FEATURE
postwar England due to restrictive import laws,
so English guitarists had to make do with inexpensive Euro and Asian imports, as well as their
own guitars, with names like Burns, Watkins,
Wilson, Fenton-Weill and Hayman. Vox guitars,
originally made in Italy and later in Britain, were
widely used in the ‘60s—the most famous
example being the white Teardrop model played
by Brian Jones. All Vox guitars are collectible,
but still a bargain compared to American vintage pieces. New Vox guitar models are available today. Burns guitars were also popular in
England, and were endorsed by luminaries like
The Shadows, the Searchers, and many others.
After being out of production for years, Burns
Bison guitars were revitalized a few years ago.
Sweden is most famous for their Hagstrom
guitars, often Fender-like and moderately
priced, but nonetheless high-quality instruments that were somehow relegated to the
world of the pawnshop. They were readily
available in the USA in the ‘60s, and are being
manufactured in Korea today. Bizarre electrics
from Western and Eastern Europe, former
Iron Curtain countries (check out the hideous
Russian-made Tonika guitar) and other countries, are hard to find and far too numerous to
list here, but they are generally some of the
crudest, most off-the-wall guitars ever made.
Is It Nostalgia?
Flash-forward forty years, and guys like me
are buying these once-derided losers for their
coolness factor. Why? Nostalgia? That’s certainly part of the equation. In all likelihood,
the rush to collect off-brand electrics stems
partially from the aforementioned desire for
individuality. Let’s face it, high-end instruments
are everywhere these days. They’re ubiquitous. No offense to anyone, but some of us
want something different that sets us apart
from the crowd. Stratocasters and Les Pauls
are great, but how many can you handle?
’ 66 Vox Guitar-organ with power supply; ’ 66 Goya electric (made in Sweden by Hagstrom) in gold sparkle with Electric and
Acoustic buttons, s/n 477/520; Goya “Boombox” Bass Boost pedal and “Attache” briefcase amp (about the size of a backgammon board with brown vinyl covering, 12 watts).
The Experts Check In
Ron Rothman, proprietor of Rothman’s
Department Store of Southold, NY, is generally
regarded as the world’s leading authority on
Harmony guitars. “My experience with these
guitars goes back to the early ‘60s,” he report-
ed. “My first guitar was a Harmony acoustic. I
would spend hours looking through catalogs
from music distributors like Targ & Dinner,
Buegeleisen and Jacobson, and C. Bruno that
had pages of assorted Harmonys to look at.”
“They are one of the last affordable vintage
USA-made guitars. They are retro, they look
cool, and they offer unique-sounding pickups.
The H- 22 bass is one of the best sounding bass-
es out there. The Richie Valens Stratotone, met-
al-bound Espanada, and the 3-pickup guitars
with all the knobs and switches are desirable.
The DeArmond pickups they used give them a
unique tone that differentiates them from other
major manufacturers. Rockabilly jazz boxes (by
Harmony) are popular and sought after.”
the late ‘70s. That’s when I fell in love with
the brand. The fact that they’re very playable,
light, sound great, and built in the USA, was
instrumental in my developing an interest in
the company and the guitars. Also, back in
the day they were cheap! Danos are more
desirable and in demand than ever. I recently
had the honor of procuring a ’ 67 Danelectro
for Pete Townshend.”
When questioned about why there is so much
interest in old Harmony guitars, Ron replied,
Doug Tulloch, perhaps the world’s foremost
authority on Danelectros, had this to say: “I
bought my first Danelectro, a 1958 model
#3011, from a barbershop for $80. This was
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