Any harp guitarists?
 

The subject pretty much says it all...are there any harp guitarists in the house?

I play a Holloway Model 5 Natural (6/6) and have just heard an updated rumour that we could see a reasonably-priced replica of John Doan's 20-string (6/6/8) in the next few months. I'm already saving up...

there are a few of us on here! I have a harp build thread going on in the custom shop section :)

http://www.acousticguitarforum.com/f...d.php?t=212142

I'm a HG wannabe, $$$ willing...(and with a certain Bashkin in line before that), Scott's next production run looks to be end of June to mid July from what I hear. Dan Carey just got a Holloway from the last run so he's another bitten by the bug.

-jay

I got the bug when I heard Stephen Bennett play for the first time about 4 years ago. I got one of the first model 4 guitars from Holloway. I think it was serial number 2. It was definitely a lemon, I traded it back to Holloway and got one from the second batch. Much better guitar, I played that one long enough to find out that I was willing to make the comittment to learn.
I ended up stumbling upon Tony Karol, a guitar builder in Canada. He was finishing his first harp guitar and I liked the looks of it. He has built many other guitars, SB plays a baritone that was built by him.
So now I have this guitar, it's called the Belair. Wonderful guitar, great to play and it sounds great also.I've had it since September 2011.
[IMG]http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...121710_014.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...121710_019.jpg[/IMG]

My approach to learning this instrument has been a combination of working on specific Stephen bennett arrangements, and making up my own arrangements of songs that I already have learned.
I play a lot of weddings with my wife (harp player) and we recently started playing with a cellist. Lots of times I am playing the rhythm and using the harp strings to fatten up my sound. It has been a good way to try to get comfortable with using the bass strings and learning a technique for playing them.

Recently Stephen Bennett did a concert at my church and I got to play harp guitar with him, certainly the high point of my HG life!

Here are some videos from both settings to give you an idea of my approach.

It's a fun instrument to play and worth the effort.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KF3vE...n8N9cP-_UQJjfQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVA1v...n8N9cP-_UQJjfQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ie7gZ...n8N9cP-_UQJjfQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOKyQ...joBpuqWKVIJUYw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SilgJ...joBpuqWKVIJUYw

Randall, that Tony Karol guitar is beautiful!
-jay

II'm glad Holloway was able to bring out something better. I am very pleased with my Model 5 although I would have preferred an ebony fretboard. They're supposed to be coming out with those soon but it's not worth buying another one at this point. Not with the possibility of a 20-string on the horizon! :)

I play re-arrangements of songs I know but about 80% of my HG material is original. I often tell people that the best thing about HG is that Joe Public doesn't know anything about it so you're not bound by someone else's body of work. If you sit down with a regular 6-string, everybody has a list of songs they want to hear. With a harp guitar, all you get is curiosity about the instrument, how it sounds, and how you play it.

I've seen SB and John Doan recently but didn't get to play with them. Maybe next time...

Jay,the Karol is a good looking guitar. Several features that are new to me, (slanted frets and a bevel).

Be sure to check out the DVDs that SB made for harp guitar, they are full of good songs and tips on how to play Harp Guitar.

'Nuther Holloway Model 5 owner here. Had to replace all of the tuners, the nut and the saddle before it was playable. And that was when the prices were about $250 less than they are now.
Customer service response was non-existant so buyer beware.

Holloway model 5 here too......

To those who have Stephen Bennett DVDs, how about a quick review? Specifically, does he explain technique or just show it? I don't see well and can't get anything out of just pictures.

They are good. He takes you through each section. Explains and shows several times.
If you've never used any Tru Fire DVD's, know that they are only playable on a computer, and not a dvd player. Desktop with a large screen, and some good quality speakers are in order.
Also, if you are going to go with the SB dvd's, you'll need to change your sub bass strings. Head over to harpguitars.net and get your SB tuning strings there. I prefer the John Pearse set to the D'Addario set.



Mike

Love that Karol harp guitar, and that's some fine playing :)

I don't have one yet, but I'm working toward building one for myself. Just finished up a harp ukulele that is quite enjoyable. I think I'll do maybe one more regular steel string acoustic, and then the full size harp guitar. Depends on when I can get more shop space, since it would be quite a challenge to make something that large in my current nook.

Here's a sound clip and picture of my harp uke http://deku.rydia.net/music/marmoset_improv2.mp3

http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f1...64/Front-1.jpg

Harp Uke is very cool, enjoyed listening to your clip

The Harp Uke is pretty cool! Thanks for sharing.

Kindly,
Danny

Lol... that harp uke is great!!! Love the Dole sticker!
-jay

Harp guitar enthusiast
 

Hello gang. I just joined the AGF and have been enjoying reading all these posts. I just started on harp guitar in earnest this year and love it. Learned Hedges Beacause It's There and wrote a tune titled Channeling Micheal. Ha ha. Working on the Double Planet and an Andy Bacon tune called Full Circle. Can play Andy McKee's the Friend I've Never Met. Any of you freaks out there playing this stuff?

Got a Holloway Model 5 and think its a real clunker. It's one of their prototypes so I'm sure they have worked out their sound board and finger board issues by now. Simply said, it sounds terrible unamplified. However, Deiter at K and K Trinity made a pickup for it that rocks! It's a custom piezo for the subs and contact pick ups for the guitar. You can blend them separately with a 2 channel preamp. I believe Andy McKee and Antione Dufour are using a similar set up. Anyway, I'm convinced Deiter can make a 2x4 sound great with one of his systems!

Duane Noble is about to ship me a new one which we're very excited about!

Please offer thoughts on pick ups and builders. Thank you!

Welcome to the nuthouse JB! From your site it looks like you're pretty close to the Hedges resources. Hopefully, if I could ever afford a HG, (after another guitar that's on my wish list), I can delve into some Hedges material, (especially BIT). I have to say he's probably my main influence.

Feel free to IM me as to your feelings about the Holloway 5. I was kind of looking that direction if a couple of local luthier options didn't pan out. Glad to see the K&K solution worked well for that end of things. I just put a K&K in my Lowden this spring and it really helped the sound for my first gig this month. Yeah, I'm sold on K&K.

Again, welcome!
-jay

PS. All that alt tuning stuff... lol, a player after my own heart! :-)

Hey Jay thanks! Wow you're a Lowden guy? I'm actually sitting on my front porch waiting for Fed Ex to deliver a Claro Walnut/Cedar F-50 from Northern Ireland! Like a kid at Christmas or an expectant father. Not sure which :)

So what Hedges tunes do you play? Right now I play Layover, Eleven Small Roaches, Ragamuffin and BIT. Next up are the plecka tunes: Jitterboogie, Ritual Dance and Oracle. Are you using James Roosa's Rootwitch site for spartan tabs?

Since I'm brand new at this I don't know how to IM you. Tips?

Thanks again.

I don't own a Harp Guitar but I enjoy and appreciate hearing them played ... I have listened to Hedges for years and miss his creative spirit ... sounds like you guys are learning some good tunes (and I know for sure that ericsong can play some Hedges) ... have you ever heard of William Eaton? He makes and plays many different Harp Guitars. His music is more New Age-y but some of his work with Carlos Nakai (Native American Flute) is beautiful IMO ...

Interesting. I really like my Model 5, it sounds & plays nicely. I wish they'd had the ebony fretboard option in the beginning, but that's a minor detail.

I play original material except when I'm sitting in with a band. I might pick up phrases that I like and try to incorporate them into my own work, but I figure it's easier to turn on the stereo if you want to hear what someone else has done :)

Harp guitars...!!!!
 

Hi Guys,

I discovered the harp guitar about 3 years ago. In my opinion, the ultimate resource is Gregg Minor at “Harpguitars.net.” (http://www.harpguitars.net/)

Gregg is affectionately known as the “Harp Guitar Pope.” He has done some serious research on documenting the history of the harp guitar. The web site is rich with links to articles, players, instruments for sale, and builders all over the world.

Every year they have a harp guitar “Gathering.” The location changes every year and this year it is in Texas. It is well worth it. For two days you can go to lectures and talk to top players like Muriel Anderson and John Doan. There is also a concert Saturday night and Sunday matinee.

You can also talk to luthiers who are there ready to take your order!!

I met Duane Noble two years ago at the Indiana Gathering. He is a really nice guy and makes beautiful instruments.

Please feel free to email me if you find yourself looking for more information.
[email protected]

As for myself, I have been looking into having a harp guitar built for me soon.

Hope to see you at one of the gatherings!!

Michael
________
Martin Custom Size 5
Custom Finocchio Nylon
Baby Taylor Hog

Is anyone attending the Harp Guitar Gathering in CT this weekend?
Barb

My first one — It’s fantastic!

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1915/...3ecf7c_z_d.jpg

Hi J3ffrO,
I was there too. It was a very nice gathering. I had a good time.
Barb