Knutsen Harp Guitar
This well known instrument is owned
by collector/musician/historian John Doan, and in fact, was the inspiration for
the now infamous Sullivan-Elliott style 20-string harp guitar.
It is the only known Knutsen harp guitar with Brazilian rosewood back and sides!
It is also one of the fanciest models known - with the white binding on the bass
headstock, the unique inlay shape at the junction (only two other Symphony harp
guitars feature this), and the full set of 18 courses. It also has inlaid wood single
stripes on the sides.
Note the slight "kink" near the top of the bass arm (as in the
previous HGT28)- otherwise fairly
uniform in all the other Symphony models.
Note also the unique transitional neck joint - not exactly a heel, but a bulge!
Click on a picture to
enlarge
(top row copyright Gregg Miner, bottom row copyright Kerry Char)
Knutsen Archives Inventory Number |
HGT15 |
|
Category |
Tacoma Harp Guitars (Port Townsend built) |
|
Body Style |
"Symphony" |
|
Current or last known owner |
John Doan > Brent Bunker > John Doan |
|
Year (approx) |
1898-1899 |
|
Label |
"The One-Arm Harp Guitar. Patented United States, England and Canada. Infringements will be prosecuted to the fullest extant." |
|
Label Code | PT5 | |
Courses / Strings |
18 course: 6 strings on neck, 5 bass, 7 treble |
|
Frets |
straight |
|
Scale length | 25-1/2" | |
Neck Joint | heel bulge | |
Woods |
Top |
spruce |
Back & Sides |
Brazilian rosewood |
|
Neck |
mahogany |
|
Fingerboard |
Brazilian rosewood | |
Bridge |
dyed oak | |
Headstock veneer | none | |
Binding, trim |
Top |
multi-colored wood, ivoroid |
Back |
ivorioid | |
Fingerboard |
ivoroid | |
Headstock(s) |
bass: ivoroid | |
Soundhole | 3 wood rings (1 multi-colored) | |
Inlay |
fancy pearl fret markers | |
Pickguard |
none |
|
Comments |
Individual bridge saddles non-original |
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