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Topic: Harmony amp |
David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 7:13 am |
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| Would appreciate any information regarding the company that built amps for Harmony in the 1970's. There is a unit for sale on the local Craigslist that strongly resembles a Magnatone 2x12 amp that I once owned. |
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Bill Sinclair
From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 8:36 am
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I think most Harmony tube amps were made by Lectrolab or Valco. Not aware of any ties with Magnatone. Is this a tube amp? Do you have a model number? Does it look like any of the pictured amps on this webpage?
http://harmony.demont.net/amps.php |
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David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 9:16 am
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| Bill..Model# is 'H 430', ad does not specify whether tube or solid state..Thanks for the reply. |
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Bill Sinclair
From:
Waynesboro, PA, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 10:21 am
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| That's a Valco made tube amp from the late 60's. Two 10" speakers, about 18 watts with a pair of 6973 output tubes. Two channel with reverb and tremolo. By all accounts a great vintage guitar amp. I'd love to have one for lap steel and harmonica. Probably not a great pedal steel amp. If it works and it isn't too ugly, I'd say it's worth somewhere betwixt $400-$600 - figuring that it will probably need a couple hundred in service to be gig worthy. |
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Michael Butler
From:
California, USA
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 12:55 pm
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The Valco amps had a nice tone, but for the most part, they were rather anemic. A 30-40 watt Valco amp has a hard time keeping up with a Fender amp of less wattage. I had a couple of them back when I played surf and rock music, one made by Valco and sold under the Wards "Airline" name, and another made for Sears sold under the "Silvertone" name. Both were rated higher than my buddy's Fender Deluxe, but neither would keep up as far as output goes.  |
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Gabriel Edell
From:
Hamilton, Ontario
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 2:59 pm
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Regardless of who made it, Harmony was a budget brand and it's a budget amp. Quality of the components and cabinet will be a fair bit lower than a pro-level amp like a Fender or Ampeg.
Not saying it won't sound good. But it might need more work to get it working at 100% than a Fender of similar vintage would, and it may need to be handled a little more delicately.
_________________
GFI S-10 P U, Moyo Volume, Fender Steel King, Fender 5F4 Super-Amp |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 4:42 pm
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IT will need to go to a tech immediately. There's about a 99% chance the electrolytic filter capacitors have never been changed, and they have a 15-20 year service life. If one blows - and they can do it with NO warning - it can burn up your power transformer - a costly repair.
If you don't know what service has been performed and it seems untouched, I would not even turn it on- I've had customers bring me amps that blew up when being tested!
Figure about $200-400 for basic service - electrolytic filter (and bias, if fixed bias) capacitors, voltage tests, probably new power tubes (and they are oddball tubes), bias check and adjustment, cleaning/lube of pots and jacks and replacement of other off-spec parts. Should be closer to the lower number - the higher number covers most of the tubes.
But add that to your purchase budget and take it to a good tech immediately. but DO NOT just buy it and play it if it sounds OK - unless the seller has proof of recent service it'll end up being a FAR more expensive amp than just the purchase price and service cost - AND you'll lose vintage value if transformers or other key parts have to be replaced.
So unless it's a REALLY good deal I'd pass. These are amps for buyers/players who have some familiarity with vintage amps and a good relationship with a qualified tech!
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No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 4:46 pm
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David, I found the ad.
It's been serviced - maybe - but isn't original. The speakers are replacements and the amp is WAY overpriced.
Pass.
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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David Nugent
From:
Gum Spring, Va.
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 7:09 pm
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| Thanks to all for your advice, much appreciated...Jim..Was fairly certain that the amp was overpriced so did not respond to the ad. Was mostly curious due to its strong resemblance to my old Magnatone (which incidentally malfunctioned one night and burned up the transformer)..Thanks again. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 12 Jul 2019 8:14 pm
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I see the ad - I have one of these. Personally, I think it's a great guitar amp. It might be OK at very low volumes for clean pedal steel, but it doesn't have a lot of punch. It's sort of like a Vibrolux Reverb in some ways, but it's very Valco-like. By that, I mean more midrange, not the classic clean Fender spank. But this is still my favorite 60s Valco-made amp, and I've had a bunch. Great for blues - I've had mine for 15-20 years and used it a bunch. Tremelo is great, and mixing channels gives a real wide variety of sounds. Reverb is that sort of garage-band ratty reverb - OK for some things but not like the classic Fender spring reverb.
On the practical end - it uses some not-too-weird but still not real common tubes like 6973 and 6EU7. NOS 6973 tubes are hard to find and expensive, and to make matters worse, the amp uses a third 6973 in the reverb circuit. Modern 6973 tubes are available, they're OK. I don't think the plate voltages on these push them too hard, so it's probably OK with them.
Value depends on condition and originality. The Jensen P10Q or P10R speakers that normally come with this (similar to Vibrolux Reverb) are worth plenty on their own, so ding the "book" price heavily if they're missing - a lot of the value is in the speakers. I'd say at least $300-400 for the pair. So I think this example is significantly overpriced. The ad here says 2x12", but these came with 2x10". Probably just a mistake, unless that amp was modified. The 2x10" sounds good in this amp. |
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