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1968 Silvertone 1479 Bobkat Vintage Guitar DeArmond Red Foil, 1477 Harmony
Estimated price for orientation: 699 $
Category: Electric Guitars
Class:
Description Brand: Harmony Model: 1479 Bobkat Dexterity: Right-Handed MPN: Does Not Apply String Configuration: 6 String Country/Region of Manufacture: United States Body Type: Solid Exact Year: 1968 UPC: Does not apply
Up for sale, a 1968 Silvertone model 1479 in excellent condition and in perfect working order. One of the last great USA-made Silvertones, this model was manufactured by Harmony for Sears' Silvertone line of instruments and features rare DeArmond pickups with red inserts seen only on the last couple years of this model's production. Known by quite a few names (which was only compounded by Harmony's marketing over the years), this body shape originally had the Bobkat moniker, only to be reclassified the Silhouette by the time the '68 catalog rolled out. Regardless of the name, this model features Harmony's classic offset body style and two pickups that retain the hallowed tonal properties of the "gold foil" albeit with rarer, different color inserts on the pickup covers!These pickups can deliver everything from spanky twang in the bridge position to warmer, mellow jazzy tones with only the neck pickup selected. There's a certain percussive cut, jangle, and surprising kick from an original DeArmond pickup, and these Silvertone foils really deliver the goods! The guitar weighs in at 6lbs 6oz and has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with fresh 10-46 strings and comfortable action.The neck has a round and chunky C shaped profile with big shoulders and consistent depth as you move up the fretboard. The original slender fretwire is in remarkable shape with perfectly rounded crowns no wear of note, playing cleanly in all registers with no buzzing or dead spots. The scale length measures 24" and the nut is a full 1 3/4" wide. On the headstock, the guitar retains the stock truss rod cover and open back strip tuners, which hold tune well. There is some finish wear along the seam where the two pieces of the headstock are laminated together, but these are very minor and purely aesthetic considerations.The wiring harness is untouched, with a pair of original DeArmond pickups with red foil (or more accurately red pearloid) inserts on the chrome covers. One pickup has just been professionally rewound to original spec and sound as rich and detailed as ever, matching the output and characteristics of the pickup windings on the other single coil. The mini CTS pots date to the 24th week of 1967 and are complete with a set of vintage black bell knobs that match the Bobkat look, but are an earlier style knob. A date stamp from February of 1968 on the underside of the pickguard also conclusively dates the instrument. A surprisingly underrated unit, the original chrome vibrato is very responsive and smooth, jumping back to the original pitch reliably and perfectly paired with the roller bridge and metal saddles only seen on the last iterations of the Bobkat/Silhouette.Cosmetically, the guitar retains its original vibrant red sunburst finish, and this thin nitro lacquer is quite clean on the body, with notable vertical lacquer checking on the neck and headstock. There were a couple small dents in the neck profile which have been filled and touched up with gloss lacquer so that the profile is smooth and comfortable in all registers. Other light wear includes a few faint scratches in the pick path and a couple nicks on the back.
Description
| Brand: | Harmony | Model: | 1479 Bobkat |
| Dexterity: | Right-Handed | MPN: | Does Not Apply |
| String Configuration: | 6 String | Country/Region of Manufacture: | United States |
| Body Type: | Solid | Exact Year: | 1968 |
| UPC: | Does not apply |
Up for sale, a 1968 Silvertone model 1479 in excellent condition and in perfect working order. One of the last great USA-made Silvertones, this model was manufactured by Harmony for Sears' Silvertone line of instruments and features rare DeArmond pickups with red inserts seen only on the last couple years of this model's production. Known by quite a few names (which was only compounded by Harmony's marketing over the years), this body shape originally had the Bobkat moniker, only to be reclassified the Silhouette by the time the '68 catalog rolled out. Regardless of the name, this model features Harmony's classic offset body style and two pickups that retain the hallowed tonal properties of the "gold foil" albeit with rarer, different color inserts on the pickup covers!These pickups can deliver everything from spanky twang in the bridge position to warmer, mellow jazzy tones with only the neck pickup selected. There's a certain percussive cut, jangle, and surprising kick from an original DeArmond pickup, and these Silvertone foils really deliver the goods! The guitar weighs in at 6lbs 6oz and has been professionally setup here at Mike & Mike's Guitar Bar with fresh 10-46 strings and comfortable action.The neck has a round and chunky C shaped profile with big shoulders and consistent depth as you move up the fretboard. The original slender fretwire is in remarkable shape with perfectly rounded crowns no wear of note, playing cleanly in all registers with no buzzing or dead spots. The scale length measures 24" and the nut is a full 1 3/4" wide. On the headstock, the guitar retains the stock truss rod cover and open back strip tuners, which hold tune well. There is some finish wear along the seam where the two pieces of the headstock are laminated together, but these are very minor and purely aesthetic considerations.The wiring harness is untouched, with a pair of original DeArmond pickups with red foil (or more accurately red pearloid) inserts on the chrome covers. One pickup has just been professionally rewound to original spec and sound as rich and detailed as ever, matching the output and characteristics of the pickup windings on the other single coil. The mini CTS pots date to the 24th week of 1967 and are complete with a set of vintage black bell knobs that match the Bobkat look, but are an earlier style knob. A date stamp from February of 1968 on the underside of the pickguard also conclusively dates the instrument. A surprisingly underrated unit, the original chrome vibrato is very responsive and smooth, jumping back to the original pitch reliably and perfectly paired with the roller bridge and metal saddles only seen on the last iterations of the Bobkat/Silhouette.Cosmetically, the guitar retains its original vibrant red sunburst finish, and this thin nitro lacquer is quite clean on the body, with notable vertical lacquer checking on the neck and headstock. There were a couple small dents in the neck profile which have been filled and touched up with gloss lacquer so that the profile is smooth and comfortable in all registers. Other light wear includes a few faint scratches in the pick path and a couple nicks on the back.