Alkire E-Harp

Tommy Wayne · Post by **Tommy Wayne** » 14 Jan 2011 7:48 pm

Hey folks, saw this cool 10 string lap steel from the 40's on ebay. Not sure how to post the link. I've never seen that many strings on a steel from that era. Wonder what the tuning would be. TW

William Lake · Post by **William Lake** » 14 Jan 2011 8:23 pm

http://cgi.ebay.ca/10-string-Alkire-Eha ... 0692530793

Post by **Brad Bechtel** » 14 Jan 2011 8:32 pm

The tuning would be this, courtesy Dave Van Allen's web site:

1. E
2. C#
3. B
4. A
5. G#
6. G
7. F#
8. F (or E# as he calls it in the tuning literature)
9. E
10. C#

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 14 Jan 2011 8:34 pm

There were at least three versions of the Eharp, from the 1940s until the late 60s, I believe. The two on eBay now are later ones, built by Valco. The earliest version was made by Epiphone and is the most highly sought after one. If you Search this Forum you'll find lots of threads about the Eharp with lots pictures.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 14 Jan 2011 8:36 pm

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Terry P. Miller · Post by **Terry P. Miller** » 17 Jan 2011 9:50 am

This looks exactly like the model I bought from Alkire back in the 70's. Same color, same looks, same case,etc.
It was what Alkire called his "student" model, and was made with very inexpensive materials. The wood was very soft, so the sustain was less than perfect.
There was no comparison between this E-Harp and the models he had built by Epiphone.
I cleaned out my closet about 10 years ago and sold it to a fellow back East for $50.
It is what it is. If I were to pay that much money for an E-Harp, I would want to also look at Alkire's professional series. A friend of mine in Oregon sold one about 3 years ago for $500. It was a very well made instrument.
Terry

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Jan 2011 9:58 am

This is the first version of the Alkire Eharp, 1940s.

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 17 Jan 2011 12:06 pm

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Terry P. Miller · Post by **Terry P. Miller** » 17 Jan 2011 2:38 pm

Doug, that's a picture of one of Alkire's really top of the line models. I saw quite a few in his studio in Easton.

Frank Brown, one of Alkire's protege/teachers in the Philly area used to play one and it had all of the features a good steel should have.
I bought the cheaper model just to learn Alkire's method. I did play it at a few luaus in and around Atlantic City, but I wasn't pleased with it. Frank was ready to make me a good offer on a professional model, as he was retiring and selling his studio. (He was one of the first winners of the New Jersey lottery for One Million$$ back in the early seventies!)
Had I stayed with the E-harp I would have gone with a good one such as is in your photo.
Terry

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Jan 2011 3:24 pm

Terry, as I understand it, each of the Eharp variations were made in different eras and they were not all available at the same time. The Epiphone Eharp, pictured above, was the first style. Those were made in the 1940s, I believe. Starting in the early 1950s Eddie Alkire had Valco Co. In Chicago build his Eharps, and they took on a different look. Throughout the 50s Valco made at least two or three different variations of the Eharp. In my opinion each version became less ornate, less attractive, corners were cut to save money...the finish, the materials used, etc. In my opinion Eharps are way undervalued, and a great bargain for anyone wanting a 10-string non-pedal steel.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Jan 2011 3:29 pm

He was one of the first winners of the New Jersey lottery for One Million$$ back in the early seventies!

That reminds me...

Do you know how to get a million dollars in the music business?

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Start with two million!

chas smith · Post by **chas smith** » 17 Jan 2011 6:06 pm

I had a couple of the '60s versions, similar to the one shown. What I didn't like about them was the bridge was a cheap piece of aluminum channel. I still have a couple from the 40's, and they're great for collecting autographs

This one has a couple Lollar Stringmaster pups, as well as a titanium bridge. Because I had to do surgery to get both pups in, I added an aluminum plate that sits under the plexi hand rest and I had to trim a few frets off the fret board. It's a nice sounding guitar.

Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Jan 2011 6:24 pm

Cool looking Eharps. I've been tempted to change the pickup in mine but I wouldn't want to cut the body.

Here's a video I did last year using my Epiphone Eharp. The audio is not the best, but it gives you an idea of how it sounds: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnIIWmhDMV8w

Michael Lee Allen · Post by **Michael Lee Allen** » 17 Jan 2011 6:54 pm

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Doug Beaumier · Post by **Doug Beaumier** » 17 Jan 2011 8:01 pm

Here's a picture that was posted by Forum member Joe Miraglia a while back. It shows the three versions of the Eharp.
I think there were a couple of variations in the Valco ones during the 50s, but I'm not sure about that.

1940s Epiphone: front row left and back row second from right.

1950s Valco: front row center and the one to his left

late 1950s, early 60s Valco: front row, the two on the right.

I think Joe is front row center. I envy him!

Joe Miraglia · Post by **Joe Miraglia** » 18 Jan 2011 7:23 am

Thanks Doug--It's O.K. At the time the picture was taken in 1955, the guitar I was holding was just for the picture. My guitar was on order. I bought the straight body, pictured on the right. I had three telescopic legs added afterwards so I could play it standing. Later you could order the guitar with the legs already mounted. E-harp also had a double neck model with ten strings which the other neck was tuned the same but one octive lower. Joe

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 22 Jan 2011 5:00 pm

There was a gentleman in Canada who was making very nice replacement bridges for the EHarp. I purchased one from him. He was on the Forum I believe.
Just for the fun of it, I tuned mine to E9th as you would your ten string pedal steel. It was amazing what I could do with it.By bar slants and a little string pulling it did very nicely.