Knutsen Harp Hawaiian Convertible Guitar    

This guitar is not yet playable, but I attempted to set it up for the normal "Spanish-style" playing option. The neck joint is exactly the same as the original "Weissenborn-shaped" convertible guitars introduced in the book by Noe & Most (heel scooped completely out, with two small "L" brackets). But instead of the adjustable connecting bracket at this joint, these instruments are adjusted at the peghead (Knutsen's mandolins and ukuleles of this period have this same bracket also, serving the same function as today's under-the-fingerboard truss rod). I've pictured the wing-nut secured bracket joining the two necks, and the original low ebony nut. Besides the low nut, the neck has raised metal frets all the way up to the end - so this instrument was indeed intended to be played in either convertible configuration. However, with the solid fretboard serving as a hinge, the neck is pretty lumpy - especially down at that 14th fret! The frets are quite uncomfortable also - so I wonder what the players of this instrument really used it for. As an acoustic lap steel, the bass arm doesn't get too much in the way (well, at least no more so than the hollow neck harp Hawaiians), but it won't lay flat in your lap very easily!

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(images copyright Gregg Miner)

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