Kruse Harp Guitar
Up for consideration is a vintage Wilhelm Kruse 10-string
classical harp guitar. The guitar was repaired by San Antonio
luthier, Lucio
Nunez, and professionally set up by Dick Dubois,
a luthier for Collings
Guitars. The guitar was built in Markneukirchen,
Germany, in around 1920 by Wilhelm Kruse, a noted violin
and general instrument maker (SEE CATALOG
1
| 2).
This guitar is very easy to play, as it has a short-scale normal
tuning 6-string neck, and then 4 floating bass strings (D, C,
B, A). This is an excellent guitar for learning the multi-string
guitar, and it is also a great travel guitar due to its smaller
scale. This is a great chance to get a nice sounding, easily
playable, vintage harp guitar, that is already repaired, set-up
and ready to go!!!
SPECS:
* Spruce Top
* Maple Back and Sides
* Scale 1-6: 620 mm
* Scale 7-10: 672 mm
* Ladder Bracing
* Action: 3 mm (1-6)
* Carved / Arched Back
* New Nut
* Soft Case
* More
Photos
* Made in Germany
CONDITION:
The guitar is in very good condition considering that
it is close to 90 years old. It is readily playable, and has
an excellent sound, with rounded trebles with lots of sustain
due to the wonderful resonance of the instrument. The basses
are big and surprisingly powerful for such a small-bodied guitar.
The back does have a crack that Lucio Nunez repaired as
well as a stable split side seam (see photos), and the top has
a repaired crack below the bridge. The headstock has a repair
and some screw holes from a strap holder, and the guitar has
been refinished at some point. Both Dick Dubois and Lucio
Nunez have checked it out and found it to be structurally
sound and stable, and ready for several more decades of continued
playing.
SOUND FILES:
Here are several sound files to give you an idea of what
to expect. It has tremendous sustain due to the 10-string resonance.
All clips are recorded in stereo with a Schoeps
CM61 and a Blue
Woodpecker through an ADL
600 / Rosetta
200 with no EQ or reverb added.
Resonance
Test
Bass Notes
Milan
Pavan #1
Brian
Boru's March
Improv
#1
Improv
#2
Improv
#3
Improv
#4
Improv
#5
Improv
#6
Improv
#7
STRINGS
I installed Hannabach Super High Tension Set 815 on strings1-6
to compensate for the shorter scale length. Hannabach
815 High Tension basses are on strings 6-10 in Romantic Tunig
(D, C, B, A). Replacement strings are readily available at Strings
By Mail.
REASON FOR SELLING
This is a great guitar, and I have been very happy with it, but
I have too many 10-strings at the moment and this one rarely
gets played. The 10-string classical harp guitar is my main instrument,
and you can find more info about them at my website, Cathedral
Guitar, and you can hear more music played by multi-string
guitars and lutes at my radio station, 10-String
Radio. Additional Harp Guitar material can be
found at Gergg Miner's amazing website, www.harpguitars.net,
which is also the source for the Kruse catalog art 2, and the
More Photos link above.
SHIPPING & TERMS
USA shipping is $25.00 via USPS Priority Mail, with Delivery
Confirmation, and optional insurance. All sales are final, so
please ask questions first. I do accept PayPal, Money Orders,
Personal Checks. Thanks for looking. This auction is for one
Kruse 10-String Classical Harp Guitar and soft case. No
other accessories are included.
PLEASE CHECK OUT my other Pro
Audio gear for sale in Current
eBay Auctions, and also see some of my gear that has Recently Sold on eBay.
Nice 1920s Harp Guitar with Exellent Sound!!!
