Ukulele Harp(s)

Kenn2018

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Didn’t know aNueNue made a Harp Ukulele.

https://youtu.be/aCO-PqcXZ-g

Interesting design.


Also, I’m confused. On the FleaMarket Music Marketplace,

https://www.fleamarketmusic.com/marketplace/

...there is a listing for a Black Bear Harp Uke.

Yet there are no strings, nor provisions for strings, on the harp portion of the instrument.

So, what’s the purpose if there is no harp on the harp uke?

Is it just for the expanded sound chamber?
 
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Also, I’m confused. On the FleaMarket Music Marketplace,

https://www.fleamarketmusic.com/marketplace/

...there is a listing for a Black Bear Harp Uke.

Yet there are no strings, nor provisions for strings, on the harp portion of the instrument.

So, what’s the purpose if there is no harp on the harp uke?

Is it just for the expanded sound chamber?

Yes, I wondered about that.
 
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The originator, if not original inventor of 'harp'-armed stringed instruments, originally built his guitars, mandolins, ukuleles and taropatches with an extra hollow arm (sometimes with an extra soundhole) and no extra strings - only later did he add bass strings to his harp guitars, as did Gibson and others. There are now 46 Knutsen harp guitars surviving, and none have extra bass strings (save for HU15, which has a single bass string, which could be an 'aftermarket' addition). Other early 20th century luthiers, like Dyer, (Larson Bros.) also used a non-bass-string configuration for their harp mandolins.

The purpose was to increase the sound chamber on these small instruments, not to increase the range. As a resonance chamber, the hollow arm doesn't add too much to the ukulele's sound. But it does look very cool.

The extra-strings harp ukuleles were initiated by Harry Eibert in 1993, while making a sized down version of a Dyer Symphony harp guitar in ukulele tuning - numerous others picked up that idea.
 
Thanks slackkey007 for the video and keenonuke for the links. Very interesting. The only one I was familiar with was the DL Noble that HMS had listed and a carbon fiber one whose brand name [Emerald] I no longer remember. But it had a lever on it that would change the pitch of the strings.

Having the strung harp arm made sense to me. But unstrung left me baffled (pun intended). It does give a Kind of cool sound to the sopranos. But maybe a little muddy or boxy? I wonder what kind of delay it would add to the sound waves? Seems like a lot of extra building effort for only a small benefit. Especially if there isn't a sound port. Though the looks are striking.

The aNueNue is an impressive piece of kit. Almost Dali-esque in appearance. I hope it came with a case.

Here is an impressive instrumental version of Scarborough Fair on one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxzjjj-tGM0
 
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I really love Harp Ukuleles. Listed below are builders/companies that build these. However each has the bass strings unlike the Knudsen. FYI there are also Harp guitars with the bass strings and Harp mandolins but without the bass strings. please

https://emeraldguitars.com/product/synergy-uke-blue-5356/ other colors available

Duane Noble: http://www.dlnobleguitars.com/ and at HMS - https://www.theukulelesite.com/dl-noble-redwood-the-tree-mahogany-harp-ukulele.html

And Jay Buckey - these are built in Ukraine.
https://www.jaybuckey.com/harp-ukulele.htm
 
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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.
 
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