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Family : Lower end archtop

Other brands : H1215 Archtone was also sold as Holiday AL9236

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Original catalog descriptions

[1957 catalog]
HARMONY ARCHED GUITARS- AUDITORIUM MODEL Arched top and back, birch, with F-holes, in a glossy brown mahogany shaded and grained finish. White striped edges. Ovaled hard maple fingerboard, grained to resem. ble rosewood. Celluloid guardplate, on bracket; adjustable bridge.
No. 1215........ Each $34.50
TENOR GUITAR 4-string model, similar to No. 1215 Guitar
No. TG1215 Ea. $34.50

[1966 catalog]
HARMONY ARCHTONE MODERATELY PRICED GUITARS - Of hardwood construction, with arched tops and backs. Hardwood necks, steel-rod reinforced. Ovalled hard maple fingerboards, grained to resemble rosewood, with 6 inlaid position markers. Bone nuts. Adjustable bridges. Nickel plated tailpieces. Celluloid pickguards, mounted on bracket. White striped edges and pin lines. Size : 153/4 x 403/4 in. Choice of finishes:
No. 1213-Shaded brown Mahogany finish - Each $39.95
No. 1215-Shaded Reddish Mahogany finish with the top grained to resemble spruce - Each $39.95

Original price

  1951 : $26.50
  1956 : $32.00
  1957 : $34.50
  1958 : $34.50
  1959 : $34.50
  1962 : $36.00
  1967 : $39.95
  1969 : $42.50
  1971 : $49.50
  1972 : $51.50

Verified production year(s) : 1945-1971
others years possible, not verified.

19 comments | Add your comment !

• John Provich - 2006-12-11
  My Harmony Model H1215 Arch Top/Back is #677 and has the date 5-65 (plus something I cannot distinguish to the right of the date numbers) stamped in it. It is playable, but the neck stock is beginning to separate from the body at the back.
  It is amazing that so much original paint decorating technique was executed in the manufacturing process to give this model H1215 it's faux (more expensive) wood appearance.
  Labor must have been a lot cheaper than wood when this guitar was manufactured, or Harmony had some very fast decorators. All-in-all my guitar is an interesting piece of Americana and American .
  If my guitar was manufactured in 1965, was anyone of that era really fooled by the faux wood decorating? Did that technique in itself give the guitar a tawdry look and accelerate the demise of Harmony guitars?
• Mike Dill - 2007-02-04
  I own one of these, a 1960 model, when I bought it, it had been refinished with goopy red Minwax, and had Gibson Klusion Deluxe tuners. I refinished it in black , built a pickgaurd, used an old bigsby aluminum bridge on it, and put an old Kay pickup on it. I've played it for an number of years here and there, it's a great blues guitar.
  mikeleedill@sbcglobal.net
• Samantha Bee - 2007-03-03
  Is it possible for the guitar to be stamped with one model but look like another? The serial number on mine is 8523 H1213 but it looks identical to one of the H1215s that there's a photo of on here. Mine's black except in a circle around the f-hole area with the wood finish and three white bands that circle the body.
  I'm not exactly sure of the date but I know it's a late 60s model because that's when my grandparents bought it for my uncle.
• François - webmaster - 2007-03-06
  Yes Samantha, it's possible to have a model stamped with another model number. I can even say it's not rare between analog models. The H1215 and H1213 guitars are the same model except finish (color), so they mixed some parts at the factory...
• fiddleguy - 2007-03-23
  I just got one of these, model 0029H1215. It might say 55, but I'm not sure. It's in good condition, except for the bracing separating from the top, looks like all original equip.
  The interesting thing is the headstock. It has the atom/note logo, characteristic of the Stratotones. Also the Harmony font is similar to the Stratotones (i.e. no extended curve from the H). But the headstock shape is from the 1215, the smooth curve, with rounded shoulders. Anyone ever seen anything like this?
• Joseph Towns - 2007-05-07
  My Harmony Model H1215 is stamped 5128H1215 I know the the letter and the last 4 digits are the model number ,but what are the first 4 numbers,is this the number manufactuered.? also it is stamped F-66AP,I know the F-66 is the year,but what is the AP,just want to find out all I can,thanks and thanks for the site.
• BJ NEWSOME - 2007-05-17
  I HAVE A 431 H1215 MONTEREY WHAT YEAR WAS THIS MADE?
• Ben - 2007-06-17
  ohh love this site. I just found out what model i had and everything because of this. Its a shame mine is pretty much unplayable :( I got fret buzz just about everywhere and the nut where it meets the second string doesnt hold the string in anymore :( Gonna get it fixed up eventually if I can though and i'll finally beable to hear what it sounded like :) It was passed down to me from my mom.
• Redhouse - 2007-06-20
  Can anyone tell me what year they stamped "Steel Reinforced Neck" with "Made in the USA" directly under it in white on the headstocks?
• spudsongs - 2007-07-01
  Well I am so glad to have found your excellent website Francois! Now I know that I have a model H1215 that was built in 1964, the year the fab four landed in the USA. Inside it says F-64, does that mean February or is this just a year ID? What are the four numbers before the model number? If it's the production number it would mean that I have the 7425th unit made! Ha! It looks very nearly like the last photos on your page. Now i can order the correct pickguard replica! BTW, had our local luthier reset the bridge and end and string this baby with D'Addario XP lights and by gosh, it rivals my Guild D4 for its loud sweet open sound! This is one very cool guitar, and I am darned glad I went ahead and bought it for 60 bucks! The faux spruce stiations and now yellowing painted binding just add to the character of this wonderful piece of Americana from my youth!
• Harmonee - 2007-09-08
  Just got one similar to one listed in the pics, has a pin stripe around the edges on the top, no name on the pickgaurd.
  But it came with the book, which is dated 1937. with a picture of the exact model on the front, making me believe this is a 1937 harmony H1215
• Lori - 2007-10-03
  Love this site!!!
  I have a model H1215 its my dad's guitar
  but ive been playing wit it since i was a little girl :) i take better care of it too than he did... but im confused it was made in 1964?
• Jason - 2007-10-10
  Very cool site. I got my 1957 H1215 for free when I purchased a 4runner 2 years ago. It had some guitars in the back and I ask if they were part of the deal, well they weren't, but 3 weeks later the woman I purchased the truck from called me up and said that she had a guitar for me. Well she sure did! What a cool guitar. I usually play my Breedlove, which is the greatest guitar I have ever played & one to check out if you get a chance, but I love to pick up this Harmony and disappear into the past. It just has a one-off sound to it that keeps me wanting more.
• llibra52 - 2008-02-29
  I have a harmony guitar stamped f45 4143h1215 and have no dating info. can anyone help. this site is awesome. Thanks even if you can't help. it was great reading about the other guitars.
• singtao - 2008-04-02
  My buddie drops by this evening with a guitar that was left in an apartment that he manages. It's an H1215 from F-58.(first half or fall) 50 or 49 1/2 years old. Previous owner put a set of sealed grovers on it and removed the pickguard. It's been played tons, lots of wear on the neck and a heafty crack in the top running about 3 inches from bass side F hole to head. Action sucks but it's solid. I may manufacture a bridge that'll let me bring it down some, or just raise the nut and open tune for slide.
  I have an es 125 from 62. This guitar doesn't compare, but I'll try and keep it making music. My 16 year old saw it and headed to my bench to find a pick-up to intsall. He's thinking an old filtertron or p-90. Anybody had any luck with pups in these? The bracing might be a problem. I'll take any advice. Gnome sang?
  thx
• Pmb - 2008-04-09
  My Harmony has 843H1215 on the inside of the guitar and 843H125?? on the back. The back worped and fell off years ago.
  Could anyone explain why there would have been differant numbers on the guitar.
• hajc - 2008-04-19
  Very good site to find. Have 49 H1215 ARCHTONE. Good shape for 59 year old guitar. Action high by good finger pickin.
• Mike H. - 2008-04-29
  I just recieved an H1215 from my mother-in-law. She played it when she was a teenager. She is 78 now! It is marked F46 in the sound hole. So I'm thinking it is a 1946 model. The bridge was in 5 pieces when she gave it to me. I have repaired the bridge, cleaned it up and put strings on it. It playes pretty well. It has 2 metal shems under the nut to avoid fret buzz. two of the tuners' plastic knobs broke off when I was tuning it. The body is in good condition and the neck is pretty streight. Quite a gift. Mike H.
• Gitarzan - 2008-05-05
  I have just purchased #242XH1215, with a manufacture date of F44, or the fall of 1944. I will send pictures to whoever responds.
  Jim N
  Winnipeg, Canada