In response to the folk boom of the late '50s and the rise of rock n' roll in the early '60s, every department store and mail-order catalog wanted to make sure they had plenty of guitars in stock. Mass-produced axes from brands like Harmony, Regal, Silvertone, and Kay may have looked the part and temporarily satisfied the desires of aspiring songsters and rockers. But these instruments were entry-level at best. Even though some were made out of the right materials, they were never actually built to be functional instruments that would ever tune and play properly.
Fortunately, Scott Baxendale and his team of luthiers in Athens, Ga., recognize the potential of these guitars and regularly remanufacture them. In doing so, they totally, re-build, re-brace, and re-voice these instruments, giving them new life and world class tone with no shortage of authentic mojo. These inspiring instruments are an exceptional value, and they're an incredible way to recycle and repurpose old axes.
This Baxendale early ‘60s Harmony H1260 Sovereign has been totally re-braced to a scalloped, hand-voiced X-brace pattern. It also sports new frets, a new solid rosewood bridge with a bone saddle, a new 1-3/4"-wide bone nut, and genuine Grover tuning machines. This one shows some wear and rash from old stickers, which adds some really cool mojo. We love the look of the pickguard up against the worn, weathered spruce, too—there are just certain details you'll never get from a "relic." Sometimes for the right vibe, you just need a real relic.
Introduced in 1958, the Sovereign was made by Harmony and released under a few different brands, including Regal and Sears & Roebuck in addition to Harmony. It features a large, jumbo-sized body (16-1/4" across at the lower bout) constructed of a solid Spruce top and solid Mahogany back and sides. Unlike other Jumbos, it has a smaller upper bout, so it doesn't feel quite as enormous as jumbos from other brands. Thanks to the Baxendale Conversion process, this Sovereign produces a powerful voice with strong mid-range emphasis.
This Baxendale '60s Harmony H1260 Sovereign Conversion has mojo for days and the sound and playability to back it up. Every Baxendale Conversion includes a hardshell case and a lifetime warranty.