 H931 - Stella
Acoustic flatop - Sunburst, horizontal faux flame
Production year(s) : 1964-1966 (other years possible, not verified)
Pinless type bridge
 8 images in database
mouse over image for file name - click to enlarge 
| Top wood | Birch
| | Body wood | Birch
| All solid woods
|
31 comments | Add your comment ! - Nathanael Jones - 2006-01-27
A small parlor (O size) guitar with very small brass frets and action so high, it is best used for slide guitar. It has a very boxy sound like the guitar on "He's a Mighty Good Leader" by Beck. The bridge is held in place by two screws. My example of this "student guitar" has scared a few students away because it's so hard to play. - Dennis E. - 2006-07-27
About the years of manufacture: I have an example of the H931 with a date stamp of F-62. The serial no. is 5649. Thanks for putting up such a nice resource!
D.. - Mike - 2007-02-24
Have an old H931. Production number 1846. After 25 plus years of inactivity, recently cleaned it, oiled the tuners and put new strings on it. Difficult to play with very high action and large Gibson-ish type vintage neck. Nevertheless, fun guitar for fingerpicking to get old Blues type sound. - Jeff - 2007-05-28
I fix old Harmony guitars for a hobby, and recently picked up an H931 on ebay for 30 bucks. The Goodwill sticker (14.99) was still on it. The action was high, so I reset the neck. Instead of steaming it off, I was first able to pry the fretboard from the top using a straight single razor and thin putty knife. Then I laid the guitar face down on two pine boards alongside the neck which supported the body, and carefully tapped the heel with a wood mallet. The glue was so dry, the neck came off with no harm to the dovetail. I corrected the neck angle with the reset, aligned and glued the bridge with hide glue, and was pleasantly surprised with a worthy guitar as a result. Even with a chunky neck, it is very playable now that it is set up, and it's a lot of fun. It is loud and there's even some resonance, I also have a H934 which actually sounds GOOD. Next time I'm heading straight to Goodwill! - dan - 2007-10-05
I have a 1966 model 931, it is my favorite acoustic.I bought it last year from the original owner who got it as a kid and kept it pristine in it's soft case all those years. I LOVE THIS AXE!! It's strung with folk nylon strings and has the sweetest sound live and on recordings. - Mr.Gregory - 2007-10-22
I've got blisters on my fingers. - Mohammad - 2008-02-03
I bought my 931 from eBay for $45 in March 2003. It is my first Acoustic and plays well. Now I have played this guitar for almost five years just about everyday and had no problems with it. I play slide, and delta blues and the guitar is just right. I am thinking of getting a Seagull S6 which sounds good I think, but this 931 has a special charm and would always be with me. Sometimes I look at the old instrument and wonder who played with it before me, and what songs came out of it. 931 was defiantly the right instrument for this student. Thanks for putting this site together, now I know much more about my Stella. - marshall holly www.marshallholly.com - 2009-01-07
bravo to your great guide...I played a Stella when I was just a kid { a birthday present for my 11th] but of course I lost it along the long road of life. I have big grown up guitars now, the usual LP's and Strats..but i always remembered that Stella and how my fingers hurt at first making the F chord..so imagine my surprise when I spotted a lonely guitar case leaning in a stall at an Antique Mart...I thought 'oh its an empty case someone wants to sell' - I opened the case to see its condition and YEOW a perfectly preserved H931 1964 was inside...the price tag for both was $18 so I bought it..and thanks to your site I found out more about it...but still I wonder, was this my old Stella coming back? - Jim Pasquale - 2009-05-21
I found a Stella H931 the cousin to the 929 like my mother bought me when I was 11.
This 931 was dirty but in great shape and was a one owner. The lady that owned the shop in Evergreen,Alabama, owned the guitar from new. Said she bought it in 1964 and never learned to play. I cleaned the little jewel up and put light guage Martin strings on it,then tuned it down to 220 and wow what a sweet player. Low action,because the neck is perfect. Gave 75.00 dollar for it 3 months ago (April/2009),would not take three time that amount,what a little classic. - Brian from Toronto - 2010-03-16
I too woke up Christmas morning 1964 to my first guitar a red H931. My fingers hurt just thinking about it. I remember spending alot of time around the first 3 frets because beyond that I needed a vice to get those strings down. The custom D28 that is on its way from Nazareth owes tribute to the H931 which is a fitting bookend to this guitarist's pursuit. A fabulous site and now I know what I'll be keeping my eye out for...b - Stumanchew - 2010-11-24
Picked up #4793 in wisconson shop. In good shape. Love the sound. Great slide box... - Micah - 2011-01-19
Found one of these in a trash pile on the side of the road! Someone was throwing it out because the back was separating and there was a small crack on the top. It looked and smelled like it had survived a fire...but i cleaned the hell out of it and re-glued the back and fixed the crack now it plays wonderfully! Action is perfect for slide but not too high to fret by any means. sounds great! - Charlotte - 2011-05-22
I just got my hands on one of these (it reminded me of the one I learned to lay on), and I can't decide whether to learn some slide or put nylon strings on it like my first one, which had a neck that no longer made steel strings playable. That guitar was so fun and sweet-sounding! I wish I still had it, but I gave it to someone in need. The one I just got plays okay, but the neck is a little off, and that clunky bridge is having its usual pulling problems, but I still love it! Maybe this is a reunion of sorts? - lpdeluxe - 2011-06-17
I just got one at a garage sale for $40. The top fretboard binding is quite worn at the first 4 frets, so the previous owner(s) must not have ventured far below there. The action is a little high, but not bad. I think it's in its original case...looks just like the picture. I love it so far. I can't find a date reference anywhere though. - Bob J - 2011-07-10
Still have my stella bought in 65? from Carl's guitar stuido in Grand Rapids MI.( I'm 56 now )
It was my first guitar, and now pretty much a wall hanger. I'm still surprized that when i do get it down to play, it's not to far out of tune.
Great to play Blind Faith, " Can't find my way home".
GREAT Site, thank's so much...... - sanford - 2011-08-05
i found her next to a dumpster with a broken bridge. wood glued it back on and fitted her with nylons. sounds incredible!!! - Prakash Patel - 2011-10-31
I've had one for years, as it was passed down to me from a family member. A great and quite beautiful little guitar. The neck needs to be reset, but great for finger picking. Placed some nylon strings on this baby, and it's a great beginners guitar. I just love to pick it up from time to time when I'm not playing my Taylor 114ce. - Robert L. - 2013-01-24
I recently recieved an H931 as a gift from a friend who got it at a yard sale and it looked like he dug it out of the bottom of a dumpster, and he gave it to me suggesting if I couldn't do anything with it, I had a bin too. After a day of scrubbing and another of oiling and buffing it looked better than new. Then after seeing that action, I took drastic measures, I put a set of $25 strings on a $4 guitar. A set of Thomastic Light Flatwound Jazz Swing ( .011 E ( the guitar is shorter scale than the strings so you have to super glue those flatwounds right where you are going to cut them or they will unravel ) Just slinky enough to make the thing pleasant , but no buzzing, and the sound is not to be believed. - clarsell williams - 2013-06-29
I have one of these in pristine condition and the action on mine is perfect!!! Guess i got lucky. Mine is a 1966 model just like the one pictured with the original case and the saddle is made of brass!!! What is weird is that for a parlor sized guitar it is as loud and resonate as a full sized guitar!!! I put medium steel strings on it and the sound is also not too much on the highs but the low and mid range rings sweet i am going to get a plush lined hard shell case for this baby!!! cause man i just love this guitar to death!!! - F. Johnson - 2014-08-11
I was given an H931 back in 2007. It was in pretty bad shape. It had been used by a punk band for something (??). It had stickers and marker written all over it. I cleaned it all up as best I could. The bridge had pulled up a little and had an extra screw in the middle to help hold it down. Also, a molly bolt through the neck joint to keep it from coming up. I tightened it all up and put nylons on and it sounds and plays beautiful. It is amazing how it stays in tune. I love it for all my soft picking songs. I has 3550H931 stamped inside. Also F-65 CM. I assume that's SN3550 and made in 1965. Thanks for a great site! - Tom Skoda - 2015-01-07
Bought my H931 in a vintage instrument shop for $50 several years ago. The bridge started pulling up so I cut and shaped a piece of mahogany as an internal brace and used longer machine screws to secure the bridge back down. It amazes me how loud this thing is. The action is really not too bad. It's a lot of fun to play. No date stamp visible, but the serial number is 1780 so I figure it's an old one. - glen - 2015-02-08
after reading all the stuff about the high action, i figured i must have gotten lucky because mine doesn't have high action at all! it's not buttery low like some of the martins and taylors out there, but it's definitely not something you'd play slide on!
i can easily fret up and down the neck, and i don't get any buzz until the 16th fret (even that can be fixed)
the sound on this thing is very clear and it projects well
playing right now on some d'addario bronze strings. me likey! - Noll - 2015-02-15
I have one of these (931) mine is dated s67. I bought it restored with a replacement pin type bridge. I fitted some Martin medium gauge strings and tuned down to open D, It's amazing! I can play slide and fingerstyle on it. I have a Martin 00015s also, but for Blues the Stella is best.
I love it. - Wallie - 2016-07-15
Just purchased a 931 yesterday. Looking for a little advise. The bridge was loose but, after tightening the screws it appears to be OK. The neck looks straight and tight to the body. I guess all I need to do now is add strings. Any recommendations? Is it worth the effort to change to a pinned bridge with bone saddle and a new nut? - Rick Beresford - 2017-06-02
My serial number is 2566. Does anyone have a link to where I can nail down the year of make? I was given this guitar many years ago. I use medium gauge strings and tune down 2 half-tones, and it plays perfectly. I LOVE the tone, and the action on the guitar is perfect. - Michael - 2017-12-25
Bought same exact one in picture. Whats the price on this guitar - Jeremy - 2018-01-09
I just bought 3473H931 (S-65)
It's an identical match to the one in the pictures. Playable condition, cost me $10.
Absolutely love it, but my fingers don't. - Rod D - 2018-01-09
I have a model H931 I got back in 1969 at Ft. Eustis, VA. It was left in the locker I got assigned and I have played it for over 48 years. Yes, hard on the fingers but a lovely sound.. - FC Westcott - 2019-01-24
My brother picked one up at an estate sale for $30 and gave it to me. Overall, it was in good shape but it had a busted nut. The action defies all of the comments about high and hard to play. It was already nice to play but I spent 60 bucks to have a new nut installed, slightly larger bridge wire, light sanding of the frets, and a set up done. Put on .011's. This think plays like a dream! Nice low action and sounds bright and balanced. Truly a wonder! SN: 1323 but no date stamp? Anyone know how to correlate SN with date? - Fat Freddie - 2020-01-11
I have an H-931 #8965. The original nut was broken,so I replaced it with 1.75" that wasn't as tall. Now the action is very nice,a cheap fix. - Chuck - 2020-04-29
I have a great Stella,Shes had a luthier put a cutaway on her.Excellent player,Quite a looker too.shes for sale.chuck,405-414-1803 text anytime.
|
