Electric harp guitars?

[Spence]

I have seen quite a few acoustic harp gutiars, although they are rare and expensive they are out there

however i have not really seen any electric ones, do they exist at all and if so where can i find them?

 

[Explorer]

Avoiding the fact that you should have used Google, here is a result I found using "electric harp guitar" as my first search term.

Harp Guitar Makers and Restorers

I'm mildly curious as to how you found SS.org, if the path here didn't start with a search engine leading you to a site at some point.

On the plus side, you didn't start asking if anyone made one of these for mess than $2k US. At least you don't have unrealistic expectations....

 

[MetalBuddah]

Whoa! those look sick as shit

 

[Holy Katana]

Yuri Landman makes one. http://www.hypercustom.com/burner.html

It also has a third bridge on the harp strings, so you can create weird overtones with it, a la his most famous instrument, the Moodswinger.

EDIT: Ah, apparently he doesn't make his custom stuff anymore because he's too busy doing workshops. At his workshops, you learn how to make various experimental stringed instruments, although not as nice-looking as his custom ones. Actually, they're kind of fugly, since they aren't really carved or anything, and aren't finished.

 

[UnderTheSign]

I was going to post Yuri's stuff too... Complete bummer he stopped doing his full builds. I've always wanted to try one.

 

[Tom Drinkwater]

Here is a good option for regular harp guitars.

Holloway Online Store

I know a guy who plays one and he loves it. Had to get a tiny bit of set up work done but nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[yingmin]

They really need to work on their site.

So all of their guitars are sold out...

But they're in stock and you should order today, except that you can't because the button you'd normally click on to buy one says that they're sold out.

 

[Zei]

^

Needless to say, I want one.

 

[transperformanc]

midi and peizo

 

[Hollowway]

Harp Guitar Makers and Restorers
.

Some of the guitars shown on there are pretty cool from a design perspective, but some are just butt ugly. The conjoined twins looking ones are going to give me nightmares for a week.

 

[Explorer]

Honestly, since getting my 8-string, harp guitars have held no appeal for me. The fact that I've essentially added 10 low notes to my guitar (when I'm using full fifths) means I don't need 10 open strings alongside my neck.

Adding those open strings won't magically make your music more interesting, so if you're interested in a harp guitar, go with a less expensive variant of the idea, something with more than 6 strings in eiher electric or acoustic, and use those lower strings just as open strings. See what you do with it. If you see how you can expand with more open strings, then you can consider the $4kUS to get those open strings.

A 9- or 10-string from Rondo will cost you $1200US or less.

 

[Tim Donahue]

Hello All, Tim Donahue here-

I came across this cool forum and thought I'd pass along some info about my electric harp guitars.
I've actually been playing electric MIDI harp guitars that I designed & built over 25 years ago,
and they've been the basis for most of my work. So I'm happy to announce they are now in production!

A quick plug:
One can hear the production TD Harp Guitar in this new vid of myself and drummer on V-Drums.

For those interested:
Info on my harp guitars and playing technique can be found here.

Our first 2012 production run has just been finished, and our newest models can be viewed on this page.
If you search around the site, you'll find lots of info on these instruments, other TD/HG players and my career in general.

Best to all from Japan!
Tim Donahue

 

[ElRay]

On the plus side, you didn't start asking if anyone made one of these for mess than $2k US. At least you don't have unrealistic expectations....

Wait, I can get a 6-string for $99. There's no reason I shouldn't be able to get a 24-string electric harp guitar for about $400. Those damn luthiers are taking advantage of our desire for non-standard, non-mass produced, quality goods and are ripping us off.

Ray

 

[Al NiCotin]

Tim Donahue is in da house?

WOW welcome

 

[Tim Donahue]

Many thanks Al!