Harmony Guitar Reissues for NAMM 2008

[joe emery]

Hi- Joe Emery here. Couple thoughts on the originals that some of you guys may find useful:

-Someone asked about the ease of playing the originals -- they play easier than any bass you'll find. Awesome hollowbody sound but flattop instead of archtop means you're right up on it. Super light too. They're also the idea set up for a small player because despite having a short neck, they're full scale since the strings span the length of the bod.
-Sound on the originals is very thunky/boxy. GREAT for garage music, surf music, frat rock. Mine sounds awesome through my black face Bassman and Showman amps. But they're not really deep, super low end sounding basses. Cheap wood on the originals has to be a big part of this, which has me curious about how close these sound to the original ones. On the other hand, most original ones I've seen have splits along the sides of the body from stress, etc. Mine is coming apart and it has been glued together before.
-I usually play guitar and also had a Harmony Rocket (3 pickup) -- I've also played a bunch of others. The guitars are ok, but not great (with the exception of the great sounding and playing elec 12-strings). These basses, however, are awesome -- there's a reason you see bass players on loads of 60s garage recs pictured with em. I've also seen footage of Ronnie Lane using one w/ the Small Faces.
-Batwing guards on the originals are very cool -- don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

joe

[soundmasterg]

But they're not really deep, super low end sounding basses.

I get to hear a local player use a vintage one every week at the blues jam. We also get guys bringing in active, newer style basses, old P's and J's, Rics, Hofners, etc. Not one of those other basses has the low end and natural sounding tone that the old Harmony H22 has. The lows are kind of indistinct howeer, but it works perfectly for that style of jump blues and rockabilly that is played there. very cool basses....

Greg

[kerchang]

smallfaces.jpg (10.7 KiB) Viewed 1283 times

Small Faces / Spencer Davis Group!

[octagon]

When are the new Harmonys going to be in stores?

[mgauction]

I believe they are making them to order. A dealer could be more specific.

[jingle_jangle]

Mike, he said "Harmonys". I think you are talking about Kays. Anyway, I saw the Harmony booth at NAMM and played a couple and, yes, they will be issuing the H-22.

I don't recall the Harmonys being POSs. Years ago, our rhythm player played a Rocket (badged Silvertone) and it was pretty nice, considering price, which I think was less than $200.00 in '66. Nice, juicy, fat tones from those now-legendary "gold foil" pickups, which the reissues are supposed to get, hopefully wound to the old specs.

These new ones are being made in Korea and looked better than the origs, about equal to the Korean Gretsches (made in same factory, I wonder?) And there's no arguing with the retro style.

Speaking of retro style, when will Mike Robinson issue the Wandré Bikini?

[soundmasterg]

The dealer that I talked to figured about 3 months until they hit the stoes, and felt that the company doing the Harmony reissues was taking orders to find out how much to produce. I just got the '63 H22 I got off ebay today...its pretty cool. I'm sure the new ones will be better quality but they may not sound the same since the woods are different, and the pickups may be different.

[jingle_jangle]

Well, I think the old ones don't sound the same as they used to, either...age can help or hinder.

[mgauction]

Good note, Paul! Did you make it over to their booth at NAMM?

[jingle_jangle]

Shore did, Mike, and it was nostalgia X 10...

[soundmasterg]

Well, I think the old ones don't sound the same as they used to, either...age can help or hinder.

I agree completely Paul. I'm hoping to get to the jam next week and compare the sound of mine to the sound of Marco's. I played it last night through my Sunn 200S rig and it is in the same territory as the RIC on the neck pickup, but less clear and distinct due to the shorter scale of course. It has more bottom end than the RIC but not gobs more. It plays nice but could use taller frets. Its cool though...completely different than the RIC which is what I was looking for.

Greg