Child ‘Harp improvements

Posted on August 18, 2023 by fretnot42

I realize that it’s been some time since I posted here. I have been deep in the subterranean autoharp mines stoking the steam driven sawdust grinders, board stretchers, and string breakers that produce the custom instruments that I create for my many wonderful customers… I only just emerged for a hot shower, a cold adult beverage and to catch up on some news of the world. Building custom stringed instruments and strumming newly minted autoharps takes me to a comforting place apart from much of the disturbing social, political, and environmental reports. Like our music, it is a soothing embrocation to be applied to the psychological pains and strains of daily life.

So, what have I been doing? Besides completing some autoharp orders, I am currently involved in long term projects creating two non-traditional zithers, one for a musician who preforms classical Indian ragas and another for a Nashville based multi-instrumentalist.

Along the way I have made a couple of improvements on my “Child ‘Harps”. I had been making slotted chord bar holders by cutting down the manufactured plastic holders once produced by Oscar Schmidt. These work well but are a bit noisy when the wooden bars “clack” against the hard plastic. My newer Child ‘Harps now have the quieter Delrin and steel pin combs as on my standard sized autoharps.

Child ‘Harps have carried seven chords in two rows. I now offer eight chords. Here is the G/D diatonic version.

As with the Child ‘Harps’ larger siblings, laser cut sound hole rosettes are popular. there is a variety of styles available in this smaller size for this smaller autoharp.

A more recent build is this thirty-six string, fifteen chord chromatic I built for a gentleman just beginning his autoharp journey. His preferences included a Celtic cross sound hole rosette, an all black finish, and a salvaged OS tuning label at the anchor end.

He plans to play his new autoharp horizontally, on his lap, and strumming below the chord bars. For that, I moved the chord set closer to the angled bridge to allow more space below.

This instrument resembles the old black model A autoharps of the past but features all of my modern improvements for tone, volume, stability, and play ability.

New Child ‘Harps (for sale)

Posted on November 30, 2020 by fretnot42

I have recently completed three of my 3/4-size autoharps that are for sale and will soon be ready for delivery.

About two years ago I began building these smaller sized autoharps aimed at younger learners beginning their autoharp journey. I saw a need for a serious alternative to the painted “toys” produced by manufacturers in the past. With twenty-three strings and seven chords, my Child ‘Harps are lighter and easier to tune and play than their larger siblings.

They measure eighteen inches long, ten inches wide, and weigh under five pounds. Due to their smaller size and handmade quality, Child ‘Harps have also become attractive to adults who find them less stressful and fatiguing than playing larger, heavier autoharps. Having standard string and chord button spacing, they are ideal for the adult player adapting to a smaller instrument or the young learner who will eventually grow into a big autoharp.

The design and construction is fundamentally the same as my full sized instruments. For structural integrity and tuning stability I build with one- piece laminated frames, and solid wood soundboards and components. They have a rich full voice for their size and are built to last.

Chords in the keys of G and D.

Child ‘Harps come in two different two-key diatonic setups, each with seven chords. Being diatonic means that the string array doesn’t include all the notes in the chromatic scale but only the notes needed in the two keys. The G/D ‘harp plays in the keys of G and D and has four major chords (C, G, D, and A) and three minor chords (Em, Bm, and F#m). The F/C ‘harp plays in the keys of F and C and has four major chords (Bb, F, C, and G) and three minor chords (Dm, Am, and Em). The scale is similar to the mid and treble range found in standard autoharp tuning with the lowest note in the 3rd octave and the highest in the 6th octave. Unlike standard diatonic autoharps, these do not have doubled string courses.

Chords in the keys of F and C.

SOLD SOLD SOLD Child ‘Harp with walnut trim and solid poplar soundboard. Complete and ready for stringing and setup in buyer’s choice of either keys of F/C or G/D.

I try to make each of my instruments unique in some way so these three new ones are built using different wood combinations and tuning setups. Each is for sale and include a quilted “cozy” and a star tipped T-wrench for tuning.

Twenty-three string, seven chord diatonic plays in the keys of F and C. African mahogany trim with an aspen soundboard.

Twenty-three string, seven chord diatonic plays in the keys of G and D. Walnut trim with poplar soundboard

Hear the new Child ‘Harps

Posted on November 30, 2020 by fretnot42

Marsha’s fingers play two childhood finger plays on a Child ‘Harp.

Marsha plays “Polly Wolly Doodle” in the key of G.

Marsha plays “Believe Me If All Those Endearing Young Charms” in the key of G on a Child ‘Harp.

Marsha plays “Soldier’s Joy” in the key of D on a new Child ‘Harp.

Marsha plays “On Top of Spaghetti (Smokey)” in the key of C on a new Child ‘Harp.

Child ‘Harps

Posted on June 24, 2019 by fretnot42

Since introducing my new twenty-three string, seven chord child size autoharps two months ago, I received a lot of interest and positive comments. My goal was to produce a serious instrument for the young learner to play while growing into a standard, full size autoharp. I guess I wasn’t too surprised when several adults found them to be a good size as a travel instrument or for someone challenged by the size and weight of a more standard autoharp. At only eighteen inches long and weighing only four and one-half pounds, they are easy to hold and carry.

Keys of D and G with seven chords, C, G, D, A, and Am, Em, and Bm.

The prototype featured a diatonic tuning schedule and chords for the keys of C and F. These two major keys are ideal for much written music and for accompanying young voices. Several musicians have asked if I could make these little ‘harps in the keys of D and G, keys more useful for older voices and for playing with mountain dulcimers and fiddles. Greg Schreiber, who makes our autoharp strings, developed a stringing schedule for this higher tuning and shorter scale so I can now offer them in the keys of D and G.