Harmony H-44 Stratotone Solid Body Electric Guitar (1953)

Harmony  H-44 Stratotone Solid Body Electric Guitar  (1953)
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Item # 8729
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Harmony H-44 Stratotone Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1953), made in Chicago, copper lacquer finish, hardwood body and neck, rosewood fingerboard, black gig bag case.
 
Overall length is 36 7/16 in. (92.5 cm.), 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).

This is a naturally "Relic'ed" first-year example of Harmony's primal slab-O-wood solidbody, the H-44 Stratotone. The wiring rig is all original with pots dated the 39th week of 1953, so this is a very early production model. The copper metallic lacquer finish shows wear overall, with dings, chips, and scrapes, most notably to the edges. This is most pronounced on the back of the neck where the grey primer is exposed from the first down to around to the seventh fret, as the metallic overcoat usually wears quickly from contact with the hand. Several smaller areas on the upper part of body edges are similarly worn away. The single-layer plastic pickguard has a small stress crack under the tone pot, but the area is solidly glued up.

This guitar remains all original...even the fragile plastic jackplate is intact, and these have nearly always been broken. There is a patched strap button hole at the heel. The neck is very chunky and straighter than most of these and the original bridge saddle has been arched to match the fingerboard to help with playability. The original frets have some light wear and crowning work but this guitar still plays well. This is a great-sounding early example of this super cool, funky, and now much sought-after first-generation solidbody guitar. Excellent - Condition.