Harp Ukuleles

Hi! I'm thinking about getting a harp ukulele (when I save up enough!) I am ideally looking for a tenor size with 4 to 6 harp (bass strings).

I understand there are very few makers and Anuenue no longer makes one. I heard people are happy with these, but some people worried about quality control from certain distributers... I guess not an issue any more as they are not made any more.

Other makers I found include Ziegenspeck (a German maker - the web site looks good - haven 't heard a sound sample yet), Duane Noble (I can't find any information), Jay Buckley (he has a website, but his videos on Youtube don't give enough play sample to know what they are really like), and Emerald guitars (carbon fiber - their harp guitars look wonderful on Youtube - but couldn't find samples of their harp ukulele).

Does anyone have good suggestions about a good harp ukulele maker? I am not concerned about cost as I plan to save and get something nice.

Just FYI - Master luthier Pete Howlett from Wales, UK was the original designer of the ANeuNeu harp ukes, and they licensed the design from him and to manufacture them. As per recent info over the past few yrs, Pete is approaching retirement due to the progression of his Parkinson's disease.

https://youtu.be/PiDabFoa0uk

Also, in a recent HMS Podcast on SoundCloud, another highly regarded luthier, Beau Hannam, in Colorado, USA had mentioned that he basically will build whatever people will pay him to build and that he has on his wait list several Harp ukuleles.

https://soundcloud.com/theukulelesite/ep-10-beau-hannam

Both of these guys are ACTIVE members here on UU and post frequently in the Luthiers lounge section of this forum.

Maybe you could send each of them a PM and see if they can help you get what you want?

I have no experience with either of these guys nor their instruments, and am just passing on info, so I cannot make a specific recommendation from personal experience.

Hope this helps

Thanks for your reply Booli. I'm going to drop both of them a line and see what I can find out. Thanks!

I have never played the Emerald harp ukulele, but I have played on some of their guitars. Alistair and crew put out a very good product...A lot of their stuff is like functional works of modern art. I can vouch for that company. Great product and great service. They are kind of a "If you can dream it, we will make it happen company." Of course if you order something that is super rare, the price keeps going up as well as the wait time.

Tom is your man. His degree master-piece was almost faultless....

Thanks for your suggestions everyone. I'll post a follow up when I get in touch with an instrument maker and decide what to do!

Did you get a harp ukelele yet? I have my heart set on playing one, but have never seen one other than virtually! Was wondering, too, if it would be possible to rent one - just to see if it is what I am actually looking for. I play several string instruments but am looking for a small, light, travel-size instrument relatively easy to play so that I can travel and play into my late senior years. Am a newcomer to playing the uke and miss those low bass notes that fill out a chord and give some oomph when playing solo. Ideally, I envision a tenor harp ukelele with six added bass strings, a cutaway shape for a longer fingerboard, a spruce top or something that gives the biggest, brightest, fullest sound (not sweet and muted), amplified, and I wonder if anyone has ever made a harp ukelele with sharping levers on the bass strings.

Just wanted to give an update to those who took the time to post and give me advice here.

I was in touch with Tom who Pete Howlett kindly referred me to. His harp ukulele looks wonderful (the best there is out there just as Pete Howlett said), but at this time - though I have the money - I couldn't get my family behind me to start a building project. So, I wrote Tom my apologies and that I would be in touch if my circumstances change. He's definitely my first choice.

Songsforall, I noticed in another post on the forums you mention something about J. Buckley harp ukuleles. His ukuleles are the cheapest harp ukuleles I've seen out there, but they are built in a factory in the Ukraine according to his specs I believe and not by hand or at least not by him or under his guidance or quality control. His video samples show a slight buzz on some strings (the ukulele part - not the harp part) and I'm not sure whether that is his playing (as he appears to be more of a guitar player - plays his harp guitars nicely), or simply a matter of set up. It's hard to tell. So these things are something to consider. In the hands, of a good player - I may be totally wrong, but that is what I found from the Youtube videos.

Tom builds by hand with a wood of your choice and any features you may want, and the Emerald Harp Ukulele (if you don't mind the aesthetics of carbon fiber - though the sound is probably excellent) also builds if not by hand - at least under very tight quality control on site in their factory.

Songsforall, maybe we should both start one of those crowd funding projects for a harp ukulele? LOL

I think Duane Heilman was the first fellow to reproduce these instruments. His work is highly recommended and I've always thought it seemed like a real bargain as well. You might want to contact him. Here's some pics:

http://blackbearukuleles.net/detail.html?itemid=195

I have a Jay Buckey harp ukelele. Are you still looking for a harp uke?

Still looking for a harp uke? I have a Jay Buckey. Quite lovely, but it has a sweet muted sound. Nevertheless, very fine instrument.

Have enjoyed the uke harp I bought from Jay (actually from a friend of his). But I have discovered the six-string ukelele/guitalele/guitarlele and will be seeling the uke harp. I haven't had any buzzing problems. it is a well made instrument. the tone is sweet and soft - my style is brighter - but he did put in a pick up which gives it fullness.

Emerald Synergy Uke vs Jay Buckey harp ukulele

I am a folk harper, harps with levers, and have found a harp ukulele perfect picking out a melody with harmony and no overbearing resonance and weights at least 10 pounds less than my bulky harps.

RE: Jay Buckey - Do not send this maker any money! I ordered a harp ukulele in Feb. 2018, put a deposit on it through his PayPal invoice and nothing yet - it is now Nov. 2019. I told him last month to cancel my order and return my deposit several times now. No reply. PayPal will not cooperate by returning my money as it is older than 180 day. I have read elsewhere in the guitar forums that someone had the same experience back in 2012. Wish I had seen that before I ordered.

I have an older model of a Jay Buckey harp ukulele (6 harp strings), purchased used through Elderly. It is ok. Not crazy about the tuning pegs or the maple wood - so not the greatest for performing. That's why I wanted the new model he was supposedly making.

I now possess a 100% carbon fiber harp uke from Emerald Guitars, came in one week and love it. The tuners, fretboard, sound and feel are superior to the J.B. and I don’t have to worry about climate effects like I do with a wood instrument. I have had to adapt to just 4 harp strings, they will custom to have more but it is not worth the extra $$$ to me for now.