1950s Harmony Baritone Ukulele

Well, Harmony baritone ukes don't come much cleaner than this guy. A consignor of mine smuggled this one into his mix of various items getting ready for sale, and I couldn't resist making it right. This one bears all the elements of a very early Harmony baritone uke -- the old script decal at the headstock, bone nut and saddle, thinner finish, nicer-grade (and darker) mahogany used in the body, and a quite-thin, fast neck. From my experience, these features change to a medium-thickness neck, generally thicker body woods, and a slightly-thicker (and more semi-satin) finish by the mid-'50s.

Anyhow, this one has a good, full sound and a fast neck. It handles a little nicer than your average Harmony baritone and it even has its original chip case to boot.

Work included: a fret level/dress and side dots install, total reshape of the bridge including a sand-down, saddle slot install, conversion from classical-style to pin-bridge string load, new ebony bridge pins, and a new bone saddle. The bridge work was (a) to put the saddle in the right place, (b) to increase break-angle on the saddle and (c) snazz it up. It now plays spot-on with hair-over 1/16" action at the 12th fret, a straight neck, and strung with Aquila Nylgut (I think) strings.

Scale length: 19 3/16"
Nut width: 1 1/4"
String spacing at nut: 1 3/32"
String spacing at saddle: 1 7/8"

Body length: 13 5/8"
Lower bout width: 10"
Upper bout width: 7 1/2"

Side depth at endpin: 3 3/8"

Top wood: solid mahogany
Back/sides wood: solid mahogany
Neck wood: mahogany
Fretboard: rosewood

Neck shape: flat board with slim C-shaped profile

Bridge: rosewood

Saddle: new bone

Nut: original bone

Weight: 1lb 9oz

Condition notes: really clean, no cracks, and all-original except for much-modified bridge. Tuners are the original friction pegs so tuning is 1:1 and pegs may need tightening now and then as the seasons change.

It comes with: its original chip case in decent shape.