1970 Harmony H331 Stella Flatback Mandolin

Dang, I got the videos up for this instrument on Instagram and YouTube and right away about half the population of the world seemed to jump on me about it. Fair enough! These are cheap, they sound good, and they play well. I guess that ticks a lot of boxes! And, yes, I'll be responding to all those asks in order.

Harmony built this same basic mandolin all the way from the '20s through the '70s. It's all-solid birch throughout the body, ladder-braced, and sports a poplar neck and ebonized-maple-ish fretboard and bridge. 

My friend Todd had tweaked this instrument under my supervision some time back but it recently came here to me via trade and I gave it the level/dress of the frets it needed and further setup work. It's still playing great and has a woody, midsy, punchy sound that floats the boat, for sure.

Repairs included: a fret level/dress, compensation added to the bridge, a shim under the bridge foot for proper action height, minor seam repairs, side dots install, and setup.

Top wood: solid birch

Back & sides wood: solid birch

Bracing type: ladder

Bridge: ebonized mysterywood

Fretboard: ebonized mysterywood

Neck wood: poplar

Action height at 12th fret: 1/16" overall (quick)
String gauges: 32w-9 extra lights but would be fine with 34w-10

Neck shape: medium C

Board radius: flat

Neck relief: straight

Fret style: medium-small

Scale length: 13"

Nut width: 1 3/16"

Body width: 9 1/2"

Body depth: 2 5/8"

Weight: 1 lb 9 oz

Condition notes: it's in overall good shape but does show tarnish to the metal parts and there's a repaired, small, hairline crack on the back. There's also plenty of small scratches and scuffs here and there in the body finish, too. The bridge currently has a shim under it to raise the action to where it should be. There's also a little distortion around the soundhole but I've never seen one of these without that. It's stable and the instrument itself has been stable for the year or two I've known it. The tuners are not the best but they work fine.