acoustic · vintage
Stella (by Harmony)
| Maker | Historic & Defunct Brands (Kay, Silvertone, Teisco, Mosrite, Burns, Harmony, Supro, Eko, Airline) |
|---|---|
| Origin | Various |
| Type | acoustic · vintage |
| Maker founded | 1880s–1960s |
| Status | current |
Stella was Harmony's budget brand, and those small-bodied acoustics are collected as examples of mid-century American mass-market building.
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Why it matters
Stella guitars were sold through mail-order catalogues to players who could not afford a Martin or a Gibson, and they came off the same Chicago lines as Harmony-branded instruments. Production volume was enormous, so examples are still common, though structural condition varies widely. Prices are driven by originality and playability, and a repair estimate matters more than the badge.
Note
The budget parlor legend.
Specifications
- Scale length: unknown
- Neck shape: unknown
Before you buy
- Expect repair work on any example this old
- Bridges, tuners and pickguards are often replacements
- Condition moves the price far more than the model name
Other opinions
One video is one opinion. These are the other videos for this entry, most-viewed first. The order is the view count, not a ranking of ours.
Kbald · 2022-05 · 10,651 views
“In this video I wanted to show you my very first guitar, a Stella H-929 vintage Harmony acoustic, a great dirty slide blues guitar.”
A vintage Stella Harmony is played with a slide in open tuning for dirty blues.
Robert Cassard · 2023-01 · 10,085 views
“▶ Check out my "STRUM, SING, AND SOUND GREAT" Course ◀ $33 OFF with coupon code: PIONEERVIP I LOVE cheap guitars!”
Robert Cassard plays a vintage Stella H929 and explains why it punches above its price.