PDA

View Full Version : Fair Price for a Harmony Tenor



jdchilds
Aug-14-2009, 8:36am
What's a fair price for a 60's harmony flat-top tenor? I'm assuming it's in good condition. Here's a picture:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2675/3819840777_7aaf620634_b.jpg

The seller is asking $200 firm. Is that a fair price or do I have room to bargain down? A lot of people find these at garage sales or flea markets and pay like $20 but it seems like I might not be so lucky.

MikeEdgerton
Aug-14-2009, 8:41am
That's not a bad price. If you post the location of the item a dozen or so Cafe members will beat you to it.

jdchilds
Aug-14-2009, 10:14am
Thanks Mike, glad I didn't post the location.. Not sure if you're a tenor player yourself, but I wonder what type of strings most people recommend for tenors.

dburtnett
Aug-14-2009, 10:47am
I agree that is a good price, especially if it doesn't need a neck reset or other significant work.

I had a Regal version made by Harmony in the 60's that looked just like that one, and for GDAE tuning I used 42-32-20 (all wound, usually 80/20's)- 12 (plain). I liked it's ladder braced sound and playability was really good. Here's a link to a clip of it in the hands of a friend who is a truly fine young player, listen to "Hank of Yarn.." : http://www.myspace.com/owenmarshall

And Mike's right that other's might beat you to it...
db

acousticphd
Aug-14-2009, 11:20am
What's a fair price for a 60's harmony flat-top tenor? I'm assuming it's in good condition. Here's a picture:

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2675/...af620634_b.jpg

The seller is asking $200 firm. Is that a fair price or do I have room to bargain down? A lot of people find these at garage sales or flea markets and pay like $20 but it seems like I might not be so lucky.

I don't think "a lot" of people find those deals anymore on good *playable* Harmonies.

I think $200 is too much, personally. I found two Harmony tenors 3-4 years ago for about $75 each, but those days seem to be gone and prices on these is following the trend of all other 'vintage' instruments.

The real question, imo, is what kind of playability it is has. I would guess that only 1 in 5 of these old guitars that hasn't already had some neck work, will have some issues, although tenors may be less prone to top bellying and neck warping.

Harmony flattops typically had very low, glued in saddles. This saddle is simply a length of fretwire, so there no adjustability in the action, outside of neck work. I would ask some detailed questions about the neck angle, neck relief, and action of this guitar before paying $200.

All that said, I have a fondness for old Harmonies and own a couple of guitars (40s and 60s) and a bunch of ukes.

rhetoric
Aug-24-2009, 3:24pm
I bought mine at a LGS "garage sale" for $80.00. It had a big repair (ugly) on the back, but is otherwise fine and I love the look and sound.

Few people know (and shhhhhh, don't tell anyone) that Harmony never made a laminated instrument. All solid woods. Mine is birch, buy hey.

Michael Eck
Aug-25-2009, 12:10am
I recently paid $400 to a fellow Cafe member for a similar Harmony in really fine shape, and I'm quite happy.

You can hear it in action on a few clips at www.lostradiorounders.com.