For those not on Facebook, I’ve collated here the several posts from my own private page (this year I landed on the topic of “Surprises”). This is neither an “official” Harp Guitar Gathering report, nor a remotely complete list of concerts and sessions of the November 2025 event in Arkansas – just some of my key moments and takeaways. Enjoy!
Friends from HGG23 added many FB photos, occasionally tagging me. HERE’S a nice one. I’m trying out a stunning harp-ukulele built by Benoit Meulle-Stef (BMS Guitars) for our friend Trae Romano. His first attempt, so he went all out. Tenor scale, but LARGE instrument to fit a full SEVEN subs!
But now it’s time to start my series, so here is…
Surprise #1
This was late on Thursday night, when Mike Doolin told me he had “a surprise” for me.
Well, when he came back down to the lobby, the surprise was really for everyone – his latest jazz harp guitar, just finished and – like all hg luthiers – “strung up the night before his flight”!
Different from each before it, this time he wanted to try a true suitcase hollow-arm. His necks are already detachable, but he wanted to make the ARM removeable as well, so created his own ingenious mating system. Note that he’s a dedicated 7-string jazz guitar player, so always has an extra low string on his neck. For his HGs, he goes for overkill and adds more floating subs to the neck, as he can’t resist too much of a good thing!
So – the specific surprise for me?
Last year I had taken a long piece of trim wood from my new music office desk (below). We had moved this from a house second floor room built-in, and had the framing left over.
It has a stunning top, and I A) wanted the luthiers to try and ID it (quite difficult), and B) donate it to any builder brave enough to try and use it.
Mike answered both challenges! He determined (and we verified) that it was almost certainly “leopardwood,” a rare snakewood cousin. Taking it home in the overhead compartment, here he was a year later, having used it for the binding on the new build. Though stiff and very hard to work (the alternating bands are alternatingly super hard and soft to the file/sandpaper), he nevertheless ended with his usual flawless fit and finish…and the visual result is gorgeous against his maple back and sides!
He played a few spots during the weekend, and for our final open mic, he did a wonderful Jobim fingerstyle arrangement, and it gave me the idea to afterwards urge him to consider a Jobim compilation for a future recording project. PLEASE everyone send him the same request, so that he can’t refuse! Mike later wrote: “The Jobim tune I played was “A Felicidade”. The chorus roughly translates as ‘Sadness has no end, but Happiness does.’ Check out Gal Costa’s live version – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSgqD12njIY ”
Surprise #2
Actually, THIS was my very first surprise of the trip. SB had told us that Okada Okayan Hidenori had registered, coming all the way from Japan. This was to be a VERY special occasion as Hidenori (Hiden-san to his friends) was a close friend of Hirokatsu Takai, our dear friend that we lost in 2018 (Hidenori was with him when he suffered his ruptured brain aneurysm just as he left the stage after a performance).
Frank and I had just picked up our instruments in baggage claim Thursday and afternoon and were headed out to the shuttle stop when I spotted him, even without his trademark “stage persona” bandana (the giant flight case gave it away).
We caught up a bit on the wait, then ride, to the hotel, as Hidenori’s English – on his translator app – is excellent! We had long known that Hiro’s widow gifted his harp guitars to Hidenori and that he later commissioned a different, even wilder instrument from Benoit-Meulle-Stef, which he had with him. We’d seen many of his videos, now we would hear him right in front of us!
Right off the bat, Hidenori entered the Harp Guitar Championship for Friday night (the world’s first ever – more on this later) and promptly won Third Place! Over the weekend, he played some originals and several wonderful and complex Beatles arrangements that utilized all those strings you see on his unique instrument.
Striking a pose upon accepting his award from host Travis Bowman and Stephen Bennett.
During Muriel Anderson’s concert set, she invited him up to play an impromptu duet, which went over like gangbusters.
He, Frank, Trae, and I had some time to kill before our separate flights home. I asked him about Hiro and immediately Hidenori was scrolling through his phone photos, which were filled with images of the two of them going back AGES. I didn’t know that they were also childhood friends and so grew up together into adulthood with their guitars always present. They brought a tear to my eye, and I imagined a whole slide show he could do for us some year. I then asked him to pose with a couple shots just before I had to run down to my gate.
I heard before, during and after that he had a long miserable delayed and rescheduled series of flights, so was super relieved when he (and his instrument) made it home. On top of THAT he had received some terrible news Sunday night. Yesterday he posted a photo of the funeral, so I think it’s OK to share that his mother suddenly passed away, the timing being just terrible.
As our hearts go out to him in this difficult time, I can’t help thinking; perhaps his mom was like my own (yours too?) would’ve been in these circumstances – sending out a thought or prayer to Hidenori that he shouldn’t ever feel sorry; just proud and glad that he made the trip to conquer America and HGG23.
A wonderful photo of SB and Hiden-san
HGG23 Surprise #3
Make that 12 surprises!
That would be the twelve brave individuals who entered the world’s first ever Harp Guitar Competition! (Featured and some legacy performers were excluded.)
The event took place Friday night at Renown Music, where North Little Rock, Arkansas host Travis Bowman teaches (and another big round of applause for Brandon and Scott, who let us have the run of their store and space for two days!).
As at other contests (like Winfield, where Stephen Bennett historically won BOTH flatpicking and fingerstyle in different years), this was a blind contest. The audience (all HGG registrants) sat up close and watched each contestant perform, as the sound system was piped into another room where the judges used a complex set of rules and point system to fairly weight each performer.
After a first round of two tunes each, I think seven (?) made it back for another round of two tunes. And then…we held our collective breath.
A few of us later acknowledged that we had correctly predicted the three winners, but not their order (as each were SO different in style and technique).
Randall Sprinkle (center) won first place and first prize (a serious cash prize and other swag was awarded, btw). Dave Powell (at his left in tan shirt) won second, and as I mentioned in my previous post, newcomer Hidenori won third place. Brad Hoyt (left) and Rich Eberlen (right) were the two tied runners-up for 4th.
I was thrilled to see those last two in the final line-up, as Brad was initially hesitant, and I had only at the last minute personally urged Rich to enter, even though this was his first Gathering, and (like Mike Doolin) he had just finished building and getting familiar with his OWN custom instrument.
Randall holding his “major award” (way nicer than a leg lamp) with hosts Travis and SB.
Scotty Buford, our second HG national treasure from Australia, couldn’t resist one of his trademark cartoons (and hilariously witty news bulletin) on the way home:
After the prizes had all been awarded, the three champs were asked to play one last time (how each came up with yet a FIFTH showpiece, I have no idea).
You can find some videos of these players on their FB pages (or their fans’), and the Gathering page, so DO look them up if you’re interested. And for a more permanent memento, note that Randall, Dave and Brad appeared on our last CD compilation, “Clouds.”
https://greggminer.bandcamp.com/album/clouds
HGG23 Surprise #4
New (and new Old) Instruments!
As the organologist in the group, I’ve always looked forward to the Gatherings for what new treats the luthiers will bring, while always hoping for something historical and cool. This year did not disappoint!
I’ve shown you Mike Doolin’s surprise, along with Benoit’s first harp uke and the wild design he built for Hidenori that we all finally got to see (those latter two are also seen above alongside two of Ben’s past creations).
In older instruments, TWO of my own personal instruments (that I regretted selling) made a re-appearance. But the showpiece of the weekend was the surprise that my young polymath friend Andrew Mullane drove all the way from Denver (second image). I’d seen “Schenk-style” Mozzani lyra-chitarras before…but this one came with its original stand! A major find that I would kill to put front and center in my Euro HG bay, but can’t possibly afford (especially after Andrew completely his painstaking restoration). Everyone wanted to pose with it, a few played it, and we all thank Andrew for his generosity is making such an important find available to us. Lots of other details for all you budding collectors, builders, historians, organologists in the captions. Enjoy!
A very impressive BMS Guitars line-up. You don’t see THIS many at every Gathering!
An incredible treat for attendees of this year’s Gathering. The Mozzani chitarra-lyra was an early 20th century Cento (pronounced “CHEN-tow”) harp guitar that closely copied an original 1839 invention (and specifically, the design) of Friedrich Schenk of Vienna. Here’s an original: https://www.harpguitars.net/…/form3/schenck-stevens.jpg
Curiously, this design seemed to always be a smaller short-scale instrument.
Italian harp guitar virtuosos often placed their instruments on stands in either standing or seated position. This freed them up for playing and allowed the instruments to better resonate. Many claimed the hollow stands THEMSELVES helped amplify the sound for the audience. Here’s Federico Galimberti in 1924 with a full size Mozzani on a very similar stand: https://www.harpguitars.net/…/mozzani_gamberlini…
And from the back, during Andrew’s presentation. He also brought out his Larson-built Regal again. More on this in a bit.
Later in the weekend, Andrew did a short demo with it (you can see how small it is here)…
… before handing it off to Mark Farley who performed an elaborate Giuliani piece more appropriate for this instrument. Here’s a brief clip: https://www.facebook.com/mark.farley.3975/videos/3161400247370967
This is my long-time sub-bass string customer Rich Eberlen, who I finally got to meet in person. He brought along his latest “Harp Rail” project, here mounted onto the biscuit bridge of a resonator guitar (this is what I convinced him to enter the Competition on!). For more on Rich and his unique creations, see the 3-part Feature I did on him last July: https://www.harpguitars.net/players/month-player,7-25.htm
Rich showed me the latest improvement on his sharping levers: Teflon spacers between the individual fingers of a Spider Capo, and on the mounting plate, individual adjustment slots for each lever’s intonation. He’s a riot.
The one that got away (and I no longer have space for it!). I sold this to Ed Dowling, who made improvements on it (it sounds fantastic), and – now with too many instruments himself – he is also offering it for sale (and for less than he paid). It is a huge bargain and a fascinating piece of harp guitar history. It is the 1987 Walter Stanul 13-string Archguitar, formerly owned by Elliot Gibbons. While most archguitars (the instrument invented by Peter Blanchette) have no floating strings, Walter chose to extend and float the lowest two on this one. Ergo, I jumped on it when I saw it in an obscure guitar auction some years back. I happen to be not only a fan of Peter and his partners, but also Walter’s work. I also ended up creating the organology for these instruments, which I presented as an AMIS paper in 2019: https://www.harpguitars.net/…/a-short-history-of-the…
Anyway, it was nice to see it again. In fact, I couldn’t resist playing it for Sunday’s finale!
Another favorite that took me a long time to acquire, this is one of the very few rare Coulter harp guitars. After I had fellow Coulter owner John Riley make me a bone bass bridge (copied from his own), I strung it up…and searched for the best place to display back in my L.A. museum. Alas, the fascinating, unique, rare and wonderful instrument (note its NINE strings on the neck!) proved to be just too much of an “ugly duckling” – I could not find anywhere where it would fit among the more refined American harp guitars. And so, I reluctantly sold it to a fan and long-time customer, collector Reed Bennett of Texas. With the Gathering finally within driving distance, Reed drove it up to meet all of us and share his treasure. Needless to say, it made a hit! My Coulter research is here, if interested: https://www.harpguitars.net/history/coulter/coulter.htm
Back to Andrew’s Regal harp guitar…he brought it out to do an amazing Gypsy jazz duet in Sunday’s afternoon concert.
Prior to that, I had asked to use it as part of my talk. Before I got into my whole presentation I wanted to show it to the attendees – and now to you, too – with a reminder that THIS design (with that weird “neck slab sub-bass attachment” and super short bass strings) was America’s first production harp guitar. The Regal here was not that instrument, but as close as we have to the c.1885 Harwood made by Jenkins in Kansas City. That one had a more standard body size of about 15”-16” width. The Regal was then a re-vamped “last gasp” by the Wulschner Co in Indianapolis some dozen years later (c.1898). WHY they chose to go with that and not one of the more practical harp guitar designs of the last decade, no one knows. Just part of the endlessly fascinating history of these instruments. So, if any ever asks you, THIS was America’s first production harp guitar: https://www.harpguitars.net/…/Harwood,regalstyle2-miner…
For the full strange-but-true story, you might enjoy reading my book: https://issuu.com/…/floatingstringscatalogue-magcloud_f…
HGG23 Surprise #5
That would be Don Bartlett, from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
I knew the name, both from a couple things I’d seen on the web, and that he had bought sub-bass strings from me in the past (I had forgotten, he reminded me!). I did NOT know he was the New Kid on the HG Block, nor how much I would enjoy both his methodology and his playing.
It was host Travis Bowman’s idea to include Don, both for his exquisite playing, but more so for his unique harp guitar tuning and arranging method(s), which frankly, blew many of us away.
I’m singling Don out for these reasons, and for the fact that he was a first-time feature. This is not to ignore the featured player, the acoustic rock star himself, Antoine Dufour (an old favorite of mine), who made his own first-time Gathering appearance. Nor to discount other youngish virtuosos like Travis himself or Matt Thomas (all 3 appear in final image). (P.S.: a HUGE thanks to Matt, who volunteered to drive his entire pro P.A. system from Virginia. Man, I hope they at least gave you some gas money! But seriously, he was literally “on the clock” all weekend long, and the weekend could not have proceeded without him. His presentation on amplification was beyond stellar as well.)
OK, so Don’s tuning (which he is more than happy to share and suggest) is this:
Hey, we already have Standard and Stephen Bennett tuning and many others; what’s one more?! Being both a music teacher and multi-instrumentalist, it seems that after much experimenting, Don came up with F Bb C D Eb G. As you see, this tuning thus incorporates BOTH the low of F of standard and the high re-entrant high G a la Bennett. The more important choices he made are the Bb and Eb.
I won’t try to explain the “why” of this, as I didn’t take notes during his hour-long Saturday morning presentation (he also did a Sunday morning class).
20 minutes of that first presentation was not trying to convince us by EXPLAINING, but by PLAYING, as he treated us to a dozen short arrangements of all styles of tunes within a single continuous performance, each in a DIFFERENT KEY, and each using those various subs (and their many natural harmonic overtones, the incorporation of which Don is a master of, much like Antoine (the king of same).
OK, he proved his point…both from the music theory and its results, but mostly from his exquisite, sensitive playing and wonderful arrangements. Here’s a short clip: https://www.facebook.com/scotty.burford.90/videos/1383583243390585
I was thinking “This guy has to do an album”…and he did! https://www.donjbartlett.com/search-for-the-moon
It contains one harp guitar tune (with a friend’s electric guitar solo over) called “Depth of the Cycle.” (Gathering goers, note that he included a snippet in that long Sat AM demo.) The album includes lots of other great originals and arrangements as well on various other guitars. He and I BOTH cracked up at how similar our arrangements of Norwegian Wood are… (I’ll be suing him later). His own release is digital streaming only; regardless, I certainly hope we get more hg music from him in the future. And of course, see him at future Gatherings.
The multi-instrumentalist brought out an ocarina (of all things) for jam night.
I don’t know who’s prouder: Don, or SB!
Antoine Dufour, Travis Bowman, Matt Thomas.
As good as it gets.
HGG23 Surprise #6
A “Larson Brothers” Family Reunion
For those new to the topic, the Larson brothers (Carl & August) were fabled luthiers from early 20th century Chicago. Their varied flat-top acoustic guitars are today considered by many to be second to none in the vintage guitar world and market.
Where this intersects my world is with their HARP guitars (similarly, second to none). These include the iconic hollow arm instruments they built for W. J. Dyer & Bro., to be sure, but there are many others.
For those in the “community” – specifically the Harp Guitar Gathering community – we have been beyond fortunate to have in our midst the “living legend” Robert C. Hartman (Bob), who is the grandson of Carl Larson. Bob is nothing less than true Harp Guitar Royalty, and all of us felt like kneeling and kissing his ring when he and his wife Carol attended the very first Gathering in 2003 (below, when they drove up in their camper).
They’ve been to most of the Gatherings since then, though missed a couple in the last few years – so, we’re always thrilled when they make it! (Carol’s son David drove them from Illinois to North Little Rock this year).
The surprise this year was that the Hartmans were meeting up with a cousin – Dennis Cline (great-grandson of Carl Larson’s sister), along with his own son Sean. Dennis was thrilled to meet all us Larson fans and brought some swag and merchandise of his own – he’s really embraced his own legacy. Or maybe that should be “notoriety.” As told in Bob’s latest book, “The Larson Brothers’ Legacy” (available from Amazon print on demand), and to all of us during an impromptu presentation at HGG23, Dennis shared with us “a funny little story.”
It seems that one day when they were kids, Dennis and a friend were offered $5 each to clean up their aunt’s house, who had ordered a giant dumpster, now perched on the curb. Among the household items, she happened to have been storing THE ENTIRE INVENTORY OF THE LARSON BROTHERS’ BUSINESS. which contained every known record, document, patent, letter, and historical object (tool, form, template, you-name-it) from those relatives who “made guitars.”
Yes. It was all there. It EXISTED. It ALL went in the dumpster.
I’ll let that sink in for a moment.
I had heard Bob’s version of the story a few times in the past, but here we had the actual perpetrator right in front of us, with a whole new, visceral “You Were There” re-telling. I am not ashamed to admit that I was literally sick to my stomach.
Oh, the wacky stories we share at the Gatherings!
Afterwards Dennis’ speech, everyone who owned a Larson harp guitar went up on stage and collectively strangled him…I’m kidding! (OK, we wanted to). No, every Dyer and Larson harp guitar owner got up on stage for this historic picture. L-R: Dave Powell, David Larson, Stephen Bennett, Carol & Bob Hartman, Dennis Cline, me (Gregg Miner), John Riley, Tom Cook, Stan Sullivan (kneeling), Steve Farmer, Andrew Mullane, and Joe Morgan (Martin Pleass was somehow missing).
Dennis sharing his charming little childhood anecdote. Carol and Bob had each just told their own stories.
HGG23, a Final Surprise
Oh, that nutty Chuck Thompson (the official Certified Harp Guitar Photographer)! Always with some new marketing gizmo for his instruments and music.
He hauled out the latest from his magic Mary Poppins bag on Sunday night. It was this new photo booth with backdrop and private lighting – just like those tiny, curtained booths in the mall when we were kids (but an “open air” design). It even automatically took 4 shots in succession – but instead of spitting out a polaroid strip into the vending slot, you entered your phone number, and BOOM – they there are on your phone.
With Chuck Thompson in his photo booth
Did anyone else take advantage of this? Why not? It’s pure goofy Gathering fun! After Chuck demonstrated it, I grabbed a passing victim (Trae Romano) and we gave it a shot:
I saw on FB that Rob Mastriani also tried it (with Andrew photobombing):
I asked on Facebook if anyone else had volunteered and received:
Steve Farmer
Mike Doolin
There were of course many more wonderful events and stories at HGG23, but I think I’ll just end now with a few more shots of friends (with some new ones showing up this year)!
Note: Photos for all my HGG23 posts by Linda Morgan, me, and various others who I haven’t been able to keep track of – thanks!
Our reigning couple, Stephen and Nancy Bennett
After almost 30 years, I finally met this guy in person. He’s Chris Wilhelm from Ketchikan, Alaska, who DROVE all the way to North Little Rock. He was there back in the day when I first started the Knutsen Archives. He’s also the one that supplied the images and information on Gibson’s earliest serialist instrument – Harp Guitar #2502 (he’ll go down in the history books just for that: https://www.harpguitars.net/…/month_hg/month-hg-3-07.htm). He poses here with the special Timberline he recently acquired (after it changed hands a few times). This is the last model I helped design, with super-trebles and sharp cutaway, and as gorgeous as it gets.
Another fellow who I apparently knew! Brian Bertand knew me from my web sites and I know him as one of my string customers. He came from the Dallas area with another (6-string-player) friend, Dave Welker. Nice to meet you both!
Two of my favorite people, both of whom define the word “irrepressible” – Mateo and Benoit, from Brussels.
Noah Altritt and Sydney Leonhardt, now married. Congrats!
Lots of wives and musical girlfriends in tow this year, with Katie Maust joining Perry Mullen for an open-mic tune. They hope to strike it rich if they simply go on stage as “Katie (and) Perry.”
Kyle Logue with Antoine Dufour. They also did a surprise duet, and SHE surprised us during the weekend (with a beautiful voice) going from her own dark goth metal acoustic tune (my words) to (later) the “Sound of Music” with harp and harp guitar backing, courtesy of the Sprinkles. Did I mention that this was one wild weekend?!
Sunday night banquet. With Scotty Buford from Australia, a human treasure I’m still getting to know. Not only hilarious wit (follow his FB posts) and musical talent, but the heart of a caregiving saint…
…until he decides to join THIS unholy trio: Bruce Zeznanski (from Wisconsin) and Martin Pleass (Wales), who all met up in Nashville for a bro-romp and rock star road trip to HGG23. You can see their trail of devastation from space satellites.
Two more kind souls – Rob Mastrianni and Doug Shemenski.
And again – ever kind, cool and collected, even with the insane stress of the weekend (or was Travis about to stab the photographer with his dinnerware?): Matt Thomas and Travis Bowman, who thankfully have never been given an insulting if hilarious duo nickname (to the best of my knowledge).
Above, someone realized how many attendees ALSO play the harp, so gathered that group together. A few more and we can hold a separate convention next door…though if they decide to use this photo, it might have to be the “Society of Gorgeous Women & a Lecherous Old Man.” Let’s try to avoid that, please.
A beautiful shot of two beautiful gentlemen. HGG founder Stephen Bennett with this year’s host, Travis Bowman. Hats off!
