My Current Harp Guitar Project

[Mike OMelia]

I have tons of pics, and things are further along. I am doing the binding right now, want to save that for later (pics). You can see where I have cut the first inlay channel (for purfling). The purfling is identical to the rosette material. It's all wood purfling, many many layers of dyed maple. The making of the purfling is a complex process of layering the veneers into a bar, cutting them into angled segments, regluing to form a new bar, then slicing into material suitable for inlay (and lots of heat pipe time).

[Chris Fournier]

I have tons of pics, and things are further along. I am doing the binding right now, want to save that for later (pics). You can see where I have cut the first inlay channel (for purfling). The purfling is identical to the rosette material. It's all wood purfling, many many layers of dyed maple. The making of the purfling is a complex process of layering the veneers into a bar, cutting them into angled segments, regluing to form a new bar, then slicing into material suitable for inlay (and lots of heat pipe time).

Looks great so far Mike!

[John Coloccia]

Shoot, that seems like a lot of work! I'd love to see more pictures.

[Mike OMelia]

Shoot, that seems like a lot of work! I'd love to see more pictures.

I'd be lying if I said it wasn't. But this is Number 2. I am still figuring things out. So I take my time and ponder my next move, much like playing chess. No doubt, fitting the harp peghead and block is by far the toughest thing. Here is a picture of Number 1. I know a lot of folks see a lot of different things when they see one of these for the first time (mickey mouse, freak of nature, ...) but all I see is sexy on a stick.

[clinton rich]

"Sexy on a stick"? What do you figure the bass string scale to be on that guitar? Or doesn't it matter being no frets and all. Clinton

[Mike OMelia]

Sorry, typo... sex on a stick (old southern expression). The bass strings are tuned sympathetically with whatever tuning on the six string. The possiblilities are really endless. If you would like to see and hear a good example (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VUGoyByLA).

[clinton rich]

Ok, but what is the length from the bridge to the bass string tuners? What gauges are you using on your bass strings?

Michael Hedges was truly a gifted artist.

I kinda like the typo over the old southern expression :)

[Mike OMelia]

Yeah, I guess when modern manufacturing began putting everything on sticks (apples, popsicles, ice cream, corn dogs, eg) it wasn't long till someone coined the expression "sex on a stick". But you get the point.

As for the length, I could measure it. But it is, for some reason, not a critical design issue. No frets sorta makes it so. I have wondered the same thing (why). One reason to get them as long as possible is that the lowest gauges are really hard to tighten. But I cannot remember the numbers. Only the first two might you ever find on a real 6 string, that much I recall.

see this here: http://www.harpguitarmusic.com/strings-steel.htm

Mike

[Josiah Bartlett]

Wow.

Are those compensated/fanned frets or is that just a lens effect?

You are right about the bass string length- although it does matter for tone and tension required on a given gauge string, it doesn't make a hoot of difference when there are not frets. Are you using steel or nylon/gut strings on that?

[Mike OMelia]

Just regular frets. The strings are steel. though I just noticed you can get nylon core.

[Michael James]

Sorry, typo... sex on a stick (old southern expression). The bass strings are tuned sympathetically with whatever tuning on the six string. The possiblilities are really endless. If you would like to see and hear a good example (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_VUGoyByLA).
Mike, looks like a great job going on there. Congratulations, and thanks for the Michael Hedges video/soundbyte.... now there was a freak of nature for you and what a beautiful one he was. Truly gifted man.

[Mike OMelia]

As much as I think the candy cane purfling looks really nice, It is not something I would have thought of myself. I am more of an Earth color type. In my mind, I am envisioning the same pattern, but in browns, blacks, whites, and as of now, the fourth color eludes me. Maybe someone here can suggest a good color.

[Mike OMelia]

Update: I been spending a little time in the carvers forum figuring out how to do the maple inlays below (in the harp peghead). You can read about that there if you wish to know more. I have included a picture of an original Dyer peghead.. inlay material then was that nitro-acetate stuff. Pre-plastics era stuff, still used today. You can also see that I finished the purfling inlay. The back of the guitar is fully bound, all that remains is to bind the top and some shellac, mabe some epoxy work on the peghead, a little color work on the purfling, and its read to spray!

Mike

[Mike OMelia]

Got the top bound. Still have trim work and sanding to do.

[Aaron Koehl]

I lived right down the street for many years from Stephen Bennett (www.harpguitar.com), a reknowned Harp Guitarist and all around great guy. What a beautiful instrument!

[Mike OMelia]

U so lucky! Stephen is a hero of mine. It was his very enthusiasm for the harp guitar that led me into guitar building. I really appreciate the fact that he answers emails!