~1951 Harmony H-1057 "Singing Cowboys"
When America turned to television following World War II, millions of little babyboomers were treated to cowboy programming that came right out of the pre-war B-movies with their singing cowboys. When they wanted guitars, the stenciled USA-made “cowboy guitars” available in the mail-order catalogs were there to satisfy the demand. The 1950s Harmony H1057 parlor-sized "Singing Cowboys" acoustic guitar was one of these, in production between 1951 and 1963. This model featured a western chuckwagon scene stenciled in white over a brown sunburst finish with the words "Singing Cowboys" appearing on either side of the upper bout in red or white.
This particular guitar is in very good cosmetic condition, and I have included a few pictures of the dramatic graphics and sunburst finish without the tailpiece, bridge, and strings so its visual impact can be fully appreciated; however, this is actually a playable guitar and not just a wall hanger.
Inside the sound hole up by the neck block is faintly stamped 489H1057; while the “H1057” is obviously the model number, I believe the “489” indicates a production number early in the 1950s. The body is apparently made of birch, and the rosewood fretboard, floating pinless bridge, thinline brass frets, dot inlays, wooden nut, and open tuners are all original and ready to play. The neck boasts a rounded V-profile, but not the infamous "baseball bat" style – this is much smaller and really comfortable in the hand. This is a pre-owned and pre-loved instrument with tons of mojo for the 70-odd years it's been around, and there are dings, dents, scratches, scuffs, paint chips, etc., but no cracks anywhere. There is no evidence of repairs or replacements other than some obvious re-gluing of the braces on the inside.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a small enough case for it, so I am including an inexpensive black gig bag for its protection and your convenience in all the cool experiences you’re going to share. However, I believe you will want to keep this colorful and authentic guitar on display anyway. Naturally it will be packed very carefully for shipping.
Buyer pays a flat rate of $55 for insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. Payment by Paypal is preferred; cashier’s checks are acceptable, but checks must clear before the guitar will be shipped.
I have attempted to describe this guitar accurately and completely. Please check out the pictures and ask any questions before you offer to purchase it, as its return will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing.
Thank you for your interest in this cool piece of American guitar history, from an age when quality and value for money really counted in American instrument-making, even at the “popular” level.
ALUMPSTER'S GUITARS
Payments by Paypal, cashier’s checks, money orders, or personal checks are acceptable, but all payments must clear my bank before the guitar will be shipped. I will CONSIDER reasonable offers, even including installment payments and trade-ins, but generally since I already attempt to price my guitars very competitively, unusual deals must be unusually sweet.
From henceforth [that's how retired English teachers talk], insurance and shipping to the lower 48 states is $55 due to constantly rising shipping costs unless a specific listing says otherwise; shipping costs elsewhere will be negotiated as necessary. I have sold guitars to Russia, Japan, Australia, and over 50 other countries, as well as almost every state in the USA. Since some of my guitars travel thousands of miles, I take care to use lots of packing materials, protect the neck inside the case, and of course de-tune the strings.
I make every effort to describe and illustrate each guitar and case with scrupulous accuracy. However, many of my instruments are well-played vintage items which are many years old, and I am not a luthier. One should assume that any guitar will require some set-up to satisfy your personal requirements, and that not every flaw or ding will be seen/recognized/described in the listing. Thus the return of an instrument will not be accepted unless it can be shown that it was egregiously misrepresented in this listing. Please read the listing carefully, check out the pictures, and ask any questions you might have before offering to buy.