View Full Version : Harmony "Batwing" acoustic/electric
santjo24
Jan-23-2009, 1:44pm
I have been wanting one of these for quite some time, but they dont seem to pop up all that much. I can only find one for sale at about 800 dollars, but I remember seeing them for around 500. I was wondering if paying 800 is severely over paying for one of these instruments.
Thanks guys,
Jordan
mrmando
Jan-23-2009, 2:00pm
I have been wanting one of these for quite some time, but they dont seem to pop up all that much. I can only find one for sale at about 800 dollars, but I remember seeing them for around 500. I was wondering if paying 800 is severely over paying for one of these instruments.
Thanks guys,
Jordan
Holy moly. Yes, that's grossly overpriced. I watch these on eBay ... there was one a while back that was MINT MINT MINT, clean as a WHISTLE, and went around $500-600. I had never seen one go even THAT high before or since.
I believe I know the one you've found listed for $800 ... it's here in Seattle, at a shop that routinely overprices its vintage stuff. I was hoping to go have a look at it, but there's no way that you or I should pay what they're asking.
santjo24
Jan-23-2009, 2:04pm
Ack that blows. I finally have the money saved up and nothings around.
http://www.tradingmusician.com/catalog/index.cfm?fuseaction=product&theParentId=144&id=9398
This is the one I was looking at.
I guess I will have to practice my patience.
Thanks mrmando
MikeEdgerton
Jan-23-2009, 2:07pm
Just watch ebay, I've owned several of those and never bought or sold one anywhere near that much.... maybe not near half that much. Beware of one thing though. There are Japanese copies from the 70's out there with brand names other than Harmony and they aren't nearly as nice. Put a wanted ad in the classifieds here and see if any pop up.
mrmando
Jan-23-2009, 2:07pm
Good idea, Mike!
santjo24: I have been keeping an eye out for Batwings. I'll let you know when one pops up.
Search for past threads on this.
I always wanted one until a friend said he has one he wants to sell. -One of the electrics. But Geez when I played it, it sounded terrible. The owner said it sounded just as terrible plugged in -only louder. The strings get very wide apart down by the bridge, which just made pickin' too hard.
He would have given it to my for like $150.00 as he just will not play it, but I too would never play it.
MikeEdgerton
Jan-23-2009, 2:12pm
If one wants a Harmony Batwing one should want it because it looks good. If it happens to sound pleasing that is secondary in the equation. Take my word for it. These were made late 60's early 70's, kind of US made Harmony's last hurrah in the business. Those weren't the golden years for Harmony.... then again, I don't know if Harmony had golden years.
santjo24
Jan-23-2009, 2:14pm
Thanks alot guys. I can always count on mandolincafe to provide quick and helpful responses.
I played one a friend had and liked it, but I only own 5 strings (which feel like completely different instruments), and just really wanted a decent acoustic electric 8 string without selling a kidney. I figured this one would be a good choice because it just looks so hot......... I wonder if that makes me shallow.
MikeEdgerton
Jan-23-2009, 2:16pm
...I wonder if that makes me shallow.
If wanting mandolin because of the way it looks makes one shallow then there are a whole lot of folks here (myself at the head of the line) that are shallow. :cool:
mrmando
Jan-23-2009, 2:20pm
Search for past threads on this.
I always wanted one until a friend said he has one he wants to sell. -One of the electrics. But Geez when I played it, it sounded terrible. The owner said it sounded just as terrible plugged in -only louder. The strings get very wide apart down by the bridge, which just made pickin' too hard.
He would have given it to my for like $150.00 as he just will not play it, but I too would never play it.
Ehrm ... does he still have it? String spacing at the bridge can be fixed, for goodness' sake.
santjo24
Jan-23-2009, 2:22pm
I also wanted the mandolin because Yank Rachell played the model and "if the mandolin is good enough for yank rachell, it is certainly good enough for me" (that said it is pretty well known he was poor and not making money from music most of his life). I kind of have a thing for stranger vintage instruments. Unfortunately I am very poor, so it makes for a disappointing hobby.
mrmando
Jan-23-2009, 2:25pm
Like any other mandolin, a Batwing will benefit from a decent setup job. Mike Butler and Gerry Hundt both sound pretty darn good on a Batwing -- in terms of tone and intonation, I'll go out on a limb and say they sound better than Yank. And in Mike's case, he's playing Yank's instrument!
One note about the Trading Musician: they have a new Kentucky KM300E in stock. This instrument lists for $395. Elderly sells it for $295. The Trading Musician's price?
$399.99.
santjo24
Jan-23-2009, 2:39pm
Yeah I actually looked up the same mandolin to compare prices. maybe I will just save up a couple more months and get that rigel on emando.
mrmando
Jan-23-2009, 2:50pm
That's always an option. :)
If it's an acoustic tone you want, the Rigel might be better suited.
Sure string spacing could be fixed. The fretboard is also very tapered that the strings follow to the bridge. So if you move strings closer at bridge, the space on the neck to outter most strings will get larger. It just sounded too awful to even do a little work. The person who owns it is a luthier and it is set up properly. It sounds like the top is 3/4" thick. Believe me, at this price point it is not about price.
Michael Lewis
Jan-24-2009, 2:42am
With lighter strings and a pick up transplant it would probably do fine.
Agreed with what the rest are saying, $400 is much more reasonable. I bought one on ebay for $80 not long ago to give to a friend that was learning.
They have great tuners (16:1) typically.. a nice body shape and slender neck.. and the tone is pretty humdrum. I have an acoustic/electric I bought from a cafe seller that has a surprisingly pleasant tone, but it's pretty raw & simple. That's a vibe in and of itself sometimes. You'll find that a an electric with really simple tone makes you want to do lots of left hand stuff to keep it interesting, a nicer-sounding one you'll linger on those big meaty notes more
Batwings are cool though, no denying it. It was the first sort of mandolin I'd ever seen (garage sale!) as a kid, and I always wanted one after that!
Paul Hostetter
Jan-24-2009, 12:27pm
You actually like those 16:1 tuners? :disbelief:
I remember when they first came out and it finally sinking in how much friction was engineered into them and how hard the knobs were to turn and how bloody long it took to put on new strings. It was with the advent of those tuners that some of us in the bay area started using a silicon carbide slurry and a power drill to loosen them up just get them to turn. I just fixed up a simpler Harmony mandolin with the disconnected f-holes from that same era as a loaner for a friend last week and it had a virgin set of those tuners. Ack!
A pressed top sounds like a pressed top. Bright and uncomplicated.
I use a winder to put on new strings, and have adjusted the plates just like a gibson set so the screws aren't too tight. Once you get that stuff set up, I like how easy the fine adjustments are to the tuning. Frustrating if the nut & bridge slots aren't right, but nice to get something this humble well in tune with!
jdchapman
Jul-02-2010, 12:49pm
<solicitation removed by Moderator>
Ted Eschliman
Jul-02-2010, 2:01pm
Please review Posting Guidelines (http://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/faq.php)
Ebay, online auctions, Cafe Classifieds, direct dealer solicitations: while discussing online auctions or the classifieds is permitted, posting personal transactions for business or self-promotion is prohibited.
Thanks for your cooperation.
jdchapman
Jul-05-2010, 7:51pm
Yes, of course! Sorry about that. Wasn't thinking of it as a solicitation. Now I feel bad.
One went on ebay this week for $400, by the way--it wasn't mine, so no problems....
jdchapman...
If you have an interesting proposition for the OP a pm may be a reasonable place to start...you can do those through your account/profile, I believe, and can get your message to him without violating the posting guidelines.
Another inexpensive A/E option that pops up from time to time is the Fender FM62 (usually 300-400 dollars). The Korean made alleged Rigel copies look cool and are quite servicable as an inexpensive A/E option. They're NOT Rigels (and if that's really what you want I'd recommend saving up for the real deal), but I like mine for what it is, and it cured MAS at a time when I didn't need to drop a load of cash. I agree that the Batwings are sweet looking instruments; if I ever run across one in decent shape that I can try out first I'd be pretty tempted...
ldustin
Feb-17-2011, 1:16pm
I love the fact that you can add or subtract shims to adjust the string action, swap their bolt-on necks, and especially enjoy playing on their extra wide fret board that makes it a little easier for a man's thick fingertips to fit . When I heard my first batwing, I was unimpressed and wanted immediately to relist it on ebay, but 7 months later, when my 82 Ibanez was being re fretted, i then fell in love with its old time velvet, jug band sound ...... and though its low end is a little underwhelming, the d,a, and e strings have a very pure resonance to them...... granted, the mass production techniques have not made this a mandolin to last centuries, but some loving care from a luthier every once in a while, will keep them playable for a number of decades..... from what i've heard, the ones you can find at this time in our history already have 43 to 48 years under their belts....
Harmony Batwings are just about the coolest looking mandolin in existance..... Who cares what they sound like??? Where else can you get that kind of mojo?
I have been watching for a while and you certainly should be able to get one in good clean condition on Ebay for $300 - $400 easily. More from a dealer of course.
The Harmony Batwing is a pretty agressive design on a traditional instrument. It reminds me of a '60s Chrysler product with tail fins. It must have been a financial success as there are still plenty of them around. They are still played by blues players in honor of Yank Rachell the great blues mando player who played a Harmony Batwing and became identified with it.
Ones in good to excellent condition seem to run around $300+ on Ebay and from dealers around $400+. Not a bad price for a mando with that kind of Mojo.
Sorry about the double post.
All you need ia a Harmony Batwing and a pair of horn rim sun glasses.... A Batwing is a small price to pay for that kind of MOJO!
Who needs sound when you project that kind of image?
I have started a Harmony Mandolin social group. Your comments and photos of Harmony instruments are encouraged.