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Harp Guitar Progress
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Author:  Mike OMelia [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:30 am ]
Post subject:  Harp Guitar Progress
Well, I have been slow in getting pics up. Been busy carving. But here are some now that I am ready to "close the box".

Guys, this is my second build ever. I still have alot to learn (mostly from my own mistakes). My OM is waiting spraying (build #1).

Bubinga is from Bruce Dickey and top is from Shane. I know that the bracing is unconventional, but for this build, I am working according to GAL drawings. My next build will attempt to use current knowledge to improve upon the design. I want to make sure that I learn as much as I can from the original builders (Dyer, Knutsen, et al)

Mike
Author:  Andy Zimmerman [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
Very cool.....one day one day.....
I recently saw and played one of Kathy Wingert's Harp guitars. It was awesome and not too huge.

Keep up the picts during the build. I would love to see the progress
Nice Job

BTW Building a Harp Guitar as your second guitar is very ambitious....Some would say crazy
Author:  Mike OMelia [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 1:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
Ever since I stumbled on to Stephen Bennett's website, harpguitar.com, I have been hooked. I wanted one. But I could not justify spending $8-$10K on one. So, I decided I would learn how to build one. Would you believe that with all of the tools I have bought, and the 1 and 1/2 kits I have bought, I am still under the $8K point? (bandsaw, table saw, drill press, thickness sander, chisels, scrapers, and so on...) I got into guitar building because I wanted a harp guitar. Now, I have a passion for building anything guitar related. Ambitous, yes. Crazy? No. But that was my goal all along. Thanks to John Hall, and OLF, I have moved farther and faster than I could have ever imagined. Its a lot easier to get to where you want to go if you have a really clear idea of where you are going. And good guides help too!

Mike
Author:  Dave White [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 6:07 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
Mike,

That's looking really good and there's nothing wrong with making what you have a passion for very early on. All harp guitar bracing is unconventional and people like Knutsen were pretty much maverick pioneers. How many sub-bass strings will it have?
Author:  Hesh [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:48 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
Mike buddy your harp guitar is looking fantastic! [:Y:] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap] [clap]
Author:  Mike OMelia [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:30 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
Thanks Hesh. :)

Dave, I had planned on six. This plan calls for 5. Is there something that you would reccomend that I do if I intend to do 6? More bracing? I get the feeling that is where your question was heading.

Mike
Author:  Dave White [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:52 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
Mike,

No - I was just curious. I'm sure the bracing you have will be fine with both five or six.
Author:  Stephen Boone [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 12:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
I have seen harps. I have seen guitars. I have never seen anything like that! That looks like a lot of fun. My Chinese brush painting master once pointed out that after you have completed just one brush painting you know 100% more about brush painting than everyone in the world who hasn't. Building just one guitar teaches us a whole heck of a lot about it. Building more refines that knowlege.
Author:  Mike OMelia [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 2:22 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
Stephen Boone wrote:
I have seen harps. I have seen guitars. I have never seen anything like that!


:D I know exactly how you feel. The first time I ever saw one (purely an accident, I went to Stephen Bennett's website to learn more about his conventional music) I was "moon struck." That in turn led me to harpguitars.net where I found a community of people who love this instrument. BTW, Stephen Bennett is a lifetime member there and contributes to annual meetings. I have even had the good fortune to speak with him about this. There is now a revival going on. I just had to have one. However, original models are rare and if they are in any good shape at all, they are extremely expensive. And those are even rarer. I thought about having a luthier build me one, but I could not justify that price. Lark-in-the-Morning (Mexico) makes a copy... but the community is not happy with them ($2K). So, I decided to learn how to build guitars. I built an OM (Bluescreek)... made a lot of mistakes and finally got it right. So, naturally it was time to build this next. laughing6-hehe I bought the GAL plan from harpguitars.net. It is a skimpy plan at best. But now there is a fellow over there x-raying them, and we are learning more. My handle over there is slackkeymike.

So today, I glue the top on. I finally get to build the peghead. That really has to wait till the top is on. Sizing it and shaping the normal 6 string peghead have to be done at the same time... close fit.

Stephen Bennett sells CDs with harp guitar music. I highly reccomend it. Michael Hedges recorded some wonderfull harp guitar music. I keep a magazine picture of his guitar in my office (original Dyer model).

There are a lot of wild designs out there for harp guitars, but nothing IMHO comes close to the grace and beauty of the the Dyer Harp. I really hope others here will attempt to do this.

Mike
Author:  Mike OMelia [ Sun Jan 11, 2009 11:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Harp Guitar Progress
Rats! gaah I built the butt wedge and was getting ready to install it. I like doing this before closing the box. The wedge needed two thin strips of white fiber board on each side. I could not find my fiber paper anywhere. All I can think is my 6 year old boy must have found it and used it for making pictures. So, no box closing. Got to order some more supplies.

Mike
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