 H70 - Meteor
Electric hollowbody - Sunburst
Production year(s) : 1958-1966 (other years possible, not verified)
Single cutaway 2 pickups, "golden tone" then "double-mustache"- Meteor was H60 with double cutaway and large pickups from 1967. Top were laminated spruce, but it looks like some samples were laminated maple as well. The Meteor was available for left hand players (as H70LH).
 105 images in database
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| Top wood | Spruce
| | Body wood | Maple
| Laminated body
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| Width | 15"7/8 | 403 mm |
| Length | 40"3/8 | 1023 mm |
| Body depth | 2" | 50 mm |
| Scale | 24"1/4 | 615 mm |
| Neck at nut | 1"3/4 | 45.2 mm |
| Neck at 12th | 2" | 49.6 mm |
23 comments | Add your comment ! - Alvaroking - 2006-05-17
Hi,it's Alvaro from Spain.I play guitar in an spanish retro-blues group called REVERENDOS.Recently I picked an AIRLINE h70 METEOR(1964,I think)and all I can say is that it has a tone as cool as T-Bone Walker. - Jim - 2006-06-26
Hi, I just recentley was able to pick up an H70.
With a lot of elbow gress and some new strings its not to bad, I think its a 62 could any one tell me what it might be worth. Not that Iam gona get rid of it but I trying to convince my wife on why I need anouther guitar. - RicksterUK - 2006-09-15
I've had my Harmony Meteor since about 1991, I bought it from a friend who was a busker.. He used to sleep rough with the guitar. He wanted £15 for the guitar and a little practice amp.. I said I didn't want the amp, and gave him the £15. He needed a dreadnought to busk with.. he got one for one can of beer and two cigarettes. Crazy but true!!.. It seems to be a 66 model.. it says S-66 inside. It has the adjustable pickups. I have flat wound srings on it!! It just seemed that they suited the guitar.. I can't believe it shipped with them. It sounds really classic. I love it!! - mike phiz - 2007-10-04
I have a blonde Meteor which I paid £20 for in 1970, complete with case. The guitar was made in 1958, and had been gigged hard. It has a Bigsby tailpiece and is fitted with Schaller machine heads. At the moment it is living in my loft, and I haven't played it for nearly 30 years.... - Darren - 2008-11-28
I was given a Harmony H70 by a colleague last year, who apparently rescued it from a trash bin in an alley in San Diego... go figure! Can't tell the exact age, but the serial # is 3176H70. It's a tad beat-up and clearly saw a lot of gig time in its youth, but it is otherwise in great condition and only suffers some wear on the headstock and a few body scratches; also, the finish on the top is crackling, but it doesn't detract from the overall good looks. The neck is straight, it still stays in tune despite my string-torturing bends, and it projects sound acoustically extremely well. It's an excellent jazz guitar. Unfortunately the wiring is shot, but I very much want to restore it. These guitars were clearly built to last and give even the old Gibson ES models a run for their money. Someone's trash is now my treasure. - Tombola (Sweden) - 2008-11-29
My Harmony Meteor isn't mine. An old man had forgot that he owned it and found it under his sofa and said I could borrow it, he had plenty of other guitars. I've had it for some years now and hopefully I'll never have to return it.
The pickups (not adjustable) say 1958, there's no other date or serialnumber on it. There are some drill-holes for pick-guard and tailpiece, they might have been replaced at some time. The neck ain't very straight, but it works. The volume and tone knobs are black with golden tops, not white like the ones on the pictures. The strings that came with the guitar are flat wound. It has a lot of minor damages. - dave - 2009-02-12
I RECENTLY PICKED UP A 1959 H70 IN GREAT OVERALL CONDITION . IT PLAYS GREAT AND THE GOLDEN TONE PICK UPS HAVE A REAL NICE TONE AND DEPTH TO THEM.WHEN PLAYED THROUGH MY FENDER DLX REVERB,ICAN GET A NICE VINTAGE TONE.REALLY AN EXCELLANT GUITAR.IF IT HAD ASET NECK,I COULD ONLY IMAGINE WHAT THESE GUITARS WOULD GO FOR. - JohnnyChris - 2009-02-20
my 59 h70 harmony metor is in mint condition, minor cracking in the finish and updated grover heads... - GROOVEDOCTOR - 2009-07-23
I got my most recent Meteor 3 years ago (had previously thrashed one to death in the 70s)when I spied the dusty outline of a body in a pile of junk in my guitar repairers workshop - I said that looks like a Harmony Meteor body Simon and he said "yes". It had been a stripped down job that someone had dropped off 20 years ago to get a quote on being done up, and then no further contact. Did a deal, got the thing resprayed (deep cherry red like my original), some computer guy made a decal from a photo and its back in use. These guitars look cool - check out the shot of Keith Richards playing one in the early 60s that is reproduced in many books. Harmony were quite common here in australia in the mid to late 60s but i don't see many around today. - wreck - 2009-11-22
[..edited..]wreck, for your Regal one pickup, check model R270, link at the top of this page[...]
I also recently bought through eBay a regular Meteor, in fair condition, that needed some work. I'm having the cracked jack hole fixed, the truss rod tightened, and a new-old-stock late H54 or H56 wiring harness [which I also found on eBay] put in, since the old one had been badly buggered. The harness is by far the most beautiful piece of wiring I've ever seen. It has heavy-duty, shiny, smooth shielding covering all the wires, so it should be pretty noise-free in operation. The guitar has a very sweet sound unplugged -- woodier and not as bright as my Rocketstein [Silvertone-branded Meteor-type neck on a pre-1963 H53 body with no serial number that I can see], and I'm looking forward to hearing it amplified. - JT - 2009-12-20
I just got mine and it just sounds awsome! This is only partially true without the amp. - oldrokker - 2010-01-02
Just got what I believe to be a 1962 H70 meteor...it was my Dad's...he passed away recently, but bought this new back in the day...it's in great shape and sounds fantastic! I am totally stoked to be able to add this to my collection! Thanks Pop! RIP (Rock in Peace) - russiancatsima - 2010-02-19
My husband got his Meteor H70 in 1959 as a gift from his parents, with the original price 180 dollars. It is still in excellent shape, i took it to the store, they repaired rose wood bridge and put strings on..and it sounds wonderful. Too bad none of us can play it , but it has a sentimental value for him. I wonder who the maker was , where it was located, and how many of them they made? He is also curious about the monetory value, even though he would not sell it.
Thanks for the forum! - Wayne - 2010-04-09
When, as a 16 year old, I took guitar lessons in the mid-60's, my teacher had a Harmony Meteor sunburst & a Gibson 335. For some reason I drooled over that Meteor - the Gibson didn't impress me.
I found one in a vintage guitar shop recently - a '61 the same as my teacher's, but with Goldtone pickups instead of the double-mustache. I had to have it, even at $700! Dreams of my youth finally come true! It looks & sounds great! - Helio Jenne - 2010-09-16
I used to play a Harmony Meteor and it was the best guitar I've ever had. It was so smooth to play! I used to play blues and nevertheless I could achieve great tones and drive to rock and roll. Great guitar! - LIGHT ANDFAST - 2010-11-17
I HAVE A AIRLINE 7238 H70 meteor. NOT SURE WHAT YEAR. Got it from Dad Who Got it From his brother [ my Uncle} . I refinished it red like Mark Bolan's Les Paul. Installed new tuning pegs real good ones [Gotoh] . Put on 4 new frets. leveled all the frets [I had practice on a couple home made Guitars]. Put a dice cube on the switch for the missing plastic piece . Left the scratch plate off. C O OOL. Showed the Guitar to Dad and he hated what I did. I said Dad?... The finish was pealing . It wouldn't stay in tune
and the strings where buzzing. He said it's your Guitar and you can do what you want with it and walked away. Well I' m sure I've peeved some people off. But hay this Guitar is hot.. Wicked...Fast...Wild..Smooth..Silky...My... Main Guitar. Since then have cleaned the pots [volume tone]. I still play this baby every day. Hope you all enjoy your Axes as much as I do Mine. It fits my hand SOOOO Well. And oh so lite to hold.. - H70andH22 - 2011-02-08
I have an 1965 H70 that I resto-modded. It was given to me by a gentleman who promised me that it was the first guitar belonging to Ray Benson (Asleep At The Wheel). Ray was originally a Philadelphia resident, and it was here that I acquired the guitar. A few years ago I e-mailed Ray (or a representative) through his Official Myspace page, and it was confirmed that this exact guitar was indeed Ray's first guitar. One of the original pickups were gone and the tuners had long since been replaced by Grover's. I gutted it and dropped in some Seymour Duncan Phat Cat P-90's, and this thing ROCKS!! The neck, in particular, is extremely comfortable and fast, it's like a thinner Les Paul neck; very round, but with a narrower fret board. Great guitar!!! - Jim Harp - 2013-07-10
I have a 1966 Left-handed H70. I picked it up at the factory in Chicago. I lived about 5 miles away at that time. I also have a LH Strat and LH Les Paul. The Meteor is the easiest playing of the three. Great guitar! - Gary M - 2013-07-26
I still have my fathers 1964 model H70 Meteor he played until his death in 1998. Still a killer guitar, my 33 yr old son loves to play it. In fact it is the guitar he learned on...love those pickups... - ColinUK - 2014-07-18
Have H70 S.No 2190 No idea how old, tobacco sunburst, sad story, it was my best friends who past away 2 years ago, he had it since the late sixties, lovely instrument and great memories. - Jason tolbert - 2015-11-01
I believe I have a h70 not sure what year but it has a solid body it does not have the cuts in the face like that is displayed here did they make a model without the cut in
the face of the guitar and if so what year? - Sean - 2017-10-15
What size is the nut on the truss rod? It seems like Ive tried every socket size in metric and standard but it wont fit and its odd. I had no problems with my others so I figured Id just ask here. Thanks for any help! - zacker01 - 2018-08-17
Hi all..i have a Meteor H70 and am wondering about the serial numbers. I can hardly make out what mine says, I can see a 3 then what looks to be another 3 but could be half an 8 then part of what could be a 4 or even a 6 and then a pretty clear H70. I hear there may be another marking elsewhere like on the underside of the top... I also checked under the Pickups and theres no markings other than a sticker saying "ROWE INDUSTRIES,TOLEDO OHIO USA." Is there any clues i should look for to see what date this Guitar could have been made? I love it and plan to restore it. I bought replacement tuners (machine Heads) for it that look more like the originals, I bought a new bridge that looks like the original one (mine has a big chip off one end but still works so I'll keep it.) and hopefully I can refinish it because its got a lot of chips scratches and some small dings.
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