Glenn Nichols of Retrograde Guitars has reimagined this vintage Harmony Rocket with a master builder’s touch—preserving its Chicago-born soul while upgrading it for the modern player.

If you’ve been around the electric guitar world for a while, especially on Instagram, you’ve likely encountered builders breathing new life into forgotten student models—guitars once cast aside when the cost of repair outpaced their value. Thankfully, luthiers like Glenn Nichols of Retrograde Guitars see gold where others see rust.

This 1-of-1 Retro Mod started with an original Harmony Rocket body and neck (an adjustable truss rod was also added). Glenn rebuilt it from the ground up into a long-scale, boutique-quality instrument with fresh fretwork and the effortless playability you'd expect from a modern, high-end build.

Outfitted with Novak Gold Foils, this guitar delivers the signature chime, midrange punch, and articulate clarity that make these pickups a sleeper favorite. The neck pickup is warm and round with a fat, vocal quality, while the bridge serves up vintage bite and sparkle—think early rock ’n’ roll tones with plenty of attitude. It’s a fitting tribute, given that the original Harmony Rockets were built for beginners inspired by the very music that was reshaping the world.

Equal parts resurrection and reimagination—a true harmony of past and present. See what we did there? :-)