 H45 - Stratotone Mars
Electric hollowbody - Sunburst
Production year(s) : 1958-1965 (other years possible, not verified)
1 pickup. Early models (58-59) had the "long tail Y" on the headstock logo. Then from 1962 were added black line and atomic logo on the pickguard.
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24 comments | Add your comment ! - john l. - 2006-03-28
I have the Alden version of the h45 mars and it is a great little guitar! It plays and stays in tune very nicely and the sound is unreal!! I have gigged with it and was very pleased. I recomend it. (get one before they go up in price!!) John - hurricane pat - 2006-10-28
just did our annual trip to Ohio,visited the thrift store,behind the showcase layed an H45,i asked to see it thinking it surely had been sold,she handed it over and i said,i'll buy it,8 bucks marked on it! That will be 6.40 cents,it was reduced ! I just had the pick guard off,she's marked on the inner-1323H46...FL-59,not sure what the FL stands for. Anyway,this was just what i needed! - Mike Dill - 2007-02-04
My father-in-law gave me one of these, a 1958, that he'd had sitting in a closet, that my wife used to play when she was a teenager. He said he'd picked it up for $25 when he was younger. It sounds great,I cleaned it up and set it up, and my wife loves playing it today, as it's a happy memory and just fun to play!
mikeleedill@sbcglobal.net - JcoreyC - 2007-04-15
My father gave this guitar to me as a wedding present. He originally purchased it out of the Alden's catalog in 1964. He tinkered with it at some point. I replaced a tuning peg in to the original mount. It sat in the case for most of it's life. Lucky for me, he knew I would have it ready to play in no time. The finish and electronics are great. Fun to play and sounds great. He said it originally came with an amp that I'm always on the look out for. Fantastic addition to my collection. - Jack - 2007-07-06
I love mine! Simple controls, plays great, sounds great!! I know Harmony produced better models than the H45, but these are still excellent players. - Sam_T - 2007-07-06
H45 was the first electric guitar of Brian Jones (Rolling Stones). First Stones' single (Come On / I Want to Be Loved) was recorded using this guitar... - 61ferrari - 2009-03-03
I picked up one of these for $40 off the local C/L. It's the Holiday model. It's got an ORIGINAL "F-hole". There's no way it's not original. It's marked S-66-HM with MADE IN USA beneath. Easily visible through the "F-hole". Overspray inside from factory (through the "F-hole"). Plays fun. Pickup is great. - Denny Lee Williams - 2009-08-30
Hey I was wondering about an old H-45 I have it's got the fattest neck I've seen on any of the late 50's and up.Also the electronics are built on to the pick guard.Does anybody if these were the first version.I have went from having 13 to this one and will probably keep it for my couch guitar and song writing buddy. DLW Nashville TN - fran cary n.c. - 2009-10-12
I have an h45 have owned it about 40yrs.very good sounding,and fun to play. - Brock - 2010-04-02
Picked one up this past fall. It was covered in smoke grime and the rosewood bridge was cracked but the sound was just what I was looking for. I replaced the bridge with a tune-o-matic style which has helped hugely with the intonation, got the smoke residue buffed off, and replaced the pots.
The sound is incredible, I love it. They just don't make them like they used to. The pick-up is just so unique sounding...such character and lots of room to dig in to it and get so many different sounds. These old Harmony's are a tremendous value. - Gee-ko - 2010-04-11
This was the very first guitarI ever had. I learned on it. I sold it to buy my cousin's enormous Kay Swingmaster. It was a great guitar with a tiny neck and I sure wish I still had it! - taylor - 2010-11-08
i bought one one of these about a year and a half ago from a vintage shop in utah. best 350 bucks i ever spent. i own several guitars and basses and i'd have to say its my favorite piece i've ever owned - dan n - 2010-12-03
i recently aquired a 1964 h 45 in nearly mint condition for $300. it is a real gem. slick neck, great tone and very pretty. i like the neck better than my strat. it's the only guitar that i play since aquiring it. - Tyler K. - 2010-12-03
I've owned my H45 since 1959, it was my first guitar. I play it better than my Stratocaster. Still tunes and sounds great. - Russell St George - 2011-08-07
I acquired one from a garbage man, it was all moldy from sitting in a basement I took it all apart and cleaned it it looks like it was never played not a scratch on it . I play it every once in a while it sounds and plays fantastic stays in tune. great for blues. - PlastikAminal - 2011-08-29
I have one being sent to me from Cinci... I cannot wait! My best friends dad has an old Harmony Archtop and there's just something about it that I cant help but write riffs! I have been wanting one of these for about 15 years... - Mark - 2012-05-01
I just found an H45 in an old farm house.Someone changed out the tuners and sanded down the whole thing like they were going to refinish it,but that never happened.Inside it has the numbers 3997-H45,also made in the U.S.A. Is this a good find and what would it be worth.Oh and I forgot it still plays and didn't need much to set it up,the action is low with no buzzing at all.Not sure what year so if anyone could help with that I would appreciate it and no it does not have the atomic logo on it any where.Thanks - AndrewScope - 2012-08-10
I just looked inside my Harmony Stratotone Black line Atomic logo,Printed inside "2886H45"
Now I should be able to find the what year model,
My friend found this guitar in the attic of the house he rents,Original case,Wonderful guitar, - Rick Mifflin - 2015-05-31
This was my first guitar,my dad bought me one back in 1963,used, with a small Harmony tube amp. - Didier G. - 2015-08-11
Kept the 1959 H45 as the last of my guitars gave and sold all the others after stopping gigs, this one is my age, sounds great, all I need. - Ralph C - 2016-02-01
I have a 59', H45 that I picked up at a yard sale for 5 bucks a couple of years ago. Sweet little guitar. Sounds great and rarely goes out of tune.
- Jack Patino - 2018-04-25
Hello! Yeah, this post comes from out of nowhere, but I saw everyone's post about your guitars and was hoping there were any photos of the electronics to share. I rediscovered my own H45, which was a basket case when I got it from a flea mart as a high school kid, and almost 35 years later, I am in the process of putting it back together again. I have a different set of electronics coming to me from Amazon, prewired, but it doesn't have the switch as in the pick guard. I was hoping to do the wiring myself, but not sure how the wires look in the back. If you have any photos, please, send any my way to chrishi@prodigy.net. Thanks! - Valentino - 2018-09-20
I recently just got one of these and most say it is a special guitar. the tone and sounds from it just amaze me. Best part of my collection. it needed some TLC and i sure gave it now she sits clean, strung and in the case. when i play it with my Beltone AP-14 or 51 Bassman 5b6 it is AMAZING!!!
Thanks Harmony for this secret sauce guitar that was built in 1964. All original - Karl Jevne - 2020-04-27
I've had a 1962 H45 for quite a few years, very nice shape. No name on headstock, stamped made in USA inside. Has a black pick guard which I haven't seen seen in any photos. The seal number makes no sense - 1293H8398. Really like the pickup and the neck plays nice.
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