What the hell did I just buy?

[Groo]

Oh a whim, I just bought this on eBay:

 

 

There was 15 minutes left in the auction, and it looked pretty. I was looking for a cheap, 3/4 size guitar. And Tweedy owns a guitar that's kind of like this one, so I thought what the fuck. I haven't recieved it yet (because I just won the auction), but it's been all I've been thinking about.

 

Title: Guitar-Stella Harmony

 

Description: Steel string- flat back- guitar. In excellent condition. Has leather case also in excellent condition. Comes with two shoulder straps.

 

Case measures 42x14x5inch.

 

 

Any ideas? Tips?

[deepseacatfish]

Looks like a good purchase.

 

When I have a little more in my savings account I've planned on picking up a vintage Japanese electric guitar (one of those no-name Teisco/Guyatone/etc. 60's funky things) and completely refurbishing it. I really have no experience, but it will be a fun project, and I've got a paint scheme I want to try out on it, hopefully it will all work out and I can do a stellar job on the instrument.

 

My feeling is that if a guitar is in okay shape after 30+ years, its probably going to play for a while longer. 3/4 size guitars are cool as well. I'd say you should take a look at it, and it might very well be worth a trip in to a guitar shop just to have them do any basic fixes that it needs, then shine it up/clean it, and you'll have a nice little guitar...with hopefully a nice sound.

[Toothy Smile]

These are fun guitars and they pop up a lot on Fleebay. It looks like the one you bought is a Stella Harmony 943 model based on the sunburst finish. You've got the trapeze tailpiece and floating bridge too. Stella Harmony's were actually made in Chicago and are usually circa 1960's. Inside the soundhole should be a date stamped to determine what year your guitar was made. They were intended to be student guitars, very affordable, and now somewhat of a collector's item for baby boomers who either learned on one or are just nostaligic from the folk boom era.

 

I happen to love these guitars. They have fat necks and look cool. Some say they are pretty pedastrian in tone but I think they make the perfect couch guitar. The only downside is that they are usually in shitty condition and you'd have to put more money into it to get it stable. That usually means a neckset since no trussrod, and that could send you $200 plus. Not a good thing if you've purchased the guitar for less than half that price. Or, just leave it as is and you have yourself a nice slide guitar.

 

I have 2 Stella's, both in non-playing condition. One is from Ebay and the other I picked up at a garage sale. When my daughter gets old enough to play I may restore one for her to learn on. Good luck and keep us updated on how it turns out when it arrives.

[Groo]

Thanks! I'm definitely looking forward to getting it in. "Couch guitar" is exactly what I'm going for here. It will be cool to own a guitar older than I am, if nothing else.

 

Hopefully, it's in "excellent" condition like the listing says. I don't really want to pay a lot of money to restore it.

[jimmyjimmy]

I own a few of these; (two Silvertones and a Stella) one of which I play pretty regularly and we tend to think of them as producing a "cigar-box" type sound.

 

On the tobacco sunburst Silvertone that gets the most use I've had the neck "Heated and Straightened" to compensate for high action it developed over the years, in lue of a neck re-set.

 

I've found miking these things directly pretty difficult, they come off very "tinny" metallic and abrasive. I've gotten better results with a floating pickup. They sound "awesome" in a dropped tuning and slightly distorted. Fun stuff.

 

Pay special attention to the tuners. They bind under string pressure. Clean and oil the gearing, check for smooth movement before restringing. The plastic knobs themselves will have become brittle with age and if it's evident that there's a great deal of resistance getting to the desired tension they'll snap off and crumble in your hands; ( I've since replaced the original three on a side sets with individual Kluson types enlarging the through holes in the peg head to accommodate the metal sleeve for the post to pass through. Works really well).

 

These things are great fun. Enjoy!

[Groo]

Thanks for the advice! This is exactly what I was hoping for.

 

I can't wait for it to come in, so I can check it out myself. I already own a J45, so all my serious playing needs are taken care of. I was just looking for something I can strum on at the girlfriend's place, or take with me when I go out of town.

[a.miller]

Cool guitar! Definately a good buy. I used to date a girl whose mother had one like that. I always had a great time playing it.

[Groo]

I just got it yesterday...it's awesome. I got it all cleaned up and restrung. It smells like the 60s.

 

It sounds surprisingly good, and it's fun to play. The only real complaint I have is that the tuners are a bitch and half to turn. But the guitar stays in tune! I'm going to lube them up, as per the suggestions I received here.

 

At some point, I think it would be nice to have the guitar looked at by a professional, and have the tuners replaced. But it plays just fine, from what I can tell.

 

All in all, a great purchase.

[anodyne]

i had one back in the early 90s. the tuners were bent, so they didn't turn much at all without pliers. it slipped from my hand and the headstock broke off. that was the end of the proverbial puppet show. i liked the guitar pretty much.