About 5 years ago I stumbled on this guitar in a local antique shop here in Clintonville. It was sitting in two pieces, just as it is in the first photo. Without knowing anything about it's age or the model, I picked it up for $25. After doing an internet search when I got it home I discovered that the Harmony Patrician I picked up was either a 1940 or 1941 pre-war archtop guitar.The top is Mahogany with a Spruce center panel. The back and the sides are also Mahogany.
My goal with this restoration project will be to get this guitar playable again, specifically so that I can sit on our porch and play the blues.
My first step is to sand off the old lacquer.
On the top just above f-hole is discolored from where player's would rest their fingers.
The headstock of the Patrician is a sweet piece of handy work. I'm looking forward to making this shine.
The lacquer has aged so dramatically that the spruce center panel is almost as dark as the mahogany.
There are numerous cracks in the body. This one on the back will be exceptionally difficult to repair.
Another crack, this one on the top, will present a different kind of a challenge.
