 H954 - Broadway
Acoustic archtop - Red/yellow sunbusrt
Production year(s) : 1947-1971 (other years possible, not verified)
A classic harmony archtop, one of the longest production time. They had a "two tone" sunburst (black) first (with fake spruce grain), then later a "three tone" (black/red). They never had a trussrod if we trust the catalogs, but one late sample was seen with a trussrod.
 68 images in database
mouse over image for file name - click to enlarge 
| Top wood | Birch
| | Body wood | Birch
| All solid woods
|
33 comments | Add your comment ! - Snapcase - 2006-02-21
H954 seems to be an evolution of H955 Broadways. H954 have mostly all birch solid bodies. My '64 H954 has a nice and resonant one piece molded birch top. Birch is a great tone-wood. It gives a nice resonant high volume with a rich midrange projection and solid bottom. Is not as brilliant and janglier as spruce. In comparison spruce have less pronounced singing mids. The great birch drawback is dryness. It tends to crack while ageing if humidity is not controlled. This is the reason why many old Harmony guitars shows cracks in their bottom and tops. Specially in solid ones. I cannot say which model is better, each one have its partcularities. Don't be blinded by solid spruce, solid birch gives a terrific tone too, a different one but great and desirable anyway. The best deal is having one guitar of both models. Get both and you still save some money if comparing their prices to Gibsons. Trust me, these Harmony guitars hold comparions against mid-prized vintage Gibsons or Gretsches perfectly well. - wallytarkington - 2006-08-26
I got my Broadway for almost nothing when I traded an old tube amp my ex-stepdad left when he left my mom. I got it home and it wouldn't tune, so I put new tuners on it. After that it quickly became my favorite guitar. I added a "convertible" style humbucker, and then (gasp) drilled some holes in it to put the controls in. It is my main jazz box to this day. The fingerboard is a little rough, and I hate that there are no fret markers on the side, but if you see one, BUY IT! You won't be disappointed. - nikspl - 2007-05-15
great web-site thank you-i recently got one of these guitars for a very good price on ebay its darn near mint-only the tuners needed replacing-i love this guitar i have a harmony master as well & im always amazed at how different they sound.i play fingerstyle-& an always impressed at how evenly balanced the tone of these guitars is.something magical about harmonys it seems. - Crosis - 2008-09-17
I found one at a guitar show,and paid very little for it. After resetting the neck,I found the tone of this little beauty utterly fantastic! It's strung with Ernie Ball Light Top/Heavy Bottoms. And I can play anything on it,from bluegrass to delta blues,and get a fantastic sound. - doggeblu - 2008-10-02
I have played this guitar for two years as my back up. Set the action higher and use it for delta slide work. Love the tone. I found it the back of a pawn shop in Saint Louis and gave 75 bucks. - mrjay - 2009-03-12
I'm an old guitarist who also does some restoration. I'm just beginning work on an H954 that was rescued from a dumpster. (7479H954) This near mint guitar had been dropped or banged while leaning against something as the neck was off, neck extension and fingerboard extension was gone as well as pickguard. Happy to hear all the good comments about the 954. I actually use a Harmony baritone uke and a soprano uke in performance. Not Martins, but they sing like everything. - Haap54 - 2009-10-11
I had one of these as a kid...I think I may get another someday for nostalgic reasons... - Guillermo Fuentes - 2010-02-18
I found a sweet Broadway 954 made in 1962 on E-bay for $200. What a steal, still in the original case. With a little bridge work and fret dressing it has become my #1 instrument. It has a balance of tone and sweet musical sound that I've been looking for, for 40 years!If you're lucky enough to find one with no cracks and a true neck make sure to humidify it. - Bobled - 2010-05-09
Bought a Broadway 1n 1965 paid $60 had it for 25 years was ruined when it was crushed (so was I) accidently when i moved. Used by a number of professional musician friends of mine it was their favorite guitar when they needed an accoustic for some recordings. Recently found one on ebay paid 260 well worth it glad to own one again - Grandson - 2010-08-19
I found a harmoney in my grandmas basment after she past away. im thinking of restoring it. its a beautiful guitar. has gray and red case. im wondering how much its worth today. im not going to sell it if my mom lets me have it but it would be nice to know how much its worth. i like this sight it should tell me all about it. - Dan - 2010-09-21
I had a red and black H954 Harmony as a kid. It fell over and split the side at the neck joint. I finally sold it. I'd love to find another just for the memories. - Our Souls, inc. - 2011-05-08
I just received a 1956 Broadway as a 'tip' at work ! It does have some cracking, but for a 56 year old guitar with pre-historic strings on it, it sounds great ! The Birch does indeed have a great tone, very pronounced and clear. I absolutely love it. - Gerald Hanson - 2011-07-26
I bought a 954 when I was about 10 years old in a pawn shop, probably paid less than $50 for it. I'm 61 now. There is a stamp visable from the F hole that says F48. I'm assuming that means it was made in Fall of 1948. It's been in my basement for 40 years and not been played. I took it out the other day and cleaned it up and put new strings on it. It sounds great. I thought it wasn't any good, but now I'm going to start playing it again. - sam - 2012-03-04
i bought i just a few days ago like to know how much is one now? it was made in 65. I love it.gave 50$ for it. awesome thet say older the guitar is the better it sounds well this 1 sounds better than any other name brand. - Jim Pasquale (guitarman1) - 2012-03-09
My second guitar as a teen was a Broadway.It took almost 40 years to get back to that guitar beginning.
I currently own a 1965 H954 in mint condition. For studio recording I have added a thin floating Ken Armstrong. A single coil pickup with vol. and tone control built into an optional black pickguard. The neck is a little thicker then I'm comfortable with, but the tone's and feel are awesome.
Snapcase said it all in his review "Trust me, these Harmony guitars hold comparions against mid-prized vintage Gibsons or Gretsches perfectly well".
- mike - 2012-05-02
i got a 1957 harmony broadway guitar and would like to know its value and can i get ahold of a missing piece(pick guard, i think its called)you can put a message on my youtube chanel, "rolling422" thanks for your time - mike - 2012-05-02
i apologize for my misquote on my H954 acoustic, it is a 1951 Harmony Broadway and its with two tone sunburst black , so snapcase you said it hold value as a vintage gibson ? could you value mine, its good shape with missing pick guard - AldoV - 2012-05-31
Just got mine for $350.00 I think i paid too much but it plays like a dream and i cant afford a Gibber for whats it wroth. - AldoV - 2012-05-31
Just got mine for $350.00 I think i paid too much but it plays like a dream and i cant afford a Gibber for whats it wroth. - Amptech - 2013-07-02
Any with "Steel Reinforced Neck" have a truss rod, just not an adjustable truss rod. - Locobreth - 2013-08-27
I after another to replace a mint piece I practically have away. This one isn't sunburst and doesn't have harmony anywhere. Just the number. I'm intrigued so I gotta try it. I miss my other. - Don - 2014-02-13
I am the original owner of a 1963 Harmony Broadway. Mine has the "steel reinforced neck" on it and many years ago I replaced the pick guard. To this day, this guitar holds its tune better than any other I've every played. It has a great tone when played through an old Silvertone amplifier I own. I have an external pick-up on it. A very nice old guitar, that I paid $50 for at a pawnshop in our town. - Jeff Roe - 2014-07-06
I have two Harmony Broadway's, one I just purchased this weekend, is a 1947, and the other one is a 1961. The 1961 is exactly like my first guitar that I got when I was 15. My mom got it for me through a company called Western Music. It was a company that offered 20 lessons and a guitar. My mom paid $75.00 for the package, $49.50 for the guitar, and $25.00 for the lessons. A friend of mine purchased it from a thrift store for $90.00, and because it was the same model Harmony Broadway as my first I just had to have it, and I paid $135.00 for it, and the condition has to rated between excellent and mint, it looks like it has never been taken out of the case, and the case is also is in excellent condition. - Russ R. - 2014-11-15
It states the productions years on this model started in 1947, however, I have one dated S-46 and is an H954. Prototype? It's going on eBay at an aggressive price. - Steve Eddy/Blue Room Guitars - 2015-02-15
Just repaired a '59 ...guy won it at an auction for $5.00 because the auctioneer said it was "kindling"...and would be good fire starter material...it was missing the bridge and needed a neck set,nice player now. - MOSES JOHNSON ( ` 0~}===;;; - 2015-02-24
I JUST GOT MINE TODAY, TRADED A HARMONY MANDOLIN 4 IT.
I DONT SEE A SER. # & I'M NOT SURE HOW TO DATE IT YET.
I LIKE IT THO, & IT LOOKS AS GOOD AS IT PLAYS, IN REG TUNING OR IN OPEN G WITH A SLIDE. COLLECTORS ALL KNOW THIS fact. ENTITLEMENT WILL FIND ITS RIGHTFUL OWNER! ( o~}====;;; - John Ferguson - 2015-12-24
I just found one at a pawn shop in rough shape and need way to much, but with enough TLC I think I have my replacement for 1947 Monteray. Archtop. - CharInCincy - 2016-05-08
I rediscovered my Broadway Harmony, Steel Reinforced Neck, 3355H954. It's more "three- toned" (black/red)than black, and appears to be dated
"F-56". Tragically, the neck is slightly bowed, it has no "trussrod", and I have no idea where to begin looking for someone to make the repair, if at all possible. It still sounds great! It just takes a little more effort, the frets seem to be in good shape as far as I can tell, I am only a beginner. It was great finding out the history of this great instrument left to me by my grandfather. Thank you for this site. - Big Beat - 2017-03-27
I have a H954 Broadway dated 1946 (stamped F-46 inside). It has a wooden tailpiece like WWII era Harmoys, otherwise the same as any 1940s Broadway. Just a heads up that a pre-1947 example HAS been verified. - jk - 2017-06-07
Found an S-42 H954 marked Biltmore "State". Hard to tell about the fake spruce top design. Looks pretty believable to me. Metal tailpiece. Another number to add to your pile. Thanks for being here. - Robert - 2017-10-19
I just purchased a very good H954, with a visible serial number but no other indication of it's age. However, "GLC" is stamped on the inside (opposite side from the serial #). If anyone has a clue just what "GLC" means, please leave a comment. Cheers! - darrell terry - 2018-10-20
I have a 1959 broadway with warped neck I am told can be repaired just need to find the guy.it is still playable on the open chords plus granddaughter makes it sound real nice when she picks wildwood flower - Jimmy - 2019-02-18
I recently purchased a Harmony Broadway H954. I would like to know what year it was made. The serial # is 1618H954? Can anyone date it for me?
|
