Something that not many people know about Fred Carlson is that he is over 1500 years old. He is from a higher race of beings than us humans. Legend has it that Fred used to hang out with Tom Bombadil and Gandalf when they were very young- only 200 or so. He knows things that go far past our wildest imaginings.
Thanks so much! I do get a bit exhausted when I make something with this kind of detail! My next couple of projects don't promise to be much easier, but should be as much fun: my partner Suzy and I will be making a wild cello with many extra strings and unusual features; and, I am about to start on the world's first "Humanitar". You'll have to stay tuned to fined out what that turns out to be!
Simply amazed at the artistry of this instrument. It captures so much beauty, and embraces the ancient and the modern. Truly a work of art. I would love to play that, if even for a moment.. At the very least, it does make me want to pick up my acoustic and have a go again, so add inspiring to my list of adjectives. Bravo, sir...!
Blackbirder!! Nice to hear from you! What you guys are doing is great! I recently got a chance to try out one of your current crop of travel guitars....how cool!
Thanks, Whitney! I'm so glad you stumbled by... My feeling is that unusual, unique musical instruments can make the world a better place (they certainly make it a better place for me!) Fred
Thank you, Fred! Taproot is a dream come true... it is magical to play. I am the luckiest guitarist on the planet to have you as my friend and luthier.
WOW!!! I'm blown away, Fred! Didn't realize you were making such incredibly complex & creative hybrid instruments. I love the additions of hammers & sharping levers. Imagining what amazing enhancements you might dream up for a mountain or hammered dulcimer. Not ready to go there yet, but just imagining! Again, simply incredible!!!!!
Hi Fred, another masterpiece!!!! You never cease to amaze me with your creative and inovative expressions of art and music. Hope to hear from you soon> Billy Bart, Rutherford, NJ
Fred, You have incredible talent! I cannot believe how far you have taken this Taproot project. There seems to be detail in every aspect. Well done. It sounds lovely and I can't wait to hear some music played on it
+Dan Halfpenny Hey Dan, Thanks for the kind words. I really like that it can be played like a guitar, but you can go as far out into outer space with it as you want to; it opens up a lot of possibilities.... Fred
Thanks, Mazy! When I was first introduced to the so-called "harp guitar", I didn't really get it, other than really liking the sympathetic resonances of the added sub-bass strings. I've since had a lot more exposure to traditional harp guitars, and have come to appreciate the Knutsen and Dyer based designs a lot more. But there are a lot of ways to put extra strings on a guitar, and I've been much interested in designing and building "harp guitars" that open up other possibilities. Taproot is one of those adventures.
If I had this I would walk into my studio room and never come out! You do amazing work Fred. If you ever need a BOARD from "The Tree" for one of these....let me know. LOL I love the cello you made for Kris Yenny.
Fred your a big inspiration of mine and I built and designed my guitar before I came across this and I see a similarity in the thin lower bouts. I would be more interested in how you made it out of wood.
W o W !!!!!!!!!!!!! that's PURE genius!! (: I knew I was doing the right thing, when I subscribed by just seeing the thumbnail. I hope this message finds you well, kudos Fred! Undescribable! \m/
Hi Christos, thanks so much for the kind words! I hope you are well, also, and getting to play music. If you have a chance, you might enjoy visiting my new website, www.fredcarlsoncreativeluthier.com , or my old site which is still online: www.beyondthetrees.com . All the best, Fred
Hello Fred, you've made the most amazing instruments I've ever seen. How do your sympathetic strings resonate so loudly? Very little or no resonation has been the problem on my projects!
Hey Kitarasti, thanks much for the kindness! The secret to strong presence of the sympathetic strings is the Indian-style "jiwari" bridge. It also helps to have relatively long string length, and use very light gauge strings. Position of the sympathetic bridge on the face of the instrument can also effect response. Sometimes they seem to respond better if they run more or less parallel to the main/plucked/bowed strings, rather than sharply angled to that plane. But getting the set up of the jiwari table is crucial, and tricky! Good luck!
Brilliant design! Sounds wonderful, and the springy hammers are something I've never seen before. Also nice giving them colors for visual navigation of all those strings :) Are those tuners flamenco pegheds? How do they feel on steel strings in terms of tuning accuracy? I used Knilling perfection pegs on my steel string harp ukulele, but that's only about 15lbs tension per string. Would be very nice in terms of weight reduction to use them on full size harp guitars too.
Coolest thing I ever saw. I'll never have the money to buy such a thing, but if I did, I would channel my soul through it until I became one with the infinite and the universe would ring out peace and love for all living things for a thousand years.
Incredible. The ideas for the hammers and the sharpening levers especially. What did you construct the Jawari out of if you don't mind my asking. I find it difficult to get the proper sound on my projects. Thanks so much!
Hey David! Thanks for the kind words and interest. The jawari bridge on Taproot is mostly made from ebony and brass. It is hollow in the center, and open on the bottom. I basically made a "rim" or "frame" of ebony, and glued a cap on top of it. The cap is a thin layer of ebony with an overlay of sheet brass (about 1/16" thick) laminated on top of the ebony with epoxy. The brass is what becomes the jawari "table", where the buzz happens, so it gets ever-so-slightly curved from back to front, curving away from the strings. The most important thing is that curve, which can take me literally days to get right. The body of the bridge is hollow both to remove excess weight from the top of the instrument (and potential damping), and to provide space for the piezo pickup and its wire. This pickup is made from two pieces of piezo-ceramic sheet material that is attached directly to the underside of the ebony cap. The piezo material does not contact the rest of the body of the pickup, nor the top of the instrument, thus achieving some degree of acoustic separation from the main instrument body in the signal the pickup perceives; at least enough to be able to optimize the mix of sympathetic and main strings when playing amplified. The bridge also responds very well when played without being plugged in. I'm not sure that brass makes the most pleasing sound in all applications; my partner has made violins with jawari bridges, and finds that brass, bone and pearl are too harsh sounding in that application; just plain ebony has a more pleasing sound (of course it's all subjective!). Fred
It would be neat if there were some kind of lever, or even something simpler, for each of the little hammer guys that allowed you to control the frequency of the tremolo effect, as one can do with dulcimer hammers.
WOW! That's the perfect tool I would like to use in my compositions. What's her price? I supose it will be fair but maybe I can't afford it. Kind regards!
Nice to hear from you, Brian! We met in Williamsburg some years ago, at an early Harp Guitar Gathering. I hope you're still playing a lot, bringing that joy into the world!
@@FredCarlson Hi Fred, Yes I am still out there in the World, playing, writing and recording and I see that you are still building truly AMAZING guitars!
Dear Fred, thank you for your reply. I have read with great interest your information on your web site "beyond the trees.com", regarding your, well, "story" I guess, especially the dilemma and decision regarding new orders and the "wish list". God gave you a talent and it would not be the same if you had a production factory - no way. Follow your heart, your dream, spend time on that house and be happy. I am pleased to have met you. Mike
Hi John! Those levers were quite a project and very, very "custom"! My client (and friend), harp-guitarist Jeff Titus, wanted a lever he could actuate from behind, to be able to alter the sub-bass harp strings pitches while playing. He took the initiative to find someone to help manifest that idea; it turned out that another HG-playing friend had a father who made custom medical equipment and was interested in the project. He and I corresponded extensively, and with my critique and encouragement made several attempts before we got a design that really worked right. Ultimately it turned out to be a huge amount of work for him and not something he thought he'd ever want to do again. They also turned out to be rather expensive; but they're great! It would be wonderful if there was someone who would produce them.
Thanks, bourni! Hammers are of spring steel...made from the stuff used to fish electrical wire through conduits (it works good for thumb piano keys, too!). They have decorative wood overlay on part, as well as a wooden head for hitting the string.
Hi Fred, when you built other instruments with the sympathetic strings inside the body/neck. Did you use the same type of ebony/brass bridge inside the body, to get the sitar like tone from those guitars, like the flying dream? BTW, this guitar blew me away. Hammers, drums... Creative you are!
+John Deer Hi John! Most of my Sympitars do have a hardwood bridge with a brass cap (for the internal sympathetics), though I have played around a lot with the details of constructing it. Thanks for the kind words! Fred
This is an incredible instrument! I found this after having a conversation about your instruments with my father, a former salesman for La Playa music supply in Detroit that sold you parts many years ago. I'm just amazed by this one especially. Is there an album of recorded music with this instrument? If not, could one be made?
Thanks, LotusSquid! Wow, La Playa...I think that was a long time ago! Taproot is pretty amazing, one of those things I look at and say....whoa, I did that? Its owner, Jeff Titus, has at least one TH-cam video out featuring it, and I'm sure has plans for more recording with it in the future. Check this out: th-cam.com/video/sK1N61WKD0s/w-d-xo.html
Hi Fred, just wondering if you could please tell me where did you get the fine tuning mechanisms for the sympathetics and what they are called Thanks so much … novice lover of sympathetics on guitar here 🙏🏻
Hi Justin; thanks for your interest! Those are violin fine tuners, usually just used on the metal first string of a violin. There are several types available from violin supply catalogs; I think those ones are called "Uni-Midget". You might try "Eastman Music" or: "Metropolitan Music", or just do a Google search for them. Good luck! Fred
Thanks so much for the response, one more question, the sympathetics sound like they are tuned an octave lower than normal sympathetics (on say a sitar for example) is that correct and is there a reason why you didn’t go for the higher octave? More resonance? Less stress on the neck? Or is it just that it’s a baritone guitar tuned to low A? Just wondering as I’m building a couple and first attemp worked wonderfully but has put too much tension on the neck causing an existing neck bend to get worse and making tuning difficult Also wondering what what your thoughts are for a hollow neck box for the sympathetics, do you think this would create more resonance and amplification of the sympathetics, I appreciate your answers as I am a novice modifying 12 string guitars with no luthier skills, but am on a mission because I’m in love with the sound of the sympathetic resonance Thanks so much Justin
@@justinlivesay Hi Justin, I developed my tuning of sympathetic strings based initially on what were the thinnest strings easily available, which turned out to be .008". I found that with my system of running the sympathetics inside the neck (making them all the same length) , the highest pitch I could reliably get without breaking strings was a G note (the G of a guitar 1st string in standard tuning fretted at the 3rd fret). I occasionally tuned one or two symps up to the A above that, but the danger of breaking a string that has to be threaded inside the neck to replace discouraged me from doing that much. So, my tuning would start at that G and go down to about the G an octave below that (the same G as the 3rd string of a guitar in standard tuning). I would increase the string gauge as necessary, but usually keeping them pretty thin, maybe .010" or .012" at the thickest/lowest pitched. I found that mostly .008" worked best all around. The thicker you go, the more energy it takes to excite the string, so at some point you lose response. On the other hand, if you go too thin (I used .006" for a while, which is harder to get) the string doesn't put out enough volume to heard well. I also have made several instruments with sympathetic strings running outboard, off to one side of the neck, or across the top. In those cases, I was able use a variety of string lengths, so selecting appropriate gauges was a different story. I've also experimented with using thicker strings for sympathetics, including wound strings. I have had some success using something like a wound guitar G/3rd string (maybe about .020"?), but the response is not great...it just takes too much energy to get that fat a string moving.
@@FredCarlson wow that helps a lot thank you 🙏 I hope you don’t mind but would love to ask about the bridge as well, as I’m using a sitar sympathetic bridge which works quite well, have you tried one on any of your guitars? Your sympathetic bridge on the tap root is amazingly effective, was it hard to get the jawari at a correct angle? could you please recommend wood and metal type to use for this and lastly is the pick up a standard piezo under saddle type ? I appreciate your advise so much as I believe if I incorporate fine tuners I will need a wider bridge and I constantly marvel at the amazing multiple effects you have built into the taproot just WOW !!🙏 I saw another build not sure who made it, but it incorporated a tampura running down one side of the neck to great effect, I almost wonder if the increased angle of the tampura jawari would give better sympathetic response than a standard sitar Bridge …
@@justinlivesay Yeah, it's incredibly hard to get the angle and subtle curve of the jiwari just right; I spend hours on that! Traditionally they are made from bone; most of mine are wood. Sometimes, as with Taproot, I put a cap of thin brass on top of the wood, for a brighter sound. There is also a piezo pick-up in this jiwari bridge; I've done that a few times, using different approaches and piezo materials. It's great to be able to control the volume of the sympathetic strings in relation to the main strings!
Hey man! awesome sound! congratulations, maestro! I wanna know about one of your works Fred, called 'the new dream'... I`ve seen on 'beyond the trees' site, and I want one these! Tnks for your response Fred, cheers!
+rodrigo melendez Thanks, Rodrigo!! Yeah, The New Dream (Harp-Sympitar) is one of my personal favorites. A LOT of work to pull off, though! That was a one-of-a-kind; right now I'm trying to come up with a banjo version that hopefully will be a bit simpler. You can contact me through my website if you want to talk. All the best, Fred
Hi Fred, I've wrote to you through your website, but the server don't let me send any message, please give another email adress if have it. thnx for your response. Rod
Hi, I'm interested in putting some effects (like the ones at 6.09) into an electric guitar that I'm building for myself. How did you go about doing it?
Christopher, Briefly: each tap-plate has a piezo-electric element affixed to its underside. These are inexpensive things used in buzzers/alarms and so on, can be gotten online easily. Each is wired to a separate pin on a multi-pin output jack. Each separate signal runs through a multi-conductor, MIDI-type cable to an off-board break-out box. There, each conductor gets wired to its own 1/4-inch out put jack. From there, a standard mono instrument cable goes from each output to inputs on a MIDI drum machine. Lots of wires, cables, jacks and so on, but the actual wiring is not very complicated. Mostly not expensive, except for the Drum Machine.
So AMAZING, you are an inspiration!!!!! I have been a fan of your art instruments for years!!! Would you consider honoring us with a tune on THE JOMAMA!!!! all the best cj
Hi Mike! Thanks so much! This is a one-of-a-kind instrument, built on commission 10 years ago (wow...was it really that long?). Honestly, I don't remember what I charged for it back then...I think it was around $26k. I usually tell folks that to get a rough idea of the cost a custom instrument from me, think $1,000. per string. This one has 18-strings and those crazy hammers, as well as scalloped frets and extensive custom electronics, including the MIDI tap-plates, so it was quite a bit more. Check out my website: www.fredcarlsoncreativeluthier.com to see more of my work.
@@FredCarlson awesome build sir! That's about what I was figuring price wise. Definitely out of my price range at the moment. If things turn around soon, I will definitely be in contact. Thank you for your reply ✌🏼
I Love you! This is a glorious piece of work! So many amazing ways to make beautiful sounds! I'm so inspired!! Can I ask how you control the midi drum pad (using piezos? a programmed microcontroller? etc.). Thank you kindly!
Hey Diggory! I love it that you caught that bit of song in the middle of things. That's the first couple lines of an old folk song from the Georgia Sea Islands, called "Things Are Goin' My Way": "I got the left hind leg of a rabbit, things are goin' my way. All you got to do is just reach out and grab it, things are goin' my way". Great song; I don't know the source recording, but you can probably find it doing a search. Thanks for your interest! Fred
Hi Dr. Dave! Yes, I am still making guitars; actually more accurately at the moment I'm making banjos, taking a break from the complex harp-guitar thing and going back to my roots. Of course, since I'm me, I'm making harp banjos! And other banjo innovations. As to the price of a guitar like this, please send me an email at wildsols@beyondthetrees.com if you want to talk about prices. All the best, Fred
Hello. I like playing guitar, especially your modified guitar with Indian color. I want to learn from you how to refit your guitar? OK? I'm willing to pay. thank!
Thanks for writing! Modifying or retrofitting a standard guitar to have added sympathetic strings and an Indian "jiwari" bridge for that "Indian color" would be a very complicated project, and not one that I can easily instruct you in. But if you have guitar building or repair skills, I would encourage you to get an old guitar and try it on your own.
amazing. You are very talented. A suggestion- why not start the vid w/ you playing? Seems 90 percent of the musical stuff I see on youtube begins with a spoken intro and then the music. Why not play a minute or so and then explain? Great instrument. !!
Fred Carlson love you tap root baritone tuned to A so do I @Barbara Salisbury 220 vids@ TH-cam.com I used grand concert 27in scale,jumbo 28 in scale but am using a custom Asian from Ktone,25 inch scale with a good neck set and tuners, low B and A sound very full! .you seem to contrast with low sitar like notesl. Chris Young and Barb Salisbury
Thanks for your comments, Christopher! You raise an interesting point; I think about this a lot, and I do try to make my work as affordable as I can. But it raises the question: should an artist not make something "very nice and amazing" simply because only a rich person could afford to buy it? If everyone followed that rule, the world would be without a lot of wonderful artworks, instruments and so on, which I believe make the world a more wonderful place. My guitar building teacher, many years ago, put it a little differently when I questioned the rightness of making instruments of such value that only the wealthy could buy one. He said: "So, do you think that because somebody is able to afford something, it's wrong for them to buy it?" I don't know....I just build the things, try to make a living at it, and hope they add something to the world for years to come. Fred
Christopher Jetter interesting point. certainly not even the Chinese (bootlegging masters) could stamp out a cheap copy of any of FC'S guitars. "The New Dream" is my favorite of his instruments.
Sorry you feel that way! I agree 10 minutes is probably too long for a video like this; in our culture we learn to have short attention spans, and I'm sure you're not the only person who didn't make it through far enough to hear the demos of the instrument (they are there...I think you have to get to around 8 minutes in). I will remember to put the demos closer to the beginning in the future!
Something that not many people know about Fred Carlson is that he is over 1500 years old. He is from a higher race of beings than us humans. Legend has it that Fred used to hang out with Tom Bombadil and Gandalf when they were very young- only 200 or so. He knows things that go far past our wildest imaginings.
I knew that! 😊
Definitely some type of Elf, likely a Bard class.
You been smoking the good stuff, Fred!
Thanks so much! I do get a bit exhausted when I make something with this kind of detail! My next couple of projects don't promise to be much easier, but should be as much fun: my partner Suzy and I will be making a wild cello with many extra strings and unusual features; and, I am about to start on the world's first "Humanitar". You'll have to stay tuned to fined out what that turns out to be!
Simply amazed at the artistry of this instrument. It captures so much beauty, and embraces the ancient and the modern. Truly a work of art. I would love to play that, if even for a moment.. At the very least, it does make me want to pick up my acoustic and have a go again, so add inspiring to my list of adjectives. Bravo, sir...!
Incredible. I'm speechless.
Fred you remain my hero. Greetings from up the coast in composite guitar land.
Blackbirder!!
Nice to hear from you! What you guys are doing is great! I recently got a chance to try out one of your current crop of travel guitars....how cool!
Just stumbled across this. The world will be a better place if more people know Fred exists.
Thanks, Whitney! I'm so glad you stumbled by...
My feeling is that unusual, unique musical instruments can make the world a better place (they certainly make it a better place for me!)
Fred
This is awsome. I am glad your finally on youtube.
Thank you, Fred! Taproot is a dream come true... it is magical to play. I am the luckiest guitarist on the planet to have you as my friend and luthier.
you are truly an artist, Fred. thanks for sharing with us
wow hear Jeff Titus play it on a video from 2017----really beautiful ---great work! Fred!
Thanks, Jim! I can't wait for Jeff to do some more recording with it.
Fantastic instrument...:-) Blessings to you Fred :-)
WOW!!! I'm blown away, Fred! Didn't realize you were making such incredibly complex & creative hybrid instruments. I love the additions of hammers & sharping levers. Imagining what amazing enhancements you might dream up for a mountain or hammered dulcimer. Not ready to go there yet, but just imagining! Again, simply incredible!!!!!
Hey Peter! Thanks for the kind words...it does keep me out of trouble (or maybe gets me into trouble!). Let me know when you're ready! Fred
So nice it hurts. I've always admired your work in GAL. Thanks!
Absolutely brilliant. Well done Fred.
Thanks for the kindness, Christopher! It's a labor of love.
Thank you, Christopher!
Brother Fred! I love the look of sheer joy on your face at 8:10. Thank you so much for being who you are and creating the art that you do!
Beautifully made and it's very nice to see some originality applied to guitar building.
Wondrous artistry. Thank you for this.
Saw Jeff Titus play this instrument last night. Amazing sound.
What an amazing instrument! I look forward to seeing more of your work.
David Finley
Durham, NC
Hi Fred, another masterpiece!!!! You never cease to amaze me with your creative and inovative expressions of art and music. Hope to hear from you soon>
Billy Bart, Rutherford, NJ
***INCREDIBLE PIECE MAN!***
I'm sure it will!!!! looking forward to it, so glad your on the tube!!!
all the best
cj
Magnificent work. Stunning.
Many thanks, Sui!
Fred, You have incredible talent! I cannot believe how far you have taken this Taproot project. There seems to be detail in every aspect. Well done. It sounds lovely and I can't wait to hear some music played on it
Just read about you in the Fretboard Journal! Love your instruments!
Amazing! There is much inventions in one instrument! A have no idea, who will buy it.
Phenomenal! There is certainly some brilliant innovation at work here, I really like the versatility of the instrument.
+Dan Halfpenny
Hey Dan,
Thanks for the kind words. I really like that it can be played like a guitar, but you can go as far out into outer space with it as you want to; it opens up a lot of possibilities....
Fred
Wouaou, I enjoyed the sound as well as the way you play your unbelievable new instrument so much ! ...
Nice work Fred!
Just absolutely amazing work Fred! Beautiful instrument!
Wow, this is awesome!
Beyond amazing
Hey, thanks, Alex!
Amazing!
Gorgeous
What a wonderful instrument! I must play Taproot one day.
Thanks, Forest! I hope you get the chance.
Man, you are a genius! Simply ... genius!
I can relate to this as I have been making instruments myself for 64 years. Love it! Interesting Marxophone addition to this instrument.
You are an incredible artist Fred, I aspire to invent amazing new instruments myself one day.
Go for it! The world needs more magic!
It is a wonderful work art. Genius.
wow amazing instrument!!
As a guitarist i must say that this makes so much more sense than the so all 'Harp Guitar' that is so popular these days.
Thanks, Mazy! When I was first introduced to the so-called "harp guitar", I didn't really get it, other than really liking the sympathetic resonances of the added sub-bass strings. I've since had a lot more exposure to traditional harp guitars, and have come to appreciate the Knutsen and Dyer based designs a lot more. But there are a lot of ways to put extra strings on a guitar, and I've been much interested in designing and building "harp guitars" that open up other possibilities. Taproot is one of those adventures.
If I had this I would walk into my studio room and never come out! You do amazing work Fred. If you ever need a BOARD from "The Tree" for one of these....let me know. LOL I love the cello you made for Kris Yenny.
Great job! What a magic! ❤️
Thanks so much for the kind words! Magic is how I like to think of it, too.
Amazing! Thanks. God Bless!
And many thanks to you, Madaline!
Very skilled!
Many thanks!!
Taproot - is an awesom band. )) the instrument looks interesting
Fred your a big inspiration of mine and I built and designed my guitar before I came across this and I see a similarity in the thin lower bouts. I would be more interested in how you made it out of wood.
Amazing concept, sounds great man !
Hey fred i make instruments too, I've admired your work for a long time, please make more videos because i love to see and here your instruments.
CJ, Thank You!
I do intend to get The Jomama live on TH-cam sometime soon. I bet it will be the only Jomama on the internet!
Fred
I would love one of these :O
W o W !!!!!!!!!!!!! that's PURE genius!! (:
I knew I was doing the right thing, when I subscribed by just seeing the thumbnail. I hope this message finds you well, kudos Fred! Undescribable! \m/
Hi Christos, thanks so much for the kind words! I hope you are well, also, and getting to play music. If you have a chance, you might enjoy visiting my new website, www.fredcarlsoncreativeluthier.com , or my old site which is still online: www.beyondthetrees.com . All the best, Fred
Hello Fred, you've made the most amazing instruments I've ever seen. How do your sympathetic strings resonate so loudly? Very little or no resonation has been the problem on my projects!
Hey Kitarasti,
thanks much for the kindness! The secret to strong presence of the sympathetic strings is the Indian-style "jiwari" bridge. It also helps to have relatively long string length, and use very light gauge strings. Position of the sympathetic bridge on the face of the instrument can also effect response. Sometimes they seem to respond better if they run more or less parallel to the main/plucked/bowed strings, rather than sharply angled to that plane. But getting the set up of the jiwari table is crucial, and tricky! Good luck!
The one I would be interested in is the Oracle. Thank you!
What an incredible instrument Fred! You are such a thoroughgoing artist/inventor, what could possibly be next on your list of instruments to build?
I salute you. Sir
Brilliant design! Sounds wonderful, and the springy hammers are something I've never seen before. Also nice giving them colors for visual navigation of all those strings :) Are those tuners flamenco pegheds? How do they feel on steel strings in terms of tuning accuracy? I used Knilling perfection pegs on my steel string harp ukulele, but that's only about 15lbs tension per string. Would be very nice in terms of weight reduction to use them on full size harp guitars too.
Coolest thing I ever saw. I'll never have the money to buy such a thing, but if I did, I would channel my soul through it until I became one with the infinite and the universe would ring out peace and love for all living things for a thousand years.
Thanks so much for the kind words, Gregory! If you had the money and I had the time and energy, I would call that a plan!! Fred
Incredible. The ideas for the hammers and the sharpening levers especially. What did you construct the Jawari out of if you don't mind my asking. I find it difficult to get the proper sound on my projects. Thanks so much!
Hey David!
Thanks for the kind words and interest.
The jawari bridge on Taproot is mostly made from ebony and brass. It is hollow in the center, and open on the bottom. I basically made a "rim" or "frame" of ebony, and glued a cap on top of it. The cap is a thin layer of ebony with an overlay of sheet brass (about 1/16" thick) laminated on top of the ebony with epoxy. The brass is what becomes the jawari "table", where the buzz happens, so it gets ever-so-slightly curved from back to front, curving away from the strings. The most important thing is that curve, which can take me literally days to get right.
The body of the bridge is hollow both to remove excess weight from the top of the instrument (and potential damping), and to provide space for the piezo pickup and its wire. This pickup is made from two pieces of piezo-ceramic sheet material that is attached directly to the underside of the ebony cap. The piezo material does not contact the rest of the body of the pickup, nor the top of the instrument, thus achieving some degree of acoustic separation from the main instrument body in the signal the pickup perceives; at least enough to be able to optimize the mix of sympathetic and main strings when playing amplified. The bridge also responds very well when played without being plugged in. I'm not sure that brass makes the most pleasing sound in all applications; my partner has made violins with jawari bridges, and finds that brass, bone and pearl are too harsh sounding in that application; just plain ebony has a more pleasing sound (of course it's all subjective!).
Fred
It would be neat if there were some kind of lever, or even something simpler, for each of the little hammer guys that allowed you to control the frequency of the tremolo effect, as one can do with dulcimer hammers.
Good idea! Probably could be done pretty easily by having little sliding weights on the hammer shafts. Thanks for the thought!
Fred
WOW! That's the perfect tool I would like to use in my compositions. What's her price? I supose it will be fair but maybe I can't afford it. Kind regards!
Wow....just wow....
Nice to hear from you, Brian! We met in Williamsburg some years ago, at an early Harp Guitar Gathering. I hope you're still playing a lot, bringing that joy into the world!
@@FredCarlson Hi Fred, Yes I am still out there in the World, playing, writing and recording and I see that you are still building truly AMAZING guitars!
very cool...greetings from 2 musicians (sitar&tanpura) from germany............(maria&harald,road to himalaya)...
Mad scientist of acoustics
WOW FRED !!!!
Thanks, James!!
Dear Fred, thank you for your reply. I have read with great interest your information on your web site "beyond the trees.com", regarding your, well, "story" I guess, especially the dilemma and decision regarding new orders and the "wish list". God gave you a talent and it would not be the same if you had a production factory - no way. Follow your heart, your dream, spend time on that house and be happy.
I am pleased to have met you.
Mike
Where are those sharping levers from?… I’ve not seen them actuated from the back side.
Hi John! Those levers were quite a project and very, very "custom"! My client (and friend), harp-guitarist Jeff Titus, wanted a lever he could actuate from behind, to be able to alter the sub-bass harp strings pitches while playing. He took the initiative to find someone to help manifest that idea; it turned out that another HG-playing friend had a father who made custom medical equipment and was interested in the project. He and I corresponded extensively, and with my critique and encouragement made several attempts before we got a design that really worked right. Ultimately it turned out to be a huge amount of work for him and not something he thought he'd ever want to do again. They also turned out to be rather expensive; but they're great! It would be wonderful if there was someone who would produce them.
I love this so much, I found again, you are a great inspiration for us all. Where are you located? I would love to meet you someday?
We're near the coast, a bit north of Santa Cruz, CA. Please check out m website if you haven't:
that is !
Beautiful! May I ask how you made the hammers? Wood, or some type of steel leaf spring?
Thanks, bourni! Hammers are of spring steel...made from the stuff used to fish electrical wire through conduits (it works good for thumb piano keys, too!). They have decorative wood overlay on part, as well as a wooden head for hitting the string.
@@FredCarlson Awesome, thanks!!
Hi Fred, when you built other instruments with the sympathetic strings inside the body/neck. Did you use the same type of ebony/brass bridge inside the body, to get the sitar like tone from those guitars, like the flying dream? BTW, this guitar blew me away. Hammers, drums... Creative you are!
+John Deer Hi John!
Most of my Sympitars do have a hardwood bridge with a brass cap (for the internal sympathetics), though I have played around a lot with the details of constructing it. Thanks for the kind words!
Fred
This is an incredible instrument! I found this after having a conversation about your instruments with my father, a former salesman for La Playa music supply in Detroit that sold you parts many years ago.
I'm just amazed by this one especially. Is there an album of recorded music with this instrument? If not, could one be made?
Thanks, LotusSquid! Wow, La Playa...I think that was a long time ago! Taproot is pretty amazing, one of those things I look at and say....whoa, I did that? Its owner, Jeff Titus, has at least one TH-cam video out featuring it, and I'm sure has plans for more recording with it in the future. Check this out: th-cam.com/video/sK1N61WKD0s/w-d-xo.html
Hi Fred, just wondering if you could please tell me where did you get the fine tuning mechanisms for the sympathetics and what they are called
Thanks so much … novice lover of sympathetics on guitar here 🙏🏻
Hi Justin; thanks for your interest! Those are violin fine tuners, usually just used on the metal first string of a violin. There are several types available from violin supply catalogs; I think those ones are called "Uni-Midget". You might try "Eastman Music" or: "Metropolitan Music", or just do a Google search for them. Good luck! Fred
Thanks so much for the response, one more question, the sympathetics sound like they are tuned an octave lower than normal sympathetics (on say a sitar for example) is that correct and is there a reason why you didn’t go for the higher octave?
More resonance? Less stress on the neck?
Or is it just that it’s a baritone guitar tuned to low A?
Just wondering as I’m building a couple and first attemp worked wonderfully but has put too much tension on the neck causing an existing neck bend to get worse and making tuning difficult
Also wondering what what your thoughts are for a hollow neck box for the sympathetics, do you think this would create more resonance and amplification of the sympathetics, I appreciate your answers as I am a novice modifying 12 string guitars with no luthier skills, but am on a mission because I’m in love with the sound of the sympathetic resonance
Thanks so much
Justin
@@justinlivesay Hi Justin,
I developed my tuning of sympathetic strings based initially on what were the thinnest strings easily available, which turned out to be .008". I found that with my system of running the sympathetics inside the neck (making them all the same length) , the highest pitch I could reliably get without breaking strings was a G note (the G of a guitar 1st string in standard tuning fretted at the 3rd fret). I occasionally tuned one or two symps up to the A above that, but the danger of breaking a string that has to be threaded inside the neck to replace discouraged me from doing that much. So, my tuning would start at that G and go down to about the G an octave below that (the same G as the 3rd string of a guitar in standard tuning). I would increase the string gauge as necessary, but usually keeping them pretty thin, maybe .010" or .012" at the thickest/lowest pitched. I found that mostly .008" worked best all around. The thicker you go, the more energy it takes to excite the string, so at some point you lose response. On the other hand, if you go too thin (I used .006" for a while, which is harder to get) the string doesn't put out enough volume to heard well. I also have made several instruments with sympathetic strings running outboard, off to one side of the neck, or across the top. In those cases, I was able use a variety of string lengths, so selecting appropriate gauges was a different story.
I've also experimented with using thicker strings for sympathetics, including wound strings. I have had some success using something like a wound guitar G/3rd string (maybe about .020"?), but the response is not great...it just takes too much energy to get that fat a string moving.
@@FredCarlson wow that helps a lot thank you 🙏
I hope you don’t mind but would love to ask about the bridge as well, as I’m using a sitar sympathetic bridge which works quite well, have you tried one on any of your guitars? Your sympathetic bridge on the tap root is amazingly effective, was it hard to get the jawari at a correct angle?
could you please recommend wood and metal type to use for this and lastly is the pick up a standard piezo under saddle type ?
I appreciate your advise so much as I believe if I incorporate fine tuners I will need a wider bridge and I constantly marvel at the amazing multiple effects you have built into the taproot just WOW !!🙏
I saw another build not sure who made it, but it incorporated a tampura running down one side of the neck to great effect, I almost wonder if the increased angle of the tampura jawari would give better sympathetic response than a standard sitar Bridge …
@@justinlivesay Yeah, it's incredibly hard to get the angle and subtle curve of the jiwari just right; I spend hours on that! Traditionally they are made from bone; most of mine are wood.
Sometimes, as with Taproot, I put a cap of thin brass on top of the wood, for a brighter sound. There is also a piezo pick-up in this jiwari bridge; I've done that a few times, using different approaches and piezo materials. It's great to be able to control the volume of the sympathetic strings in relation to the main strings!
Hey man! awesome sound! congratulations, maestro! I wanna know about one of your works Fred, called 'the new dream'... I`ve seen on 'beyond the trees' site, and I want one these! Tnks for your response Fred,
cheers!
+rodrigo melendez
Thanks, Rodrigo!!
Yeah, The New Dream (Harp-Sympitar) is one of my personal favorites. A LOT of work to pull off, though! That was a one-of-a-kind; right now I'm trying to come up with a banjo version that hopefully will be a bit simpler. You can contact me through my website if you want to talk.
All the best,
Fred
Hi Fred, I've wrote to you through your website, but the server don't let me send any message, please give another email adress if have it.
thnx for your response.
Rod
Roderigo,
you can email me at wildsols@beyondthetrees.com
Fred
Hi, I'm interested in putting some effects (like the ones at 6.09) into an electric guitar that I'm building for myself. How did you go about doing it?
Christopher,
Briefly: each tap-plate has a piezo-electric element affixed to its underside. These are inexpensive things used in buzzers/alarms and so on, can be gotten online easily. Each is wired to a separate pin on a multi-pin output jack. Each separate signal runs through a multi-conductor, MIDI-type cable to an off-board break-out box. There, each conductor gets wired to its own 1/4-inch out put jack. From there, a standard mono instrument cable goes from each output to inputs on a MIDI drum machine. Lots of wires, cables, jacks and so on, but the actual wiring is not very complicated. Mostly not expensive, except for the Drum Machine.
If Michael Hedges were alive he would love this. Quite stunning.
So AMAZING, you are an inspiration!!!!! I have been a fan of your art instruments for years!!!
Would you consider honoring us with a tune on THE JOMAMA!!!!
all the best
cj
Beautiful!!! How much would/does one of these cost?
Hi Mike! Thanks so much! This is a one-of-a-kind instrument, built on commission 10 years ago (wow...was it really that long?). Honestly, I don't remember what I charged for it back then...I think it was around $26k. I usually tell folks that to get a rough idea of the cost a custom instrument from me, think $1,000. per string. This one has 18-strings and those crazy hammers, as well as scalloped frets and extensive custom electronics, including the MIDI tap-plates, so it was quite a bit more. Check out my website: www.fredcarlsoncreativeluthier.com to see more of my work.
@@FredCarlson awesome build sir! That's about what I was figuring price wise. Definitely out of my price range at the moment. If things turn around soon, I will definitely be in contact. Thank you for your reply ✌🏼
Fanbloody TASTIC...
YOU ROCK.
YOU ROCK
YOU MY HERO.
YOU ROCK
Hey, it's about time I was somebody's hero!! Thank you!
I Love you! This is a glorious piece of work! So many amazing ways to make beautiful sounds! I'm so inspired!! Can I ask how you control the midi drum pad (using piezos? a programmed microcontroller? etc.).
Thank you kindly!
Clever machine!..... but where's the 'green tambourine'?....
Nice
Thanks, Alejandro!
I had to ff because that thing is so cool i had to hear it.
what's the song at 8.04 ? thanks :)
Hey Diggory!
I love it that you caught that bit of song in the middle of things. That's the first couple lines of an old folk song from the Georgia Sea Islands, called "Things Are Goin' My Way":
"I got the left hind leg of a rabbit, things are goin' my way.
All you got to do is just reach out and grab it, things are goin' my way".
Great song; I don't know the source recording, but you can probably find it doing a search.
Thanks for your interest!
Fred
Is Fred still making guitars? If so, I wonder what these cost now?
Hi Dr. Dave!
Yes, I am still making guitars; actually more accurately at the moment I'm making banjos, taking a break from the complex harp-guitar thing and going back to my roots. Of course, since I'm me, I'm making harp banjos! And other banjo innovations. As to the price of a guitar like this, please send me an email at wildsols@beyondthetrees.com if you want to talk about prices.
All the best,
Fred
Hello. I like playing guitar, especially your modified guitar with Indian color. I want to learn from you how to refit your guitar? OK? I'm willing to pay. thank!
Thanks for writing! Modifying or retrofitting a standard guitar to have added sympathetic strings and an Indian "jiwari" bridge for that "Indian color" would be a very complicated project, and not one that I can easily instruct you in. But if you have guitar building or repair skills, I would encourage you to get an old guitar and try it on your own.
amazing. You are very talented. A suggestion- why not start the vid w/ you playing? Seems 90 percent of the musical stuff I see on youtube begins with a spoken intro and then the music. Why not play a minute or so and then explain?
Great instrument. !!
I need a harp guitar
Please run that through a distortion pedal, that would would sound totally sick....
❤❤
Blimey, I bet this guy has tripped a few light fantastics 😂😂
Wooooow
Thaaaaaank you!!
@@FredCarlson i'm a luthier too. Your work is amazing.
Fred Carlson love you tap root baritone tuned to A so do I @Barbara Salisbury 220 vids@ TH-cam.com I used grand concert 27in scale,jumbo 28 in scale but am using a custom Asian from Ktone,25 inch scale with a good neck set and tuners, low B and A sound very full! .you seem to contrast with low sitar like notesl. Chris Young and Barb Salisbury
Fuckin Cool !!!
I would sell my 20 guitar for a down payment on this one. .. amazing. . ..
yes it is very nice and amazing, but only the rich will be able to afford such an instrument.
Thanks for your comments, Christopher! You raise an interesting point; I think about this a lot, and I do try to make my work as affordable as I can. But it raises the question: should an artist not make something "very nice and amazing" simply because only a rich person could afford to buy it? If everyone followed that rule, the world would be without a lot of wonderful artworks, instruments and so on, which I believe make the world a more wonderful place. My guitar building teacher, many years ago, put it a little differently when I questioned the rightness of making instruments of such value that only the wealthy could buy one. He said: "So, do you think that because somebody is able to afford something, it's wrong for them to buy it?"
I don't know....I just build the things, try to make a living at it, and hope they add something to the world for years to come.
Fred
Christopher Jetter interesting point. certainly not even the Chinese (bootlegging masters) could stamp out a cheap copy of any of FC'S guitars.
"The New Dream" is my favorite of his instruments.
Imagine putting all the work into this instrument and a 10 minute video explaining it, where you NEVER play a demo piece on it. What a waste of time
Sorry you feel that way! I agree 10 minutes is probably too long for a video like this; in our culture we learn to have short attention spans, and I'm sure you're not the only person who didn't make it through far enough to hear the demos of the instrument (they are there...I think you have to get to around 8 minutes in). I will remember to put the demos closer to the beginning in the future!
Harpguitar ❌ Sitarguitar ✔️
Not sure what that means, Omar.....
@@FredCarlson i mean the sound close 2 sitar
@@Omarjaber97 You're right...the harp strings are also going over a "jiwari" bridge, like the jiwari strings on a sitar, so they have that sound.
excuse my french much noise about nothing