weird harp-guitar thing

[Mo Law-ka]

I want to build this someday. I don't know exactly how its going to be tuned, but I'm sure as hell gonna try to make this thing.

Any ideas or suggestions or anything?

Rundown:
7 strings, 2 unfretted, 5 fretted
Scale length (fretted): 20.5"
Scale length (unfretted): 29.02"
Madness: yes

feel free to tell me that this is a crazy idea.

[George]

I love it! What would you tune the drones too? In my humble opinion I would go bottom as E (G major's relative minor) and the next one as a G again so you can get some nice minor progressions going - I've recently started using that tuning when I'm playing open G; leaving the E on a guitar can have some really nice effects. I'm not sure what guages you're going to string this with up but unless you string that high B to the same as a guitar's 5th string I doubt you'll find a string for the job at that scale length.

[Mo Law-ka]

That's the thing though,

I want that strange tuning, the intervals at least, if not the actual notes (tonic, fifth, ninth, fifth an octave up, maybe tonic 2 octaves up)

as for the bass strings, I'd tune them in much the same way that sitars are tuned: per song. But, i'll probably wind up tuning them tonic-fifth, or some variation of that.

I was wondering about scale length too...I just chose 20.5 inches out of my ass. Any suggestions on what I should change it to?

I've been tuning my guitar to EGDGAD. It's awesome.

[Bacchus]

I was going to say I'd have the drones at fifths, but I can't help but imagine the tuning on this sort of thing will change a lot depending on what you want.

[Mo Law-ka]

I just got to thinking that I should make it standard guitar scale (25.5" or what have you) so I can use standard guitar parts (fretboard and such) and have it be closer to a regular guitar.
I'm still really in the idea stage here. Help wanted

[George]

Yeah I was gonna suggest tonic fifths as well but you've already got that on the fretted strings, but as you've say, would change by song. Proper 25.5" would be bad ass and would mean you get some baritone strings going for the drones.

[Mo Law-ka]

any suggestion on how I should tune it then?
this is really stream-of-consciousness, but I'm thinking as I type.
I like the idea of GDADG, but the issue of stringing and such...
I could use a set of heavy guitar strings...
Standard gauges for all of them, and simply tune the E down to D and get like a .70 or something for the low G
then get a set of bass strings and use the A and D for the bass strings, and tune the A down to a G.

suggestions?

[Addam]

I like your style!
Innovate, rather than immitate.
Build a unique instrument to give you unique sounds.
Not crazy, GENIUS!

Have you considered about using a pre-slotted fret board and just not using all of it.
I think cutting a 25.5" scale fretboard at the 3rd fret will give about 20.5" scale.
Or use a stewmac or similar template for similar results?

I was planning on building an electric ukelele/mandolin kind of thing for my son, but he's to busy playing with transformers to care about music for now.

[DanHeron]

Like one of these but with less strings??:


That would be cool.

Electric or acoustic? Building an electric must be easier... A simple version of this:


Would be cool. Offset style.

[cur]

How would you do string gauges on an 18 string thing like that?

[DanHeron]

This is a pretty good design, the simplest I have seen:



The body hasn't changed at all, except maybe some extra bracing inside. If you just worked out the right headstock design and bridge setup building something like that could be achievable...

[Mo Law-ka]

I've talked with Robert(og) about this, and he said that as long as I make sure to brace it correctly, I should be able to use the headstock design I have.

I just did the proportions for this again and with the 25.5", and the bass strings would be vibrating at 36.1 (36.09)" Though, I could change the proportions to have the scale of the bass strings be closer to "normal" fender scale of 34".

this is going to be awesome.
more suggestions!

[DanHeron]

Here's a thought i had:
About the harp strings... If your not going to be fretting the string then does the scale length have to precise? The string is just going to be 1 note... so aslong as the scale is long/short enough to be able to tune regular strings to your desired pitch then the scale doesn't matter so much. There is no need for intonation if its just 1 note.

It's just something I was wondering lol

[Mo Law-ka]

Here's a thought i had:
About the harp strings... If your not going to be fretting the string then does the scale length have to precise? The string is just going to be 1 note... so aslong as the scale is long/short enough to be able to tune regular strings to your desired pitch then the scale doesn't matter so much. There is no need for intonation if its just 1 note.

It's just something I was wondering lol

I like that idea a lot, though, with the proportions of the drawing (which may or may not be to scale), the length of the bass strings is ~34.5 inches.
These ideas and such you guys are throwing around are really helpful. Thanks guys
Any ideas on what I should do the the tailpiece?

[DanHeron]

Hmm some ideas here: http://www.earlyromanticguitar.com/erg/multibass.htm

Most dont have tailpieces, just a normal acoustic style bridge. A few do though!

[Mo Law-ka]

oooooooh...
I'd be able to use a bridge blank for a standard acoustic and just carve it to the proper size.
lank

I also have the bracing kinda figured out, a modified X-bracing with an A-frame under the bridges.