Been looking for such a project - Harmony or Siilvertone - for awhile. 9 or 10 different hollowbodies were made with this pre-p90 pickup. Most of them not made all that well. Despite which prices have soared.
Part traded into one last week. Well repaired headstock crack. A Silvertone 1427. Which is a slightly shallower body and plainer version of the Harmony Espanada. Black, long scale, 2 x P13 pickups. It arrives, and is exactly as described (solid neck, no reset needed, everything works, no mods or breaks.) Except for one thing. When I get it up to pitch, the bass strings buzz out. Thought the nut had shifted, but closer inspection reveals the fingerboard is beginning to separate down near the nut.
Troubling. Especially as from the little I can hear - and from the feel of this guitar - I know it's a good one. Don't want to send it back. So I tell the buyer I'll take it to my luthier, see what the repair will be. And if I keep it, there'll be an adjustment. And that's where the fun starts. The guy I know is a friend, George Goumas. I know he's good. Seen his restoration work, and his setup of my Guild SF III was simply perfect.
Turns out George knows these guitar thoroughly. Owns several, has restored others. He said "Did you see the third project on my home page?" It's the very same guitar done for someone else:
http://thefretworks.com/268/
He even has on hand custom fabricated pickup surrounds and lucite shims to get the pickups further up. And new fretboards, should I need that. (I don't). And an inside the body, accessible through the soundhole phase switch of his own design, to achieve the amazing out-of-phase sound these guitars are capable of, but for which few are wired.
Amazing bit of luck, that George is nearby. The fretboard repair is not a huge deal. Extra bucks, which I'm working out with the seller. I'm getting new frets too, shimmed p/us, a phase switch, a strap button near the neck joint. He agreed that is is a good one, in good shape, great feeling, straight neck. No reset needed. A worthy project, and got it cheaply enough that it makes sense.
Can't wait to see the results. George really has a touch. I played the restored ES-330 he did, also on his homepage, was astounded at the feel and playability. Hoping for the same here.
MD
Part traded into one last week. Well repaired headstock crack. A Silvertone 1427. Which is a slightly shallower body and plainer version of the Harmony Espanada. Black, long scale, 2 x P13 pickups. It arrives, and is exactly as described (solid neck, no reset needed, everything works, no mods or breaks.) Except for one thing. When I get it up to pitch, the bass strings buzz out. Thought the nut had shifted, but closer inspection reveals the fingerboard is beginning to separate down near the nut.
Troubling. Especially as from the little I can hear - and from the feel of this guitar - I know it's a good one. Don't want to send it back. So I tell the buyer I'll take it to my luthier, see what the repair will be. And if I keep it, there'll be an adjustment. And that's where the fun starts. The guy I know is a friend, George Goumas. I know he's good. Seen his restoration work, and his setup of my Guild SF III was simply perfect.
Turns out George knows these guitar thoroughly. Owns several, has restored others. He said "Did you see the third project on my home page?" It's the very same guitar done for someone else:
http://thefretworks.com/268/
He even has on hand custom fabricated pickup surrounds and lucite shims to get the pickups further up. And new fretboards, should I need that. (I don't). And an inside the body, accessible through the soundhole phase switch of his own design, to achieve the amazing out-of-phase sound these guitars are capable of, but for which few are wired.
Amazing bit of luck, that George is nearby. The fretboard repair is not a huge deal. Extra bucks, which I'm working out with the seller. I'm getting new frets too, shimmed p/us, a phase switch, a strap button near the neck joint. He agreed that is is a good one, in good shape, great feeling, straight neck. No reset needed. A worthy project, and got it cheaply enough that it makes sense.
Can't wait to see the results. George really has a touch. I played the restored ES-330 he did, also on his homepage, was astounded at the feel and playability. Hoping for the same here.
MD
