Tuesday, March 10, 2009

1960's Airline Acoustic Model 7078 (Harmony, Kay, Valco)

I acquired this guitar in the fall of 2008 and it has a market value of $36.37. This appears to be the 7078 Model which was based on the Harmony H942 Stella Grand Concert size flat top acoustic from about 1969. Red toned mahogany shadded back with natural finish top. The frets are in good shape and the neck is straight. As far as I can tell, this guitar is all original and complete. This guitar is in very good condition, just a little dirty and only minor corrosion on the metal parts.


Montgomery Wards brand of instruments were made by Kay, Harmony and Valco. Montgomery Wards began to use the Airline brand in about 1958-60. Before that date, Harmony made guitars sold through the Wards catalog had a generic logo without any brand marking. Some "Roy Smeck" signature models were sold as Harmony branded guitars (H58, H73), but most of "Roy Smeck" guitars were sold only through the Montgomery Wards catalog, wearing only the "Roy Smeck" logo. This includes many acoustics and electrics, among them the famous Stratotone Roy Smeck H7208.


P2270222
P2270229
P2270220
P2270224
P2270219
P2270225

Friday, March 6, 2009

Sears Silvertone 1440 Mosrite Copy

I picked this guitar up in late 2008 and it has a market value of $212.50. It's a late 1960's (probably 1968) Silvertone Model 1440 two pickup electric guitar. The body is a great copy of the style of the Mosrite Venture or Univox Hi-Flyer (or Hi-Flier). It was made in Japan, probably by the Teisco Company for Sears. Here's where you can get a copy for a fraction of the cost of the real thing played by the Ramones and Nirvana. This thing looks like it's been in a closet for years without being touched. Great shape and it has plenty of fret life and nice action with adjustable bridge and a straight neck. As far as I can tell, this guitar is all original and complete except for the mis-matched knobs.


P1170207
P1170212
P1170209
P1170210
P1170208
P1170211

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Vintage 1970's Sears Harmony Acoustic Guitar Model 1294

I acquired this guitar in the fall of 2008 and it has a market value of $90.00. It's a near Mint 1970-1972 Sears Harmony Acoustic Model 1294. Red toned mahogany shadded top and back with sunburst finish. Frets are in good shape and the neck is straight. As far as I can tell, this guitar is all original and complete. This guitar has almost no scratches and only minor corrosion on the metal parts.

P1170200
P1170199
P1170201
P1170205
P1170202

I always wanted to point this out on the later Sears Harmony or Silvertone Guitars. You'll see lots of people refer to these as "spacedot" or "atom" or even "atomic" because of the headstock logo. What I want to show you is it's actually just the letter S for Sears

S

and the letter R for Roebuck.

R

So you see, the spacedot or atomic is just a fancy graphic for Sears and Roebuck. This symbol was used on many of the acoustic and electric guitars sold at Sears starting around the early 1970's.
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