Harmony H-22 Electric Bass Guitar (1972)
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Item # 9630
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Harmony H-22 Model Electric Bass Guitar (1972), made in Chicago, serial # 3165H22-1, sunburst lacquer finish, laminated maple body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, original black chipboard case.
One of the 1960's finest bass bargains, the Harmony H-22 "Hi Value" Electric Bass retailed originally at $99.50 and was the company's first bass guitar offering. This particular bass is a very late example from 1972, the last year of production. There is one major change from earlier models, a double-cutaway body in place of the earlier singlecut style but the rest of the design remained pretty much unchanged. The pickup is dated Oct 22, 1971 on the underside and the pots coded 7125.
The very lightweight flat-topped fully hollow body features one excellent sounding DeArmond pickup with a tone and volume control and tone-modification switch, which bypasses the tone control for a "baritone" setting. The neck is round-backed comfortable, with a 30" scale dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The bass's most distinctive cosmetic feature is the large white plastic off-center "batwing" pickguard, which certainly gives it an unmistakable look! This later model has finger rosewood rests both above and below the strings.
The H-22 was the model used extensively in the mid-1960's by both Muff Winwood in the Spencer Davis Group and Ronnie Lane of the Small Faces, and its aggressively thumpy tone can be clearly heard on many recordings. In the high-volume world of 1972 these fully hollow basses were largely put aside, but recently the H-22 has become a much sought-after item, with new generations of players discovering its quirky charm, extremely easy handling and excellent sonic qualities. This late double-cutaway example is a much rarer find than earlier 1960's models, but has the same sound and feel.
Overall length is 44 1/2 in. (113 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 in. (762 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This 50 year old bass is a fine player, overall pretty well preserved and has received a recent electronics overhaul. The original finish has a very "smoked' look, darkened likely from exposure to some old smoke-heave gigging dives. There is some finish loss from chipping around the body and headstock edges and dings and scratches to the finish overall. There is not too much really serious play wear, most notable are one thumb divot into the wood on the back of the neck behind the 4th fret, a deeper scratch up near the heel and a spot of belt buckle wear to the upper back. The upper edge of the headstock and the lower back edge have some finish rubbed off.
All parts are original except for the upper strap button and some internal wiring. The original DeArmond made pickup has been rewound by master tech Tom Brantley and sounds great. The rest of the electronics are original components except the "klunk" lever 2-way switch is a NOS replacement (and a hard to find one, too!) rewired to spec and fully functional. The neck and frets are in excellent condition; while not cosmetically perfect this bass is an excellent player and a nice example of the rarer final version of the H-22, the most sought-after of vintage "budget" basses. It includes the original SSC in decent functional shape. Excellent - Condition.
One of the 1960's finest bass bargains, the Harmony H-22 "Hi Value" Electric Bass retailed originally at $99.50 and was the company's first bass guitar offering. This particular bass is a very late example from 1972, the last year of production. There is one major change from earlier models, a double-cutaway body in place of the earlier singlecut style but the rest of the design remained pretty much unchanged. The pickup is dated Oct 22, 1971 on the underside and the pots coded 7125.
The very lightweight flat-topped fully hollow body features one excellent sounding DeArmond pickup with a tone and volume control and tone-modification switch, which bypasses the tone control for a "baritone" setting. The neck is round-backed comfortable, with a 30" scale dot-inlaid rosewood fingerboard. The bass's most distinctive cosmetic feature is the large white plastic off-center "batwing" pickguard, which certainly gives it an unmistakable look! This later model has finger rosewood rests both above and below the strings.
The H-22 was the model used extensively in the mid-1960's by both Muff Winwood in the Spencer Davis Group and Ronnie Lane of the Small Faces, and its aggressively thumpy tone can be clearly heard on many recordings. In the high-volume world of 1972 these fully hollow basses were largely put aside, but recently the H-22 has become a much sought-after item, with new generations of players discovering its quirky charm, extremely easy handling and excellent sonic qualities. This late double-cutaway example is a much rarer find than earlier 1960's models, but has the same sound and feel.
Overall length is 44 1/2 in. (113 cm.), 15 3/4 in. (40 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 2 in. (5.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 in. (762 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This 50 year old bass is a fine player, overall pretty well preserved and has received a recent electronics overhaul. The original finish has a very "smoked' look, darkened likely from exposure to some old smoke-heave gigging dives. There is some finish loss from chipping around the body and headstock edges and dings and scratches to the finish overall. There is not too much really serious play wear, most notable are one thumb divot into the wood on the back of the neck behind the 4th fret, a deeper scratch up near the heel and a spot of belt buckle wear to the upper back. The upper edge of the headstock and the lower back edge have some finish rubbed off.
All parts are original except for the upper strap button and some internal wiring. The original DeArmond made pickup has been rewound by master tech Tom Brantley and sounds great. The rest of the electronics are original components except the "klunk" lever 2-way switch is a NOS replacement (and a hard to find one, too!) rewired to spec and fully functional. The neck and frets are in excellent condition; while not cosmetically perfect this bass is an excellent player and a nice example of the rarer final version of the H-22, the most sought-after of vintage "budget" basses. It includes the original SSC in decent functional shape. Excellent - Condition.