Knutsen Harp Guitar    

UPDATE 9-9-02: After Tom Noe's re-examination of this guitar and comparing it to HGP15, we now believe this to be an Anderson-built instrument (see Anderson).
This is believed to be the earliest known Knutsen harp guitar. Interestingly, a nearly identical instrument, HGP10, is pictured on the Knutsen flyer from 1899-1900.
Additional photos and information can be found in From Harp Guitars to the New Hawaiian Family by Noe & Most.

hgp1.jpg (35651 bytes) hgp1back.jpg (19765 bytes)

Click on right picture to enlarge
(left image copyright Tom Noe, right image copyright Kerry Char)

Knutsen Archives Inventory Number

HGP1

                 Category

Port Townsend Harp Guitars

                 Body Style

"1896 patent"

                 Current or last known owner

Dan Most estate

                 Year (approx)

1895

                 Label

none. #4 in pencil under inside neck joint

                 Courses / Strings

6 strings

                 Frets

straight

                 Scale length 25-1/2"
                 Neck Joint heel, dove-tailed

Woods

Top

German spruce

Back & Sides

unknown

Neck

Spanish cedar

Fingerboard

unknown

Bridge

inlaid wood stripes

Headstock veneer none

Binding, trim

Top

none

Back

none

Fingerboard

2 single inlaid wood stripes

Headstock(s)

none

Soundhole 3 rings (1 herringbone)

                 Inlay

pearl dot fret markers

                 Pickguard

none

                 Comments

Considered a pre-patent "prototype" (Noe/Most, p.8-11)

 

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