H1215T - Archtone tenor

Tenor version (4 string, tuned CGDA) of the H1215 (6 strings). All birch construction.

Show text from the catalogs (1)

| Show original prices (4)

63 images in database
mouse over image for file name - click to enlarge

Top wood	Birch
Body wood	Birch
All solid woods

Width	15"7/8	404 mm
Length	37"1/8	943 mm
Body depth	3"3/8	87 mm
Scale	23"	583 mm
Neck at nut	1"1/4	32.4 mm
Neck at 12th	1"1/2	38.4 mm

Related to this model

• Video
  • Demo..Tuned CGCG -
  
  

• Eli - 2007-03-26
  I just recently purchased a Fall, 1965 tenor while on a trip to Emporia, KS. I felt like I got a good deal, and the axe plays and sounds amazing. I must say it is a truly unique little instrument (well, except that there were obviously more than one made, but how often do you see one of these?). The craftsmanship and finish of the body really stand out from every angle. There is a crack in the pickguard, but everything except the strings is original. :-)
• Fishy - 2007-11-12
  Try tuning your Harmony tenor guitar to an open slide tuning like CGCG and play with or without slide and jam some dirty blues!
• wobblyman - 2010-06-02
  I just picked up a Fall 61 Harmony Tenor- thanks for this site, it was a great way for me to verify that my guitar was stock.
  Mine was 399.00 in Portland, Oregon and it is all stock and plays great !
• saxistJack - 2010-09-04
  I bought one of these from a guy on Craigslist. Turned it into my favorite gigging version of my own development, the STRUMBOLA.
  Strumbola tuning differs from that of traditional Tenor Guitar. Instead of four strings tuned in fifths -c g d a-, Strumbola uses six strings with the two middle courses doubled an octave below, and beginning a note higher -d fF abAb b-
  
  To do this I drilled a couple more string holes in the tailpiece, added two more Shallers to the headstock, and notched the nut & bridge in second and third courses for the 'octave below' additions.
  If I need to amp it, I use my saxophone bell (clip-on-mini-gooseneck) AKG mic clipped to the lower edge of the tailpiece. That makes the mic head float just above the body right between the bridge and the f hole... feed back not a problem.
  Another thing, the chording of a Strumbola tuned instrument is such that it is necessarily played primarily with the flat parts of the finges, not the fingertips... no more calouses!
  Try strapping minor thirds across your Tenor, or any Four Course stringed inst, like Octave Mando, etc. and see how the chords seem to grow themselves from the diminished chord barre on up.
  all the best,
  Jack
• Diogenes - 2011-01-19
  I just picked up a 1215T at a flea market for $38. Number 4026H1215 with an F-61 stamp. It was (and still is cosmetically) in rough shape. The fret ends were ragged as though they were merely cut with fret-pliers and no dressing whatsoever was done so I smoothed and finished them. I recut the nut and bridge slots, reworked the tuners, added bushings and reglued the top and bottom of the body to the sides where they had lifted. There were a couple of huge edge to edge cracks with spaces at the bass side F-hole which I filled with wood splints and then glued, stained and buffed to try and hide the repair as best as possible. You can easily see the 'repair' but hey, it's a 50 year old guitar that obviously had a pretty rough life but functionally she's now almost perfect. I strung her with D'Addario XLs and tuned her to open D. She's a great sounding and playing blues machine that I cannot put down... such a treat to play and hear.
• Tinfoot - 2012-01-11
  My Harmony Archtop Tenor came yesterday! It's all stock and in really good condition. After cleaning 50 years worth of gunk off, she sure don't look that old. Frets are kinda ragged but playable, may get it refretted down the line. Tuners are naturally really sticky, but serviceable and keeps tuning. The original pick-guard tho is rather messy and cracked, but as soon as I put it on, it noticeably changed the whole tone for the better and is the most comfortable 3-finger pick post I have yet encountered. Ordered a replacement pick-guard off eBay, but I still wonder what type of plastic Harmony used for their pick-guards?
  Another bit off oddity (to me) is that I see constant reference to F-## throughout the site, for Fall of Year ##. But mine has what looks like an upside down 5, so I am assuming S for Summer of '61...
  Now how cool is that?! Summer of '61 :)
• Curtis - 2013-06-30
  I just bought a 1961 H1215 Tenor and have it tuned ADAD. It looks like crap but I can't believe how good this old thing sounds.
• Gordo - 2013-08-23
  I just picked up a 0001H1215 tenor with an F-63 date stamp from Wade’s Guitar Shop in Milwaukee. ($299) Excellent condition, all original. Serial (lot?) number is 0001? Wow, cool. It has a pretty good gouge on the back, and a few dings on the “binding,” but otherwise no wear. I don’t think it was ever played. It is well set-up; nice low action and surprisingly good intonation. (Thanks, Wade.) Not a lot of volume, but it is fun to play and it just has a lot of cool. I love the flame maple paint job and the two-on-a-plate tuners.
  Awesome web site! Thanks for the great info and photos!
  
• Donnie - 2016-04-05
  I traded for a S-65 (Spring),H1215T about three months ago. There's a few scuffs but no cracks though the pick guard has a crack by the screw hole, next to the fret board... Man O'Man, I love it! I tune it GDAE using Breedlove Specials to hadle the low tuning (octave mandolin),it really handles Swing & Jazz, with perfect MOJO!Glad I found this sight, or I would have no idea how to "date" it, or the wood that it's made of!
• Bruce Reich - 2016-07-12
  Just picked up a '63 1215T in decent enough shape with no cracks, splits or open seams. The neck is straight and the action is very playable. I always loved these ach-top tenors and finally have one of my own to play!
• Rick H. - 2020-08-08
  Can anyone help? I have a H1215 from what I believe is a late 50's model because of the triple stripe on the top. I cannot find any other markings to establish a specific year as the serial# only says 0001H1215. Also its a 4 string not a 6 string like all the pics here on this site show. Does this make it more rare? NOT looking for a value amount just info. Thanks