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NEW LISTING - 11/11/2024 *** Limited Restoration/Overhaul continuing....in progress photos displayed....see condition notes below. ***
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I have sold many 1940s, '50s and '60s Harmony-made Stella guitars over the years, in their many variations of the same basic model.....quite a few of them are included in the models currently ready to "pre-order" & restore, on this and adjoining pages.
The H931 is one of the fixed-bridge versions of the Stella models which Harmony made, and are less numerous than the variety of floating bridge/tailpiece versions.
A number of other Harmony-made Stella models, under the various brand names originally sold are in stock, and can be ordered...... I regularly "pre-sell" my guitars, at the stage where I am still working on them, or even before starting, so I list some, not all, of the guitars waiting to come through the workshop, and welcome further enquiries, if you don't see what you are looking for.
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*** Please enquire for detailed information....meantime for further general information on the various parlor guitars made to identical design, construction and materials, just differing finishes (paint-jobs, if you like!), by the Harmony Company in Chicago, for quarter century, 1945 to 1970, please check VTG 2 Harmony Stella Guitars Information Page! ***
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Stock Number: VTG1086.
The Stella H931 in this form was only made by Harmony, Chicago during the period 1964 to 1966, and has the distinctive Harmony "Redburst" finish, pioneered on the Monterey archtop model. I can't now quite see the original ink date stamp, but this is thought to be from one of the 1966 production runs.
This particular example had had some work carried out before it came to me, possibly including a neck reset, in addition to the fitting of an Ebonised version of the string through bridge of the type fitted on other Harmony guitars of the era, such as the iconic H165 (Lightnin' Hopkins model), in place of the original bridge unit, also of string-through design, but which has factory fitted bolts.
It has the 1 3/4"/44.5mm. nut width, and 24.25" scale length which are standard for Harmony Stella guitars, unlike the other H931 in course of preparation (VTG 2F), which has unusually slightly slimmer nut width of 43.5mm....a rather odd dimension, a little over 1 11/16ths.
The flat profile fingerboard has real dot inlay position markers, rather than the painted ones typical of most Harmony Stella models.
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HARMONY GUITARS DATABASE (ARCHIVE)
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Although the Harmony Guitars Database is no longer active or updated, what remains of it is still accessible via Archive link, with the brief details page for the Stella H931 as follows....
https://web.archive.org/web/20160813063633/http://harmony.demont.net/model/243.htm
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Condition....essentially original, except for a replaced bridge...finish & colour in my view as good as you are likely to find on a guitar of this type, at nearing 60 years old - inevitably there is good honest edge wear, marking & localised finish loss to the painted bindings and other edges and minor surface chips/scratches, together with some finish disturbance localised around the replaced bridge, but nothing ugly or detrimental for a vintage Stella.
Overhaul/restoration work required is limited.....
* Fingerboard being overhauled & relevelled...regrettably original thin brass frets needed to be removed, in order to re-level the fingerboard, prior to re-fretting...new frets will be stoned/levelled, re-profiled, and polished. Unlike many similar age Stellas, the position markers are real inlay dots, not painted on, so re-finishing will not be required after re-levelling.
* Other minor work completed includes adding vintage-type bootlace tuner ferrules/bushings, which were not factory installed until later in the '60s. Also missing endpin replaced from my stock of original vintage Harmony/Stella parts.
* As mentioned bridge is a string through replacement unit, previously fitted elsewhere. Slight finish disturbance around the bridge, presumably caused buy removal of the original before it arrived here, but is not in any way disfiguring.
* Other fittings original and in sound operational condition....one tuning machine key is slightly bent, but has been left rather than risk increasing damage in trying to straighten, but works fine!
Once the fingerboard re-levelling is completed, the action is expected to be spot-on for one of these shorter scale parlors at 2.75mm./3mm. @ 12th. fret, which, with lower string tension due to the shorter scale length, is ideal for blues players for both fretted or bottleneck/slide playing styles. Additionally it could also be used for full-time slide with a nut riser costing no more than a few pounds.
It has been re-strung with a string set of Martin Bronze Light gauge 12-54 strings.
There is no case included, but I may be able to offer additional options of period case, of the type these were originally supplied with...not offering modern standards of fit or protection, for which a modern hardshell case, Hiscox Liteflite or PRO11 may be available, or a Gig bag, and the guitar will be packed securely for postage if required.
