Vintage Harmony H35 (Batwing) Mandolin Thrift Store Find

[niceties55]

Just got this sweet Vintage Harmony H35 (Batwing) Mandolin at a thrift store and I was wondering if you had any information on this.

I brought it into my local guitar shop and the tech said that it is weird because there are holes for a pickup (which I know they had models with one) but there are no screw holes where the pickup mounting ring screws in, also on the headstock there is no truss rod cover screw holes.

There is a number inside the F-Hole and it is 5725H35.

There is no other number anywhere in this unit as I have checked, even under the neck.

Do you have any information on this neat mandolin? Especially what year it is? Thanks!!

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[lflngpicker]

All I know is that I long to have one. I congratulate you! Maybe you can locate an appropriate pick up to install as it once was configured. The great blues man Yank Rachell played this exact model-- he's a hero of mine. Thanks for sharing your pics!

[Phil Goodson]

Weird F holes too. I wonder if this was a factory mess up and someone rescued it from the dumpster at some point, or an employer took it home.

Oops. I just found some other pictures showing that these are the standard F holes for this model; my mistake. Still, the lack of screw holes raises the question.

[MikeZito]

Sweeeeet find! All I ever come across at thrift shops is broken VCR's and old Herb Alpert records.

Enjoy!

[MikeEdgerton]

The f holes are normal for this model. Look inside for another stamped number. You might need a flashlight and it might not be there. It will be S-XX or F-XX where XX is a two digit year. From the tuners I'm thinking it's a very late 60's, maybe early 70's unit. They used those high ration Grovers for a short period of time. I also think it might have come from the factory sale they had when they cleared the place out. It appears that it might have been unfinished. The factory closed in 1975 and they had a heck of a sale. Over the years some strange stuff has surfaced from that sale.

[MikeEdgerton]

Here is every thread on the Cafe with the word Batwing in it. It should give you some insight into what the instrument is. The cool look factor of these instruments far outweighs their sound.

[niceties55]

Here is every thread on the Cafe with the word Batwing in it. It should give you some insight into what the instrument is. The cool look factor of these instruments far outweighs there sound.

Haha! Still better than the cheap, layered, non-solid tonewood $50 Rouge Mandolin that I have now!! Luthier looked at it and said it was a full solid body instrument.

[Timbofood]

Now you can be the next Yank Rachell! Normal for me, I’m always late to the party! Well, maybe not always.

[MikeEdgerton]

Haha! Still better than the cheap, layered, non-solid tonewood $50 Rouge Mandolin that I have now!! Luthier looked at it and said it was a full solid body instrument.

All Harmony American made instruments (with the exception of a few electric guitars) were made with solid woods. They actually did import a Batwing model at the very end. This one was made in the US.

[Timbofood]

Still want one!

[MikeEdgerton]

You should have one Tim.

[Jeff Mando]

Sweeeeet find! All I ever come across at thrift shops is broken VCR's and old Herb Alpert records.

Enjoy!

At one Salvation Army store (years ago) I found 25 or so copies of Whipped Cream & Other Delights by Herb Alpert in the bins, so I placed one in front of each bin for the benefit of the next record collector to get a laugh. It made a pretty nice display, IMHO!

[billykatzz]

I remember that album! I had a cassette copy. Still think it's a great album.

The Tijuana Brass was really The Wrecking Crew, the famous A-list LA studio musicians (which included such musical giants like Tommy Tedesco, Glen Campbell, and Carol Kaye) who were responsible for most of the top 40 hits in the 60's, from The Mamas & The Papas to The Byrds to The Beach Boys. No shame in this album!

For those who haven't seen it, I definitely recommend the 2008 documentary about the Wrecking Crew.

[Jeff Mando]

I tried to enlarge the picture of the price tag, but the ink looks like it didn't print completely. I see 9.99 -- please tell me you paid more than $9.99 for it?????

[MikeZito]

I tried to enlarge the picture of the price tag, but the ink looks like it didn't print completely. I see 9.99 -- please tell me you paid more than $9.99 for it?????

I tried to get a look at the price tag myself, but also had no luck in getting an accurate picture of it . . . which is okay because if it really was THAT cheap, my head would explode from all of the people that I talk to who get these great thrift store/pawn shop/yard sale deals . . . and all is get is . . . broken VCR's and Herb Alpert records. (Yes, I agree with Billy that it is a great album, and that the Wrecking Crew documentary is worth watching.)

The last Thrift Store mandolin that I found was an Epiphone MM-20 that played like a beast . . . and they wanted $140 for it!

[Timbofood]

You should have one Tim.

Enabler!


I think I still have my copy of “The Lonely Bull” too!

[fatt-dad]

I was a teenager when the Whipped Cream album came out. Oh yeah, and I played the trumpet.

My '50's-era mandolin was a Kay. You may have done better?

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