Care for a good condition Harmony/silvertone parlor

[rockstar_not]

Picked up a Sears Roebuck parlor that looks like a Harmony. I think it's in the original chipboard case. Almost no fret wear, action is good and top is flat. I would like to clean up some of the dust on it and generally spit shine it. I can measure the gauge of strings. It actually projects quite well. Build year approximately 1970. What could I use to clean without damaging it?

[B0WIE]

Picked up a Sears Roebuck parlor that looks like a Harmony. I think it's in the original chipboard case. Almost no fret wear, action is good and top is flat. I would like to clean up some of the dust on it and generally spit shine it. I can measure the gauge of strings. It actually projects quite well. Build year approximately 1970. What could I use to clean without damaging it?

Start with a lightly dampened cloth across the entire instrument. Go over the finished parts with a guitar cleaner/polish. I thin like to use an appropriate oil lightly on the bare wood parts (board and bridge) but it's not critical. It just looks nicer. I don't like to use cleaners on the board, just a damp cloth for cleaning. If you oil the tuners, wipe off as much oil as possible after as it will attract dust.

[jpmist]

Picked up a Sears Roebuck parlor that looks like a Harmony. I think it's in the original chipboard case. Almost no fret wear, action is good and top is flat. I would like to clean up some of the dust on it and generally spit shine it. I can measure the gauge of strings. It actually projects quite well. Build year approximately 1970. What could I use to clean without damaging it?

Quite a find, would love to see pics. 12 fret?

But just here to state don't use "Virtuoso Polish and Cleaner". I regretted putting it on my polished satin OO because it put an artificially too shinny gloss on it that I couldn't remove. The seller admits that it reacts chemically with the finish which isn't what you'd want to do to a 50 year old finish.

I had a 1940s Gibson archtop once and J&J paste wax didn't seem to do it any harm. . .

[B0WIE]

Quite a find, would love to see pics. 12 fret?

But just here to state don't use "Virtuoso Polish and Cleaner". I regretted putting it on my polished satin OO because it put an artificially too shinny gloss on it that I couldn't remove. The seller admits that it reacts chemically with the finish which isn't what you'd want to do to a 50 year old finish.

I had a 1940s Gibson archtop once and J&J paste wax didn't seem to do it any harm. . .

Thx for posting that. I was suspect of that product and hearing that it can chemically react with certain finishes is concerning.

[rockstar_not]

The floating bridge needs to be replaced.  Grooves are worn into the wood at different depths.  I'm thinking of buying a plain acoustic guitar bridge slotted for a saddle, and trying to find a saddle compensated for 24" scale length (it's exactly 12" to the octave fret wire from the nut).

Here are pics.

[rockstar_not]

As you can see in the photos, the fret-board is varnished.  I'm not really concerned about it.  If I keep this thing I will probably end up wearing through the varnish - I'm taking a liking to smaller guitars (really been enjoying the little 3/4 size FG Jr in my signature, but the nut width is tiny on that. this thing has an adult-sized nut at 1 3/4" width, while the FG Jr has a 1 5/8" width.  Makes a difference.

[jpmist]

The floating bridge needs to be replaced.  Grooves are worn into the wood at different depths.  I'm thinking of buying a plain acoustic guitar bridge slotted for a saddle, and trying to find a saddle compensated for 24" scale length (it's exactly 12" to the octave fret wire from the nut).

Cool. That looks like it's in really great shape! Given the "reverse-wound" D string I'm guessing the new hobby guitar got put under the bed for a few decades.

Maybe that notched in bridge can be salvaged with a shim under it? Thinking something about as thick as a wood coffee stirrer. That way you could carve in your own string height and intonation yourself?

[jpmist]

Thx for posting that. I was suspect of that product and hearing that it can chemically react with certain finishes is concerning.

It could well be a case of "your mileage may vary" I applied it over an ok glossing job of my satin finish and it just didn't look right. To have a high shine over a semigloss seemed odd.

But I was quite surprised and disappointed that no cleaner or solvent I dared use put a dent in that weird gloss, hence my warning. Still, on their web site amidst all the wildly positive testimonials, there is the admission that it reacts chemically to a finish thus isn't reversible.

[rockstar_not]

I made an improvised bridge last night out of a Home Depot oak flooring sample (sawed off the tongue end and even compensated it). Dang guitar sounds really interesting with rust for wound strings!

[tlp2]

I've got an old Sears guitar with the same "atomic" Sears logo on it. 
That does make it an early 70's vintage by Harmony. 
I stuck (double stick tape) a gold foil repro pickup on it recently for fun, and it is!

I clean mine with naptha and oil the fretboard with lemon oil. 
Oh, and I glued up a crack with Elmer's wood glue.
I probably shouldn't have said that on here. I'm sure someone will be appalled. 

[tlp2]

This it?  Check out the prices.
Mine's on the opposite page and I think I can safely say
it's almost doubled in value over the years....

[rockstar_not]

I think it's the one on the bottom with a price of $17.95!