Roy Smeck signature instruments

The collaboration between Roy Smeck and Harmony is a long story, starting back in 1927 when Harmony announced the "Vita" line of instruments. Some "Roy Smeck" models were sold as Harmony branded guitars (H1251, H58, H73 as example), but most of "Roy Smeck" guitars were sold only through the Montgomery Wards catalog, wearing the Harmony brand or only the "Roy Smeck" logo. This includes many acoustics and electrics, among them the Stratotone Roy Smeck H7208.
Please note that Roy Smeck is also known for some Gibson made "Recording King" instruments, which of course have a lot more value today than their Harmony counterpart.

The fretted instrument virtuoso Roy Smeck, was among the earliest professional banjo and fretted instrument performers to earn world-wide recognition. He appeared in the music theaters all across USA. He was an accomplished enough musician to play various instruments behind his back and on top of his head, long time before Jimmy Hendrix... He was the first musical performer to appear in a movie in late 1920's with the new Vitaphone sound recording technology, which made him an instant celebrity. Since 1921 he released over 500 recordings on Edison, Victor, Columbia, Decca, Crown, RCA and other labels. He continued club dates and recordings until 1990's, debuted on radio and later in the 1950's-60's on television with Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen and Jack Paar. He also invented the Vita-Uke marketed by the Harmony Company and put his name to several other ukes, guitars, Hawaiian guitars, steel guitars and banjos made by Harmony and by Gibson.

You can check this Yazoo Records page, and if you want more, read the excellent biography book by Vincent Cortese, just named "Roy Smeck". ISBN-13: 978-0595328963, link to Amazon.

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H58 "Roy Smeck" - 1958

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