H78 - 3 pickup
Electric hollowbody - Redburst
Production year(s) : 1965-1972 (other years possible, not verified)

Other brands : H78 3 pickup was also sold as Airline 7230 | Heath or Heathkit TG46 | Holiday 9295 | Silvertone 1454 | Silvertone 1485 | SR Sears & Roebuck 1485

3 pickups - Same as H77 but with Bigsby vibrato

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Scale

24"1/4

615 mm

Related to this model

• Video
  • Kevin Ayers "May I ?" - from about 1970 - Mike Oldfield on bass
  • Sleepwalk - Rory puts the Bigsby at use (modified roller bridge)

• Joe Momma - 2006-01-06
  I have the Silvertone H78, single cutaway and it's the best sounding guitar I have ever owned. It has to be one of the sexiest guitars I ever laid eyes on. It's a perfect guitar, three pickups, six knobs and three toggles to turn each of the pickups on and off.....perfect! All that control give you such a wide range of sounds. Such clear tones for rock-a-billy, blues, and rock!
• Daves Guitars - 2006-01-12
  Yes, I picked one up 4 years ago in a new/used shop, the 78 red to black burst w case AND brochure and orig. cord! Lacquer is checked and looks /plays great. Needs a spring for Bigsby (don't use it I'm a finger vibrato hardtail guy)and the 'thin-slim neck is not too thin and perfect.Nut is abit wider than most so it it better then my 335 Gibs. Interested in purchasing it? Can't go wrong..email me at dmforzetting@yahoo.com or call 330-388-4071 Thanks!
  Dave
• Gabo - 2006-01-30
  I have a very nice and crackless h78 that I am restoring. for the moment i have stripped the original paint and getting ready to finish it in the most original colour possible.
  Really fine guitar, played beautyfully in its unrestored state. I am hoping for pure listening pleasure once the job will be done.
  One of the prettiest, well balanced guitar i have ever seen!
• John L. - 2006-03-28
  I highly recommend this guitar if you like retro sounds. The bigsby is great and it plays perfectly in tune. But the SOUND is incredible! Listen to the Beatles version of "Rock-N-Roll Music" and the sound of John's guitar and you are real close to the h78. Cool looking too-I get lots of comments!! John
• Dan Palaferro - 2006-04-03
  I have an H78 which I purchased as a Harmony/Heathkit back in about 1968. I recently got the guitar out, restrunk it, and played for the first time in about 30 years. The guitar works great, the action is incredible.
• Scott - 2007-01-06
  Great site! The double cutaway Silvertone model may be known as S1485 as I know of two guitars with that particular numbering (NNNNS1485). Mine is 5428s1485. Also, there is additional marking inside that reads "S-69-W". Any guesses? Any other double cutaway Silvertone owners out there that can verify? Also, I cannot locate any catalog pages listing this particular model by Sears (319.14859).
• Plasticsoul - 2007-07-20
  I have a Silvertone model with three silverfoil dearmonds. This is my go-to girl. The greatest sounding guitar I have ever played.
• Dumont Boy - 2007-07-25
  I have a Harmony H78, but the headstock only has the harmony name. It does not have the "fleur de lis" design. How come some have them and some do not?
• Bruce - 2007-07-29
  I also have an H78 that was a Harmony by Heathkit model that I built in 1967 and have been playing ever since - great guitar!
• jason - 2008-02-18
  i have one that the pickups say aug-24-64 it plays awsome!
• Rob Millis - 2008-10-06
  I wish I'd never seen this damned website. In July I bought an H75, in August an H53/1 and this week an H78. The wife will be writing to you at some point, I'm sure.
• jerkylips - 2008-10-17
  I inherited one from my ex-wifes brother. I love the sound. they called it the poor mans gretch.With my fender hot rod deville it sounds sooo goood. Its definitly one of my faverite guitars. Easy to play and so many tones. The only problem is it sounds a little muddy with the front pickup. I WANT MORE VINTAGE GUITARS.
• Allen - 2010-01-16
  I have my grandfather H78 as he enjoyed playing it as much as i enjoyed listening. I never learned how to play. Playing Guitar isnt 1 of my specialties. It is a beautiful instrument.
• d henry fenton - 2010-03-23
  I bought an H-78 in Winston-Salem NC in 2004 and didn't know much about it, I didn't like the bridge so I got an adjustable one put on for play-ability and that made all the difference. It is without doubt one of the sexiest guitars ever made and has a tone that will make people come out of the crowd and ask you what kind of guitar it is...I just played SXSW and people at my last show were raving about the sound of the H-78... if you see one buy it you won't be disapointed
• palmwinedrunkard - 2010-05-10
  Does the tone dampen on anyone's guitar when turning the volume down? I just bought an h78 and the volume knobs are functioning as tone controls.
• Ed S. - 2010-05-28
  I Bought a H-78 Back in the late 60"s, I still play it to this day and by far it is the nicest best playing guitar you can ever have. Mine has white edging around the F-Holes, I haven't seen others like it.
• Tom Hammel - 2011-03-25
  I got the H-78 as a Heathkit in 1967 as my high school graduation present. I still have it but rarely play it (I'm really a piano player) . It is a fantastic guitar and also I view it as a poor man's Gibson ES-355. Great guitar.