1960s Harmony H1270 Sovereign 12-String Resonator Conversion – Natural – Includes Hard Case – Used Very Good
The Harmony Sovereign H1270 was one of the finest 12-string acoustic guitars produced at the Harmony factory in Chicago during the 1960s — a dreadnought built from solid spruce and birch with the honest, working-class quality that made Harmony instruments a staple of American folk and blues music during that era. This particular example has been transformed into something considerably more unusual by Jake Wildwood, a highly respected Rochester, Vermont-based luthier with decades of experience building and restoring vintage fretted instruments. The conversion process involved a neck reset, fret level and dress, and the installation of a full resonator system — a full-size inverted biscuit-bridge cone mounted through a hole cut in the top, stabilized by an interior support rod and covered by a chrome coverplate screwed to the top. The biscuit bridge itself was crafted from the original top material removed during the conversion, which is exactly the kind of resourceful and historically appropriate lutherie that sets Jake Wildwood's work apart. The result is loud, decisive, and acoustically powerful in a way that a standard Harmony 12-string never was.
The pickup configuration is where this guitar becomes genuinely versatile. A K&K single-sensor acoustic pickup feeds one output with that natural, woody resonator acoustic voice, while a lipstick magnetic pickup mounted flush at the fretboard end feeds a separate volume and tone control. Run it acoustically for slide or open-tuning work, plug into the K&K side for a warm acoustic-electric resonator tone, or hit the lipstick for something that — as one listener noted — has a Rickenbacker 12-string quality about it. Three completely different sounds from one instrument, and all of them genuinely useful.
This one is a really comfortable and sweet player — comfy action that accommodates fingerstyle and slide equally well, with loud projection that never tips into brash or overwhelming territory. Surprisingly good playability for an instrument of this age and configuration. Cosmetics are consistent with a well-played vintage guitar, with finish wear and some flaking on the side below the lower bout, all shown in the photos. Comes with a good used hard case.
- Make: Harmony
- Model: H1270 Sovereign 12-String (resonator conversion)
- Era: 1960s
- Country of origin: USA (Chicago, IL)
- Conversion: Jake Wildwood, Rochester, VT — 2023
- Body: Dreadnought, solid spruce top, birch back and sides
- Resonator: Full-size inverted biscuit-bridge cone, chrome coverplate
- Biscuit bridge: Crafted from original top material
- Interior: Lengthwise support rod installed
- Neck: Reset by Jake Wildwood
- Frets: Level and dress performed by Jake Wildwood
- Configuration: 12-string acoustic-electric
- Acoustic pickup: K&K single-sensor (volume control on lower bout)
- Magnetic pickup: Lipstick, flush-mounted at fretboard end (volume and tone controls on lower bout)
- Outputs: Dual — acoustic (1/4") and magnetic (1/4")
- Action: Comfortable — suitable for fingerstyle and slide
- Condition: Used Very Good – cosmetics consistent with well-played vintage guitar, finish wear and flaking on side below lower bout (shown in photos), plays great
- Includes: Good used hard case
Ships carefully packed and insured for full value. International buyers are welcome — please contact us for a shipping quote before purchasing.
About Mill River Music
Mill River Music is an independent, human-powered music shop located in downtown Northampton, MA, run by a team of players, enthusiasts, and certified repair technicians. Every piece of used gear we sell is personally inspected, tested, and set up before it ships — we don't list it until we'd be happy to play it ourselves.
As Martin and Taylor certified techs, we hold our guitar work to a high standard, and we're committed to full transparency about the condition of everything we sell. No surprises.
When you buy from Mill River, you're supporting an independent local business that genuinely cares — about gear, about players, and about doing things right. We're here every step of the way. Reach out anytime.
