1966 Harmony H22 Hollowbody Electric Bass Guitar

This is a customer's H22 that was in for light work. He was worried it might need a refret but the neck was actually pretty decent on this one. It did need some tweaking and seating while we did the level/dress work on it, but compared to a lot of these (with truly wonky necks), this was in that 5% of them that happily complied to our demands of playability.

We also put in a ground to the tailpiece for the wiring (which never seems to have been a factory install... sigh) which helped clean-up the sound a bit. It also got a new truss cover for the headstock (the original was missing), as much cleaning as we could give it (it was coated in an oozy grossness everywhere) without beginning to scuff the finish a bunch, and then general setup-side work. We used a set of fresh D'Addario tapewound strings on it and... voila! ...a killer bass was reborn.

I remember when these basses didn't cost a fortune but they've been found-out, unfortunately! This one is in remarkably original condition, though, as many of these are missing all sorts of things or have been modified over the years. I mean... it even has its batwing pickguard! I love that. Someone did add a Jazz Bass-style finger rest, though, of all things.

Bonus points go to the fella who used a translucent plastic piece to replace the original plastic nut. We liked it enough that we left it on the bass and Ancel shaped it down to fit. It came in with some replacement knobs, too, but a happenstance of random projects around here meant we actually had a pair of original knobs of the right sort on-hand to put on it, though they're about as grungy as the original selector switch (which engages/disengages the tone pot in the circuit, by the way).

So, yes, a lovely bass. We all win!