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Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
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Author:  waegwan [ Fri Sep 24, 2021 5:07 am ]
Post subject:  Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
Mid 1960s Harmony Archtop, the top and side is separated in two places. In this case it isn't a simple matter of gluing them back together. The side has shrunk away from alignment with the top. I'm guessing the only way to fix it is to take the back off and brace the side back in place.

I'm looking for recommendations on how to remove the back.
Author:  Hesh [ Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:41 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
Harmony guitars were built with HHG and as such the same techniques for working with softening HHG apply. Heat, steam, water, heated pallet knives, time, patience and frustration.

As for if you are correct if this, removing he back is the only way to fix it I need pictures to comment on that.

Welcome to the forum too.
Author:  bionta [ Fri Sep 24, 2021 8:09 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
I removed the back from a 1955 Kaye archtop by just peeling the binding off (small knife and my fingers) and slipping a palette knife between back and lining. I was prepared to use heat and moisture but after about 5 minutes of wiggling the dry knife around, the back was off. It took a little extra persuasion around the tail block and left a tiny wedge of the block on the top, but no other splintering or cracks. The plywood back is fairly tough. The glue joint was not.
Author:  waegwan [ Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:37 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
Hesh wrote:
Harmony guitars were built with HHG and as such the same techniques for working with softening HHG apply. Heat, steam, water, heated pallet knives, time, patience and frustration.

As for if you are correct if this, removing he back is the only way to fix it I need pictures to comment on that.

Welcome to the forum too.

Thanks, I am definitely not a luthier, just an old guy who likes to try to fix stuff. :-) Here are some photos. Let me know if you need to different angle. There is no binding on this guitar, just painted edges.
Author:  waegwan [ Fri Sep 24, 2021 7:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
bionta wrote:
I removed the back from a 1955 Kaye archtop by just peeling the binding off (small knife and my fingers) and slipping a palette knife between back and lining. I was prepared to use heat and moisture but after about 5 minutes of wiggling the dry knife around, the back was off. It took a little extra persuasion around the tail block and left a tiny wedge of the block on the top, but no other splintering or cracks. The plywood back is fairly tough. The glue joint was not.


Thanks, I'm thinking that is the way to do this one. I want to be prepared to use heat and moisture but I don't know how much heat and or moisture or how to apply.

This guitar doesn't have a binding per se, it is just painted on the edges.
Author:  bionta [ Sat Sep 25, 2021 3:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
waegwan wrote:
bionta wrote:
I removed the back from a 1955 Kaye archtop by just peeling the binding off (small knife and my fingers) and slipping a palette knife between back and lining. I was prepared to use heat and moisture but after about 5 minutes of wiggling the dry knife around, the back was off. It took a little extra persuasion around the tail block and left a tiny wedge of the block on the top, but no other splintering or cracks. The plywood back is fairly tough. The glue joint was not.


Thanks, I'm thinking that is the way to do this one. I want to be prepared to use heat and moisture but I don't know how much heat and or moisture or how to apply.

This guitar doesn't have a binding per se, it is just painted on the edges.


I’m also an amateur so take my story with a hefty grain of salt! I should have started off with that caveat. I’ve done exactly 1 back removal. It was easy but maybe yours won’t be.

My way of applying heat was going to be by heating my palette knife in hot water (about 150-160 deg. F). I figured on using a pipette to dribble tiny amounts of water along the joint. I also had a variable temp heat gun standing by in case that didn’t work but I was nervous about damaging the finish with that so I’m glad I didn’t have to use it.

BTW when I re-attached the back I had the problem of the sides having gone wonky and not matching the outline. I dealt with that by tracing the back onto a piece of plywood and cutting a form to go around the body to force it back into shape. In a couple of places I screwed small blocks to the plywood to exert a little more pressure. It was sort of like squeezing the balloon over here to make it bulge out over there until it matched the back. It was a hassle but it worked out with a lot of fussing around.
Author:  CarlD [ Sat Sep 25, 2021 5:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
Make the mold before you take the back off. Notch it to fit around the neck heel. Have it on while you do the top/side repair so the sides don't get out of shape while the back is off.
Author:  waegwan [ Sat Sep 25, 2021 7:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
bionta wrote:
waegwan wrote:
bionta wrote:
I removed the back from a 1955 Kaye archtop by just peeling the binding off (small knife and my fingers) and slipping a palette knife between back and lining. I was prepared to use heat and moisture but after about 5 minutes of wiggling the dry knife around, the back was off. It took a little extra persuasion around the tail block and left a tiny wedge of the block on the top, but no other splintering or cracks. The plywood back is fairly tough. The glue joint was not.


Thanks, I'm thinking that is the way to do this one. I want to be prepared to use heat and moisture but I don't know how much heat and or moisture or how to apply.

This guitar doesn't have a binding per se, it is just painted on the edges.


I’m also an amateur so take my story with a hefty grain of salt! I should have started off with that caveat. I’ve done exactly 1 back removal. It was easy but maybe yours won’t be.

My way of applying heat was going to be by heating my palette knife in hot water (about 150-160 deg. F). I figured on using a pipette to dribble tiny amounts of water along the joint. I also had a variable temp heat gun standing by in case that didn’t work but I was nervous about damaging the finish with that so I’m glad I didn’t have to use it.

BTW when I re-attached the back I had the problem of the sides having gone wonky and not matching the outline. I dealt with that by tracing the back onto a piece of plywood and cutting a form to go around the body to force it back into shape. In a couple of places I screwed small blocks to the plywood to exert a little more pressure. It was sort of like squeezing the balloon over here to make it bulge out over there until it matched the back. It was a hassle but it worked out with a lot of fussing around.


Thanks, this is exactly the kind of help I was looking for. I had not considered making a mold with plywood but that sounds like the perfect thing to do. I have plywood and a good jig-saw. This will be an interesting project this winter. :-)
Author:  waegwan [ Sat Sep 25, 2021 7:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harmony Archtop, side and top separation
CarlD wrote:
Make the mold before you take the back off. Notch it to fit around the neck heel. Have it on while you do the top/side repair so the sides don't get out of shape while the back is off.


Excellent advice, Thanks :-)
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