Harmony Rocket 1960s Chicago USA tobacco burst hollow body archtop electric guitar.2 DeArmond mustache gold foil "Golden Tone" pickups.Original clamshell tremolo bridge.Double cutaway ES 335 style hollow body(no center block inside)w/original pickups.2 piece wood & metal wheel adjustable bridge & clamshell tremolo bar.2 volume & 2 tone black witch hat knobs.Two F holes & 3 way switch.Maple back & sides w/well preserved ivory binding.Two-tone nitro lacquer t-burst finish body & neck.Ivory bound C radius maple 4 bolt neck.Pointed crown headstock.Waverly 3 strip open gear tuners w/ivory buttons have 3 w/slightly bent stems but work fine.Original Harmony bishops hat truss rod cover w/a chip to the tip.20 fret dark rosewood finger board is 24" scale & 1 3/4" at top nut.Neck is flat & straight & plays clean w/low pro <1/8" action at 12th fret.Has some cosmetic 60 year wear.Standard nicks,scuffs & scratches & bottom edge looks like it was stored badly w/peeling paint wear.Perhaps it was standing on a concrete floor for 40 or so years or maybe exposed to solvent fumes.Somehow the binding in the area was mostly spared w/slight abrasion.Bottom strap nut is questionable but present.Input jack has an extra brass washer.I don't know why but it works fine.The paint wear is cosmetic & bottom edge structurally sound. "FZ" initials are lightly scratched into the back headstock.Highly collectable USA Harmony archtop w/rare working tremolo bar.The DeArmond golden tone mustache pickups are powerful & noiseless & sell on bay for 150.00 each.Super comfortable neck is slender & easy play w/pro action.Frets & fretboard mostly unplayed.Highly collectable & pricy on bay & verb w/completed sales around 800.00+ in decent shape.Guessing early 1960s(flat head tuner screws) w/production dates from 1959 to the late 60s.Mostly original w/possible replacement V&T knobs & top horn strap nut & the input jack washer.My guitar playing luthier who had it for a couple days said it is the nicest playing & quietest electric archtop he ever encountered.Haunting reverb built in & vintage tones aplenty. Take it onstage tonight.Has a big acoustic voice & would make a nice couch buddy.
Trades considered for guitars & basses & music inst. gear.
AI says:
The 1960s Harmony Rocket H56 is a classic, fully hollow-body electric guitar manufactured in Chicago, USA. It is highly sought after by vintage enthusiasts primarily for its iconic DeArmond "Mustache" Gold Foil single-coil pickups, which deliver a legendary raw, jangly, and highly resonant vintage tone.Key Features & Specifications:Body Construction: Fully hollow maple body, giving it a lively and woody acoustic response even when unplugged.Electronics: Two original DeArmond "Golden Tone" mustache gold foil pickups, known for their unique aesthetic and bright, punchy output.Hardware: The H56 model is specifically distinguished by its factory vibrato tailpiece, differentiating it from the standard trapeze tailpiece found on the H54 model.Vintage Market Value:Depending on the overall structural condition & electronic functionality,a 1960s Harmony H56 typically commands between $800 and $1,200+ on platforms like Reverb and through specialized dealers.
Prominent musicians who play or have famously recorded with the Harmony Rocket include:Elvis Costello,
Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys),Jack White (The White Stripes / Solo),Brittany Howard (Alabama Shakes),Billie Joe Armstrong (Green Day),Billy Corgan (The Smashing Pumpkins),Wayne Coyne (The Flaming Lips),Ben Schneider (Lord Huron),Jon Foreman (Switchfoot).