 H17 - Bobkat
Electric solid body - Red sunburst
Production year(s) : 1963-1966 (other years possible, not verified)
2 "Golden Tone" pickups, then "mustache" pickups with adjustable polepieces from circa 1966 - Early models had the "type G" vibrato (as can be seen in catalogs), then later the "Type W" vibrato tailpiece - Rounded Fender-style headstock - From 1967 the H17 was replaced by the H16 coloured series - H15V model is very similar, also has vibrato but a sunburst color and a different headstock design
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Related to this model
17 comments | Add your comment ! - X-3H2 - 2006-01-10
I got his guitar on a trade-in in 1996 thrown in for $20 at Bob's Music (closed down)in Croydon, PA. The stamped date is Dec 28 1966 this baby plays like a champ!! The Bobkat has better tone than my Kramer American Pacer which was $700 back in 1985!!! - Mark - 2006-02-22
I bought one of these off ebay last year for £120 because I love guitars of this period, but I wasn't expecting it to be this good.
It is so nice to play I rarely pick up any of my other guitars anymore.
The narrow but deep neck feels totally natural, and is probably the reason that the sustain is so good.
The sound from both pick-ups is fantastic. No gouat it has ever shared a room with has come close.
I think the DeArmond Goldentones must be one of the best pick-ups ever made.
The only criticism I have is that I have to screw the tremolo down if I want it to stay in tune for long period, but that doesn't take much effort.
This guitar is an absolute gem. Few guitars come close at any of price. - Mark - 2006-02-23
A couple of other comments (and I'll proof read my submission this time):
Firstly, when you play it accousticly, it's the loudest solidbody I've ever come across. I've no idea why because it's so small, but it just is.
Secondly, you don't have to worry about whether to buy a hard tail or tremelo version, because you can screw down the tremelo and effectively turn it into a hard tail if you want, which is a pretty rare feature (and quite handy as I don't believe they made a hardtail version of this guitar). - wesly duckett - 2006-10-04
i just foundmy dads old harmony by heath guitar in our basement but unfortunatly the amp had caught fire and burned i cant play but it must be good when i took it to the music store to see about getting it fixxed up they offered to buy it from me - Scott Becker - 2007-07-04
This was my first guitar. (still have it!) I bought it at 15 in 1975, blew up the Harmony amp in short order. The action was always horrible, I used it as a slide guitar tuned to open E... until I lent it to a guitar tech when he was recuperating from an accident as he had no guitar at the time, and he set up as a favor and now it plays like a Les Paul (I couldn't believe it myself) The tone has always been unbelievably beefy .. I love it. There's a date stamped in the body cavity when you remove the pick guard that states it was manufactured in 1965. - john m. - 2008-10-31
I previously thought I owned a H15V, but upon closer inspection have determined that what I have is this model,exactly like the one labeled 1963. What's even wilder is the photo of the underside of the pickguard on the photo of the 1963 has the exact same date as mine, Oct.9,1963. - Bill Wagoner, lead player in The Left Hand Rockers - 2009-05-02
One of these was my first electric guitar. A great starter instrument that served me well. Would love to find another like it. I got it new in 1965. I sold it after I bought its replacement a 1963 Gibson Firebird V for $150. Those were the days! - Dan'l - 2009-06-10
Just found a H-16 at the local pawn shop. What a beauty!! Straight neck, flawless finish (looks like it just came from the factory). The controls really work for tone. Man could the guitar mavens learn from these. I have a Les Paul Studio, Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul Jr. with P-90's, and this little gem outplays them all. - chirs harper - 2009-10-11
DUUUUUDEEEE i found one in a a wicked old house and shit its soo sick - ED M, 1-20-10 - 2010-01-20
I'll tell you what my first axe was a dec. 64'H17 Friend needed $'s in 1974-5 payed 5 bucks original case and paisley strap. Best axe I ever bought. Pick it up over other high end axe's almost always.Just got one on e-bay even better condition dec.65' All I need is a 63' and a 66'and I'll have a complete set.Like everybody says these don't get the recognition they deserve if you haven't played one all set up your missing out - drew - 2010-08-08
great guitar ....this was actually my first guitar i ever played ..my aunt bought it at an auction when i was 8 for 10 dollars - tim martin - 2013-11-27
just got this guitar on ebay for 300, sounds amazing, only needed slight truss rod adjustment and one loose wiring, but after that sounds amazing, both take fuzz amazingly :) - Michael D. - 2014-09-06
The Harmony Bobkat was my first guitar; my mother bought it for my 12th birthday in 1965, and I've had it ever since. Of all the guitars I own, it really is the best. The action is perfect for my old and slightly arthritic fingers, the tone is sweet (especially through my 1968 Fender Pro-Reverb amp), and most importantly, every time I play it I think of my mother and smile. - b5ExAzM7sD1 - 2015-12-22
That's the best answer by far! Thanks for cobitinutrng. - Jim - 2016-09-09
Have about 40 guitars and this one is my favorite. - Steve in Detroit - 2019-03-12
Great pictures I have a Harmony H 17 Bobcat and need a neck for it. - Bill Hawk - 2020-05-11
Bought the Harmony H15 as my first electric guitar in 1971 when I was 12 years old. I still have it (and it's Holiday twin brother bought in 1986) and will usually play it more often than my 1976 Ibenez Les Paul Custom.
It might be that, having played the Harmony so much longer, the feel is familiar and something like still having a beloved childhood teddy bear. It just feels right.
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