13 Course Schrammel Contra Harp Guitar (unlabelled) , c. 1950s
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13 Course Model Schrammel Contra Harp Guitar (unlabelled), c. 1950s, probably Viennese, natural top, mahogany stained back and sides finish, maple back and sides, spruce top; maple necks with rosewood fingerboard, black gig bag case.
A staple of Viennese and Bavarian folk music for close to two centuries, the Schrammel guitar is mostly little known elsewhere. These are also called contra-guitars and traditionally are primarily used in accordion or string bands and various types of semi-classical and folk ensembles. It is played as a standard 6-string with the range is extended by additional bass-strings vibrating freely. These sub-bass strings can be plucked, but also resonate sympathetically and provide a fuller sound. These guitars have been built to the same pattern for well over a century so are difficult to date exactly; this one appears to have been made in the 1950s or 1960s.
The 7 drone strings are traditionally tuned in semitones, down from the D# below the low E; some modern (and non-traditional) users prefer a more diatonic approach. This instrument has two conjoined necks, with a lower six string guitar fingerboard and upper long unfretted extension for sub-bass strings. The necks share a single cone heel (a very large cone!) with a Stauffer-style clock-key adjustor. The guitar neck has slotted headstock, zero fret and typical German tuner strips.
The rosewood fingerboard has three pearl dots and the extension is floating over the top in the Stauffer style. The upper neck has a long scroll extension holding the seven open harp strings with a single tuner strip and individual ebony nut pieces, and the headstocks are smoothly joined by a seamless carved bridge. The ladder braced top is multi bound in wood with an unbound back, and the bridge is a single long piece of ebony with decorative ends and a wire saddle. A metal support tube extends through the body not unlike some Larson Bros. Guitars from Chicago in the 1930's. Guitars of this type are still familiar in Germany but much rarer in the US, this one was brought back from Vienna some time ago.
Overall length is 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm.), 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3/16 in. (8.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar shows general signs of use but remains in good playing condition. There is some typical finish wear overall with picking marks to the top and scratching to the back, with small dings, scrapes and dents to the finish overall. The bridge has been reglued, a couple of seams resealed and a small grain split to the front edge of the top just below the lower neck sealed. The large center back brace has repaired crack on the bass side. The instrument plays well with silk & steel strings (traditional German players would use Nylon) and has a sweet sound. As a budget harp guitar these are hard to beat, not as powerful as some vintage American designs but handier than most and fun to play. Overall Excellent - Condition.
A staple of Viennese and Bavarian folk music for close to two centuries, the Schrammel guitar is mostly little known elsewhere. These are also called contra-guitars and traditionally are primarily used in accordion or string bands and various types of semi-classical and folk ensembles. It is played as a standard 6-string with the range is extended by additional bass-strings vibrating freely. These sub-bass strings can be plucked, but also resonate sympathetically and provide a fuller sound. These guitars have been built to the same pattern for well over a century so are difficult to date exactly; this one appears to have been made in the 1950s or 1960s.
The 7 drone strings are traditionally tuned in semitones, down from the D# below the low E; some modern (and non-traditional) users prefer a more diatonic approach. This instrument has two conjoined necks, with a lower six string guitar fingerboard and upper long unfretted extension for sub-bass strings. The necks share a single cone heel (a very large cone!) with a Stauffer-style clock-key adjustor. The guitar neck has slotted headstock, zero fret and typical German tuner strips.
The rosewood fingerboard has three pearl dots and the extension is floating over the top in the Stauffer style. The upper neck has a long scroll extension holding the seven open harp strings with a single tuner strip and individual ebony nut pieces, and the headstocks are smoothly joined by a seamless carved bridge. The ladder braced top is multi bound in wood with an unbound back, and the bridge is a single long piece of ebony with decorative ends and a wire saddle. A metal support tube extends through the body not unlike some Larson Bros. Guitars from Chicago in the 1930's. Guitars of this type are still familiar in Germany but much rarer in the US, this one was brought back from Vienna some time ago.
Overall length is 42 1/4 in. (107.3 cm.), 14 7/8 in. (37.8 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 3 3/16 in. (8.1 cm.) in depth at side, taken at the end block. Scale length is 25 in. (635 mm.). Width of nut is 1 3/4 in. (44 mm.).
This guitar shows general signs of use but remains in good playing condition. There is some typical finish wear overall with picking marks to the top and scratching to the back, with small dings, scrapes and dents to the finish overall. The bridge has been reglued, a couple of seams resealed and a small grain split to the front edge of the top just below the lower neck sealed. The large center back brace has repaired crack on the bass side. The instrument plays well with silk & steel strings (traditional German players would use Nylon) and has a sweet sound. As a budget harp guitar these are hard to beat, not as powerful as some vintage American designs but handier than most and fun to play. Overall Excellent - Condition.