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Up for sale, a 1956 Harmony H44 Stratotone in excellent condition and in perfect working order, complete with a hardshell case. This particular H44 is 100% original save for a new jack plate and pickguard mounting screws, retaining its Copper nitro lacquer finish with gray base coat.
One of the most collectable models produced by Harmony and also one of the most influential in the history of early Rock n' Roll, the H44 model was played by the likes of Richie Valens and Carl Perkins. The single DeArmond "Hershey Bar" pickup delivers a tone that is very responsive to picking dynamics, offering a rich sound that has both low end heft and treble snap. The overarching sound has a clear note attack and sweet, percussive character, and this is also one of the only neck through body designs ever produced by Harmony, with good sustain and an overall resonance that truly benefits from this construction. The guitar is featherweight at 5lbs 5oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 11-49 strings and easy-playing action.
The neck has a very full U-shaped profile carve, measuring .990" deep at the 1st fret and 1.185" at the 9th. On the bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard, the original slender fretwire shows only moderate wear on the crowns of frets 1-3, with wear favoring the treble side. Great care has also been taken to achieve action that is easily playable in every register, appreciably lower than most Stratotones on the market, measuring 6/64” on the bass side (measured at the 12th fret), and 5/64” on the treble side. The scale length is 25", and the original bone nut measures 1.725”. The original Waverly open back tuners with cream buttons turn smoothly and hold pitch well. The headstock face retains a clean silkscreen Harmony Stratotone logo, complete with atomic music note.
On the body, the simple electronics work as intended, including the small two-way switch that bypasses the Tone control if desired. The CentraLab pots date to the 30th week of 1956, and the rivets for the pickup have been replaced with screws so that the pickup height is adjustable to taste and can accommodate lower action. The original acrylic pickguard is intact, with two small repairs, one adjacent to the pickup and one by the Volume control. The oval jack plate is a modern replacement, and the original "cupcake" knobs are present, as is the carved floating Brazilian rosewood bridge with bone saddle.
The Copper nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, exhibiting vertical lacquer checking and buckle rash at the treble-side waist. There are various small nicks and finish chips, largely on the back and body perimeter, and wear to the gray primer coat on the neck profile mostly behind frets 1-4, as well as the treble side body edge, and where forearm crosses the lower bout on top.
A modern black tolex hardshell case is included.
One of the most collectable models produced by Harmony and also one of the most influential in the history of early Rock n' Roll, the H44 model was played by the likes of Richie Valens and Carl Perkins. The single DeArmond "Hershey Bar" pickup delivers a tone that is very responsive to picking dynamics, offering a rich sound that has both low end heft and treble snap. The overarching sound has a clear note attack and sweet, percussive character, and this is also one of the only neck through body designs ever produced by Harmony, with good sustain and an overall resonance that truly benefits from this construction. The guitar is featherweight at 5lbs 5oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with 11-49 strings and easy-playing action.
The neck has a very full U-shaped profile carve, measuring .990" deep at the 1st fret and 1.185" at the 9th. On the bound Brazilian rosewood fretboard, the original slender fretwire shows only moderate wear on the crowns of frets 1-3, with wear favoring the treble side. Great care has also been taken to achieve action that is easily playable in every register, appreciably lower than most Stratotones on the market, measuring 6/64” on the bass side (measured at the 12th fret), and 5/64” on the treble side. The scale length is 25", and the original bone nut measures 1.725”. The original Waverly open back tuners with cream buttons turn smoothly and hold pitch well. The headstock face retains a clean silkscreen Harmony Stratotone logo, complete with atomic music note.
On the body, the simple electronics work as intended, including the small two-way switch that bypasses the Tone control if desired. The CentraLab pots date to the 30th week of 1956, and the rivets for the pickup have been replaced with screws so that the pickup height is adjustable to taste and can accommodate lower action. The original acrylic pickguard is intact, with two small repairs, one adjacent to the pickup and one by the Volume control. The oval jack plate is a modern replacement, and the original "cupcake" knobs are present, as is the carved floating Brazilian rosewood bridge with bone saddle.
The Copper nitro lacquer finish is 100% original with no touch-up or overspray, exhibiting vertical lacquer checking and buckle rash at the treble-side waist. There are various small nicks and finish chips, largely on the back and body perimeter, and wear to the gray primer coat on the neck profile mostly behind frets 1-4, as well as the treble side body edge, and where forearm crosses the lower bout on top.
A modern black tolex hardshell case is included.
