 H1456 - Monterey
Acoustic archtop - Sunburst
Production year(s) : 1944-1968 (other years possible, not verified)
Top of the "Monterey" models in the fifties/sixties. Long production time. Trussrod neck from 1956. H1457 is the blonde version. As most archtops, models produced during wartime had a wooden tailpiece.
 29 images in database
mouse over image for file name - click to enlarge 
| Top wood | Spruce
| | Body wood | Maple
| All solid woods
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34 comments | Add your comment ! - obrotherchuck@verizon.net - 2006-10-30
Gleaning through online auctions I managed to pick up an early 60s model H1456 according to the info on this site, mine has block inlets, a heavy tailpeice, open tuners, solid wood,trussrod,lots of binding, dark sunburst finish,and segmented "F" holes. I am a semi-professional luthier mainly focusing on playaction, this thing plays fast, and sounds very good. It has become a favorite of mine. - Mike Dill - 2007-02-04
I bought one of these, a 1967 model, for $25 at a garage sale about five years ago. I absolutely love it. It was all original but missing the pickgaurd, and had the coolest fake alligator skin chipboard case! I had to replace the tuners, since the originals were just inoperable after years of not being used. I put some Grover Sta-tite open-gears on it, and it has been one of my favorites ever since. mikeleedill@sbcglobal.net - iohannes.fac.totum - 2008-01-28
I have one of these -belonged to my uncle. It was too highly strung for too long, sat in a closet, bridge in the wrong place... (sob, choke), so the neck's separating. Beautiful tone, though. - Dina Battle Ground Wa - 2008-06-24
My father-in-law gave my son this guitar, but is stamped H1457 not H1456.I don't know if it is stamped incorrectly or I am not looking this up appropriately. - Pter Stephen (Luthier) - 2009-01-25
Thanks for the informative data Francois.
I consulted as I have one of these on the bench today.
Note. Looking at these I would believe that the soundboard and back woods although solid have been pressed into the arch shape rather than carved.Hence the unfinished 'f' holes and cloth re-inforcing ; to keep them from distorting.
My example has deformed a bit in the arching and has typical cracks eminating from the waist where the bend of the arching is tightest. - drtomconrad - 2009-02-23
I love this guitar. I have had mine since 1972. Bought it from my older brother and it is the only guitar that I have kept throughout that time. Great sound, great look. - Grant - 2009-03-28
i ended up buying one of the 1947 models at a garage sale for 45 dollars
and it is in great shape the only thing is that it was missing it'S pickguard and the previous owner didnt know how to restring it but other than that it is in great shape for a 62 year old guitar - Tim in So Cal - 2009-03-31
I have one left in the family from Grandfather. He was a card player for as long as my mom could remember and that about it. I took it to my favorite music shop in Claremont the one that Ben Harper owns for a restring. They said it was impresive and that my grandfather had removed the bridge adjusters to lower the action which made it even eaiser to play. They said it showed every bit of his life and I should keep it forever. Its still here and I still play it daily. - Mike Dill - 2009-06-28
bought a 67 for $25 at a garage sale. Cleaned it up and put a new nut and some Grover Sta-tites on it, and took it around to some friends one of whom owns a vintage Gibson L-5, he played it and said he could kick himself for spending the money for the Gibson, when the Harmony sounds nearly the same and plays much easier for so much less. Ha! Great success! - Colin UK - Harmony collector - 2009-07-23
Bought a '63 H1456 from US on ebay - think I paid too much! It looked very good but the neck was loose and kinked at the body join - trussrod was also broken. No reset needed - just regluing. It had no cosmetic problems though and with everything fixed it plays really well, sounds great and is a definite keeper. Now it's worth at least what I paid for it. These old archtops are OK to work on and worth bringing back to life. Now looking for another one! - doug malanchuk British Columbia Canada - 2009-10-02
Recently aquired a H1456. Slight discoloration under the strumming area and no pick guard as most others have stated. It would be nice to find one or something similar. Most importantly is the sound you get from this guitar. You're not sure what to expect and you get this very unique addicting tone. I can't put it down. - keith maehrlein - 2011-01-12
My father acquired the H1456 from my guitar teacher (Tom Manero) in the early 60's. He just wanted something to pick on. He passed away, now its mine. It was in a case for about 35 years and when I finally put new strings on it, I could hardly put it down. Anyone who tries it says, "Where did you get this thing, its great!" Need to know what year it was made. The #'s inside are: 5709H1456 B - Pelham Guitars - 2012-04-17
Hi- Great resourse guys- Can anyone tell me how to date a Monterey? It has a truss rod so I know it's after 1956. Any other clues? Thanks. - Frank - 2012-04-25
I have a harmony monterey guitar that i picked up at auction. It's in rough shape but has all origial parts minus the pick guard. I am trying to date it and for the life of me cant get a rough date any help? and I am also look to get it repaired/restored any help there either? - Philmoore - 2012-09-11
I recently acquired an old harmony Monterey that had been "El Cabonged", bloody tragedy(top not cracked!).When i took the back off i found numbers 1103H1456,and a smaller number S44. So does this mean i have the very first year of production for theH1456(i noticed it says 1945 as the first year)? A tester for the sunburst, in 44? Tell me something good. - Philmoore - 2012-09-11
Also it has a wierd wooden tailpiece i have never seen one like it. - McSwane - 2012-10-17
To Philmoore:
I just recently brought my dad's guitar out of storage and discovered it is a 1173 H1456. It also has the S44 on it and has the wooden tailpiece. It sounds as though we have the same model. - JB - 2013-02-21
Philmoore and Mcswane,
It was explained to me once that the S44 gives you the month and year of production. So based on that you mave have the rarest of H1456's. I'm guessing that the wodden tail piece was maybe a prototype design that was probably reconsidered because of cost or possibly fragility before the model went into true production. I would definitely hang on to them. You may want to sned an email with some pics of the guitar and the stampings to Gruhn Guitars in Nashville and ask them to confirm your hunch. They're usually pretty nice about that sort of thing. If you want a true appraisel you would have to take the guitar in and probably pay them, but they would probably give that much info free of charge. - Jim - 2013-03-07
I just paid $250. from its original owner. Scratched up, but everything else is solid i.e. great action. I want it for starting a guitar collection,love the archtops, too much? I'm new at this. - evan paul - 2013-10-26
I have the H1456 with the pick guard and it appears to be 1948 if S48 means year. It's in really good shape and it has a Kent pick up added. It has no truss rod, action is a little on the high side as you move up the scale. I love the woody sound. - scott gilbert - 2013-11-20
Just bought mine at a nick nack shop for 30.00. Came with red velvet case that looks original. All there except its missing 7th frett marker. Lots of scratches and lots of patina and wear(the good kind, back of neck is down to wood and worn smooth from being played alot. - Jeff - 2014-02-10
I just picked up a Harmony Monteray from a friend for a favor. Not sure of the year the numbers are as follows, 149H1456. Has a pretty bad warp around the 12th fret. Might have that repaired though. Really has great tone. - Philmoore - 2014-03-11
To JB:
I recently did some research and read an interview with an old guy who worked at harmony. He said that the there was a "F" designation for the first part of the year and a "S" for the second half of the year. I've never seen or heard of any letters except s and f so I think this is true. - philmoore - 2014-03-11
although I have heard that they designate "spring" and "fall" too. Some clarity would be nice. - savmedoc - 2014-09-06
My H-1456 is dated f-45. I bought it at a garage sale 7 years ago for $15.00. The body had splits in the top and back, and the neck was not attached. I repaired the body and reset the neck, used a bridge and tailpiece that I had in my shop. The tuners are closed-back and very accurate. The guitar plays beautifully and has a very punchy tone. I've been using light gauge strings but will put on mediums for a little more low end. I love this guitar! The guitar and I were both created in 1945.... - paddy carroll - 2017-07-30
I have a 1456 manufactured for gretsch serial number 376.
It's beat up but I love it - Morten - 2017-08-11
Have a H1456 from after 56. It was a total wreck, but I had it restored. Worth every penny. - Leroy Halstead - 2018-03-08
Found this 554H1456 Harmony Monterey acoustic guitar in my great uncles closet. He was an old farmer in Oklahoma, as a young boy along with my grandad would go around different parts of NW OKLAHOMA and play for money. Not really sure the value but being as old as it is stills plays as if new - Gavin from MI - 2018-07-28
I have one I've just found. It has a tailpiece unlike anything I can find online. It's a solid piece of metal, unlike the common two bars. It's a solid plate. it's definitely a i846H1456. Issue is that the only number I can find remotely close to date is "da-s28" in the center of the body. It looks very much like these ones, except a lot more damaged. And that solid metal tailpiece - Gary Butt - 2019-01-26
am trying to pin point my father's Monterey, great website, am resurrecting it to playable again, first started playing it when I could get my hand around the neck in the mid 50s, great guitar, think it is 1947, looks identical to the models shown in your photos, difficult to play but a beautiful sounding instrument. - Kyle Grannan - 2019-07-11
I picked up my f-46 off of facebook marketplace for $70! The strings had been on it so long one broke the minute I tried to turn a tuner and the neck was loose and in need of a reset. All the tuning buttons were gone and the back side binding was completely crystallized. I slapped some tuners I robbed off a made overseas Harmony and strung it up anyway. I instantly fell in love!
It's at the shop now getting a neck reset, new binding (who would have thought that would be the most expensive) and bracing. The guy at the shop said he could save the old tuners. This is going to eat up my guitar budget for the rest of the year but I can't wait to have her back in my arms.
I saw some who were asking about dating these old harmony's. I was able to find the date stamp in some guitars by putting a flashlight at one f-hole and a camera on the other and just started snapping away. Opened the photos with a photo editor and was able to see a very faint date stamp by blowing up the pic and manipulating the contrasts and other settings. Worked like a charm. This h1456 I didn't need to do that. - Graham - 2020-06-06
I have just picked up a ‘45 H1456 here in the UK for £350.
Not quite as much of a bargain as some of the other comments here, but still great. :-)
Woooden tailpiece, a little scratched but still looks great, and somehow yo don’t notice the scratches from a few feet off.
There’s some shrinkage that’s caused a little separation but to my (untrained and uneducated) eye it all seems stable.
Serial No is 2233, dated S45.
Action is great, sounds fantastic.
I love it. - Graham - 2020-06-06
Oh - and it has the pickguard. :D - Graham - 2020-06-06
Oh - and it has the pickguard. :D
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