Mission Statement
To collect, document, research, organize and share information on all known stringed instruments of pioneering inventor Chris J. Knutsen.
This site is dedicated to the memory of Dan Most, the world’s foremost "Knutsenologist." |
Acknowledgments
The Knutsen Archives was conceived and is maintained by Gregg
Miner.
All text, notes and comments are mine, except where noted.
All images are copyright Miner Music, except where noted (in most
cases, images have been Photoshop-enhanced or cleaned up for presentation
purposes).
The impetus to start this site was manifold:
The wealth of great instruments not originally included in the Noe/Most book;
the proliferation of newly discovered instruments (and the sharing of those
finds); and the recent research and enthusiasm of Knutsen family relative Jean
Cammon Findlay.
Much of the material on this site is only possible due to the previous
research of Dan Most and Tom Noe, presented in their groundbreaking work, From
Harp Guitars to the New Hawaiian Family: Chris J. Knutsen. This
book should be considered a prerequisite before exploring this site.
PLEASE SUPPORT THIS FREE
NON-COMMERCIAL SITE! |
Special thanks to:
Jean Cammon Findlay; for constant support, feedback, and new articles and
family trees
specifically for The Knutsen Archives.
Tom Noe; for his many emails and phone calls, for permission to reprint many of
his images, and for allowing me to "carry the torch."
Kerry Char; for constant input and help through the years, and for handling the
"Knutsen Northwest" area for me.
Ben Elder; for sharing his huge, carefully tended files of Knutsen material.
Bob Hartman for allowing me access to his original photographs, both from his
books and personal.
Ron Middlebrook of Centerstream publications for permission to reproduce images
from Hartman’s books.
The Jefferson County Historical Society of Port Townsend for permission to reproduce images from their
archives.
Don Adams for inspiration and ideas.
Jonathan Kellerman for access to his wonderful collection.
Chris Wilhelm of Ketchikan, Alaska, for many images, suggestions and
proof-reading.
Allan Alexander of Guitar
& Lute for permission to use the "spruce-top" background used
for much of the site.
John & Jeanette Detlor for generously sharing their Anderson family
history and personal mementos with us.
Linda Cameron, for sharing her family photographs and stories.
Darrell Urbien, indispensable Knutsenologist-at-large.
And thanks to the following who have sent in either photos, information, leads, or other trivia; or granted permission to use their images:
Robin Amend Robert Armstrong Roma Baran Richard "Rufie" Barnes Lee Baucum Stephen Bennett Tom Benson Drew Berlin at Hollywood Vintage Collection John Bernunzio at Bernunzio Vintage Instruments Peter Blecha Flip Breskin Bob Brozman Forrest Buckman Brent Bunker John Bushouse Joe Caliguri Larry Carlson Jeff Carr Don Caviness Francois Charle Ellen Chase / Claremont Folk Music Center Glenn Cornick William Cox Kathryn Crawford David Crummey Chris Darrow Gary Davidson D.J. Dawson Randy DeGiovanni Thomas Delago Mike Dempsey Brent Dickerson John Doan Mike Doolin at Doolin Guitars Ed Douglas Michael Dunn Kirsti Scutt Edwards and staff at the Experience Music Project, Seattle Peter Edwards Kevin Fairfield at Boogie Man Music Chuck Fayne Michael Ferrucci Kenneth Fleegle Flower Pentecostal Heritage Center Kirk Francis Alan & Rachelle Frazier Randy Freedman Frets.co.uk George Fullwood Gregory Furse Patrick Gaffney at Relics Fine Guitar Collection Joe Giacoio Harold Gilliam Clint Gilmore Sid Glickman Roy Graves Stefan Grossman Guitarville Mike Guthrie Dale Hale Dan Harris Aurelia Hartenburger Heritage Department of the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel Duane Hoffmann Jeff Hollingsworth Michael Holmes of Mugwumps Online Paul Hostettor Leonard Coulson & Kennard Machol at Intermountain Guitar & Banjo Buster Jeremiah Philip Jodouin John Joyner Steve Keim Bob Kelly John King Randy Klimpert Layton Knopf Bob Krueger Brian KLYM Dennis Lake Rich Lanham Andrew Lardner |
John Lathey Ben Levin at Real Guitars Lowell Levinger at Vintage Instruments Hans Lorenz Brett Lovin Stephen Lucas Luca Lund Mike Marken Ernest Marquez Dave McCord Colin McCubbin Ian McLatchie Thomas McLeod Rob Meinhardt Benoît Meulle-Stef Craig Miller at Acoustic Disc Bryan Minner Donatella Moores Tim Murphy Jim Myers Museum & Arts Center in the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Museum of Making Music, Carlsbad, CA Kelvin Nesvog Greg Nunley at Mainstream Music Supply Tim O'Donnell Jon Peterson Ron Petit Phil Emerson at Phil's Guitars D. Pihlman Anthony Powell of Rex James Stanley Pryor John Reynolds of Golden Age Fretted Instruments Al Rice of the Fiske Museum Aaron Richards Ray Riepe John Roberts Andy Roth Marianne Roulet Paul Ruppa David Rusaw Neil Russell Peter Allan Sawchyn Gary Schireson Mark Schlipper Les Scigliano Larry Sears Arian Sheets Marc Silbur Michael Simmons Alex Sioris Tatiana Sizonenko Kurt Smith Ed Stander Don Stewart Richard Strell Bob Strum Koji.Sugiura Troy Summerhill Danl Terry Alex Timmerman Jim Tranquada Jeff Turner Darrell Urbien Dirk Vandenberg Søren Venema Joe Vinikow Katherine Vollenweider Ray Watson Richard Weber Josh Weisman Tanna Welch Brian Wetzstein. Doug Whittier Steve Wise Dan Wolf Dan Yablonka Russ Young |
Notes on questions of copyright:
Knutsen material is so rare and invaluable, that I might not always tread as
carefully as I otherwise would regarding the ownership of some images. In some
cases I have no way to locate the image owners. If anyone sees an image that
they feel may be a copyrighted image, please contact me to discuss.
Thanks!
Gregg Miner, Knutsenologist in Residence
Gregg Miner has been fascinated by
harp guitars in general since the early ‘70s, and Knutsens in
particular since he found his first one in 1988. As a collector with a
very limited budget, he was lucky enough to find his first six Knutsen
instruments locally within just a couple years. In the early 90's he met
fellow Knutsen fan, Dan Most, and the two enthusiastically searched for
all the instruments and information they could find (Dan, of course,
went on to publish with collector Tom Noe the unprecedented book devoted
to Knutsen). Miner’s other musical endeavors, including an entire museum of plucked stringed instruments and recordings made with a hundred of the instruments, can be seen on his personal web site, www.minermusic.com. His many non-musical interests, you just wouldn't believe. He spends his days incognito as a Northrop Grumman process engineer. |
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