Harmony Ukulele History

Explore the legacy of one of America's largest musical instrument manufacturers and their significant contribution to ukulele history.

The Harmony Company: A Brief Overview

The Harmony Company, founded in 1892 in Chicago, became one of America's largest musical instrument manufacturers during the 20th century. While they produced a wide range of instruments, their ukuleles played a significant role in bringing the instrument to the masses during key periods in its popularity.

Harmony's Role in Ukulele History

Harmony was not just another instrument manufacturer—it was a company that democratized music by creating affordable instruments that were accessible to average Americans. At its peak in the 1960s, Harmony was producing almost 1,000 instruments per day, with ukuleles being a significant part of that production.

Their mass-production techniques and distribution through major retailers like Sears, Roebuck & Co. helped bring ukuleles into homes across America during both the 1920s ukulele craze and the post-World War II revival.

Key Facts About Harmony

  • Founded in 1892 by Wilhelm Schultz in Chicago
  • Purchased by Sears, Roebuck & Co. in 1916
  • At its peak, produced nearly 10,000 instruments per month
  • Became America's largest musical instrument manufacturer
  • Produced ukuleles from the 1910s until the 1970s

Harmony's Early Ukulele History (1910s-1930s)

Entering the Ukulele Market

Harmony began producing ukuleles in the mid-1910s, just as the instrument was gaining popularity on the U.S. mainland following the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco. This timing proved fortuitous, as the ukulele was about to experience its first major boom in popularity.

After Sears purchased Harmony in 1916, the company was positioned to capitalize on the growing ukulele craze. Harmony ukuleles were featured prominently in Sears catalogs, making them available to Americans everywhere, including rural areas where access to musical instruments had been limited.

The Roaring Twenties

During the 1920s, when the ukulele became a symbol of the Jazz Age, Harmony's production expanded significantly. Their ukuleles were popular due to their affordability and reasonable quality, making them ideal for the casual players driving the ukulele boom.

Harmony's standard soprano ukuleles from this era typically featured birch or mahogany bodies, often with painted designs or decals. Most featured friction tuners and simple appointments, keeping costs down while maintaining playability.

Popular 1920s Harmony Ukulele Models

  • No. 1275 - Basic soprano with birch body, often listed at $2.45 in Sears catalogs
  • No. 1400 - Mid-range soprano with mahogany body and decorative decals
  • No. 1600 - "Professional Grade" with herringbone purfling and better tuners
  • "Roy Smeck" models - Signature series named after the famous vaudeville ukulele virtuoso

The Golden Years (1940s-1960s)

Harmony's most influential period in ukulele production came after World War II.

Post-War Revival

After World War II, as servicemen returned from Hawaii with newfound appreciation for the ukulele, Harmony was positioned to meet renewed demand. The company expanded its ukulele line, offering more variety in sizes and styles.

Arthur Godfrey, a popular television and radio host, became an influential ukulele advocate in the late 1940s and 1950s. His endorsement of the instrument helped drive sales of Harmony ukuleles, as they were affordable and widely available through Sears catalogs.

Innovative Models

During this period, Harmony helped popularize the baritone ukulele, which was developed in the 1940s. With its larger size and guitar-like tuning (D-G-B-E), the baritone ukulele appealed to guitarists and helped broaden the instrument's appeal.

Harmony also experimented with plastic ukuleles in the 1950s, though these were not as successful as their wooden counterparts. Their catalogs from this era show an impressive variety of models at different price points.

Peak Production

By the early 1960s, Harmony was at the height of its production capabilities, manufacturing almost 1,000 instruments daily. Their ukulele line had expanded to include soprano, concert, tenor, and baritone sizes, with various finish options and appointments.

These instruments were particularly popular for school music programs, helping introduce thousands of children to music through the accessible ukulele.

Identifying Vintage Harmony Ukuleles

Key features to help distinguish and date vintage Harmony ukuleles.

Dating Your Harmony Ukulele

Harmony ukuleles were not consistently stamped with serial numbers, making precise dating challenging. However, these features can help identify the decade of manufacture:

  • 1920s models typically have simple friction tuners and often feature painted designs or decals
  • 1930s models may have "The Harmony Company" stamped on the headstock
  • 1940s models often use better quality woods and have improved tuners
  • 1950s-60s models frequently display the "Harmony" logo in script on the headstock and may have plastic position markers
  • Late 1960s-70s models sometimes feature plywood construction and simpler appointments

Characteristic Features

Harmony ukuleles are known for several distinctive characteristics that help identify them:

  • Headstock Design - Typically flat with a gentle curve at the top, often with a script "Harmony" logo on later models
  • Label - Inside the sound hole, often stating "Made by Harmony Company, Chicago" or similar text
  • Construction - Early models were solid wood, while later budget models might use laminated woods or even plywood
  • Tuners - Range from simple friction pegs on early models to planetary or geared tuners on higher-end models
  • Bridge - Usually a simple "tie-bar" style on soprano models and a pin bridge (similar to a guitar) on some baritone models

Model Numbers

Harmony often used model numbers rather than names for their ukuleles. These numbers usually appeared in catalogs but not on the instruments themselves. Common model numbers include:

  • The 1500 series for basic soprano ukuleles
  • The 2500 series for concert sized ukuleles
  • The 7000 series for higher-end ukuleles with better appointments
  • The "H" prefix models from the 1960s (H35, H36, etc.)

Collectors value Harmony ukuleles from the 1920s-1950s most highly, particularly those with unique decorative elements or connections to the company's early history.

The Harmony Legacy

The lasting impact of Harmony on ukulele history and culture.

Collector's Appeal

Today, vintage Harmony ukuleles are highly sought after by collectors and players alike. Their historical significance, combined with generally good playability and distinctive aesthetic, makes them popular on the vintage market.

Early models from the 1920s and specialty models in excellent condition can command prices ranging from several hundred to over a thousand dollars.

Brand Revival

Though the original Harmony Company ceased operations in 1975, the brand name has been revived in recent years. New Harmony-branded instruments, including ukuleles, are now available, though they are not produced by the original company.

These new instruments draw inspiration from the vintage designs but are manufactured with modern techniques and materials.

Cultural Significance

Harmony's mass-produced ukuleles played a crucial role in democratizing the instrument and making it accessible to average Americans. Their affordable instruments allowed countless people to experience music-making firsthand.

The company's legacy lives on in the thousands of vintage instruments still being played today and in their contribution to making the ukulele a truly American instrument, despite its Hawaiian identity.

"Harmony may not have made the finest ukuleles in the world, but they certainly made some of the most important ones. Their instruments brought music into countless homes and helped keep the ukulele tradition alive during periods when it might otherwise have faded away."

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