The Mandolin Family Instruments of Chris Knutsen

by Gregg Miner, as part of

34 Knutsen Mandolins now known! *
(* = known to have been built. Only 28 survive)

The Knutsen mandolins in the gallery below are separated into the categories referenced in the Category/Style Reference Chart.

Only one example of a Knutsen mandolin without a harp arm is known - the rest are all harp mandolins (plus one harp mandola and one harp bandurria).

Harp mandolins are defined by having a hollow arm extending from the sound chamber.

Like Knutsen’s harp (or "one arm") guitars, they do not have to actually have extra bass "harp" strings (though a few do) – the "harp arm" is enough.

Knutsen’s harp mandolin family comes in four basic body shapes:

"Lower Bass Point," "Lower Treble Point," "Guitar-shaped" and "Guitar-shaped, Lower Bass Point."  The terms "treble" and "bass" refer to which side the pointed flare is on (rather than "right or left") to cover both right- and left-handed instruments.

   Mandolins

   Harp Mandolins

"Guitar-shaped"							"Lower Bass Point"
HM21							HM4	HM19	HM22	HM29

"Lower Treble Point" (the first specimen has sub-bass strings)
HM3	HM1	HM5	HM10	HM14	HM17	HM6
HM15	HM24	HM25	HM26	HM28	HM30

"Guitar-shaped, Lower Bass Point" (the first 4 specimens have sub-bass strings)
HM2	HM9	HM7	HM27	HM13	HM20	HM18	HM8	HM11	HM23

Harp Mandolas			Harp Bandurrias
HMA1	HMA2	The Mysterious Five-Course Harp Mandola Another Knutsen-Dyer Connection?	HBA1

   Additional harp mandolins without images are listed in the Inventory.

Was the Dyer harp mandolin a Knutsen design? Plus: the Dyer harp mandolin family!

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