Harmony H54/2 Rocket

Mine is of a "pre truss rod" vintage (Steel Reinforced neck)...(pre 1961?) It's red. 4 cupcake knobs.
It's got both original Dearmond pickups, the cheap semi-useless whammy bar (tremelo) system and a tune-o-matic bridge i added atop the floating wooden bridge.

Dearmond!
I have never heard such groovy CHARACTER from pickups before. Chords chunk with such clarity and bite. Great for blues, It loves Rock-all types. You can get a deep delta-ish "I Want You She's So Heavy" sound to the BEST overdriven rhythm sounds you've ever heard and it's all surrounded by the cheapest box ever devised by man to house heaven.
Others here have used the word character i notice....It's true. This guitar is almost human.
Gloriously flawed.

I wish i could change the neck to an adjustable one. Mine is developing a slight bow after almost 1/2 a century of tension.....
It also has a nasty hum which i've attempted to defeat by wrapping a long piece of heavy gauge wire (think long paper clip) around the metal undershaft of both pickups (jerry rigged but it works). Slow cludgy neck. Feedbacks easily (i stuffed the F-holes with foam on mine) Cheap wood and parts. Light as a feather and about as substantial but holds tune WELL!

I've been playing since 1972. Played Strats, Tele's, SG's, Les Pauls, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Jazzmasters etc etc.
Sonically, none of them move me as much as my Rocket but its a strange little unlovely beast.
So cheap....so ******...but it's a time machine from an audiophiles golden age and an inspiration every time i plug it into its faltering jack.

I bought my guitar (1965 vintage) on e-bay about a year ago. I wanted a hollow body sound, and didn't want to pay for a Gretch. I have been playing for about 30 years and own a '67 Tele, a '71 Les Paul Custom, and a mid-90's Strat, so I had done the solid body thing for a while. This guitar is a red sunburst, well aged, dual Rowe "S" style pickups, but the Harmony logo is off the head stock (why?). Didn't know a thing about Harmony's when I bought it. I'm used to playing in the upper register, which is a challenge with this guitar given the body style and the floating bridge which must be set high to reduce buzz in the high end frets. Neck is straight, good thing as there's no way to adjust.

Great sound, I play through a Fender Princeton Chorus amp and it has that bright, 60's sound, although the neck pickup (rythym position) is nice and fat without being muddy, almost Fender-ish. Playing in the overdrive channel with just a hint of breakup gives it that "Brown Sugar" tone which, to me, is just killer. It will feed back on you though, but I don't have a problem controlling it.

Well, it's over 40, but so am I, so given our ages we both look pretty good. Action is high for my tastes, but I have to admit, I've never scientifically set this guitar up, so there may be some room to improve. The electronics were re-soldered a few times it looks like, and badly. I had them all re-soldered and they work fine.

It stays in tune pretty well, given the floating bridge. As I said above, it's over 40 and is still working. That's more than my brother-in-law can say.

Well, Harmony doesn't exist. But I have taken it into a few music shops, and invariably, there's an old guy like me working there that says "Oh, cool, I used to have one like that!" and can work on it.

I give this old beauty high marks for its retro-cool look and sound. Nobody's going to think it's as good as a Gretch or Guild, but you ain't gonna get one of those babies for $250 on e-bay, either.

The whole guitar was in that great gently aged condition that we all dream of finding one in. This guitar was never rode hard and put up wet. All electric work just fine. All hardware like new. Frets have alot of life left. All in all a fine 335 type guitar, that was made in the USA.

Blues and Rockabilly. Pignose, plus Sears 200XL, plus pignose p40, sound good. The guitar is as versatile as a 335 is. No Im not the envy of other guitar players, Just the grand kids, and For me thats what its all about.

Every guitar has its own voice. Its up to the play to bring it out and get the most out of it, sort of like the human voice. There was and is plenty wrong with this guitar, but I play it as I found it, and get some fantasic sound out of it. The dearmond pickups are killers, and the guitar tone is pure vintaged. Its a good guitar.

Dont play pro, but everything about the guitar is in good solid condition.

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Mostly I liked the price. I dont play as a pro, and Gibson Epiphone, Guild and such are out of my price range. I have own a Valley Arts 335 by Samick (Stolen) This Rocket is a better guitar. Considering its age, much better. I choose this guitar because it is a Harmony. These were the guitar I dreamed of as a child. I would replace it if it were stolen, something I havent done with the Valley Arts.

Typical two pickup hollow body electric guitar. Non adjustable truss rod. Guild style controls. The fretboard on mine is as wide at the nut as it is at the twelth fret. I find this feature a little odd, as I'm used to guilds and fenders etc.

The pickups are the cool part here. Mine are the chrome and gold foil models with the s figure in the middle. They have plenty of output and overdrive my Dr Z maz 18 amp with out any trouble.

I'm going to give it a higher mark than the build quality deserves just for these qwirky but great pickups

I bought this instrument for it's trade mark blues tone. While being bright and airy sounding at times, it has this narly biting fat tone unique to these Harmonys.

I use it for 50s/60s style Chicago blues, and it nails so many of those tones. No contest. It's the right guitar.

Ha! Still plays ok though. It's a pure funk here.

Already 40 years old... beautiful shape

I've been playing over thirty years. I'm a full time musician. I've always wanted one of these kitchy Rockets. Can't beat them at what they do. I'm sure I'll have this guitar for life.

This was a guitar I bought at Bluebond Guitars on South Street in Philly a few years back. AS you know, its a hollowbody/archtop acoustic/electric. When I bought it it had the original Rowe pickup in the neck position. Some people refer to this pickup as a DeArmond/Rowe pickup but I haven't confirmed that. I'm just pulling this guitar out of storage and cleaning it up as it needs some TLC. When I bought it it had a replacement bridge pickup--a humbucker that was odd looking and sounded lousy. Whoever installed it defaced the guitar to clear it in there. I like the Rowe pickup's low profile. I need to find something similar to it so if you have an idea of what I could use for the bridge position, please email me.

The finish is cherry burst with front and back binding, as well as binding on the rosewood neck. The Harmony logo and "Rocket" name are painted in white. The finish is original and aged, with the lacquer cracked all over but not terribly noticeably unless you are right on top of it. Its scratched and chipped at various points on the guitar. The bridge is a jerry rigged one that Bluebond did for me after I destroyed the one it came with. I don't like how the bridge is held in place under string tension and I'm considering getting a gibson tuneomatic or Bigsby setup. I just finished replacing the tuners with some nickel Epiphone tuners with nice "vintage-looking" green pegs.

Getting back to the pickups, the originals were single coil, very nice looking with a white bracket/silver frame with gold foil underneath. A gibson-esque switching and volume/tone knobs. My guitar needs a complete re-wiring job however.

Its been several years since I amped this one but from what I remeber the tone is great. Heck, that's why I bought it. Its not too shabby as an acoustic if you mike it or just want to practice without plugging it in. Its not quite as loud as an acoustic obviously but its OK. It can do rockabilly, surf, jazz and rock and roll.

I believe that this had the original tuners re-installed before I bought it. There were a few holes on the headstock's rear which makes it look like there was another set there at one time. But I've seen pics on Ebay of similar guitars and what I had on there matches the picks. I was never really happy with the tuners so I just replaced them (see above). The Rowe pickup that I have on it now (original) has adjustable pole pieces that I had raised as high as possible. The frets are Ok from what i remember. Its an old guitar, about 33 years old...and the oldest one I own so I'll cut it some slack.

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Its a nice vintage guitar. A poor man(that's me)'s Gibson or Gretsch I guess. I like the look and the tone from what i recall. I'd replace it from Ebay with a nicer model if it was stolen or lost. I would like to see this one ijn a white or black finish with all gold hardware. I wonder if they ever made one like this.??

Two DeArmond pickups, toggle switch, volume and tone controls, USA made. Solid body in sunburtst. Passive pickups, basic bridge, yaddda yadaa. This was the first electric I ever played. Because I didn't know better, it seemed really cool at the time (1965).

I had no musical style, I was learning how to play. I loved Dick Dale and the mondo reverbo Fender sound. I played this through a Kalamazoo amp that put out about 15 watts with reverb and tremolo. It sounded OK to me then.

After working several summers and getting help from my Dad, I traded my stuff in on a Gibson Firebird III and a Bassman amp.

What a difference. This made me realize what a cheezy piece of junk the Harmony was.

Now they are considered collectors items. Whooop de freakin' doo!

It's a student guitar and nothing better, folks.

Oversized, fat neck. Action too high with limited adjustability. The truss rod was probably a nut glued into a hole in the top end of the neck.

It withstood live playing OK. I had trouble withstanding the derisive laughter from those who knew better.

Overall, this was a fine piece for a guy learning how to play electric guitar. I coveted a Fender... any kind of Fender. I ended up getting a Firebird. I'm glad I did.

I'm also glad I got rid of this steaming heap of bovine excreta.

This is a '65 two tone sunburst Rocket. It had two DeArmond pickups originally but only one by the time I got it. No problem, it made it easier to add a Seth Lover Duncan in the bridge position. The original neck pick up is still wired but not used. I also replaced the floating bridge with a nice mounted one. I put on some solid tuners and the thing rocks now. The "Steel Reinforced Neck" is straight as an arrow and feels great. It's a sweet playing guitar.

I use it mainly for over-driven rock/punk through a Hotrodded Fender Bassman 70 head and a Musicman 2X12 cab. Effects: Rat, Crybaby, DOD bass EQ as a lead boost, DOD Flange, Boss octave and delay. It sounds great! Feedback is quick and toney and can sound like an organ. I use the pick up selector as an on/off switch which creates a wild effect.

I've been working on this one for a while and it's set up real nice. The action is perfect and the new hardware has become one with the original parts. It was a great fixer upper. The finish has worn well and looks awsome. Nicked up just right and keeps getting better.

This is a very reliable guit. The neck has stayed straight for 34 years and shows no sign of moving. It's my main stage guitar beating out my Schecter PT tele and my Gibson Victory (both rock solid).

If I ever have a problem, maybe I'll call Sears and see if they'll replace it. whatever

I f'n love this guitar! I look at $2500 Gibson Hollowbodys and ask, Why? My Rocket has more personality and flavor than anything out there (well a Gretch would be nice, but I just got laid off). I was so blown away by how solid it is that when it's brother, an H-22 hollowbody bass came up on Ebay I bought it without hesitation. Again I scored, same solid neck, body and everything! I even got the Harmony Master Archtop acoustic! Now I have beautiful set of '65s that all play great. I fully endorse this guitar and I'm scared I might get another just because I can.

This is a red, 1965 Rocket (actually a cherry-burst paint job) I just got at the local pawn shop. Has 1 DeArmond/Rowe pickup (1 is missing), no trussrod, replacement Gibson tuners, no pickguard,thin elec-acoustic.

Great old sound. Better when I get another pickup on her.

Action all little low, adjustments in the offing.

Seems to be a tough little bird.

No company left.

Great vibe, cool looks, nice retro feel, inexpensive to boot.
IF ANYONE HAS A DEARMOND/ROWE PICKUP THAT I CAN BUY, LET ME KNOW. IT CAN EVEN BE BROKEN-I WILL GET IT REBUILT! THANKS!!