The harp guitar (or "harp-guitar") is a stringed instrument with a history of well over two centuries. While there are several unrelated historical stringed instruments that have appropriated the name “harp-guitar” over the centuries, the term today is understood as the accepted vernacular to refer to a particular family of instruments defined as "A guitar, in any of its accepted forms, with any number of additional unstopped strings that can accommodate individual plucking."[1] Additionally, in reference to these instruments, the word "harp" is now a specific reference to the unstopped open strings, and is not specifically a reference to the tone, pitch range, volume, silhouette similarity, construction, floor-standing ability, nor any other alleged "harp-like" properties. To qualify in this category, an instrument must have at least one unfretted string lying off the main fretboard. Further, the unfretted strings can be, and typically are, played as an open string.
This family consists of an almost limitless variety of different instrument configurations. Most readily identified are American harp guitars with either hollow arms, double necks or harp-like frames for supporting extra bass strings, and European bass guitars (or kontragitarres). Other harp guitars feature treble or mid-range floating strings, or various combinations of multiple floating string banks along with a standard guitar neck.
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While most players of harp guitars play on acoustic instruments, also a few of them work with electric instruments. Notable artists playing electric are Tim Donahue, Michael Hedges. American musician William Eaton both designs and plays electric harp guitar and is considered one of the worlds great designers/builders of unique guitars.[2] The Japanese noise band Solmania built their own harp guitars. Yuri Landman has built a 17 string electric harp guitar for Finn Andrews of The Veils.[3] The instrument has an additional movable bridge on the harp section allowing to pitch the harp section higher or lower.
Historical harp guitar players include the great Italian virtuosi Pasquale Taraffo (1887–1937),[4] Mario Maccaferri, and Luigi Mozzani. Viennese and French virtuosos who often played instruments with extra, floating bass strings include Carulli, Coste, Giuliani, Mertz, Padovec and Sor.[5]
Andy McKee also plays a Harp Guitar in a few of his songs, such as "Into The Ocean." and also Antoine Dufour in songs, such as "Paroxysm".
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Harp_guitars Harp guitar] at Wikimedia Commons
[5] William Eaton website and information.
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