Harmony Effector Vintage 1970s Electric Guitar Les Paul Copy Tobacco Burst w/ Hard Case

Harmony Effector Vintage 1970 Electric Guitar Les Paul Copy Tobacco Burst w/ Hard Case

ALL PROCEEDS DONATED TO GUITARS FOR VETS!

Product Description:

• Has scratchy electronics, might need cleaning.
• Missing some screws on effects panel, pick up
• Missing upper strap button
• Shows cosmetic signs of wear, as pictured
• Missing battery plate in back

Built in iconic Gibson Les Paul shape. This guitar is well made and has good base sound to it. Moderate weight, it is not a cheapy lightweight or boat anchor. By itself this would be a quality guitar without the effects built in. But, the built in effects put it over the top awesome.

Effects include:

Echo

Tremolo

Wah

Whirlwind

Fuzz

The effects are all triggered by a switch control by the volume knob. The three knobs are Volume, Tone and Speed (for echo and tremolo).  The echo is cool, you hold the note and it continues to repeat. The Tremolo is just like you'd expect. The wah gives a cool vintage wah sound. The whirlwind I don't notice so much. I think this is to keep the guitar on when you flip the effects on switch because you have to have one effect switch on to have the guitar work when you flip the "on" switch. Otherwise use as a kill switch. The Fuzz is actually pretty sweet and adds some cool gritty tone.

A vintage Les Paul copy with a built-in effects panel, often associated with the name "Effector," was likely sold by catalog retailers like Sears and may not have been an official Harmony model. While Harmony did produce Les Paul copies, the effector-equipped models are more commonly tied to brands like Kay, Kent, and Univox, which were built in Japan during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The "Harmony Effector" name likely refers to a guitar from this era, potentially branded under a different name but sold through the same channels as other budget Harmony guitars. Features and effects

• Built-in effects panel: The defining characteristic of these guitars is the top-mounted effects panel, which typically includes push-button or rocker switches.
• Available effects: Common built-in effects include:
• • Fuzz/Distortion
  • Tremolo
  • Wah
  • Echo
  • "Whirlwind" (a modulation effect)
  • Phase inverter switch
• Electronics:
• • The effects typically run on a 9-volt battery.
  • Some models feature low-impedance pickups similar to those on a Gibson Les Paul Recording model.
• Design and construction:
• • These were budget-friendly, import models and their quality varies.
  • They typically have a bolt-on neck, unlike a set-neck Gibson Les Paul.
  • Many were made with solid wood, but some lower-quality versions used plywood. 

Identification and history

• Rebranding: In the 1970s and 80s, it was common for manufacturers in Japan to produce guitars under multiple brand names for different distributors. Guitars were sold under brands like Kay, Univox, and Kent, and through catalogs like Sears and J.C. Penney.
• Lawsuit era: Harmony produced some of its own Les Paul copies, but ceased production around 1975 due to potential legal action from Gibson. The effector-equipped copies were likely part of the wave of Japanese-made "lawsuit era" instruments that followed.
• Confirmation: To confirm if your guitar is a true Harmony or a different brand sold through the same catalog channels, look for branding or markings on the headstock or serial number. 

Value and collectibilityThese guitars are not particularly valuable for their tone or build quality but are considered a quirky piece of vintage guitar history. 

• Value: Most effector models sell in the low hundreds of dollars, and the onboard effects are often primitive and inconsistent.
• Collectibility: They are primarily sought after by collectors interested in vintage oddities, "lawsuit era" guitars, or quirky onboard effects.