Up for sale is an incredibly rare, all-original first-year production 1952 Harmony Stratotone H44. Known colloquially in the guitar community for their massive, resonant "baseball bat" neck profile and robust neck-through-body construction, these instruments have become legendary tools for blues, slide, and roots-rock guitarists worldwide.Electronics, Originality & Functionality NoteThis guitar features a highly coveted, un-modified factory electronics harness. The central tone and volume controls have been definitively dated by the original side-wall stamping on the Centralab (EIA Code 134) potentiometers. The stamped code reads 134239, indicating that these early 50K-C2 components were manufactured in the 39th week of 1952 (late September). The original, heavily ambered factory rosin flux residue is entirely intact, proving the assembly has never been modified or worked on since leaving the Chicago factory. The tone circuit retains its original brown paper-in-oil Dumont 46AC99-4 tone capacitor, paired with the signature two-way tone-circuit bypass switch.Please Note: Because the wiring harness is 100% factory original and untouched, the components exhibit standard symptoms of a 70+ year old instrument that has sat unserviced. The potentiometers currently crackle when turned, and there is a slight intermittent signal drop when tapping the body, indicating a dusty contact point or a loose ground connection. Rather than altering or replacing these highly valuable vintage components and breaking the historic solder joints, we are leaving the harness exactly as found. A quick shot of DeOxIt contact cleaner or a minor ground touch-up will get this 100% gig-ready, but we chose to preserve the collector value by leaving it completely unmolested.Early Production Hardware VariationBecause this is an exceptionally early first-year model, it is equipped with the ultra-desirable Rowe Industries / DeArmond single-coil pickup featuring the factory slotted chrome cover. This unique transition-era visual variation predates the solid "Hershey Bar" pickup covers used on later runs, making this an elite piece for vintage guitar historical purists.Condition & PlayabilityThe original copper-bronze metallic nitrocellulose lacquer finish exhibits stunning, authentic age-appropriate finish checking and natural wear along the edges, giving it incredible vintage aesthetic character. The original Waverly open-gear tuners are fully functional, and the delicate cream-colored plastic buttons are fully intact, stable, and showing no signs of outgassing or crumbling.The neck remains remarkably straight action is a tad high. Original stained ebonized maple fretboard and thin brass fretwire are well-preserved. It is currently reassembled, completely structurally sound with zero wood cracks, and features its authentic floating wooden bridge and chrome trapeze tailpiece perfectly positioned for solid intonation. The guitar is located in Todd,NC, feel free to contact to see in person.