Harmony H75

USA-made thinline in excellent+ condition, 1967, bought from the first owner who imported the guitar in Holland in the late sixties and barely played it, nicely faded golden oak sunburst, double cutaway, laminated maple top back & sides, segmented f-holes, body- & neck bindings, tortoise headplate & pickguard, screwed on maple neck with block inlaid rosewood fretboard, 24.25" scalelength, original frets, 3 DeArmond Maximum Goldtone single coils (dated september 1966), 3 volume controls, 3 tone controls, 3 pickup switches (on/off) for 7 different sounds, tuners replaced with nickel plated Allparts Klusons, Bigsby B7 from the sixties added to replace a non-original German vibrato-unit, original grey/off white soft case

This guitar has tons of character, not only in appearance, but also soundwise. The DeArmond single coils are the most responsive and dynamic pickups I've ever played. The bridge pickup is great for country and rock'n roll and will distort nicely on a cracked up small Fender amp (I use a '63 Vibroverb reissue and a Blues Deluxe). The middle and neckpickup are best played clean and are suited for any type of roots music. The neckpickup with a little distortion is fine for classis blues, but watch the volume because of the feedback it may produce. When I compare it's sound to my Gretsch Country Gentleman the Harmony comes very, very close. The Gretsch sounds darker and fuller, the Harmony has a greater bite and cutting edge. Totally amazing for a 400 euro-guitar.

when I bought the guitar it was set up just fine by Gijs de Wit, a Dutch customizer. The fast playing medium-scale neck is on the chubby side, which I love, and the action is very low. On my electrics I always use 011-049 strings for more tone and stability. No flaws in the wood and bindings at all, this 38 year old guitar is barely played. I changed the weak tuners with far better Klusons (no drilling required)and the guitar stays in tune better now. I love the two-part wooden bridge, which adds warmth to the sound, I believe. The H-75 came with an incorrect German vibrato (Hoyer, Hofner?), probably installed in the late sixties. I wanted a Bigsby and not the original lyre tailpiece, so I added an old Bigsby B7. This is not the type Harmony used on the H-76 and H-78 (that's the B3), but I like the pressurebar in combination with the wooden bridge. I also changed the small plastic strap buttons with larger metal ones to add security to this beaut. All others parts are original and in great shape.

This sturdy build guitar is in great shape after nearly 40 years, so I'm sure it will last a couple more decades. Of course I play the guitar live, just like my Gretsch and Coronado XII from the same year. The only small problem I have playing at a bigger volume is the feedback it may produce. But that's why we have the Bigsby, the best feedback-controller in the world (ask Neil...). Yes, I would use it without a backup. On the road I change the soft case for an ES-type hardcase.

I really don't know, I believe there never was a Harmony dealer in the Netherlands. Harmony's are very rare to find guitars in my country, another reason I'm so proud of this guitar.

I play the guitar for more than 30 years. Write my own material and made some records (country-rock, folk-rock, rock'n roll). I own a few Martins from the seventies, two Telecasters (my favorite solid bodies), a 12-string Coronado and Gretsch. This H-75 ain't the most expensive guitar I've owned, but it's surely one the best electric guitars I've ever played. Lots of character and looks that kill. Where can you buy a great American-made vintage guitar with this quality for about $500? Many greetings from Holland!