Harptone vintage soundhole pickup - info ?

[snakehips]

Hi there !

I was wondering if anyone knew any information about this Harptone acoustic guitar pickup I have.
I don't even know what decade it comes from but I would guess pre 1950's from the pickup cover that I reckon is bakelite.
It has a beautifully perfect 45 degree bevel all round the top edges of the pickup cover.

The cabling seems very old type, even the quite rigid design of how it comes out from the underside of the pickup.
Inside the pickup, it has what seems a very basic type of coil. I'm no expert, and I could be wrong about that.

Perhaps someone knows about volume pot dating, with the stampings on the pot ???

The pickup signal doesn't seem that strong.

Anyone know anything about when these pickups were produced, and by who and where ?

Many thanks !!

Attachments:

[slide496]

The logo is the same of as the Harptone Manufacturing Corp. of Newark N.J.according to this page: northstreetattic.blogspot.com/2008/01/7-22-1932-cf-martinharptone-guitar-case.html

Here's a description of the company from the page: www.guitar-list.com/brands/harptone

"The Harptone Manufacturing Corporation was founded in 1893 in the USA, as a maker of musical instrument cases and accessories. In 1924, Harptone began the production and distribution of guitars, banjos, mandolins and tiples and continued until 1942. During the war years though, all musical instrument making was discontinued and production diverted to the war effort.

In 1966 after exstensive market research Harptone decided to resume guitar manufacturing. They aimed to produce professional grade American made guitars at attractive prices. They produced Acoustic and semi hollow bodied guitars and bases until 1975 under Luthier Sam Koontz."

Here's an example I think of the pickup in use:
www.guitar-museum.com/guitar-85784-1968-GIbson-B-15-mahogany-top-Harptone-pickup-hardcase

Lawd lawdy,
Harriet

[snakehips]

Hi slide946,

Thanks for the links. I found most of that too BUT no information on the pickup itself.
I'd have thought they would have maybe got the pickup made by someone else, for them, but then you might see the same pickup under different names.
Looks like this one died a death perhaps, as it doesn't have a strong signal. It did sound quite acoustic sounding on my guitar though, even with the nickel-wound strings I have on my guitar, into a Fender Blues Jnr amp.

[Stevie]

Try clipping the totally disconnected pickup wires direct to a guitar cable and (gently!) tapping the magnet(s). If you get a "thwack" then the guitar wiring is faulty. If when disconnected completely from the guitar wiring the pickup wire rings out OK, then you have to suspect that the magnet(s) may be a little tired? These can be re-magnetised. It's worth checking out. There isn't really much else to go west in a pickup.

e&oe...

[Deleted]

The code printed on the potentiometer typically has a manufacturer and date code. The code appears to be a prewar code which is non standard. Alhough seeming unlikely 4115 translates to 15th week of 1941... Though coupled with Harriet's info it makes sense...But the other character string does not readily translate. Are there any other numbers impressed on the edge of the potentiometer?

BTW I went to the Harptone factory in Newark around 1970... Sam Koontz was the luthier, perhaps owner, and he worked on a guitar for me.

[profscratchy]

Don't know if it's still there, but there used to be an electrical parts shop in Dalkeith Road, just south of Commonwealth Pool on the opposite side. The guy there used to do remagnetising and rewinding of pickups for not very much money.

[Pickers Ditch]

Somewhere, in the dark recesses of my mind, I have a rumbling that Standel and Harptone joined forces for some development work on new guitar models.
Something tells me that pickups were subbed out for DeArmond to make.

I'm only ~ 15% sure, but this man may be able to help....but you've probably contacted him already.

www.musicpickups.com/Home.html