Harmony H-88 Stratotone Doublet Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956)
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Item # 10353
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Harmony H-88 Stratotone Doublet Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1956), made in Chicago, black lacquer with sparkles finish, hardwood body and neck with ebonized fingerboard, black gig bag case.
The Stratotone H-88 is the far rarer twin pickup brother of the Stratotone H-44, one of the most sought after of all Harmony electrics. This example is not branded but the emblem on the headstock indicates it was made for Alden's, one of Harmony's major wholesale accounts. The gold sparkle-over-black finish on this guitar would go on to be a classic for the Sears Silvertone instruments made by Harmony and later Danelectro.
The H-88 shares many features with its far more common sibling, the single pickup H-44. The overall layout of a small single cutaway solid body with huge, round profile neck is the same; the finish and block fingerboard inlay are different. This guitar features two pickups with concentric tone and volume controls and a selector switch offering a much more versatile sonic spectrum. This H-88 was made in 1956 and sold for $134.50 that year, a good value in a double pickup solidbody. Definitely funky but chic, the "Stratotone Doublet" is one of Harmony's best 1950's offerings, even if it is not well remembered by most guitarists today.
Overall length is 36 1/2 in. (92.7 cm.), 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This Stratotone is in good playing condition but has a bit of a funky look showing finish wear overall, mostly to the body edges. The guitar was likely stored in a damp case at some point, causing some areas of the finish on the edges of the body and headstock to flake. The rest of the sparkly lacquer is relatively intact, with some wear to the edges of the fingerboard (where the binding was painted over at the factory!). The hardware and electronics are correct but the pickups -- originally mounted to the pickguard with brads -- are now screwed in place. The pickguard screws have also been replaced and a more modern jackplate and strap button added. The frets show a little wear as does the fingerboard, but overall this is a good gigging example of this bad-to-the-bone Chicago classic. Very Good + Condition.
The Stratotone H-88 is the far rarer twin pickup brother of the Stratotone H-44, one of the most sought after of all Harmony electrics. This example is not branded but the emblem on the headstock indicates it was made for Alden's, one of Harmony's major wholesale accounts. The gold sparkle-over-black finish on this guitar would go on to be a classic for the Sears Silvertone instruments made by Harmony and later Danelectro.
The H-88 shares many features with its far more common sibling, the single pickup H-44. The overall layout of a small single cutaway solid body with huge, round profile neck is the same; the finish and block fingerboard inlay are different. This guitar features two pickups with concentric tone and volume controls and a selector switch offering a much more versatile sonic spectrum. This H-88 was made in 1956 and sold for $134.50 that year, a good value in a double pickup solidbody. Definitely funky but chic, the "Stratotone Doublet" is one of Harmony's best 1950's offerings, even if it is not well remembered by most guitarists today.
Overall length is 36 1/2 in. (92.7 cm.), 10 3/4 in. (27.3 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 3/4 in. (4.4 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This Stratotone is in good playing condition but has a bit of a funky look showing finish wear overall, mostly to the body edges. The guitar was likely stored in a damp case at some point, causing some areas of the finish on the edges of the body and headstock to flake. The rest of the sparkly lacquer is relatively intact, with some wear to the edges of the fingerboard (where the binding was painted over at the factory!). The hardware and electronics are correct but the pickups -- originally mounted to the pickguard with brads -- are now screwed in place. The pickguard screws have also been replaced and a more modern jackplate and strap button added. The frets show a little wear as does the fingerboard, but overall this is a good gigging example of this bad-to-the-bone Chicago classic. Very Good + Condition.