Harmony Sovereign

[evenkeel]

So something a bit different.

I recently bought an old Harmony Sovereign. As is typical it needed a neck-reset. Rather than simply doing that i decided to have the guitar rebuilt with X bracing, neck reset, new pin bridge. Here is the guitar with the top off so you can see the new bracing

The guitar returned from the luthier a few days ago (took about 2 months) and it's simply spectacular. Light, resonant, bright w/o being at all harsh. Wonderful sustain.

Converting these old guitars from the original ladder bracing to X bracing may be a bit off putting to some. Sort of like putting a modern suspension, drive train in a vintage car, a'ka resto-mod. Some folks just want to keep things 100% original. But I'm thrilled with the results.

 

[Brad Little]

A few years ago, and maybe still, there was someone converting these regularly. Lots of positive reviews for his results. Was it also refinished, or was no pickguard on the original? Used to love when you could pick these up at yard sales for $10-15, but those days are long gone.

 

[evenkeel]

Was it also refinished, or was no pickguard on the original? Used to love when you could pick these up at yard sales for $10-15, but those days are long gone.

No pickguard when I got it. Not refinished. Couple of different people have made sort of a cottage industry re-bracing and rebuilding these old guitars. Harmony, Silvertone, Regal, Airline, Stella etc.. All the old Chicago area guitar companies. FWIW this is the 1203 model Sovereign. Bit larger than a 000/OM. The more well known Sovereign is the 1260 due to the Jimmy Page/Stairway to Heaven connection.

 

[Rayk]

Cool how do they sound after the rebuild ?

 

[evenkeel]

Cool how do they sound after the rebuild ?

This guitar was not playable when I got it. So no way to directly compare. Typically these ladder braced guitars have a old timey, boxy sound. The notes decay quickly. A strong fundamental tone then not a lot of sustain. Now the guitar is very resonant. Bright top end. Has a nice warm, open sound.

 

[Rayk]

This guitar was not playable when I got it. So no way to directly compare. Typically these ladder braced guitars have a old timey, boxy sound. The notes decay quickly. A strong fundamental tone then not a lot of sustain. Now the guitar is very resonant. Bright top end. Has a nice warm, open sound.

Nice , I have one and was wondering about doing something with it . Bought it from a member here though I can't remember who . It was for my son but he hasn't shown interest in playing it .

 

[gilded]

Looks cool. Who braced it for you and what did they charge? I wanna know.

I've had a few of the big ones. I like the big ones better than the 000/0M models, but that could change with the bracing.

I think the main thing they had going for them was the wood they used on those guitars was simply great.

Our old friend capnjuan (rip) had one of those guitars. He took it around the world on a freighter, back when the world was young.

 

[wileypickett]

My first guitar -- like a lot of people's -- was a Harmony. Mine was an H167, which I picked out and my dad paid for, 45 bucks brand new. I was 14.

I have a couple Sovereigns today, one of them is the super-deluxe model, like this:

https://reverb.com/item/18697685-harmony-sovereign-h1265

though mine is has not been modified to accomodate a pickup. Practically more pickguard than guitar!

They move a lot more air than you might think.

 

[Brad Little]

If anyone's interested in trying this (or just seeing what they're like) I have a 1260 you can have for a $100 donation to a no-kill animal shelter. It needs some TLC, though the neck was reset within the last 10 years. I had it set up with a metal nut and dobro tuning, but never bonded with it. PM if interested.
Brad

 

[Brad Little]

....
I have a couple Sovereigns today, one of them is the super-deluxe model, like this:....

Is this model still ladder braced?

 

[adorshki]

Is this model still ladder braced?

Apparently so according to this thread from the AGF:
https://www.acousticguitarforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=464964

 

[gilded]

If anyone's interested in trying this (or just seeing what they're like) I have a 1260 you can have for a $100 donation to a no-kill animal shelter. It needs some TLC, though the neck was reset within the last 10 years. I had it set up with a metal nut and dobro tuning, but never bonded with it. PM if interested.
Brad

I'm very interested. Give me a place that you would like to me to donate to and it will be done! PM if you like. Harry aka gilded

 

[Brad Little]

PM Sent

 

[evenkeel]

Looks cool. Who braced it for you and what did they charge? I wanna know.

A couple of people do these kinds of conversions. The most well known is Scott Baxendale.

http://baxendaleguitar.com/index.html

Also Moonlight Luthiers, these are the folks I used.

https://www.moonlightluthiers.com/about.htm

 

[gilded]

A couple of people do these kinds of conversions. The most well known is Scott Baxendale.

http://baxendaleguitar.com/index.html

Also Moonlight Luthiers, these are the folks I used.

https://www.moonlightluthiers.com/about.htm

evenkeel,

Just curious, did you ever find out what baxendaleguitar.com charges for a re-build? I assume it's significantly higher than moonlightluthiers.com thanks, gilded

 

[shihan]

How’s the neck? I’ve been tempted to buy one of the rebuilds, but I remember reading Sovereigns have skinny necks, something I wouldn’t like.

 

[wileypickett]

The Harmony Sovereign necks I'm familair could in no way be described as "skinny."

 

[evenkeel]

The Harmony Sovereign necks I'm familiar could in no way be described as "skinny."

I concur. I've played a few, definitely not skinny. The Sovereign I have is 1 3/4", maybe a hair more, at the nut. And the profile is, if anything a bit chunky. I really like it. But my preference over the last few years has moved to smaller body, thicker, wider necks.

 

[evenkeel]

evenkeel,

Just curious, did you ever find out what baxendaleguitar.com charges for a re-build? I assume it's significantly higher than moonlightluthiers.com thanks, gilded

Not directly But from threads in other guitar forums my guess is Baxendale is much higher.

 

[Quantum Strummer]

I like the ladder-braced sound. It's very barky: lots of initial punch but then notes die off quicker than with a typical X-braced guitar. Back in the pre-WWW universe Elderly Instruments frequently had Gibson LG-0s & LG-1s in stock. They still turn up occasionally. Great little guitars.

-Dave-