Up until they closed their doors in 1975 (mainly due to the arrival of cheaper foreign brands), Harmony guitars were ubiquitous. Chances are, if you bought an entry-level guitar in the first half of the 20th century, it was crafted at the Harmony factory in Chicago, Illinois. They also built for the Sears in-house line, Silvertone. Harmony also bought up rival companies and continued to produce instruments under their brands, such as Stella, Sovereign, and La Scala. Harmony Guitars sourced their pickups from DeArmond of Toledo, Ohio. Unlike later budget models that flooded the market in the 70s and 80s, Harmony always strived to produce the best guitars that they could with the most reliable materials. In the late 1920s, Harmony began issuing some of the first signature models for the multi-instrumentalist Roy Smeck, who was known as the “Wizard of the Strings.'' During the Great Depression, Harmony sales remained stable due to their humble price-point, though the company’s commitment to quality was never compromised. For those in rural areas, mail-order guitars were the only option, and Harmony was the six-string of choice. In 1916, Harmony was acquired by Sears, Roebuck, an Co., which greatly increased their range and distribution.
The artists who learned to pick on Harmony guitars are legion, including Howlin Wolf, Elvis, Keith Richards, Syd Barrett, Big Joe Williams, and many others. Established in Chicago in 1892, the Harmony musical brand produced consistent and affordable instruments of all kinds throughout the better part of the 20th century.
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