Harmony A style Mandolin Model H8018

[jnmuir1]

I've just bought one on Ebay. Can anyone tell me how long and where they were made? US or far east? Apart from the tiny gold sticker with the serial no. there is no 'made in' mark on it. Is it solid wood or laminate? Any info appreciated. First impressions quite a loud bright sound but high action. It needs new strings anyway.

thanks

Jim in UK

[MikeEdgerton]

It's one of these. It was imported into the US from Asia. They have nothing to with the Harmony instruments built in the US. These were imported under dozens of brand names. It's laminated.

[jnmuir1]

I've just bought one on Ebay. Can anyone tell me how long and where they were made? US or far east? Apart from the tiny gold sticker with the serial no. there is no 'made in' mark on it. Is it solid wood or laminate? Any info appreciated. First impressions quite a loud bright sound but high action. It needs new strings anyway.

thanks

Jim in UK

Thanks for the replies. So it seems there were a number of budget brands like this.
Were they only made in the 80's?
Was the H8081 sticker peculiar to the Harmony badge only? Do the numbers have any special significance? There's so much on Harmony guitars on the Web...

Jim

[allenhopkins]

These mass-produced Asian instruments were imported under many names, by different distributors. If you read the entire thread Mike E linked you'll find plenty of examples.

I would guess that the model number was for the Harmony distributor only. The Harmony DataBase website allows searching by "H" number, but it doesn't list "H8081."

The Harmony website says the company underwent "several owner and management changes" in the 1980's, so it would be difficult to say who was using the label when this mandolin was imported. During this period, Harmony was selling a lot of its products through the J C Penny Co., either in-store or through catalogs.

If you paid a low price, you've purchased a reasonable Asian-made plywood entry-level instrument to play, one of thousands that were imported in the late 20th century.

[jnmuir1]

These mass-produced Asian instruments were imported under many names, by different distributors. If you read the entire thread Mike E linked you'll find plenty of examples.

I would guess that the model number was for the Harmony distributor only. The Harmony DataBase website allows searching by "H" number, but it doesn't list "H8081."

The Harmony website says the company underwent "several owner and management changes" in the 1980's, so it would be difficult to say who was using the label when this mandolin was imported. During this period, Harmony was selling a lot of its products through the J C Penny Co., either in-store or through catalogs.

If you paid a low price, you've purchased a reasonable Asian-made plywood entry-level instrument to play, one of thousands that were imported in the late 20th century.

Thanks for info Allen. It was 80 pounds. I'll reserve judgement till I get new strings and the action lowered. Jim

[MikeEdgerton]

That's about $122.00 US off the top of my head.

[allenhopkins]

Someone offered me one of these mandolins last night for my appraisal, and I guesstimated $75. The one I saw had a bit of a back-bend in the neck, with resultant too-low action, so I downgraded it.

They really are very common, aren't they? Wonder what factory turned them out; since we're talking 30 years ago, I'd guess in Japan or Korea, rather than China?

[MikeEdgerton]

Japan and Korea. Both labels have shown up. I have no idea as to what the factory name was. I think 75.00 is about right either way here in the states. Where the OP is they don't have as much choice.