Knutsen Guitars: A Look Inside |
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by Gregg Miner, as part of |
One of the interesting, much-discussed, but little-explored topics of Knutsen's instruments are the bracing systems he used on his many instruments. Like other features of these instruments, the bracing patterns were constantly evolving, the braces themselves of varying, seemingly random degrees of quality. Rather than trying to explain bracing patterns like "modified-fan" or "ladder," I believe a picture is worth a thousand words - especially in Knutsen's case!
Of course, to obtain the pictures, one needs to remove the back of the instrument - but as this seems to be a somewhat frequent necessity for repairing Knutsen instruments, we should find quite a few to examine! I am arranging those available in roughly chronological order, to look for any transitional features. Luthiers and repairpersons will undoubtedly have far better observations on these images than I, so please share your thoughts (and please send in your images of disassembled instruments). As usual, the thumbnails expand to only a page high or so (web space rapidly fills up!) - if anyone requires large, high-resolution images for study, just ask.
Harp Guitars
Note: Without removing the fingerboard, it may be impossible to tell if those neck joints with heels are indeed dovetailed.
HGP6 (Dan Most called this top "light ladder bracing" - intended for gut strings) |
HGP7 (DM: "light ladder bracing") |
HGP21 |
(images copyright Kerry Char) |
(images from eBay) |
Hawaiian Guitars & other instruments
Here are all the types of bracing Dan Most and Tom Noe refer to in their
book, along with list of instruments with that form.
Terms in quotes are theirs. Likewise, the presumed intended strings are their
deductions.
There is now hard evidence that steel strings were offered as an option on
certain American guitars in 1890.
Top bracing |
Presumably for: |
Inv # |
Style |
Noe/ |
|
Top bracing |
Presumably for: |
Inv # |
Style |
Noe/ |
|
Top bracing |
Presumably for: |
Inv # |
Style |
Noe/ |
"light ladder"
|
"gut strings"
|
HGP2 |
1896 Patent-style |
20 |
"modified fan"
|
"steel (though actually weaker than X)"
|
HGT3 |
Symphony |
28 |
"ladder"
|
"steel"
|
HCW1 |
Hawaiian Weissenborn-shaped Convertible |
52 |
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HGP6 |
1898 Patent-style, no basses |
21L |
HGT4 |
Symphony |
31 |
HCW2 |
Hawaiian Weissenborn-shaped Convertible | 56 | ||||||||
HGP7 |
1898 Patent-style, 3 basses |
22 |
HGT5 |
Symphony |
33 |
HCS1 |
Hawaiian Spanish-shaped Convertible |
58 |
||||||||
"X" |
"possibly to accommodate steel" |
HGP5 |
1898 Patent-style, no basses |
21L |
HGT6 |
Evolving Symphony |
34 |
HHW2 |
Harp-Hawaiian Weissenborn-shaped |
103 |
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HGT8 |
Evolving Symphony |
36 |
HHW3 |
Harp-Hawaiian Weissenborn-shaped |
107 |
|||||||||||
HGT9 |
Evolving Symphony |
37 |
HCP11 |
Harp Hawaiian Upper Treble Point Convertible |
108 |
|||||||||||
HGS2 |
Lower Bass Point, Short Arm |
49 |
HCW3 |
Hawaiian Weissenborn-shaped Convertible |
110 |
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HGS3 |
Lower Bass Point |
50 |
HW2 |
Hawaiian Weissenborn-shaped |
113 |
|||||||||||
HGS5 |
Lower Bass Point |
69 |
HW3 |
Hawaiian Weissenborn-shaped |
114 | |||||||||||
HGS6 |
Lower Bass Point |
70 |
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HGS7 |
Lower Bass Point |
71 |
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HGS9 |
Lower Bass Point |
76 |
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HGS10 |
Lower Bass Point, Short Arm |
78 |
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HW1 |
Hawaiian Weissenborn-shaped Tenor |
105 |
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