1960s Harmony Stella Rubber-Bridge Mini-Bass Conversion

Yep, this is another Benny Collection instrument. This time it's a late '50s or early '60s Harmony "Stella" tenor guitar of the inexpensive, all-solid-birch variety that's been converted into yet another "mini bass" with a rubber bridge and single Duncan Cool Rails pickup at the soundhole.

The instrument itself is lightweight and mildly-rickety, but it sure does play the absolute business plugged-in. It has a great, "bom-bom" sound that's helped-along by the ancient tapewound strings that we put on it.

I've been using banjo "No Knot" tailpieces to hang the strings in the last couple flattop builds of this style and I think it's quite the good solution for mounting bass strings on these guys. It gives enough string-afterlength that normal bass strings can be used.