A 1957 Harmony H1215 acoustic archtop guitar, marked “S-57-E” inside the bass f-hole, in a two-tone sunburst finish. Owned and played by Randy Bachman, who has sold 40 million records worldwide as a member of The Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, and as a solo artist.

This was Randy’s first guitar, ever. A violinist as a youngster, Randy made the jump from string section to six string, choosing this model for its resemblance to a violin, with its brownish sunburst finish and f-shaped sound holes.

The Harmony guitar factory operated out of Chicago in the 1950s, making guitars to be sold in department store catalogs in North America. Randy bought his H1215 out of the Simpson-Sears catalog in Winnipeg, Manitoba for a handsome price of $34.95, a sum mostly paid by his parents (Randy contributed 3 or 4 dollars of his own, to be sure).

Randy practice on this guitar for some time, until his makeshift shoelace strap slipped while playing songs at his cousin’s 10th birthday party, shattering the top on the treble side of the body, all the way from the lower bout to the neck. Tears flowing yet undeterred, Randy fished out his model airplane glue and set about repairs, eventually securing the large piece of the top that had broken off.

Birch construction, arched top, arched back with a maple fretboard dyed to resemble rosewood. 19 frets, heavily used, with a broken top. Chrome tailpiece, original celluloid guard.

“It’s got a weird, sour sound,” Randy offers, wistfully.

Includes hardshell case.

PROVENANCE From The Collection of Randy Bachman

Guitars & Instruments, Randy Bachman