OSCAR SCHMIDT OS73CE AUTOHARP
The autoharp is a wonderful rhythm instrument especially suited to playing chordal accompaniment for singing and solo instrumentalists. From its invention in Europe more than 100 years ago, the autoharp has woven its way in and out of a myriad of musical genres including Folk, Country and Western, Pop, Roots and who knows what next!
Interestingly, the autoharp is actually not a harp at all but a chorded Zither. Regardless of what it is called, the fact remains that it is a wonderfully inspirational instrument and exceptionally easy to make music with.
A modern progression of the autoharp has players actually play melodies on their instrument. Diatonic players are able to play fiddle tunes by using open-chording techniques, “pumping” the damper buttons while picking individual strings. Skilled chromatic players can perform a range of melodies making the autoharp a much more versatile instrument.
The Oscar Schmidt OS73CE is a stunning facsimile of a 1930’s autoharp. Visually, the Oscar Schmidt will take you back to a bygone era with its antique-styled body featuring a more geometric Art-Deco design compared to modern autoharps. The satin Black finish and old-style logo which reads, “Original Autoharp – Dolgeville, New York” completes the package.
Practically though, this is a thoroughly modern instrument. Featuring 21 Chord bars and an electronic Pickup, the OS73CE uses OSA A-model strings where the strings slip over pins at the bottom end of the harp and the clever flip-up endpin cover stops pins from snagging on your clothes.
The top is made from solid spruce, the back from laminated mahogany. The pin blocks are hard rock maple laminated in 10 plys for extra strength. The pin block is critical to the success and tone of an autoharp. Its job is to firmly hold the tuning pins in place where the strings are attached. As well as providing tuning stability, the pin block is an important point of transfer of the energy from the strings into the body of the autoharp.
Multiple layers of maple are laid across each other in a criss-cross fashion using a special high frequency, waterproof gluing process. Reversing the grain direction on each layer of lamination yields incredible strength and the high-frequency waterproof glue seals the laminations protecting the pin block from changes in temperature and humidity.
The standard set of 21 chord bars; Ab, A, Bb, C, D, Eb, F, G major; A7, Bb7, B7, C7, D7, E7, F7, G7; Am, Cm, Dm, Em and Gm play in the keys of Eb, Bb, F, C, G, D and A.
Included in our package is a Tuning wrench, Tuning tips & picks.
OSCAR SCHMIDT OS73CE AUTOHARP
