Harmony Batwing project

  1. bmac
    bmac
    I am exstatic!!! I had been looking for a Harmony Batwing mandolin fixer-upper for several years and today I purchased one which seems to have had the unfortunate experience of being sat upon.

    Certainly without tender loving care it would soon have been discarded as unfixable garbage. And without a doubt it would have been too expensive for anyone to have paid to have it repaired. So I bought it for a reasonable price and am eagerly awaiting its arrival.

    Neck disconnected.
    Seven major cracks in top and back.
    Stress cracks in side(s?)
    Front and back pulling away from sides in spots.
    Binding pulling away from sides in some areas.

    Electronics missing.
    A few small parts missing.

    Otherwise it looks just like Yank Rachell's mando!

    Bart
  2. bmac
    bmac
    Received my Harmony Batwing mandolin today!!! Jerry Hunt move over!!!

    Wow did it receive a blow at some point... 11 cracks total separations all over the blace... binding... partially off in several places, only 1/4 of back still hanging on to mandolin body (loosly! One side has two 7" long cracks, missing wood on front (two small areas missing wood) will have to have wood replaced. probably not a single major joint survivd totally intact.... But it appears to be all there, including the cloud tailpiece. The amp is missing and must have been salvaged at some point. The frets show no sign of wear. As far as I can tell at this time all the parts are there so if I can repair the body and reinforce the badly damaged front it will be a great looking mando and hopefully a great player. Does anyone on this blues site have knowledge of the original amplifier??? Brand, etc. I understand this type is no longer made but would like to find one used if possible. just for appearance if nothing else.

    Now the work starts!!! But it will be a labor of love.

    Bart
  3. bmac
    bmac
    In case some of you don't know the Harmony Batwing here's Jerry Hunt playing one.... a really cool looking

    instrument.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAXKS...eature=related

    I am sure he plays it in honor of yank Rachell as will I.

    Bart
  4. bmac
    bmac
    A number of photos of Yank Rachell can be seen at this site:

    http://www.npr.org/?refresh=true

    Bart
  5. bmac
    bmac
    Sorry about the above site.... I'll see if I can find the right one and post it. Don't know how I did that.

    Bart
  6. bmac
    bmac
    Here's a Rachell poor sound though...

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfYMsRzVFBart
  7. bmac
    bmac
    Oh... for heavens sake!!! just Google Yank Rachell and you will come up with photos of him with his Harmony batwing. Sorry about the bad links above.

    Bart
  8. Ron McMillan
    Ron McMillan
    Hi Bmac - any updates on how you got on with the batwing project?
  9. bmac
    bmac
    Blueron:
    I have it repaired... All the cracks cleated and glued back together and missing wood replaced I am presently reglueing some hard to fit binding and beyond that it is ready to paint and put back together. Only the body needed repair... The rest of the instrument was in perfect (like new) condition. But it could only have been done as a labor of love as the labor cost would have been horrendous to have it repaired commercialy. A great learning project though.
  10. Ron McMillan
    Ron McMillan
    I hope you can put up some pictures of the work in progress, as well as of the finished item.
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