Autoharp build

[Tim Fischer]

Hi all - new member here, jumping back into woodworking after a few years off.

I finished up this autoharp a couple weeks ago. The plans are freely downloadable from MusicMakers (www.harpkit.com (http://www.harpkit.com)), they call it the 'Autochord'. MusicMakers also sells a complete hardware kit which contains all the non-wood things you need for the build (tuning pins, strings, etc etc). I built the plans pretty much as designed, with some minor tweaks.

This was a really fun build and went together pretty smoothly. I used white ash for the frame and chord bar buttons, and walnut for the chord bars and covers for a contrasting look. I had both woods available in my "scrap pile" from prior projects. The sound board is cedar, and the bottom is some laminated birch I had on hand. Most of the woods were in my scrap pile so my overall cost was pretty low.

I was pretty happy how it turned out, and it sounds decent too. Now I have to lean how to play it well http://www.bt3central.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

If you're interested in a lot more pictures, including lots of "in progress" photos use the following link (you don't have to have a Facebook sign-in to view it).

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10203090924981254.1073741860.1450070609&type=1&l=1b1bb75ec1

-Tim

[John Coloccia]

I'd never heard of an autoharp. It's very similar to a pianoette.

[george wilson]

The only autoharp I ever built was a copy of the "Baby Grand" autoharp from the turn of the century. There was a picture of it in an old catalog. It had a nicely designed ogee curve at the top,which culminated in a violin type scroll. I made it for the Stoneman Family,a well known folk group in the 60's.

It had a spruce top and curly maple body. The original cost a lot more than an ordinary auto harp. IIRC,it was $150.00 in the old catalog. But it has been a very long time and I could be wrong,as that could buy a piano back then. I have a poor Polaroid picture of it somewhere,which might not even scan,IF I could even find it.

[Julie Moriarty]

It's beautiful Tim! Can you play it too?

I think the autoharp is not a harp but a zither and is actually a corded zither. George, you'd probably know.

[Duane Meadows]

It's beautiful Tim! Can you play it too?

I think the autoharp is not a harp but a zither and is actually a corded zither. George, you'd probably know.

Yes Julie, you are correct. It is indeed a chorded zither!

I also would like to hear it played, Tim.

[Ted Calver]

My mother had one. I spent hours trying to play the 'Third Man' theme.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2oEsWi88Qv0

[Tim Fischer]

I'm still working on learning to play it :) It's obviously not hard to play chords, after all that's the 'auto' part, but there's definitely a technique if you want to do something interesting :)

Lots of videos on youtube of accomplished people playing autoharps if anyone's interested. I chose to build it more for the challenge than because I really *needed* an autoharp... but it will be a fun addition to my instrument collection nonetheless.

[Sotos Patistas]

I've always like the use of the autoharp in this song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=okkJMpZ9eTU
FWLIW, I think Crosby's (David, not Bing) singing was never better than in this song. Recorded at Wally Heider Studios on Hyde St in San Francisco where a number of landmark albums of the day were recorded.

[Julie Moriarty]

I'm still working on learning to play it :) It's obviously not hard to play chords...

I've only seen one live show with an autoharp but I was impressed by the skill level. I thought it looked VERY difficult to play. This video doesn't change that impression:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbKApkQe2Jk


But until I saw your build Tim, I had always thought its origins were primarily from CW and Folk music. If you have any pics of the build, please share them! :D

[george wilson]

I don't know if chorded zither is the correct term. I think it is rather a hybrid instrument made primarily for easily playing chords.

A zither has a guitar type fingerboard that you press the strings down from above on. The harp of strings are played to accompany the melody that is being played on the fingerboard. Have you heard the "Third Man Theme". Played by Anton Karras(or close) in the movie "The Third Man". He gets rather jazzy on it,though I don't know if that is the correct term. I don't mean that he plays jazz. He puts an awful lot of excessive vibrato in the music at times. Gets very emotional sounding.

I wish I could find just the music sound track to listen to.

Being an ethnic German style of instrument,years ago in the Pa. flea markets,I could have bought the most beautiful and expensive zithers for $75.00. Made of rosewood. Beautiful work. I wish I had picked one up.

This guy came to my house years ago. He had a multiple string guitar of minimalist style. He played it by the touch technique,whereby he made notes by quickly pushing down the strings from above with both hands. No plucking. He sounded just like a piano player,and could certainly play complex music using both hands to make notes at the same time. Bill Webster (Bill?) "invented" the touch technique back in the 50's. He was a demonstrator for Gretsch guitars. I doubt he really invented the technique. Just exposed the public to it more than anyone previously. He also kept inventing gadgets to incorporate into Gretsch guitars. Most were useless. He invented the string mutes(Just use your palm,for Pete's sake!!!!),that crazy "Tuning Fork" thing that was supposed to increase sustain(It killed the bass,though),split pickups for stereo guitar,and some other things that might have been better off left off the guitars.

[Shawn Pixley]

I found an autoharp at a garage sale for 5 bucks a while back. I need to pull it out and play around for a while.

[Bradley Gray]

Here's an arch top autoharp I built in circa 1980. Spruce top, beech pin block, mahogany sides and mahogany veneered ply for the back. I also made about a dozen extra chord bars so the player could change them out.
288525

[Tim Fischer]

If you have any pics of the build, please share them! :D

There's a link to a gallery of build pics in my original post.

-Tim

[Donie Bredin]

Hi all - new member here, jumping back into woodworking after a few years off.

I finished up this autoharp a couple weeks ago. The plans are freely downloadable from MusicMakers (www.harpkit.com (http://www.harpkit.com)), they call it the 'Autochord'. MusicMakers also sells a complete hardware kit which contains all the non-wood things you need for the build (tuning pins, strings, etc etc). I built the plans pretty much as designed, with some minor tweaks.

This was a really fun build and went together pretty smoothly. I used white ash for the frame and chord bar buttons, and walnut for the chord bars and covers for a contrasting look. I had both woods available in my "scrap pile" from prior projects. The sound board is cedar, and the bottom is some laminated birch I had on hand. Most of the woods were in my scrap pile so my overall cost was pretty low.

I was pretty happy how it turned out, and it sounds decent too. Now I have to lean how to play it well http://www.bt3central.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

If you're interested in a lot more pictures, including lots of "in progress" photos use the following link (you don't have to have a Facebook sign-in to view it).

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10203090924981254.1073741860.1450070609&type=1&l=1b1bb75ec1

-Tim
Tim, can you give any info on how you got such a beutifull finish, I am thinking of having a go at building one , but I know from past experience that the secret is to get a great finish in the end .

Donie Bredin
Ireland

[Donie Bredin]

Tim, can you give any info on how you got such a nice finish,

Donie Bredin

[Ken Aucremanne]

I've only seen one live show with an autoharp but I was impressed by the skill level. I thought it looked VERY difficult to play. This video doesn't change that impression:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbKApkQe2Jk


But until I saw your build Tim, I had always thought its origins were primarily from CW and Folk music. If you have any pics of the build, please share them! :D

Wow, my only experience with the instrument was my elementary school teacher strumming really slow chords and singing along with way too much vibrato (as old ladies often do.) This changed my outlook on the instrument for sure. Nice find. And Tim, very nice build!