Telecaster Harp Guitar

A while ago, I made a harp guitar that was just to unwieldy and I never used it. Over the past year, I decided to rebuild it completely. I'm really happy with the results.

It started out like this:
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/rockndrtom/harpguitarfinale.jpg

and now it looks like this:
http://i525.photobucket.com/albums/cc331/rockndrtom/Harpguitar%20revisited/100_2652.jpg

I documented the rebuild on another forum (didn't think anyone here would be interested). You can see it at: http://www.jpfolks.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/845289/page/1#Post845289

For all those that want to hear, I also just finished uploaded an audio demonstration. Plugged the harp guitar and a cheap vocal mike directly into the computer, used Audacity for the first time, and winged it. ENJOY!
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10126475

Don't listen too closely at the Bmin chord which sounds slightly out of tune....

Cool!

RocknDrNick ???

http://media.nowpublic.net/images//50/4/504d4a0176d8fb5e425395999be0c8aa.jpg

How much impact does being a solid body have on the harp part? Do you pluck it or is it just sympathetic vibrations causing the strings to vibrate?

That is pretty cool!

...oh my, I have enough trouble with 6 strings. ;)

Good call on the rebuild.....AND the beard!

Nice!! I like both versions of it.

How much impact does being a solid body have on the harp part? Do you pluck it or is it just sympathetic vibrations causing the strings to vibrate?

It's actually hollowed out - mainly to make the instrument lighter. To play it properly, you pluck the strings.

Dr Tom,

What kind of acoustic pickup did you use at the bridge, and can you give photos of how you installed it? I loved that sound. I don't expect to ever play one of these harp guitars, but the bass notes certainly did add to the music.

Mike

Dr Tom,

What kind of acoustic pickup did you use at the bridge, and can you give photos of how you installed it? I loved that sound. I don't expect to ever play one of these harp guitars, but the bass notes certainly did add to the music.

Mike

I gutted a Peavey guitar. Got it cheap from Musician's Friend clearance section. It looked kind of like a white tele, and I never got used to the feel of the instrument. I ended up using the electronics from the Peavey in the guitar side of the instrument. I also replaced the stock Peavey humbuckers with (neck) GFS vintage split Fender pickup, and (bridge) GFS Dream 180.
The bass/harp strings use a telecaster bridge pickup screwed right into the body. The angle of the pickup was straightened out a bit to line up with the slightly wider string spacing.

That is real cool,I'm with NYbill I have a tough time with 6 strings

I gutted a Peavey guitar. Got it cheap from Musician's Friend clearance section. It looked kind of like a white tele, and I never got used to the feel of the instrument. I ended up using the electronics from the Peavey in the guitar side of the instrument. I also replaced the stock Peavey humbuckers with (neck) GFS vintage split Fender pickup, and (bridge) GFS Dream 180.
The bass/harp strings use a telecaster bridge pickup screwed right into the body. The angle of the pickup was straightened out a bit to line up with the slightly wider string spacing.

DrTom in the clip you demonstrated what you called an acoustic pickup. Is that the bridge GFS 180?

Mike

Turmite - what I call the acoustic pickup is built into the saddles of the bridge. Each saddle has a wire that goes to a PCB inside the electronic cavity. I call the dream 180 the "bridge pickup" and the split fender the "neck" pickup. I hope that helps. Keep in mind that you are also hearing the instrument plugged directly into the computer. The electric pickups were really designed to be played thru a guitar amp. Maybe one day I'll get to do some serious recording and perform with this one.