1-31-02
Harmony Silvertone Bobkat
Yellow / Black Burst

PREVIOUS OWNER REPORTS:  A super cool little vintage Silvertone from approximately 1965 that was made by the widely respected Kay Guitar Company. What makes this guitar very collectible is its 3/4 neck, which was originally made for the youth market and smaller hands. However, what it is sought after for today is that it is the perfect size for a slide guitar and that is how this baby has been set up. It has two deArmond Goldtone pickups, each of which gets an incredible biting tone. The switch position gives you very distinct different tones with each position. If you wanted this just for the snarling tone, it would be good for everything from hot blues licks to Who-sounding power chords. I found this at a sale. I nourished it back to life and although you can see it has some roadwear, a few nicks and dings, this baby has character all over it. I did put a snap-lok guitar strap knob in each strap place. If you wanted to trick this guitar out some, you might consider some cool volume knobs and some new tuning pegs. Or keep it entirely vintage. Up to you. I have heavy gauge strings for slide playing and the neck action is high too. This is easily changed. I added the Moon Eyes sticker -- it always gets comments. You won't find a hotter vintage guitar for the price of these. I'm only giving this baby up because I am moving abroad to teach and there's no way I can carry all my guitars. Please email with any questions.

A couple of vintage guitar experts have given some much great, precise information about the guitar shown here. This model was made by Harmony for Sears (under the Silvertone house brand)...the pickups are DeArmonds, made by the Rowe electric company (they should be dated with a stamp if you take off the pickguard). This Harmony, probably dated between 63-67...it's the Silvertone model 1477L of the Harmony H-15 (one person says an H-14) (AKA the Silhouette and/or the Bobcat).

DENNY'S NOTES:  Harmony's are great guitars when set up properly, and have tone to the bone.  This is a Harmony H15 (possibly marketed as H16or17); A Bobkat Sivertone S1476 (again possibly S1476 or S1477), an earlier run than this later one.  There were many nuance changes between Silvertone Harmonys from year to year and run to run, and between Harmony branded and Silvertone branded Bobkats;  So I havn't yet figured out all of those nuances to nail a model number.  For instance, this Bobkat's treble-bout pickguard is different than a Harmony branded H15 thru H17 Bobkats' pickguard extending into the bass bout as well.  This one also has a floating compensated bridge rather than the later "tuneabmatic" bridge, ....and has the more common smaller "nuclear power plant" knobs.  Compare this one with a  H19 / S1478.  Or even yet later 3 pickup Silhouette Sivertone S1488.
1-31-02