots diy kids are reaching for hollow bodies and flatwounds. It took a while, but people are finally starting to understand that these old Harmonies are still good hand made American items. And that is just about getting impossible to find for cheap.
Back in the mid to late 70's I bought a 1965 or 1966 Silvertone Bob Kat in Black from my Grandfather for I think $50. It came with a Gibson GA-5 amp. Both units are still together and working. I have the original case. My grandfather decided to remove the paint from the neck and head. I have no idea why. All the knobs, pickups and everything still work. Just had a pro go through the guitar and a couple of things needed to be fixed/adjusted. 2 of the frets were shot. Little things like that. And a few things needed adjustment but is mostly has original parts. I have never really played it. I am more of a Acoustic kind of player but am going to find something to use it for. My dad still has the guitar I learned to play on a Harmony Monterey in a Red fireburst color. That one is in great condition though to play it it will have to go see the guitar Dr for adjustments. Great video. Thanks
Love that those stayed in the family. Reverent people keep instruments for generations. I wonder if he removed the finish during the late 60s? There was a huge push toward earthen tones and guitarists everywhere were sanding to bare wood to enhance resonance as finishes are considered an insulator to some. Admittedly, I did the same thing in the early 90s. You know you could always raise the action on it and do a bit of slide? Those pickups love alternate tunings. Thanks for tuning in, Clarence! Have a lovely week!
@@breilly66 I think this is the way he bought it. Here is the exact unit online. Mine is a '65 or '66 so the pickup design is little different but the rest is all the same. Including the color. To bad we cant post pics in the replies.
Hey B! You have a way of breathing life into details that most people would glance over. I felt like I knew the family of the dude who sprayed that mini perimeter burst on the headstock. Captivating stuff, man. Really looking forward to that chickenbacker refin. Is it already done but you’ll edit the video by next week? Or are you starting the spray this week?
Thanks Ramiro! I had everything all setup to start but had a session that really disrupted the week and then things were just hectic! Gonna start shooting it this weekend 😊
you're maybe going too hard on the student model thing- it's got a whammy and the two pickups. the cheaper ones had one pickup. these were pretty ubiquitous at the time and were "cheap" but pretty well done
I started liking the Harmonies shape more than Jaguars/Jazzmasters.. they look funkier. Sadly I live in Brazil so it would be super expensive to get one Great demo btw, very nice tone and playing!!
@@breilly66 yes, I'm thinking asking a dude who makes machined bodies to make me a Silhouette (H19) body, probably in Spanish Cedar.. I can't find the plans with dimensions, so he probably would have to work from a photo
@@breilly66 hey buddy, I got a question for you: how does the action and feel of these vibratos compare to jazzmaster's/jaguar's? they have some similiarities in the design, as they have a knife edged metal plate with a spring acting against the strings pull... the harmony's is like a jag's in reverse. but the arms are way different.. I know the bridges on jags are rocking, and more precise. but it seems to me they are closer to jag's than bigsbys. I'm asking because I'm thinking in put one of these on a SG body, as they are less invasive than jag's. but I love the jag's loose feel, so I want to know if I can get closer, or if they are stiffer, etc. for ene thing, it looks like they can't go up, just down in tunign - I can get jag's to go up and down... (I'll be using the mustang's bridge anyway though)
The Harmony vibrato is great for not needing to hack things. The one thing I'd say Fender has over the Harmony unit, is that absolute zero (resting tension) is at the Harmonys stop position. Versus Fender where it floats or rests center. So you can't bend upward with the vibrato and when it returns fully it gives off a faint "click." To fix, add a small felt pad to the stop. It doesn't give you the upward articulation but with the felt, it's as stabile as a stop tail. :)
I haven't played the reissue yet. So I can't say for sure but the ones I've looked over are def in the high Gretsch electromatic level of build quality. Which isn't bad at all. And frankly is a better quality of neck work than the originals.
@@breilly66 Thanks, dude. I saw one for sale and it looked attractive in a quirky way...But I don't need another guitar, tbh. My Jazzmaster serves me well. 🙂
I remember us guys who only could afford the Harmony and the Tiesco with the Sears and Montgomery Wards amps back in the 1980's. As much as we loved these guitars, you had that "Hair rock" crowd whose parents could afford to buy the neon pink BC Rich, the Ibanez with the Floyd Rose whammy bar system and the Marshall amplifiers. Those guys would make fun of us for playing "Junk" guitars and amps. One of those guys took my Tiesco Tulip from me, beat me up and smashed my guitar. I was 13 trying to fit in and learn more about playing guitar.
I put that guitar back together and had to get a new plastic plate. It didn't hurt the neck. Those necks were strong. It eventually fell apart and I stopped trying to learn till 4 years later A guy gave me a 1975 Fender Strat. I never forgave those hair metal guys and I hate hair metal to this day. I got more into punk and Mod revival stuff.
Oh man.... on Long Island, the mullet gangs were real. I remember this sort of thing. Thanks for tuning in Heathen. I'm glad these days that most players now get that we're on the same team. Even if not the same unit.
hair metal was a plague anyways
Very well put together video. I recently inherited a Bobcat from my uncle in the red burst style. The guitar sat in the OG box for all of its life so its in really nice shape 😄
Excellent and thank you! These things look killer in the red. You gotta try it through a fuzz
great video, i looked these up because i saw phil elverum using one live! great playing, great analysis, had to subscribe im not even gonna lie
Too kind! 🙏
If you check under the pickguard there should be a stamp from Rowe Industries which will give you a manufacture date. I'm assuming it would be later '60's as it has mustache DeArmonds as opposed to S type which were usually on this model (Silhouette later renamed Bobkat).
Wish it were still here to check!
@@breilly66 I have an H17 from '63. The underside stamp is Oct. 9, 1963, Lennon's birthday. Also have a Rocket H59 with an inside the F hole stamp of S-67 (Spring of1967). It has the mustache DeArmonds.
Have a 65 holiday Bob Kat . Gold foils soap bar pickups a good sound and playing tool. And yes I use flat wounds on mine
Lots of us poor kids got Harmony's in the early 60s. The price alternative was re-branded Tiesco's. The Tiescos had some very flashy guitars with multiple pickups and switching combinations. I think the Harmonys sound much better.
That really brought back some memories, thanks!
You're very welcome! These things had a bad rap when I was a kid. And tho they're not some wild Gibson, when setup they do the job just fine!
We were using the same stuff in the 80s. Just with more wear and stickers all over them :)
@@breilly66 Nobody I knew ever got an actual setup, It was all hit or miss. Today, I'm 73 and have 6 Harmonys. They were made in Chicago, USA by Roe Co. One is Airline branded and one Truetone. Now, the gold foil pickups have become popular again.
Totally. Luckily, the internet has basically decentralized trends in modern music. Metal going full speed while Indie and roots diy kids are reaching for hollow bodies and flatwounds.
It took a while, but people are finally starting to understand that these old Harmonies are still good hand made American items. And that is just about getting impossible to find for cheap.
It's my dream to find one of those complete but beat to shit. I would refinish it, give it a new pickguard and replace everything that it needed.
Back in the mid to late 70's I bought a 1965 or 1966 Silvertone Bob Kat in Black from my Grandfather for I think $50. It came with a Gibson GA-5 amp. Both units are still together and working. I have the original case. My grandfather decided to remove the paint from the neck and head. I have no idea why. All the knobs, pickups and everything still work. Just had a pro go through the guitar and a couple of things needed to be fixed/adjusted. 2 of the frets were shot. Little things like that. And a few things needed adjustment but is mostly has original parts. I have never really played it. I am more of a Acoustic kind of player but am going to find something to use it for. My dad still has the guitar I learned to play on a Harmony Monterey in a Red fireburst color. That one is in great condition though to play it it will have to go see the guitar Dr for adjustments. Great video. Thanks
Love that those stayed in the family. Reverent people keep instruments for generations.
I wonder if he removed the finish during the late 60s? There was a huge push toward earthen tones and guitarists everywhere were sanding to bare wood to enhance resonance as finishes are considered an insulator to some.
Admittedly, I did the same thing in the early 90s.
You know you could always raise the action on it and do a bit of slide? Those pickups love alternate tunings.
Thanks for tuning in, Clarence! Have a lovely week!
@@breilly66 I think this is the way he bought it. Here is the exact unit online. Mine is a '65 or '66 so the pickup design is little different but the rest is all the same. Including the color. To bad we cant post pics in the replies.
Yea.... thinking of doing a Facebook page so we would be able to get more project dialog going actually
Hey B!
You have a way of breathing life into details that most people would glance over. I felt like I knew the family of the dude who sprayed that mini perimeter burst on the headstock. Captivating stuff, man.
Really looking forward to that chickenbacker refin. Is it already done but you’ll edit the video by next week? Or are you starting the spray this week?
Thanks Ramiro! I had everything all setup to start but had a session that really disrupted the week and then things were just hectic! Gonna start shooting it this weekend 😊
you're maybe going too hard on the student model thing- it's got a whammy and the two pickups. the cheaper ones had one pickup. these were pretty ubiquitous at the time and were "cheap" but pretty well done
Oh I agree it is well done. To me "student model" isn't so slanderous. My 65 sg was a student model (junior).
Nice!
There should be a squeaky chair disclaimer, just like they do for the seizure folks with flashing lights, which also affects us migraine folks 🤪
Oooh. Yea I didnt think about that. I'll do that now. Thanks Mag.
I started liking the Harmonies shape more than Jaguars/Jazzmasters.. they look funkier. Sadly I live in Brazil so it would be super expensive to get one
Great demo btw, very nice tone and playing!!
Thank you GJ! Too kind!
Have you thought about building a kit up into what you want? It could end up being a serious rig, ya know?
@@breilly66 yes, I'm thinking asking a dude who makes machined bodies to make me a Silhouette (H19) body, probably in Spanish Cedar.. I can't find the plans with dimensions, so he probably would have to work from a photo
@Garage Jazz Ensemble Yes, that is excellent. Well you gotta post a vid when you got it rolling! Take liberties and make it yours!
@@breilly66 hey buddy, I got a question for you: how does the action and feel of these vibratos compare to jazzmaster's/jaguar's? they have some similiarities in the design, as they have a knife edged metal plate with a spring acting against the strings pull... the harmony's is like a jag's in reverse. but the arms are way different.. I know the bridges on jags are rocking, and more precise. but it seems to me they are closer to jag's than bigsbys. I'm asking because I'm thinking in put one of these on a SG body, as they are less invasive than jag's. but I love the jag's loose feel, so I want to know if I can get closer, or if they are stiffer, etc. for ene thing, it looks like they can't go up, just down in tunign - I can get jag's to go up and down... (I'll be using the mustang's bridge anyway though)
The Harmony vibrato is great for not needing to hack things. The one thing I'd say Fender has over the Harmony unit, is that absolute zero (resting tension) is at the Harmonys stop position. Versus Fender where it floats or rests center. So you can't bend upward with the vibrato and when it returns fully it gives off a faint "click." To fix, add a small felt pad to the stop. It doesn't give you the upward articulation but with the felt, it's as stabile as a stop tail. :)
Great tone
Right? Not bad for an old plank
That whammy bar is very interesting.
Dude.... couldn't believe it wasn't lost on the path. Those always go missing. Looks like motorcycle parts oddly enough.
How are the Korean reissues (2008)?
I haven't played the reissue yet. So I can't say for sure but the ones I've looked over are def in the high Gretsch electromatic level of build quality. Which isn't bad at all. And frankly is a better quality of neck work than the originals.
@@breilly66 Thanks, dude. I saw one for sale and it looked attractive in a quirky way...But I don't need another guitar, tbh. My Jazzmaster serves me well. 🙂
Heck yea. Can't beat a dialed Jazzy.