Thursday, 20 December 2012

The Shield: electric "Harpejji" solidbody 25-string touch-style tapping guitar

guitarz.blogspot.com:
Probably the easiest way to understand this instrument, dubbed The Shield, would be to watch the YouTube clip below. Some would say it's not really a guitar, but as it's an electrified fretted, stringed instrument I reckon it's worthy of a place here on Guitarz. Based on a Greek drawing, it was handbuilt for the current owner by an American luthier and finished by another luthier in Italy. You do have to wonder that if it really is the marvellous instrument that the seller claims, and the "only one in the world" at that, then why is it being offered for sale on eBay (with a Buy It Now price of $1,999)?

Anyway, the video:


G L Wilson

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7 comments:

  1. cool arrow3:43 pm

    At some point you might just as well play the piano.

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    Replies
    1. Gavin Lloyd Wilson11:54 am

      but the piano has a very different sound

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  2. Jim Hevesy5:54 pm

    His is the only one in the world that was made for him...They all are individually made so technically he is correct.

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  3. Rotter11:40 am

    Kind of like an auto harp?

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    Replies
    1. Gavin Lloyd Wilson11:53 am

      Well, without the auto element perhaps. See: http://www.marcodi.com/ (you'll need to copy & paste the link)

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    2. Simon Beck2:37 pm

      I'd say it's more like a fretted clavichord (one with more than one key per string) but without an actual keyboard. Has anyone noticed that it's actually tuned to a whole-tone scale? There is a type of alternative piano keyboard called the Janko keyboard which uses this layout.

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  4. Unknown5:37 am

    Sounds great! I had a Chapman Stick and I can see that this takes tapping to the next level!

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