Here is the recently completed Italian harp guitar by Mauro Marchesini, who builds beautiful archtops and other guitars near Bologna.  As you can see, it’s a fan fret, built for Giulio Sangirardi.  If it looks a bit reminiscent of the 2 recent harp guitars built by Max Monterosso of Padova, that’s because Max lent a consulting hand.  I just added Mauro to the Luthiers page (2nd section) for this first build.  Strange …in his email, Mauro refers to himself as “an amateur builder”…I would beg to differ!  Looks like the Italian contingent continues to escalate the contemporary harp guitar movement!

I see I haven’t yet moved Arul up to the top Luthier section yet – I guess I was waiting to see how his production capabilities worked out after building that first Dyer copy for me.  Well, it’s a long story that includes heart attacks and other unfortunate drama, but I’m happy to say that #2 arrived (right) and will soon be available for sale at Harp Guitar Music.  We’re just figuring out some sub-bass tuner options.

Meanwhile, Chris Bucklen found a cool new electric by D. Fialho, and the Forum gang has been trying to figure out what in the heck it might be!   Seems to be some sort of “fretless-sympathetic-harp-bass”…I don’t know, I’ve just been enjoying the thread. Why doesn’t somebody ask him?