Bear Guitars LapTap

This instrument completely slipped my mind even though I had talked to Siggi about it a few years ago.  Shame on me.  Built in 2004, with 8 strings and a 26″ scale length.  One think I always loved about this design is the classical style headstock with the tuner knobs pointing up.  I also dig the lived in look that his instruments have.  Way to go, Siggi, and thanks to Tom for reminding me about this laptar innovator.

Bear Guitars LapTap

Jeff Healey – lap guitar jazz

What the hell, why not. He doesn’t tap (as far as I know), but Jeff Healey is so awesome. What I love about this clip is the way he uses his felt thumb to articulate lines. Definitely something to explore.

Erik Mongrain – Acoustic Lap Tapping

One of our readers (Thanks, tdh20).  Suggested compiling a list of the great laptarists.  If you include guys who are not primarily tappers, Jeff Healey and all kinds of great steel guitarists and others come to mind.  If you limit the field to players you primarily tap the instrument, the list becomes a whole lot shorter.  Especially since the concept is relatively knew.  Still, there is an elephant in the room, and his name is Erik Mongrain.

The Planck DIY Laptar

Sevens Things has a new 7-string laptar design for do-it-yourselfers called the plank.  The instrument has a shorter guitar type scale, and sounds pertty sweet.  Best of all, he provides instructions on how to build the Planck using inexpensive / hardware store parts, and even has instructions to build your own pickups.  Ben Harper needs one of these.  Check it out.

StarrBoard, the predecessor to the Harpejji

I neglected to mention the StarrBoard, developed by John Starrett in the seventies.  The Starrboard has 24 strings, 25 frets, and a semi-tone tuning system.  Starrett also created acoustic and midi versions of the Starrboard.  The Starrboard predates the Steinberger String Console, but the designs are quite different, both in tuning system and orientation to the player.

The Harpejji on the other hand,  is most definitely based on the StarrBoard, as acknowledged by Tim Meeks of Marcodi.   The most immidiate differences between the  difference between the Starrboard and the Harpejji are changes to the number of frets and the tuning system.  The Harpejji traded frets for wider intervals, losing 10 frets, but keeping the same 5 octave range by using a whole-tone tuning system.  It seems this change would encourage lateral movement as opposed to distal (yes, I looked that up) movement on the part of the player, but I can’t say for sure as I haven’t played either on of them yet.

On that note, I’m planning a trip to Marcodi world headquarters this weekend, so I should be able to report out in a little more detail on the Harpejji.

What is a laptar?

Welcome eh’rybuddy, and welcome tuh myself.  This blog is about laptars.  What is a laptar, you say?  Well, I’ll take a first stab at a definition: “A laptar is a dedicated tapping stringed instrument that is played horizontally across your lap or on a stand with the strings facing towards the sky.”  Something like that…sure that definition will change over time.

Who makes ‘em?  Who plays ‘em?  The first example of this instrument that I am aware of is the Steinberger String Console by Ned Steinberger.  He made one or more prototypes in the early 80’s, and Fred Frith used it on some Bill Laswell albums between 83 and 85.  I’ll be digging up more information on this soon.  Sadly, the Steinberger String Console never became a production instrument.

In the early 90’s, Mark Warr began creating prototype laptar’s before being persuaded to create instruments that hung in more of a guitar like manner.  As far as I know, Warr Guitars never produced a production laptar.  However, Trey Gunn began experimenting with this style of playing by putting is Warr Guitar on a keyboard stand.  There was a video of this on youtube, but I can’t find it anymore. (Anybody have a link?)

In the past year or so, a few manufacturers have begun offering production instruments in this style.  Each has their own variation.  The first production laptar was the 12-string Mobius Megatar LapTapper.  This instrument closely follows the design of other Megatar’s, except for posts that are sculpted into the neck and body to provide support and attach it to the base.  The instrument’s standard tuning is in two sets of ascending fourths, with the bass set closest to the player. 

A Belgium company headed by Jan Van Kelst makes the 9 string Kelstone.  They also make an 18 string version called the Double Kelstone.  The Kelstone is tuned in a single set of ascending fourths.  The Double Kelstone adds a second parallel Kelstone, but with a reversed orientation, so the pitch of the nearer Kelstone ascends as the player moves to the right, and the pitch of the second Kelston ascends as the player moves to the left.  The description sounds confusing, but go to the sight and check out the pics.

 

The Oakland Axe Factory also makes laptars.  They even call them laptars. (Woohoo!) Their laptar designs so far have consisted of double region 10 string string instruments with 4 bass strings and six guitar strings.  These are the most pocket friendly laptars I have seen, aside from laying a regular guitar down in your lap.  This is a good place to start if you’d like to try out the concept but can’t afford the other instruments mentioned so far.

Marcodi, out of Baltimore, MD, just introduced the harpejji d1 at the end of 2007.  This instrument is a bit different than the others, and takes the guitar-for-keyboard-players concept to the next level.  Unlike the other instruments, on the harpejji, the player’s fingers are perpendicular to the frets.  The instrument has 24 strings that are tuned in ascending wholetones from left to right.  In addition, the fret marking system borrows from the keyboard convention with accidentals in black, and natural notes marked in white.  The combination of fretboard orientation, tuning, and fretboard marking are particularly well suited to keyboardists, or those who are looking to play more closely voiced chords.  Jordan Rudess, keyboardist for Dream Theater, is currently experimenting with the harpejji and has posted some clips on youtube.

 

 There is a budding community of laptarists and other tap guitar players and builders over at Tappistry.org.  The site is an excellent resource.

Know of any more laptar manufacturers?  Send me a link.  Interested in finding out more about this instrument?  Stay tuned.

Best wishes from the Bucket

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