I haven’t made any “New Year’s Resolutions” for ages, so I’m not gonna start now…I just do what I can, when I can, and seem to manage.
Still, I admit that I’m way behind on some things on the site, one of which is getting all the new harp guitar builders, or at least their instruments, added to the site. There are tons!
Not to be unfair to all those queued up…I was reminded of this task – a fun part of the site, to be sure – with the first new harp guitar of the year, images of which I received today via Stephen Bennett.
Stephen owns a baritone guitar by Canadian luthier Tony Karol, and Tony just finished his first HG – a kind of ultra-modern Knutsen design. Points-a-plenty, and biased scale to boot!
Responding to my queries, Tony wrote:
“Right now it’s for me to take to shows and exhibits, but the next one is already in the works – different woods, slightly different cutaway and harp head attachment. This one will be for sale though. It’s pretty much a Dyer, although I altered the bracing scheme somewhat, and really liked the Knutsen lower bout point – it was the perfect spot for an armrest. I named it the Belair, in ref to the 57 Chevy! I also made the arm slightly lower in ref to the neck, so that I could get the design from a 10 inch wide top half. This will be a regular custom guitar available from me – I have been procuring wood sets and tops for a couple years now. It just took me too long to get this first one done! But I am loving it, as well as trying to learn some of Stephen’s pieces …”
Thanks, Tony – we’ll definitely add you to the rapidly growing Luthier page, and your new design to the Form 3 Gallery…I just gotta get the other couple dozen new instruments up first!
oops almost forgot Gregg .. “its got points a plenty” – love it !!!!
Hi all,
thanks for the kind words ..
Carter, yes plan to make ti down one of these times – I do have students on Monday nights so it complicates things a bit, but for sure. Or we can make some other plans if you are up Mississauga way.
Stephen .. love to have you check it out sometime as well ….
Ken – I think we have met in Montreal at the MGS, drop around this year and say Hi !!! … I will have it there unless it sells before then .. then you have to wait for the new one !!! Probably wont be done in time for that – like Stephen says, the orders come first, and I have a 6/12 double neck acoustic to do this year on top a few others …
Hey Tony bring it down to SOFGA one of these days. I’d love to take it for a test drive!
This is gorgeous. And I love the design. I got to play Bob Hartman’s ’06 Model 3 at HG8 and I loved how functional the point is for those of us who sit classical style-it fits right around your leg, no footstool required. And the bevel is a great idea-since most of us who play these things are old farts, ergonomics are vital.
I’ve just been busting at the seams to talk about this guitar but I’ve been waiting for Tony to break cover first. I have to take some of the blame for Tony not finishing this guitar sooner. I was literally minutes away from committing to this build when Gregg listed the Noble that I have now. At the time the two guitars would have been about the same price, (including exchange, shipping and brokerage) but Tony’s would have been 8 to 10 months away. The Noble on the other hand was only five days away. Five very long days mind you…
So, as all you luthiers know, paid orders get priority and personal instruments get worked on only when you can steal a few minutes.
I’m very glad to see Tony has finished this one. I’ll have to start dropping hints to Linda now if I want one in time for next Christmas… Bahahahaha