1957 Harmony H62 Vintage Archtop Electric Guitar Sunburst w/ Gibson P-13 Pickups, Case

Up for sale, a 1957 Harmony H62 archtop in excellent condition, featuring its original pair of Gibson-made P-13 pickups and complete with a hardshell case. One of the finest guitars to ever carry the Harmony name, this archtop boasts a 16 1/2" lower bout width, 3 1/2" body depth, and a tone that is as rich as it is defined. Essential for Jump Blues and Jazz, the Gibson produced P-13 single coil pickups are a precursor to the P-90 and have a slightly meatier and darker tone. Through your favorite vintage tube amp, the H62 has lovely top end sparkle, with a bass response that delivers an inherent sweetness and bloom without being boomy or lacking focus. Truly one of the cooler vintage pickups ever produced, the P-13 pickups compliment an archtop that's stately and alluring with a maple body, spruce top, and tortoise appointments. The guitar weighs a mere 6lbs 10oz, professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with easy-playing action and 11-49 roundwound strings.According to the original catalog description, the "Harmony Model H62 double pickup guitar is designed for the fullest possible expression of modern guitar technique, affording sharp treble tones, deep bass, and all the in-between shadings which may be desired in lead or rhythm work."The neck has a very round and chunky C-shaped profile that fills the palm with generous shoulders while still being very easy to chord. The profile measures .895" deep at the 1st fret and .975" at the 9th. The Brazilian rosewood fretboard is a jet black, tight-grained cut of this hallowed tonewood, bound and sporting pearloid block inlay. The original medium jumbo fretwire has plenty of meat and well-rounded crowns, showing only very light wear beneath the plain strings on frets 1-6. The guitar plays well in every register with sweet, singing tones up the 25 1/4" scale. The nut is the original hand-carved piece of bone for optimal note clarity and sustain, measuring 1 3/4" in width. The "Harmony" logo and fleur de lis is cleanly inlaid on the Brazilian rosewood headstock veneer, and the original Waverly tuning machines all turn smoothly and hold pitch well with notably clean nickel plating.There is a very slender diagonal split along the bass-side profile shoulder from frets 1-3, and a longer repair on the treble side, both professionally addressed long ago and smooth to the touch with an absolutely tiny bit of finish touchup. A small piece of new binding has also been installed on the treble side of the fretboard at the 1st fret.All of the electronics function as intended, with individual Volume and Tone controls for each pickup and the brown "radio" knobs only seen on the earliest examples of the H62 model. The original transparent pickup rings (a very dark, nearly black looking tortoise) are present, along with the diamond switch surround, long baton switch tip, and transparent red tortoise pickguard which has a small repaired split at the forward mounting hole. While the original carved Brazilian rosewood bridge with bone saddle insert is included with a guitar, the saddle slots on the original bridge are cut lower than is ideal, and a new replica rosewood bridge has been installed (also with the correct bone saddle insert for ideal articulation). The guitar benefits from a professional neck reset in its lifetime, meeting the body at an ideal angle and providing room for adjustment at both bridge thumbwheels. A strap button has also been added to the neck heel. The solid spruce top has a consistent arch with no sinking, and the H62 model stamp and 1957 date stamp is visible through the F hole.The nitro lacquer finish is original, and the deep brown Sunburst has great saturation and warmth, with the amber center of the burst on the back highlighting ripples of curly figuring in the maple. There is pick wear primarily on the bass side of the top, a small rectangular spot of finish wear from a previously removed badge of some sort, some very light buckle rash central to the back, and a few additional minor marks on the body as a whole.A black tolex hardshell case (vintage, but not original to the instrument) is included.