Organology: Harp Guitar "Relatives" Note to the casual reader or researcher: This Reference Gallery features historical instruments that are not harp guitars, but “relatives” or distant “cousins” – presented on Harpguitars.net for historical and organological comparison.
Multi-neck Guitars Not to be confused with harp guitars, as there are no unstopped strings. Includes double or multi-neck guitars, where each neck is fully fretted and capable of standard playing. See bottom of page for image copyright information |
Ward "Harpo-Guitaret," 1898, Pat #613,540 | Levin, 1897, guitar-mandolin dbl-neck, Pat #D28,061 | Levin guitar-mandolin | Englund, 1899, guitar-mandolin dbl-neck (with sympathetic strings), Pat #616,908 |
Lindemann,
1891, Pat #8918 3 of the 8 strings are underneath the fingerboard on a second fretted (with the thumb!) "neck." |
Pribyl,
Prague, 1923, Patent # 1,472,991 Almost identical to Lindemann's; 4 of the 8 strings run over a fingerboard on the back of the neck. |
This
was a standard Washburn guitar that mechanical genius Demain Woods turned into a multi-stringed, multi-fretted,
mechanically-actuated one-man-band, ca. 1906. Even more astounding - the instrument survived, and sold on
eBay on June, 2004! All the various strings appear to have been mechanically
fretted - it's hard to tell from the pile of spare parts that came with it!
I think that the strings beneath that long decorative cover have
their own reverse fretboard, rather like the two previous patents - so I
believe it qualifies as a "multi-neck" rather than as a true harp guitar. (see the tuxedoed Mr. Woods with the instrument in Iconography). |
Nonfri "Improved Combined Guitar and Mandolin," 1916, Pat #1,188,983 | Montfort,
1927, U.S. Pat #D72,433 octave mandola- guitar-mandolin |
Köthe, Bayreuth, 1927 Patent # 445,860 |
Cavicchioli, New York, 1931 Patent # 1,828,315 |
Nova Scotia, c.1930 (?) | Richardson,
U.K., 1934 Patent # 403,822 |
Rosler, Germany, 1956 Patent # 945,899 |
Cogdell electric triple-neck guitar-mandolin, 1959, Pat #D186,688 |
Dawson electric guitar & mandolin double-neck, 1971, Pat #D224,841 |
Ezaki, Japan, 1972 Patent # 3,636,809 |
Pelensky, Philadelphia, 1972 Patent # 3,392,618 |
Salomao,
Brazil, 1986, Pat # BR8501179A |
Artru, 1990, Patent# 2,643,182 |
Andy Manson Triple-neck instrument he made for Led Zeppelin's John Paul Jones. |
Fred
Carlson Todd Green, who commissioned this piece, usually plays the long neck basses open. Thus, he plays it in the manner of a harp guitar, though it is technically (and can be used as) a multi-neck guitar. |
Steve
Klein All strings are fully fretted. |
Hamer An example that there is no limit to the number of necks a guitar can have. |
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