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NBD - 1966 Harmony H22
- Thread starter Danny O Danny
- Start date
That model was my first bass. In 1976 I picked one up from a pawn shop on Santa Monica Blvd. for $75. Played it for a couple of years and finally bought the 1959/60 Precision, which I still have, from Jim's House of Guitars in San Diego for $450. The Harmony was an okay bass but very hard to tune, at least the one I owned was. Played it through a Peavey head into a 2x15 cabinet.
Not a bass, but I have the 1966 six string version and it's pretty amazing. I use it in my home studio. The gold-foil pickups are really cool. They are stamped 1966 Rowe.
My first "bass" was a Harmony Bobcat which is a six-string guitar that I turned the tone all the way down and played like a bass.
My first "bass" was a Harmony Bobcat which is a six-string guitar that I turned the tone all the way down and played like a bass.
nice score on a cool ax, @Danny O Danny! glad you enjoy the thump --- congratulations on your new instrument! 
Nice bass , I almost bought one a couple of months ago , but I thought the price was a wee bit steep ......wish I had bought it anyway .
Those Harmony Rocket guitars are killer. I'd love to snag one of those.
Yeah, it's crazy. They sold for $100.00 new in the 60's and now they're going for $2,000-$2,500. I picked this one up for a lot less than that, but it was one of those situations where I knew if I didn't act immediately it would be gone quickly. I figured if it didn't work out I could sell it at a profit.
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I have the guitar version. It was painted black with a brush by a previous owner. It’s a great change of pace from a modern solid-body.
There is/was a painted-black bass version on Reverb that I really wanted (cousin to my guitar) but I thought $1500 was a little steep for the condition it was in.
There is/was a painted-black bass version on Reverb that I really wanted (cousin to my guitar) but I thought $1500 was a little steep for the condition it was in.
I bought that same model Harmony bass in Dayton Ohio. My mom drove me to the store and I paid with my paper-route money. It was used, and $65.
Keeping it in tune was a problem, and I wanted it to look like a Guild or Gibson. So I replaced the tuners.
Wish I still had it. It had a decent sound, especially for back then.
Keeping it in tune was a problem, and I wanted it to look like a Guild or Gibson. So I replaced the tuners.
Wish I still had it. It had a decent sound, especially for back then.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,621
- 222,161
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Three great songs!
When a band played them back in the day - everybody hit the dance floor!
I just did my first "band" rehearsal with it. We're a duo and my musical partner is my wife. She plays keyboards. We both sing and write songs. We've been playing together for 35 years or so (we met while playing in a band back in the 80's). She has a great ear and is very picky about sounds. She loved the tone of the Harmony--especially when played with a pick and muted at the bridge. It added a percussive element that was missing in our music. On some of our songs I normally switch to guitar, but we tried those today with me staying on bass and it also sounded great. It's a keeper!
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Now just find a Kay 5920 to be its friend.
Good Gracious!!! My good friend's older brother had one of these!!! It was 1967 and it was my very first exposure to a bass guitar. It went to a younger brother who eventually traded it into an EB-0.
I'll never forget it.
I'll never forget it.
Yep. Had to move it back to adjust the intonation and some of the finish underneath came with it. The only thing I replaced is the nut.
I've figured out that these are Kluson 538 tuners from the late 60's/early 70's, and likely taken off of a Gibson bass. The more I play this H22 the more I suspect that it belonged, for many years, to a working bassist. Things like the intonation and action being setup so well and the cheesy Harmony tuners being replaced back in the day with what, at that time, were high quality tuners (apparently these old Klusons still have resale value). I may just keep these elephant ears on there out of respect for the previous owner, whoever he/she was.
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