Airline 8396 - 7206 - Hollow body single pickup
Electric hollowbody - Shaded walnut - Distributed by Montgomery Wards - Based on Harmony H45
Production year(s) : 1958-1964 (other years possible, not verified)

Stratotone series with one "Hershey bar" pickup. Model number changed form 8396 to 7206 in 1961.

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

Scale

24"1/4

615 mm

8 comments | Add your comment !

• Serge - 2007-11-09
  My Harmony SN is xxxxH8398 (1960), so the model H8398 exist.
  Same as the Airline 8396, but more brown with a black pick gard.
  Same color as the pic:
  H45_Stratotone_Mars_17.jpg ( # 17,18, 19)
  In fact, it's the same guitar, but the brige is in wood, not a tune-o-matic ( a modification for sure ?). No brand on the head.
  Want somes pic , let me know !
  sergegouin@sympatico.ca
• bassmann - 2008-06-15
  I just bought a 7206 with a 1960 date stamp inside.I don't know if this is Harmony using older bodies to ship to Airline (mine didn't have a logo ,as some IDIOT painted the headstock), but for now, I'll call it a 1960.
  I LOVE your website!
• jerry cali - 2008-08-30
  I bought mine in pieces from a guy selling his stuff on the street, he had it in a brown paperbag - he wanted $5 for so i gave him $10 - cool sound -had to replace the tuners -thats all
• CRS2 - 2009-02-23
  This was my first guitar.
  A family friend had it 'sitting in his attic' for years, as it had been owned by a friend of his previously whom he had lost. He said he figured his friend would have wanted it to get some good use, so he gave it to me when I was 14.
  I beat the snot out of it for about 8-9 years (well, I didn't beat it up personally, but I would take it to parties and shows and thigns would inevitably happen to it..) before ultimately passing it on to the next beginning guitar player I met who I thought could put it to good use since I wasn't really playing it any more. (Had moved on to several other 'modern' guitars..)
  Once in a while, I find websites like this, and I kick my self for ever giving it up.
• Dino - 2009-04-28
  I have a pure black one. I bought it in the summer of '01 probably right before or at the beginning of the retro-trendiness boom due to the White Stripes using Airline. It's still solid-w/good action. I like it but am about to sell it, to buy some vintage bass.
• rocky - 2010-01-16
  I got a guitar exactly like it and I love it, It's a beautiful guitar.
• josh - 2010-03-18
  I had this exact guitar when I was a kid and like a moron I sold it to the guy who was giving me guitar lessons when I was 15. I sold the guitar and the airline amp for 140 bucks in 1996, what was I thinking? I sure wish I had it back.
• Ben Hayworth - 2010-06-16
  8398 model airline is 1961 well mine is with black pickguard white knobbs .... mines in good shape plus I specially added new tuners one of my old ones were bent but i have the originals im looking to sell my guitar if anyone is intrested benhayworth@yahoo.ca its identical the one in the picture