H950 - Monterey Leader
Acoustic archtop - Redburst, faux flame
Production year(s) : 1938-1972 (other years possible, not verified)

Other brands : H950 Monterey Leader was also sold as Alden 9937 | Barclay H1218 | Custom Kraft H1222 | Esquire ES6032 | Holiday AL9290 | SS Stewart 4008 | SS Stewart 4009

One of the most popular archtop of the sixties - more than 30 years of production time. Early models had a lower fretboard and bridge, and painted white bindings.

Show text from the catalogs (4)

| Show original prices (10)

45 images in database
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Top wood	Birch
Body wood	Birch
All solid woods

Scale

25"1/4

642 mm

17 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?
• 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.
• LeRoy Valleau - 2008-08-24
  I just found a Harmony Monterey H950 In a dumpster. It look like it was in bad shape, But all the parts were there. I worked on this guitar for two months cleaning it and now it looks like almost new. The body has no nicks at all and there is hardly any wear on the neck or frets, nothing is broken, and the tuners work well after polishing them and getting some rust off. I found out that this guitar was made feb. 2, 1958, this guitar plays and sounds really good. I'm real lucky to have found it or should I say the guitar is lucky to have found me.
• BadMojo - 2009-01-03
  I got my '64 H950 as a Christmas present from a very good friend. Apparently his mother bought it brand new and only played it once back in back in the day. It has been in the case since. It came with the original case and set of LaBella Silk&Steel strings. It is the best present I've ever gotten!
• maddmatt - 2009-01-27
  I have a H950 that my Dad bought around 1955. I can't find the stamp for the exact year but I did see FPV stamped inside. Not sure what that means. The guitar used to sound great until all of the kids started banging it around. Now it's in pretty rough condition and I don't know if it's worth fixing. Could be around $500 to have it fixed.
• SuburbanJake - 2009-09-12
  Man let me be the next to say this is a bad ass guitar! Mines a 1956 Faux red and still kickin it. Its been to Vietnam for years and aint got a scratch on it. It was sitting for 32 years in a case in some dresser thing and it STILL was in tune with no bowed neck or anything. Definitely gonna be played until it can't take anymore. Then, it's gonna be put in a glass case on display!
• Jeff Kirk - 2009-09-22
  I just found one at a junk sale in Toronto. Dated F-48.
  It needed some love.
  I replaced the buttons on the tuning heads, filed a few frets, a little wood glue here and there, now it plays and sounds great.
  Sweet earthy tone. If you find one with a straight neck, pick it up.
• browns@grantmartin.com - 2009-11-05
  I have just inherited my fathers H950 which he bought in used 1954 for $15 dollars. What a sound. It is all original and was originally set up as a slide guitar so the edge of the fret board is a sharp as the day it came out of the factory.
• Jay - 2009-11-11
  Wow, I must say I really like my Monterey! I bought it used from a local store and it just has a great feel to it!
• derekmscott - 2010-01-12
  this guitar is a very good guitar for me because i am only a beginner. it has a nice neck and body style for me and the neck is just the right size. it is a real good guitar.