acquired 2 OLD guitars today- need a lil help.

[rompo420]

Can anyone give me a little bit of help/ input on the 2 guitars I acquired today?

The first one is a Harmony Stella Guitar. all of the research I have done says that there should be a stamp just inside the sound hole with a letter and 2 numbers- not so on this one. (I have 2 others just like it- Both of which are TRUETONE models....they have the stamp.) This one, however, does have a serial, and I have been able to turn up a "general DECADE" of manufacture based on model-specific info- and how they changed that models paint, etc. through the years.

So I will stop babbling. The Stella has a serial number stamped in it that reads:

2753H930

When I look up Stella H930, I find EXACT pictures of the guitar I have. No one has dates attached to their info though but these guitars started out in the early 50's (from what I gather.)

Any info on that one would be great.


Next, is a full size Silvertone Acoustic arch top (really neato look to it) and it has been harder to find any info on it.....

SERIAL NUMBER: K34 6413

NO DATE STAMP IN THIS ONE EITHER......


ANYONE?? HELP ME?? PLEASE??

I threw a few pics of them in here (this is the condition they were in when I got them...)

[ratdog472]

Were those the ones from Springfield's craigslist?

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by ratdog472

Were those the ones from Springfield's craigslist?

NOPE. These were given to me, free of charge- by a fellow coworker.

He said his Father-in-law was the original owner of them both.

[grumpy old git]

Sorry, no information, but it looks like you've got a couple of interesting projects on your hands there. I'm liking the Silvertone a lot, will you be keeping us up to date with the progress?

[YeahDoIt]

I remember owning a Stella guitar very similar to yours. I recall the design around the sound hole was different, mine just had a white circle about 3 mm wide, very plain. Mine was possibly made about year 1968. I remember putting used electric guitar strings on it - to give it a tinny sound - when I used a glass slide on it and played blues the sound was great, I mean really great. It's got this quality that works for blues slide guitar.

It had a card board type case with a brown tweed look.

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by grumpy old git

Sorry, no information, but it looks like you've got a couple of interesting projects on your hands there. I'm liking the Silvertone a lot, will you be keeping us up to date with the progress?

Yeah. For sure.... since I like it the way it is, it may just get a "Damn fine dusting" followed by a new set of strings (after i figure out the tuning key situation.)

From there, I JUST WANT TO PLAY IT!!!

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by YeahDoIt

I remember owning a Stella guitar very similar to yours. I recall the design around the sound hole was different, mine just had a white circle about 3 mm wide, very plain. Mine was possibly made about year 1968. I remember putting used electric guitar strings on it - to give it a tinny sound - when I used a glass slide on it and played blues the sound was great, I mean really great. It's got this quality that works for blues slide guitar.

It had a card board type case with a brown tweed look.

That is one of the things (in my digging around) that was a change that they did for the 60's era H930. Thats why I keep landing on the 50's for mine. I also have 2 Truetones that are ABSOLUTELY the same guitar- and I love them all.

This one, however, is definitely the PRETTIEST. Especially since one of my truetones is completely screwed up (and i will probably use it for silvertone parts) and the other one i completely redid....paint and all.

But I think of it this way.

The truetone I redid that I still play cost me $40.00- and it was worth it. I have used it in recordings and it helps achieve that rickety old tone I like to have.

The truetone that is really screwed up cost me $3.00

The STELLA- cost me nothing

The Silvertone cost nothing.

So all in all $43.00 ain't bad to have invested in 4 early 50's to mid 60's acoustics....eh??

[ratdog472]

Blatantly ripped off from this website: http://harmony.demont.net/model/503.htm

H930 - Stella
Acoustic flatop - Sunburst, horizontal faux flame
Production year(s) : 1951-1962 (other years possible, not verified)

All birch, horizontal faux-flame, "Idento" metal tailpiece and painted on pickguard on early years. No more design around soundhole and real pickguard added from 1960. White striping line added around body last year in 1962. Similar in last years to the long lasting and common H929. (Same H930 model number was used later in 1971, for a different Stella model, updated version of the H929).

Apparently yours falls into the last year of production 1962.

[peskypesky]

i've got a Stella tenor guitar and I call her Stella.

she looks like this one but i've covered her with cool vintage waterslide decals

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by peskypesky

i've got a Stella tenor guitar and I call her Stella.

she looks like this one but i've covered her with cool vintage waterslide decals

right on, pesky...thats cool!

[peskypesky]

Originally Posted by rompo420

right on, pesky...thats cool!

wait til you see the photos of my Stella. she's gorgeous.

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by peskypesky

wait til you see the photos of my Stella. she's gorgeous.

waiting patiently!

[BillStickers]

...me knows a little...
The Stella is built by... well Stella Guitars... just after they were bought by... urm... googling cuz I forgot the specific names...2 mins later... oh... this is not my original source, coincidentally just last week I was helping my Step Dad track down one of the Oscar Schimdt Stella Guitars and thusly have learnt some things about them.
http://www.earlyblues.com/blues_singers.htm
Scroll down to the notes...
READS:
"Note: Stella guitars were made by the Oscar Schmidt Company of New Jersey before 1935 and by John Carner’s Stella Company from 1935 to 1940. These were usually well made, playable and relatively cheap instruments with good tone and projection. Harmony took over the name in 1940 and the quality dropped considerably, although some made under the Sovereign marque were OK. I am not good on Stella models and so I have made some errors in identification and I certainly have not tried to differentiate between Stellas and other brands that were applied to Stella guitars, e.g. Sears, Galiano, Sterling, etc.. All rather bewildering, but if you wish to be less confused, I recommend reading Neil Harpe’s excellent “The Stella Guitar Book” available from his website http://www.stellaguitars.com. Also Paul Brett’s magnificent collection of Stellas, etc. is viewable on http://www.fret-dancer.com; it would be great if you could support his museum project, too."

Silvertone are OK and have a curious history. The forerunners of cool stuff from Danelectro I believe, but Danelectro has flourished since the days of Silvertone.

A cool coupe of ol' bluesy guitars you've been given CONGRATS! I got given a little parlour guitar from a friend of a friend at an ol' folks home. It has great blues tone and is ironically my most reliable guitar having only needed retuning 11 months ago. I have hacked at it with a saw though... I made a cutaway... it worked really well but it looks ugly. It's very Seasick Steve but with excellent Ol' Blues Tone.

I'd say you got 2 guitars that'd be great for some simple on-the-porch Blues. Fun but made of crap... but who gives a crap xD tiz still awesome!!!

[peskypesky]

here's Stella

[BillStickers]

Originally Posted by peskypesky

here's Stella

One can't help but grin

Niiiiiiiiiiiice...

[peskypesky]

one more of Stella's friends

[peskypesky]

the stickers on Stella actually have personal meaning. Stella (on the headstock) is from Chicago, where my mother and I were born. One of her friends is Miss Rhode Island, were I went to college.

[BillStickers]

Originally Posted by peskypesky

the stickers on Stella actually have personal meaning. Stella (on the headstock) is from Chicago, where my mother and I were born. One of her friends is Miss Rhode Island, were I went to college.

Utterly charming nice bit of character, a true relic very nice peskypesky A Stellar Serene Stella

[rompo420]

Originally Posted by BillStickers

Utterly charming nice bit of character, a true relic very nice peskypesky A Stellar Serene Stella

I really dig her, pesky.

you said that they were waterslides?



did u print them yourself, or were they neat ones that you ran across at cool stores or the net??

i have a bit of waterslide experience (printing and applying...but only black letters for headstock decals.)

[peskypesky]

Originally Posted by rompo420

I really dig her, pesky.

you said that they were waterslides?

did u print them yourself, or were they neat ones that you ran across at cool stores or the net??

i bought them many years ago at a novelty shop in San Antonio, TX.

there are people selling vintage-style waterslide decals on the internet, some on ebay.

[BillStickers]

Originally Posted by peskypesky

i bought them many years ago at a novelty shop in San Antonio, TX.

there are people selling vintage-style waterslide decals on the internet, some on ebay.

I smell a couple of sequels...

[edandis]

Originally Posted by BillStickers

I smell a couple of sequels...

I smell another can of worms being opened. It's a cultured smell.

[BillStickers]

xD



damn minimum character thingy