wvsongbird - Posted - 12/17/2020:  19:49:27

I am looking at this Harmony Mandolin which is for sale The owner only knows that his grandfather played it.
I am wondering if anyone can identify or guess what year and model etc...

Mystery Mandolin

 

Yooper - Posted - 12/18/2020:  07:23:13

People call this the batwing model, but Harmony apparently called it the H35. Here is an article:



fretboardjournal.com/columns/c...mandolin/

Edited by - Yooper on 12/18/2020 07:33:31

Yooper - Posted - 12/18/2020:  07:29:32

Ray Jackson played perhaps the most well-known mandolin solo of all time - the break on Rod Stewart's "Maggie May." I believe he played it on a Harmony Batwing.

alchetron.com/Ray-Jackson-(musician)

Yooper - Posted - 12/18/2020:  07:32:17

They are popular with the blues mandolin crowd too, including one of the best of all time, Yank Rachell.

mandolincafe.com/forum/group.p...styleid=2

Yooper - Posted - 12/18/2020:  09:05:43

I also found this thread on our Mando Hangout from a couple of years ago with some interesting information.

mandohangout.com/topic/49015

TSSN - Posted - 12/19/2020:  04:20:41

That's a beauty. Looks to be in great shape.

wvsongbird - Posted - 12/19/2020:  13:10:09

Oh I hope so. Im going to look at it soon. Bringing a friend who plays. The guy is also selling a fiddle. Sounds like his grandfather took care of his instruments. I wish I knew what year the mandolin was. What is a fair price?
Thank you for replying.

wvsongbird - Posted - 12/19/2020:  13:17:46

quote:

---

Originally posted by Yooper

People call this the batwing model, but Harmony apparently called it the H35. Here is an article:



fretboardjournal.com/columns/c...mandolin/

---

wvsongbird - Posted - 12/19/2020:  13:19:45

Yooper thank you for your replies! I think I am going to learn so much here.

TSSN - Posted - 12/20/2020:  04:27:11

There is one selling on Reverb right now for around $400.00. You can see it here:

       reverb.com/item/11149645-1972-...=11149645

There are two more on eBay for $349 and $499. 

Good luck!

kimmattis123 - Posted - 12/20/2020:  13:35:49

I bought mine in 1971 for $150.00 w/chipboard case. I still have it. Played a lot of bluegrass on it. The 'A' strings would never stay in tune until I put a set of D'addario flatwounds on it. They have a wound 'A' string set. After that it played great. Not as loud as regular unwound strings but tuning was solved.

Mandodennis - Posted - 12/20/2020:  14:49:16

I have one of those Harmony acoustic batwings. I bought it around 1972, also about $150 with the case, just as Kim stated.

The non-electric model is the H8025. The electric model is the H35. I have one of those as well, bought in 1974 or so. That one cost maybe $15-20 more.

A similar Batwing-like model was produced in Japan, I believe, in the later 70's.  I did not care for that one as much as the American made models.



There should be a model number stamped on the inside of the back and visible through the bass side "f" hole. You should also be able to see a date stamp which will show the month and the year it was made. Mine were stamped in blue ink. The ink can fade in some cases.  You can actually see part of the stamp in your photo.  I can't make out what it says though.

The tailpiece in the photo is unlike those on either of my batwings.



These are not loud mandolins. So they are generally not viewed as suitable for acoustic bluegrass.  That never stopped me.  They can be very playable mandolins. I used them as stage mandolins in a folk-rock group throughout the 70s.  Both of mine still play well today.  I did upgrade the tuning pegs many years ago.



As has been stated already, these models saw a some action with the rock crowd.  They were fairly well made, like the better Harmony guitars. (H75 anyone?)  They were priced well and they were more generally available than the Gibson/Martin acoustic mandos or Fender/Gibson/Rickenbacker electric mandos.

Edited by - Mandodennis on 12/20/2020 14:54:16

wvsongbird - Posted - 12/20/2020:  21:30:55

Thank you. So very helpful and I appreciate you taking the time to pass on the information.
I did get it today. I was finally able to see the number.