Knutsen Harp Guitar    

This second instrument from the 1914 Los Angeles postcard of the Versatile Harmony Four fascinates me.
It looks very similar to my late-Seattle era all-koa guitar (HGS1) - but as if played by a midget. So I methodically did some size comparisons. First I superimposed over the postcard scaled images of my mandolin and koa guitar (from my original to-scale CD photograph).  Assuming the mandolins are the same size, the guitars are very different. Then I scaled the two harp guitars so that the scale lengths match - erring on the cautious side (and factoring in that the other instrument is tilted back a bit) - and again, the postcard guitar is clearly HUGE. 
I'd LOVE to find this one.

hgs24.jpg (61228 bytes) hgs24fullcomparison.jpg (24578 bytes) hgs24comparison.jpg (19683 bytes)

Click on a picture to enlarge
(images copyright Gregg Miner)

Knutsen Archives Inventory Number

HGS24

                 Category

Seattle Harp Guitars

                 Body Style

"Lower Bass Point"

                 Current or last known owner

Eddie Newton

              Year (approx)

1912-1913

                 Label

unknown

                 Courses / Strings

11 course?: 6 strings on neck, 5 bass?

               Frets

straight

                 Scale length unknown
                 Neck Joint unknown

Woods

Top

unknown

Back & Sides

unknown

Neck

unknown

Fingerboard

unknown

Bridge

unknown
Headstock veneer unknown

Binding, trim

Top

hard to identify

Back

unknown

Fingerboard

hard to identify

Headstock(s)

unknown
Soundhole hard to identify

                 Inlay

fancy fret markers

                 Pickguard

none

                 Comments

Pictured on postcard of the Versatile Harmony Four.

 

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