Harmony Stella Parlor 1970’s

Stella (Harmony) ¾ size parlor guitar early 1970’s

     Great playing 12-fret-to-body ¾ size Chicago made guitar with Stella brand logo on the headstock and no paper label inside the soundhole. Same ladder-braced construction as thousands of other similar Harmony-manufactured small all-birch guitars sold under dozens of different brands. Acceptable cosmetic shape: paint loss on body; paint smears on back; missing “batwing” pickguard (original was broken near 1 screwhole – I will continue to try to find a replacement.) Minor playing issues include a slightly off-center nut which I didn’t try to re-position; and a slightly bent D-string tuner shaft on the model-correct MIJ Kluson knock-offs I replaced (original set was missing buttons.) There is a longish gash or cut on the bass side which doesn’t look to me like it goes all the way through to the interior. There are no cleats inside and the outside has been somewhat sloppily touched up and possibly glued. I added tuner grommets. I’m really fond of this patched up little guitar and it plays great with an adjustable plastic saddle bridge fixed to the top by two bolts with interior washers and nuts, bolted through the top and interior body-width bridge plate. The bottom of this original bridge has been shaved slightly to improve the action, which is great all the way up the neck. Inlaid pearloid fret markers at 3, 5, 7, 9 & 12.These are wonderful little guitars with an old-timey sound produced in large part by the ladder bracing and oversized bridge plate spanning the full width of the top.