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Family : Lower end archtop

Other brands : H950 Monterey Leader was also sold as Alden 9937 | Barclay BA1218 | Custom Kraft H1222 | Esquire ES6032 | Holiday AL9290 | SS Stewart 4008 | SS Stewart 4009

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Original catalog descriptions

[1940 catalog]
Extra Auditorium arched guitar - A new model that sets the pace in its price class. Arched top and back, of well seasoned birch, top edge trimmed with white celluloid. Steel reinforced neck. Oval ebonized fingerboard. Adjustable bridge. Highly polished finish, maple grained and richly shaded. No. 950. $16.50

[1957 catalog]
HARMONY'S FAMOUS MONTEREY LINE - LONG THE PACE SETTER IN ITS PRICE CLASS
Monterey guitars are arched, Auditorium size 41 x 15 3/4 in., of carefully selected hardwoods. Top and back body edges are celluloid bound. Ovalled fingerboards have bone nut, position markers. Adjustable ebonized bridges permit variation of string height. Celluloid quardplates. Nickel plated tailpieces. Dependable machine heads for accurate tuning. Beautifully finished, excellent tone.
FAMOUS MONTEREY LEADER
Model 950 Known everywhere for its dependability, attractive color and finish, and value. Auditorium size, arched. Ovalled fingerboard. Black celluloid quardplate. Lustrous black polished finish with contrasting grained reddish highlights. Has given satisfaction and pleasure to thousands of players.
No. 950 $46.00
TENOR GUITAR 4-string model. similar to No. 950 guitar. Plays easily, has pleasing tone.
No.TG950 $46.00

[1966 catalog]
FAMOUS HARMONY MONTEREY LEADER
Known everywhere for its dependability, attractive color, finish and value. Has given satisfaction and pleasure to thousands of players. Auditorium size made of carefully selected hardwoods. Arched top and back. Edges are celluloid bound. Ovalled fingerboard has bone nut and position markers. Adjustable ebonized bridge. Celluloid pickguard. Black polished finish with contrasting grained reddish highlights.
No. 950-Size : 15 3/4 x 401/4 in. - Each $54.50

Original price

  1940 : $16.50
  1951 : $33.00
  1957 : $46.00
  1958 : $46.00
  1959 : $46.00
  1962 : $47.50
  1967 : $54.50
  1969 : $59.50
  1971 : $69.50
  1972 : $71.50

Verified production year(s) : 1940-1972
others years possible, not verified.

9 comments | Add your comment !

• Mumperino - 2006-03-07
  I bought a 63 H950 about a year ago and have been playing it plenty. It is in very good shape and could be played easily fingerstyle but i chose to set it up for slide playing and i have to say that i prefer it to most of my other guitars for that kind of playing. I know that it is not a top of the line model, but it has a very cool old time dry woody sound that i find appealing, plus they look cool!
• abark023 - 2006-09-01
  I recently inherited a Harmony guitar Monterey model from my father. Thteguitar sounds great but the action is too high. The serial number is:
  5067H950, and I would like to know more about when it was made etc. It has no pick guard and does not show evidence of ever having one. From the photos on your Website, I estimate the guitar to be made about 1950 give or take some years. Could you please assist me? Thanks
• Johnny Fields of Rattlesnake Inn - 2006-09-03
  what a great sounding guitar!, I use it for slide guitar and plan to find a suitable pickup for it so i can use it for live performances, this guitar was in my family for many years, its been to Ireland and back,and was given to me a year ago. It has such a beautiful full tone and original sound.
• beholder@grm.net - 2006-12-10
  I just purchased my H950 and the back is loose. I am in the process of fixing it. It is certainly a sharp looking collectors item.
  the number inside of it is 3323H950. Is the 3323 the number that represents that it was the 3,323rd Monterey made that year? Does anyone know, please email me. Thanks
• hecknaw/randall smith - 2007-07-08
  bought a 55/60's model H950 , being from 1955 myself it was the only guitar that could take me back to my youth. having taken my grandfather's H950 out from under his bed and framin' on it when i'd go to visit.having found the right one i can say it's everything i expected and more.i know that there are serious collectors out there who could't give two hoots about Harmony and that's OK !! they are not for everyone. only those who enjoy a fine looking guitar,good sounding guitar and a guitar that is built well should consider owning one!this guitar is 50yrs young and will no dout (if taken care of!]be around when i'm gone. if giv'n the chance to get a nice one take it. if you have the ability to restore do it !!!
• André - 2007-08-21
  I got a Monterey model from my father who was playing it in the late fifties - early sixties. From this site I was able to determined the prodution early to the Fall (or first Quarter) of 1957. Was this model produced with a reinforced neck has per some of the pictures I saw on your site? Mine doesn't have the inscription on the from or the neck. Was these 2 models available for this guitar or was it only available on later models?
  I'm about to have it rstored I looked forward to playing it again in the near futur.
  Thanks for your help,
• musician-fishin - 2007-08-24
  I won an ebay auction F-44 H950 as an investment ! Now that I've had this guitar for a week or so, I can say that I'll never sell it. I now know what is meant by that "woody sound". It sounds so nice. Not so loud, but very mellow and balanced...."woody" describes it best. I'll bet the age contributes to the sound too.
  I never had an arch top acoustic. I do have an H39 which is quite "thin" sounding unless plugged in and then sounds great. So, I'm very happy that I found such a great guitar as this H950, and would highly recommend it to anyone.
• Marquis - 2007-10-25
  I've got the tenor version (3891H950) & it sounds wonderful! I won it on ebay from a guy who said it hung on the wall of a bar for many years. All that booze must've made good climate for the wood cause it rings loud!
• The Rapscallion - 2008-01-23
  I recently purchased a H950 in a clothing resale shop looking pretty as the day She was born. I couldn't believe what I was looking at, especially where I found Her. When the clerk told me it was mine for $20.00 I almost wet myself. There is not a mark on this instrument save for the fingerprint stains. It must have sat in someone's closet for years and years. The date stamp inside was 445H950, so I'm assuming She was made in April of 1945, according to the info i received from the Harmony Website. This arch-top, arch-back guitar is the coolest instrument in my collection, and will forever stay in my family's possession.