Silvertone Jupiter

This is a Sears brand guitar that was sold in the 60's. It was built by Harmony in Chicago. Harmony sold this same model under their own brand as the H-49 Stratotone. It features two pickups built by "Rowe Industries" These are single coils. It has a three-way pickup selector switch with separate volume and tone knobs for each pickup. It also features a special "Blender" control that is activated only when both pickups are on (middle position on the 3 way switch) Basically knob shifts the weight between the two pickups gradually.
The guitar is built from hollow maple ply. Maple neck. The Harmony versions come in various finishes. My model is black with gold sparkle
everywhere including the neck. Scale is rather short, but the guitar is light weight and neck width is pretty wide.

It has an extremely wide range of sounds with the "blender circuit" Lots of bass on hand for such a small guitar. the blender feature is quite unique and feels like you've got 6 different pickups you can choose from. Dead quiet. The bass makes this guitar sound like a monster through a driven amp. Very heavy metal. It cleans up into a nice jazzy tone on the neck pickup and a nice rockabilly twang on the bridge. Great versatility for such a "budget guitar"

Here's where the guitar takes a hit. Although very well designed, my guitar came from the factory with 2 design flaws. I'm pretty sure these were problems from the factory even though I bought it used because my guitar was definitely never worked on in these areas.

#1 No grounding wire connecting the tailpiece and strings to the controls. I had to install one myself. Not a difficult thing. If you don't work on guitars you could easily have a tech do it. A good clue that yours needs this mod is if minor hums don't go away when you touch the strings.

#2 My blender circuit was wired wrong. For some reason a capacitor to ground was added to the blender pot. This caused the blender pot to act more like a master volume pot with none of the nice blender action going on. I just clipped the offending cap out of the circuit and things were great. Again have a tech do this if yours is wired wrong. The blender should gradually shift the tone between the two pickups and not turn the volume down.

The neck pickup on my guitar was DOA when I received this guitar..but since I didn't buy it new, I can't claim this as a manufacturing flaw. I replaced mine with another I found on Ebay that I paid 45 dollars for.

I'm not a big fan of the wooden bridge on these. It tends to absorb vibrations and kill sustain. I carved one out of scrap ivory I had
and replaced the wood components with ivory and now it sings great. A
metal bridge would probably also be a good option for this guitar.

Great tone and potential for some different sounds in your guitar collection. I have no problems gigging with this guitar. Although it's lightweight it's pretty sturdy. A weak spot is the pickup jack. You have to be careful not to crack it there since it's a hollow ply guitar.
If you're shopping for one on Ebay check for that. The tuners are pretty cheap and rough. After 40 years, the pots don't scratch.

Long gone. harmony went out of business in the early 70's

Great guitar tones but you might have to service these a bit if you are buying one "vintage" Make sure there are no cracks or structural damage or electrical problems. These are the guitars that America learned to play on. They have some vintage status and won't depreciate these days if you buy one used.

Sparkle Black semi-hollowbody thin-line 24"scale 6 string electric guitar with two pickups, single cutaway, trapese tailpiece, block-markers, double-bound neck, ?blend'-control, 6 on a side open-backed tuners, and original case. Made in U.S.A. by Harmony

Rowe/DeArmond pickups have a classic sound all unto themselves. It's more a factor of what STrINgS you have on it, and what aMp you play into. This one is NOT noisy. Pickups seem properly balanced, sound wise, but I noticed that the lead pup measures 9K while the rhythm pup measures about 3K....strange.

The action was beautiful even when I first got the guitar - now, after my ultra-setup, it plays like 7th heaven. When I first acquired the guitar, the binding was coming away from the neck (it's double-bound!!!) so I glued them back...no problem. No real FLAWS to speak of...just cheap Harmony construction values, which doesn't bother me one bit. It's a plywood guitar, OK? But so are early 50's Epiphones worth thousands. The finish is, of course, BLACK SPARKLE, which is pretty slick. The 'S' shaped pickguard is an eye-catcher, fer shure.

Will this guitar withstand live playing? Yes, unless you are The Amazing HULK or something. I am a guitarist, not an acrobat or circus-performer, so I don't have issues like that. Yes, the strap buttons are silly plastic things. Will the finish last? Well, it's lasted since 1963 just fine (except for some checking that was caused by the previous owner storing it in his workshop). I don't ever worry about durability because I know how to handle and treat ANY instrument, on stage OR off. :-)

N/A...

Guitar came with original case, but missing neck-pickup. I substitued a Gibson mini-humbucker for a while, and then bought a correct 1963 'dead' Rowe/DeArmond Silvertone neck pickup for it. I rewound it with 43 gauge magnet wire and installed it. SO now, it's all back original. The previous owner was an Electric and pipe organ tech who evidently had attemped to 'fix' the neck pickup and he had the wiring harness all goofed up. Fortunately, I was able to deduce the correct arrangement and put it back proper. The Blend control is pretty nifty, but I haven't used it a lot. The MAIN thing about this guitar is it's looks and inCREDible action. The sound is good, but it's NOT a '55 Telecaster or a '59 ES-335, folks. Never-the-less, I LOVE this guitar and have no plans to part with it. It's cute and useful at the same time. It's does have a sorta Les Paul appearance to it, but I disagree with those who characterize it as a Les Paul Copy. The body shape is where ANY similarities end, and it's not even REALLY that close in the body shape, if you'll notice, the top it FLAT. I do agree that it has a 'Danelectro' feel to it, but that's mainly the neck and neck joint (three big honkin' wood-screws) and the masonite/plywoody light-weight feel of the instrument. If it was stolen, I doubt that I'd pay VINTAGE prices for another one...I still have my Stratotone, but that's another story.

Pretty standard controls save for the blender which is very usefull.

This is a real mojo machine. Rock, blues, jazz, indie, punk ect... I don't know what guitar player wouldn't be pleased. Even a metal head should find plenty of guts and power. Plus it's allready black so they don't have to ruin it with an amature refin.

Tone wise I'd compare this to the harmony stratotone h44 or hot p-90. Tons of bass from the neck especially through a Fender amp.

The pickups are high output and will load the input of many amps. The result is a somewhat muddy sound. I think a lot of people don't realise they aren't hearing the whole sound with most modern amps. I use a groove tubes soul-o-45 with this guitar and my h44's because the input will not mud out with these old hot pickups. Dr. Z route 66 would also be a good choice. The next best thing is to turn the input on the amp way down untill it starts to get clear and the master up to compensate.

Contrary to what these other reviews say I don't think the pickups are made by Dearmond. They are made by Rowe Industries. If Rowe Industries is another name for Dearmond I stand corrected. I think it is just an assumption people make thal all harmony built silvertones have Dearmonds, many do not. On the bottom of the pickups there are stickers that indicate Rowe Industries as the manufacturer. Dearmonds where cheap pickups for the most part. That's why they are on harmony guitars. Cheap like every other part. To me these sound better than the pickups on my rocket for instance. They have the same clarity and a more balanced spectrum with more mid and bass.

Great finish, binding, and fret work compared to other harmony built guitars of this type. This is the best one. I think it is superior to an actual hamony branded jupiter. It is my belief that harmony had to rise to a higher standard when builing for Sears and others. All the hardware is higher quality than a normal Harmony. It is interesting to note that harmony also built the fender coranado.

It's held together for over 40 years and I can tell it's been played hard. The wood is a little week though.

I got it cheap because it's pretty beat, but it's all there and it sounds and plays great. I had been looking for one for a long time to use as a player but I though I'd never get a good deal. Every time I found one it was at leat $500. I love harmony guitars but I don't like to pay real guitar money for god's sake.

This guitar will never command the respect that a vintage Fender does but it's a better guitar on playability and tone in my opinion, I'm not saying that because I can't afford "real" vintage guitars either. I have nice 60's fenders and this sounds better (after you ground the tailpiece and change the bridge, and your amp).

This is the twin pickup Les Paul copy made by Harmony. It has the two DeArmond pickups and tone and volume controls plus the blender switch.

I play a little bit of a lot of stuff, but I love this guitar for my blues playing. You can really get the real sound of some of the early electric blues artist such as Jimmy Reed, because they played Silvertones because they were cheap and dependable. I own three of these guitars.

My favorite of the three is one that was made in 1963, I actually owned it in 1964, but sold it to a friend. In 1973 it was in a flood, actually floating around in the water. He gave it back to me in 2002, I spent about a month glueing parts back together(all the electronics still worked) and this thing looks lioke it went through a war but I play it more than any other guitar I own. Much of the finish is gone, no strap buttons, but it has real character.

One of the tuners won't stand real hard bending without needing tuning pretty often, but I'd say you can't argue with the durability of this guitar. I would want a backup on a gig.

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I've been playing off and on since about 1963, own about 30 guitars. This guitar has much sentimental value to me since it is like an old friend with which I have rekindled a long lost friendship. I hope to pass it on to my 2 year old grandson who loves to sit and strum it.

1962 Silvertone Jupiter... 2 volumes, 2 tones and one mixer.. The silvertone pickups have a great bite that makes them good for Rock or Blues. The 3 way selector switch make for some very interesting sounds..

The guitar kills any other guitar I have played and it stands up on giging. It can go from a blues tone to a country twang with a flip of the 3 way switch. Easy to play and the most fun I've had with a guitar....

After 40 some years it's still together and going well.. It has a good finish still shiny and looks like a 3 year old guitar.

I've giged with this guitar and never had a problem. People often ask me if it's new and what kind of guitar is it? I'm proud to tell them its a 42 year old guitar...

None........ Who cares?

I own a ton of gear... Les Pauls, Guilds, Fenders and this is my favorite guitar. It's the best thing I've purchased in years. The sound is fantastic and the thought of who played it for 42 years is great. I wish they made a guitar like this today.... I'm looking for another one so if this one goes down, I'll have a replacement... Can't live without it....

Cost about $450 US ($639 Can.)
Excellent condition. Two tiny chips in the body and some finish rubbed off a small area on the top. All original parts, including the pickups, nut, keys. It has a short neck and is extremely light due to what feels like cheap pressboard construction. It's probably pretty fragile. Came with the original hardshell case, which has seen much better days.

According to the store my black, gold-flecked Silvertone Jupiter is a 1960, but I think they're guessing. They might be right, however, as pictures of 1963 and on seem to have the toggle switch facing in the other direction.

Unbelievable sound. My strat is and my hollow body westone are both now sitting around doing nothing. I play a lot of early '60s style blues (Freddy King-type stuff) and this guitar produces just about any sound I want, from jangly to crunch to smooth to fat and sloppy. It's fantastic. I tend to believe the amazing sound is an accidental benefit of the semi-hollow body nature of such cheap, mass-production construction. The exta volume and tone knobs are nice, and the twin pickups really do account for some unique sounds.

The action is absolutely perfect, although I like it slightly raised and this was likely a function of the store setup, as opposed to sitting that way in an attic for 20 or so years. The short neck takes some getting used to and, because I have long arms, means I have to slight he guitar lower than I usually like. G seems a bit slippy at the key and can go out a bit too easily for a string-bender, but that's only if you're reaaaalllly wailing anyway, due to the great setup.

It'll withstand live playing -- it just depends on the atmosphere. Will it withstandheavy gigging? Probably not, but it could with care and some switching off to give it a break and protection from more confined or, uh, destructive environments. In other words, it ain't tough.

The hardware has lasted 45 years, teh strap buttons and input are all solid. I wouldn't want to gig without a backup simply because I cherish this guitar.

BWaahhahahaahh. You must be joking. This isn't even the same Silvertone company that exists and if my research is right, these were Danelectro and like knockoffs done for sears.

I've been playing about 15 years. I've got a couple of cheap acoustics, a Westone Rainbow Series II, a Mexican strat.

I'd buy another if I had the chance.

It sounds like the guitar all those great chicago players in the 50s and 60s were playing. One site I found says they were made there, so perhaps someone in the factory knew something special.

USA made. Mine is a well played model and is missing two knobs and seems to buzz a lot. The style is very cool and would like to get this giutar running to peak performance.

Sounds warm (between loud buzzing) and bright. I like the three-way switch.

Nice action, very easy to play. It all seems straight and aligned well.

Mine has some minor chipping of the paint and the finish has dulled some but it seems pretty solid. It has lated this long...

I bought it second (or third) hand so any warrenty would be long lost I'm sure. I have not delt with Silvertone. Not sure if it is even the same as the products they put out now don't have the same classic appeal.

Since I bought it from an auction there was no way of trying it out before I bought it. The pickups seem to buzz a lot. Any time I touch one or a knob,it buzz'z even louder.
any suggestions? old pickups? can they be replaced? and with what? contact me if you have any suggestiions. I really dig the look and styling of this guitar.
I have been playing 20 or so years. I have an older Epiphone Sorrento (green).

as above. this one was all original.

The 60's DeArmond pickups on this thing allow for some really cool tones, especially when doing slide work

It was in pieces for some reason when I found it at a flea market in Columbus, Oh., (over there by the fairgrounds, for you unfortunate Buckeye fans)

Stamped "Sept [something] 1964" behind pickguard. Lasted this long.

get one if you can

i got the body in Perfect condition at a local shop. its a black finish with gold sparkle. hollowbody. wooden sadle and trapeze bridge. i had to hunt down the original pickups which took awhile but well worth it, they sound amazing. nice s mooth rosewod neck. i had to do my own wiring and set it up a bit different from the original which had 5 knobs and a 6 position chickenhead switch. i had it wired kinda like a tele for simplicity.

sounds great. i think its maily due to the pickups though. i think the hollow body of it does add to the amount of sustain i get which is nice. has a nice old rock and roll sound. think dirty rock blues.

it is a great feeling guitar! for this reason i sold my 80s lp when i got it. nice neck with great action, light body, and by far one of the best looks every. a very stylish guitar.

i dont think this guitar could take to much of a beating. i guess ill find out.

yeah right. good luck even finding the entire guitar. it will be a cold day in hell before you could get any support for it

its the funnest guitar ive ever play. very easy and comfortable feeling. for the price paid for one of these id say everyone should hunt it down.

Les Paul Body shape with two single coil pickups, three way selector, blend know to control mix in middle position, semi hollow (Danelectro style), black with gold sparkle finish.

I don't care for the clean sound, as the pickups are somewhat weak and dull. With overdrive, though, this guitar sings and growls! Sounds great in dropped D tuning. Full, grungy, 70's, garage sound; very rude. Not much variety, but what it does it does well. I run it through a Danelectro Daddy-O in to a Sovtek MIG 50.

The finish on the back of the neck is a little wrinkled(?). I get a little cramped playing for too long. In good shape for a very old guitar though.

I would never gig with this, because it's not road worthy and because of its vintage. I won't custumize it either, because of its age. I want to keep it all original. A good studio guitar. No electrical problems.

Good luck.

I've been playing guitar for 10 years. This is actually my wife's guitar, and we were thrilled to find it! She is a Danelectro fan. I love recording with this guitar; its rude like a tele, but very different too. Get one (if you can find one) if you want a unique sound, preferably for rhythm guitar tracks.