Baritone/Bass Harp Guitar
Depending on the string gauges used, this 30" scale instrument can be strung up either as a baritone harp guitar or 6 string bass harp guitar. This is a thinline acoustic-electric design (semi-hollow body) with 3 seperate pickups. The instrument features a curly redwood top plate, curly koa back plate on a mahogany rim, with koa, ebony, and turquoise appointments. The mi-range bank of strings (on left side of top plate) features 8 strings that have fine tuners anchored in the bridge, as does the bank of supra-treble strings (right side of top plate). String gauges and tunings can obvioulsy be changed for tastes, but are currently set at:
Mid-range: 045-045-045-032-032-032-024-024; E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D-E
Baritone strings: 072-056-044-032-026-17; A-D-G-C-E-A
Supra-trebles: 016-016-012-012-010-010-008-008: E-F#-G-A-B-C#-D-E
Lap Harp Guitar
Below are photos of my prototype Lap Harp Guitar. This instrument features a cedar top and back plate on a mahogany rim, with paduak and maple appointments. This is a hollow, thinline acoustic-electric design with 3 seperate pickups. The main back of strings over the fingerboard and the 5 sub basses, utilize Schaller tuners. The 5 supra-treble strings utilize a combination of zither pins and fine tuners at the bridge. String gauges and tunings can obvioulsy be changed for tastes, but are currently set at:
Main bank: 056-046-034-024w-018-016; D-A-D-F#-A-D
Sub bass: 080-074-070-066-062; D-F-F#-G-A
Supra-trebles: 020pl-016-012-010-008: A-D-F#-A-D
Acoustic Harp Guitar: "Thor's Hammer"
My friend and fellow harp guitar maker, Benoit-Meulle-Stef (Ben), has affectionately referred to this instrument as 'Thor's Hammer'. We'll let the nickname stick for the time being. This instrument features: curly redwood top; bubinga back and sides; figured Honduran mahogany neck; snakewood fingerboard, bridge, and purfling; turquoise chip rosettes; turquoise colored wood purfling; Manzer style 'wedge' body'; monitor hole on side of the harp arm; separate pickups (Pick Up The World 'Stealth') under the 6 sub bass strings and main bank of strings that are wired in stereo; 4:1 geared 'Peghed' tuners for the sub bass strings; gold Schaller minis with ebony buttons on the main neck; trap door in the lower bought for improved access to the inside of the instrument; high gloss nitro-cellulose lacquer finish.
Nova Harp Guitar
This instrument represents an offshoot from my Nova Series of thinline amplified 'acoustic' instruments. This is not a soldbody electric instrument. The body is hollow and the top plate is full braced, just like and acoustic instrument. This style of instrument can be heard well enough when played unplugged, but it is designed to be played plugged in, sounding like an amplified 'acoustic' instrument. Why the 'thinline' body? While at the 'Harp Guitar Gathering' in 2006, I did notice that several people were playing and carrying instruments and cases that were bigger than they were! They did not always look comfortable. I built this alternative style of harp guitar, as it would be more comfortable for the player to actually hold and play. An additional bonus is that it is also easier to travel with, as the neck and sub bass extension can easily be removed when traveling. Loosen the sub bass and main strings, coil the strings from the ball end, and remove the eight allen screws. Now you can remove the neck and sub bass extension, fold them along side the instrument's body, and travel with it packed in a case the size of a small suite case.
This specific instrument features: a master grade yellow cedar top plate; bubinga body; mahogany neck and sub bass extension; ebony fingerboard; pinless ebony bridges with fine tuners for the supra trebles; 'Peghed' geared (16:1) planetary styled tuners for the sub bass strings and the main neck; and (3) separate Shadow 'Nano-flex' pickups (under the saddle elements, but NOT piezo), going into 3 separate Shadow 'EPA' preamps that are attached directly to the 3 output jacks. The 7 sub bass strings are tuned E-F-G-A-B-C-D, from low to high (gauges: .080-.074-.070-.066.-062-.060-.056). I do have sharpening levers for the sub bass strings, but they have not yet been installed. The 8 supra-treble strings are tuned E (an octave above the treble E on the main guitar neck) -F-G-A-B-C-D-E, from low to high (gauges: .017-.016-.015-.013-.012-.012-.011-.011). All totaled, 21 strings and a 5 octave range.
"...I tuned it by ear and intuition... I found this weird tuning... no a wonderful tuning... no the most beautiful tuning I have ever heard on a guitar! Could you have planned this? Rich, did you invent something really amazing or am I just drunk with the muse.
There is an orchestra in here! I love this guitar!" John Johnson, player and owner.
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Triple Neck: Mandolin - 12 String - 6 String
Once again, this instrument represents an offshoot from my Nova Series of thinline amplified 'acoustic' instruments. The client and I discussed the possibilities and we decided that a full bodied version would be to bulky to handle. The rim is cut out from three pieces of Honduran mahogany, while the top and back plates are of book matched and sequecially cut figured koa. The top and back plates are fully braced as an acoustic instrument would be. Necks are all of Honduran mohagany (bolt on) with ebony fingerboards. The bridges are all of ebony and of a design that utilizes 'no' pins of any type. A cover plate is removed from the back of the instrument (held in place by magnets) and the strings are simply threaded through the bridge plates and bridges. Inlays are of pearl and turquoise.
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'Guitjo' - Nova Double Neck Guitar
The 'guitjo' (double neck guitar with the upper neck strung similar to a guitar with an additonal seventh string added, and the lower neck strung like a 5 string banjo with 2 additional stings added) was originally designed by Joe Scott of Acoustic Eidolon and luthier Denny Edwards. Joe was in need of an additional instrument and this is what I produced for him. This was my first foray into the world of multi-neck instruments. Again, this design is an offshoot of my Nova Series, with a hollow body carved from a slab of bubinga, and a fully braced top plate of master grade Sitka spruce. The bolt on necks are of Honduran mahogany with ebony fingerboards. The bridges are ebony and have custom made L.R. Baggs pickups under their saddles and a custom Baggs stereo preamp is incorporated into the body. 'Slider' controls were been added so that the balance between the pickups can be controlled.
