Harmony Single Cone Heading To NZ

[kiwi]

I won this the other day or at least a friend in the states won it for me, and it has been shipped to that friend who is on shipping for me (no foreign bids/shipping on auction]. A 1930s Harmony single cone. I won't know exact year until I can see the date stamp. I have 2 30s and one wartime Harmony parlour, so this will be interesting.

My friend says it is in good condition. ETA: The front looks like a refinish at some stage, and this would be the same as the Supertone model (277?) they made but I am picking a Harmony badge as that is the style of burst they put on a lot of their guitars.

[Matt]

Does that actually have a resonator cone in it or is it one of those reso look-alikes? It looks like you can see wood through the holes in the cover plate where it's framed by the tailpiece.

[kiwi]

Been a couple of those faux bros on ebay lately, but this one is a full reso, auction pic

[Matt]

Ah very nice! What size is the cone? Is the cover plate bigger than usual or the cone smaller?

[kiwi]

Seems to be the regular Harmony made body for the triolians etc, I think it is just the photo angles making it seem smaller. 9 1/2 inch I would suspect.

[Matt]

I don't think that's a triolian body, I think (but may eb wrong) that all the triolians, wood included, were made by National. The reason I think the cone looks small is the big overlap between the cover plate and the front of the guitar, which is why I asked about whether there was a cone at all when I saw wood through the holes.

It's also interesting that the cone doesn't have any spirals stamped into it, someone like Mark will know the facts (so I might be talking rubbish), but I think that if National made any cones without the spirals they were only very early ones which would pre-date any involvement with Harmony.

An interesting find!

[kiwi]

If you have Marks book go to page 80, early wood body Nationals were Kay, but they quickly switched to Harmony production, National made none of their own wood bodies. This one I am picking due to the burst would be Harmony badged, but has been refinished on the front so until I can see the date and model stamp unsure.

Harmony also made resophonics under their Sovereign brand in the late 30s licensed by National.

[Matt]

And that's why I always put the caveat that I may be talking rubbish from memory . I'd be interested to hear about the cone if you can find any clues about that in the book (I don't have a copy)? Was that body used on any National branded instruments or is it just something Harmony made? It looks deep like an El Trovador or something, but sort of different in a way I haven't seen enough of instruments to be able to put my finger on, wider at the top end? The proportions of the body look a bit like this shot of the back of a National Havana from Notecannons

[kiwi]

Yeah the Havanas were Harmony, as were the Rosita, Trojan and Estralita.

[Michael Messer]

The body of this guitar is not a Triolian, or anything made by National. It is a deeper body with a typical Harmony shape and is made with quite thin laminate. I think the cone is an 8 inch diameter, which if my memory is correct as it is many years since I was in one of these, is the same cone as National 1033 and 1133 solid bodied student guitars.

Shine On
Michael

[zak71]

Dec 6, 2013 11:03:00 GMT kiwi said:

Seems to be the regular Harmony made body for the triolians etc, I think it is just the photo angles making it seem smaller. 9 1/2 inch I would suspect.

\Those guitars use an 8" cone, and the body has nothing in common with a Triolian (Harmony didn't make wooden Triolian bodies, National did).

Dec 6, 2013 11:19:16 GMT kiwi said:

National made none of their own wood bodies. 

Except the Triolian...

[Deleted]

Muddy's guitar again!
michaelmesser.proboards.com/thread/2416/supro-question