Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Marc St Louis on January 08, 2015, 06:48:04 pm

Title: Stringed Instruments
Post by: Marc St Louis on January 08, 2015, 06:48:04 pm

Probably some here remember when I built this for my musician wife back in 2009

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/More%20Msc%20Stuff/Harp%20Build/Finished.jpg)

A couple months ago some local people expressed an interest in getting their own harp so I put aside my bow building and started working on plans for a smaller version of the 4 1/2 octave harp pictured above.  I drew up plans for a 3 octave harp (E3 to E6) and started to collect the materials I needed.  We started stringing the first one last week.  After a week of bumping up the tuning she has settled down and turned into a very sonorous little instrument.  The neck and pillar are Black Cherry, the sound board is Spruce and the sound box is Black Ash.  Here is a picture of #1

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/MSC/22StringHarp1.jpg)

This week we started stringing the second one and it's starting to settle in.  It's more or less a copy of #1 and is also very sonorous

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/MSC/Two22StringHarps.jpg)

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: Knoll on January 08, 2015, 07:04:34 pm

Congrats on successful project completion.  They're beautiful!

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: JW_Halverson on January 08, 2015, 08:55:14 pm

Who knew you were a luthier as well?  Those are some fine looking harps.

I had a harpist bring me one of her pieces to be repaired, glue joint had started to open and she had been slowly loosening the strings to take off tension.  I looked it over for a few days and sent it back to her untouched.  I'd rather not cost her a good instrument while I learned about fixing them.  She talked with me about how harps are built and how dang much tension they are under when you add up all the strings.  Her comment was "A harp begins to die the day it is first strung".

But in the meanwhile, they sure can sing...

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: Pat B on January 08, 2015, 11:15:53 pm

Very cool, Marc.   8)

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: Marc St Louis on January 08, 2015, 11:17:47 pm

Thank you guys.  Making musical instruments is interesting and I'm sure these are not the last ones I'll build

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: wizardgoat on January 09, 2015, 04:16:55 am

Wow those are all awesome.  Do you build other instruments as well?

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: Marc St Louis on January 09, 2015, 09:59:56 am

No I don't build any other instruments but I did promise my wife to make her a Hurdy Gurdy a few years ago.  That may be next on the list

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: YosemiteBen on January 09, 2015, 11:46:58 am

Very beautiful pieces Marc! I think I will stick with flutes and thumb pianos for now!

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: lesken2011 on January 10, 2015, 10:09:54 am

Nice job, Marc. I would love to hear it. Maybe you could post a vid of your wife playing it.

Title: Re: Stringed Instruments
Post by: Marc St Louis on January 10, 2015, 10:25:37 am

We did tape a few sound clips and will upload some to my site