Conference napalm::guitar

    I would put that baby in the 1978-1980 timeframe dude.  However, I bet
    it's closer to 1978!

    According to the book "American Guitars" by Tom Wheeler, your Guild
    was made in 1979. 
    
    Serial numbers 195068 - 211877 were all ade during 19799.
    
    Enjoy !
    
    Mark
    

    
    I found an old guitar in my attic called a Rocket made by it says 
    harmony...has anyone ever heard of this type of guitar. It's 6 strings
    and seems to be in excellent shape.  Any help would be appreciated.
    
    
    Thanks
    Matt

    Harmony was made for/by Montgomery Ward me thinks...  I'd heard stories
    of Harmony's and Silvertones being worth bundles of bucks.  Silvertone
    is the Sears Roebuck equivelent to the Harmony.
    
    jc

    Re: .3, .4
    
    .4 isn't quite right.  Harmony sold their guitars through regular
    dealers (dunno about Monkey Wards, never had 'em in CT where I grew
    up).  Silvertones were indeed guitars sold by Sears, most were made for
    them by Danelectro, some apparently by Harmony (likely the acoustics)!  
    
    Harmonys are indeed sort of "cheap" guitars, but the Rocket is a decent
    instrument, if not exactly up to the quality standards of a Gibson. The
    company made a full ine of guitars, including the world's largest ever
    (there's a famous shot of Johnny Winter playing it, it's about ten feet
    long!), banjos, mandolins (even *electric* mandolins!) and amplifiers.
    
    Harmony sort of died in the mid seventies but the name at least has
    been revived for super-cheap imported guitars (the type you see in dept.
    stores for $79).
    
    For older styles (rockabilly, blues, etc.) the Rocket is certainly an
    "authentic" axe.
    
    							Brian

    Harmony did make guitars for Montgomery Wards, but they were marketed
    under Wards' "Airline" brand.  Harmony also made guitars for Sears
    under the "Silvertone" badge (although the most "famous" Silvertones
    were made by Danelectro).   At one point in time, Harmony was (in
    terms of units shipped) the largest manufacturer of guitars in the
    world.
    
    As a cost cutting attempt in the 1960's, Harmony contracted factories
    in Japan to build instruments for them.  Within a few years, Japanese
    companies began marketing their own instruments, and the increased
    competion was a contributing factor to the decline of Harmony.  The
    company was bought out, and the brandname is today used on instruments
    manufactured in the orient (like Washburn, Kay and Saga).
    
    Jim

	And of course not all of the Airline guitars sold by Gummy
	Wards were made by Harmony. Some of them are rebadged Nationals....

    
    
    The Harmony Rocket Guitar that I have was given to me as a present
    about 20 years ago.  It's in great shape and sounds pretty decent
    and mine does say on it made in the U.S.A.
    
    
    
    Matt

    I need help identifying an old acoustic I picked up.
    
    It has an old sunburst finish, "steel reinforced neck" written on the
    back of the headstock, 2 "F" holes instead of the one round sound hole,
    a floating bridge with adjuster for the bridge height.
    
    There are two screw holes at the top of the headstock which seems to
    indicate there was probably a metal name plate on it, which is now
    missing.
    
    There are two ink stamps inside the body, one reads  "L 3002", and there
    is one on the other side, hard to read but looks like it may be "N-2".
    
    I am wondering who made this guitar and how old it is.  I also need
    info on where to place the floating bridge, isn;t it suppose to be
    placed at a certain point such that one of the frets is half way
    between the top of the neck and the bridge itself?
    
    Thanks, Mark

    I would guess that you may have a Kay.  They used to come with a metal
    (tin in think) stamped name plate that would be nailed on.  Has it got
    a flat finish??  Is the body plywood?? 
    
    
    There are many books that are normally sold in music stores that could
    help you identify it.
    
    
    Good luck
    Bruce 
    
    

    I can't help you on the make, but the 12th fret is the halfway point
    between the bridge and the nut.  Use that for an approximation.  You
    can then compare the pitches of the harmonic at the 12th fret with the
    fretted note.  If the fretted note is higher in pitch, you need to move
    the bridge back (away from the neck); if the fretted note is lower, you
    should move the bridge forward. 
    
    You say it has f-holes "instead" of a round soundhole... is it an archtop
    or a flattop? 

    Will have to look again but I do not think it is plywood body.
    
    Can you explain the difference between archtop and flattop?
    
    Thanks for the scoop on the bridge placement.  Mark

    Flattop: the soundboard of the guitar is flat. Archtop: the
    soundboard is arched (carved). Acoustic jazz guitars tend to be
    archtops.

    It appears to be an archtop.  Reminds me of a violin shape.
    
    - Mark