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.
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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