Guitar
Here is one example of the sort of earth-shakingly awesome deals one can find on Craigslist if you dig and are patient. This seller was offering a "Stella" Standard size slothead acoustic guitar for $75. This is not a Harmony Stella but an original Oscar Schmidt made Stella from before Harmony bought the name. This is a Pre-WWII American-made guitar. Amazing.
BTW - this listing was from about a month ago - I don't know how I missed it at the time - but the guitar is probably long gone by now.
Here's what one collector had to say about the New Jersey Made Stella's on an online guitar forum:
To clarify "Stella" instruments:
There are two, entirely seperate "Stella" guitars. Those made before 1939, in Jersey City by the Oscar Schmidt Company. Those made after 1939, in Chicago, by the Harmony Company (who acquired the "Stella" brand name after the former went "belly-up" as far as fretted instruments are concerned).
The "Stella" guitars made by Harmony do not have anything in common with the earlier instruments, other than the name "Stella". These Harmony instruments are the things we, who learned to play back in the 50s and 60s learned to hate, because they sounded as bad as they played!
It is commonly (and wrongly) thought that the old (Schmidt) Stellas were poorly made and, for this reason, few of them survive today. Actually, although lightly made (like Gibson and Martin guitars of the same period), they were well built and a great many have survived.
The old bluesmen (and women) often chose to play Stellas, which were relatively inexpensive and, because of their light construction, they sounded good. Record Company talent scout H.C.Speir said that Charley Patton preferred Stellas even to Gibsons because he said they were so loud.
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Antique Lap Steel Guitar - $75 (Miss)
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Date: 2011-02-17, 8:45AM MST
Reply to: [email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?]
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Stella Lap steel guitar with case. I think this guitar is close to 100 years old and still works well. I never use it so it`s time to let it go.
•Location: Miss
•it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
- 1920s Oscar Schmidt Stella Doubleneck Harp Guitar
guitarz.blogspot.com: This Stella doubleneck harp guitar was made in Jersey City, New Jersey, in the 1920s by the Oscar Schmidt Company. Stella was the brand name used on the budget-priced line of instruments, but having found favour with many a blues...
- Harmony Stella H929 Acoustic In Seattle Area For $50
This seller is offering one of the later versions of the Stella/Harmony H929 with the "cowboy style" pickguard (possibly an H-6128) If you've never owned one of these and you play fingerstyle they are fun to have. Don't expect much downward pressure...
- Stella (harmony) 1966 H1141 Acoustic In Raleigh Nc For $80
The H-1141 was made from the 1940's through the late 1960's. This guitar should say "Stella" on the headstock with a star. This is a classic Harmony Birch bodied blues thumper. Most of the people who own these got them direct from older family...
- 1959 Stella Faux Ivory Stripe Acoustic In Ne Philly For $50
These are unique and fairly rare - it seems most of them got thrown inthe trash a long time ago - but if it is in decent shape these are cool little guitars. All Ivory blonde paint with faux tiger stripe - neat little Stella by Harmony made form...
- 1971 Stella (harmony) Full Size Acoustic In Greenville Ga For $75
Not the usual 3/4 sized Stella by Harmony guitars you see all the time (and usually overpriced) - and check out that sweet original pickguard - NICE! Note: Frets look super tiny on this guitar - so most likely not designed for much more than open chording....
Guitar
80+ year old Stella (not Harmony) acoustic for $75
Here is one example of the sort of earth-shakingly awesome deals one can find on Craigslist if you dig and are patient. This seller was offering a "Stella" Standard size slothead acoustic guitar for $75. This is not a Harmony Stella but an original Oscar Schmidt made Stella from before Harmony bought the name. This is a Pre-WWII American-made guitar. Amazing.
BTW - this listing was from about a month ago - I don't know how I missed it at the time - but the guitar is probably long gone by now.
Here's what one collector had to say about the New Jersey Made Stella's on an online guitar forum:
To clarify "Stella" instruments:
There are two, entirely seperate "Stella" guitars. Those made before 1939, in Jersey City by the Oscar Schmidt Company. Those made after 1939, in Chicago, by the Harmony Company (who acquired the "Stella" brand name after the former went "belly-up" as far as fretted instruments are concerned).
The "Stella" guitars made by Harmony do not have anything in common with the earlier instruments, other than the name "Stella". These Harmony instruments are the things we, who learned to play back in the 50s and 60s learned to hate, because they sounded as bad as they played!
It is commonly (and wrongly) thought that the old (Schmidt) Stellas were poorly made and, for this reason, few of them survive today. Actually, although lightly made (like Gibson and Martin guitars of the same period), they were well built and a great many have survived.
The old bluesmen (and women) often chose to play Stellas, which were relatively inexpensive and, because of their light construction, they sounded good. Record Company talent scout H.C.Speir said that Charley Patton preferred Stellas even to Gibsons because he said they were so loud.
**********************
Antique Lap Steel Guitar - $75 (Miss)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 2011-02-17, 8:45AM MST
Reply to: [email protected] [Errors when replying to ads?]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Stella Lap steel guitar with case. I think this guitar is close to 100 years old and still works well. I never use it so it`s time to let it go.
•Location: Miss
•it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests
- 1920s Oscar Schmidt Stella Doubleneck Harp Guitar
guitarz.blogspot.com: This Stella doubleneck harp guitar was made in Jersey City, New Jersey, in the 1920s by the Oscar Schmidt Company. Stella was the brand name used on the budget-priced line of instruments, but having found favour with many a blues...
- Harmony Stella H929 Acoustic In Seattle Area For $50
This seller is offering one of the later versions of the Stella/Harmony H929 with the "cowboy style" pickguard (possibly an H-6128) If you've never owned one of these and you play fingerstyle they are fun to have. Don't expect much downward pressure...
- Stella (harmony) 1966 H1141 Acoustic In Raleigh Nc For $80
The H-1141 was made from the 1940's through the late 1960's. This guitar should say "Stella" on the headstock with a star. This is a classic Harmony Birch bodied blues thumper. Most of the people who own these got them direct from older family...
- 1959 Stella Faux Ivory Stripe Acoustic In Ne Philly For $50
These are unique and fairly rare - it seems most of them got thrown inthe trash a long time ago - but if it is in decent shape these are cool little guitars. All Ivory blonde paint with faux tiger stripe - neat little Stella by Harmony made form...
- 1971 Stella (harmony) Full Size Acoustic In Greenville Ga For $75
Not the usual 3/4 sized Stella by Harmony guitars you see all the time (and usually overpriced) - and check out that sweet original pickguard - NICE! Note: Frets look super tiny on this guitar - so most likely not designed for much more than open chording....