Wheelharp- A "new" old invention- the bowed keyboard

Cool! I’d love to hear it.

That is a fantastic work of art. Very beautiful. I went to the “oddmusic” site and listened to it. It sounds really nice especially when you get the tremolo effect. What a great peice…. I will be looking forward to seeing your new ideas.

-- Max "Desperado", Salt Lake City, UT

Cool instrument.

Nice job.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

A beautiful piece of artwork. I’ll have to google that site for a listen.

I checked it out, & here it is.

It sounds great.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

wow very nice , i wouldnt mind seeing the hurdy gurdy either

Now that is one beautiful contraption. I love it! Great job.

-- Tom, Surfside Beach, SC - Romans 8:28

Even if it sounds like a cow being yanked through a knothole backwards. It looks magnificent !!! Beautiful design and execution. (Applause) I will give a listen.

-- Please visit me at http://dustynewt.com

thats a nice piece of craftsmanship

-- bryano

Wow, it’s beautiful and has a neat sound!

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

Yes! Very cool project here! Where can we obtain plans for this? I wonder also if the treadle could be replaced with a motor? I’d also like to see some kind of demo showing exactly how this thing works. It would make for a really cool project.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

This is so kool!

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

That is awsome! More info please.

Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Really looks neat, tell us more.

-- Thos. Angle

That is a spectacular piece of both woodwork and engineering!

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Extraordinary…you and Gary should talk.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org

Jon, A very cool project. The sound is quite different, look forward to seeing more musical projects.

-- Chris L. "Don't Dream it, Be it."

Wonderful! What are you doing with it?

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

That is sooo cool. The music is really neat . . . the craftsmanship is breath taking. Way to go!!!

-- Making sawdust is what I do best

Hey everyone,
thanks for the kind comments…you guys seem to have an awesome group here; I actually stumbled on it by accident while searching for ways to bend a hapsichord side. I saw Gary’s blog on the harpsichord he built, and yes, I would really like to talk to him- I’ll probably pester him so much he’ll wanna block me in a few weeks.

Dadoo…you asked about blueprints; this was sort of “made up as I went”. I did rough sketches and then just started building- from the wheel out. I actually used a tape measure very little. There were a lot of thin strips of wood with pencil marks on them when i was done though!

As for the electric motor, yes it would work, but I like to keep things “unplugged”. To me, interacting with the instrument is part of it’s charm. I also find the concept of treadles, flywheels, weights, pulleys and so on fun to make, and watch when they’re working.

I’ll try to post more info on how this thing works later. I had to jack up a sagging beam under the house tonight…not really fun woodworking, but it had to be done.

Once again, you guys have a great group. It’s such a relief to find an online forum without all the bickering. I think I’ll learn a lot here and make some good friends!

-- Jon

my first reaction: eyes bulged and jaw dropped
second reaction: someone actually made this?
third: absolutely stunning piece of art
fourth: and it makes music?
fifth: what a magnificent sound.
sixth and continuing: I absolutely love this!!!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Very cool :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

A very impressive piece.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

What a LumberJock!!!!! Your work is way beyond the scope of average.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

Stunning piece of woodwork Jon. Welcome to LJ’s.

-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.

Extraordinary Jon! I eagerly await more projects. Welcome to the community.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Man, that’s nice. Exquisit craftsmanship.

tres awesome! would love to see more photos of this…very detailed photos :)

That is incredible, your attention to detail is awesome!

-- --Chuck

So what are you like a crazy person or something? I mean, who does something like this? Its completely awesome! I love it! and its Beautiful. and it even sounds good. Cool!

-- Wipe the blood stains from your blade before coming in.

That is a very, very cool instrument!!

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

JonJ: Apart from all the things already said, to which I add my voice, what I’m most awed with is the innovation. It’s amazing to see something truly creative that someone hasn’t done already, and not just another freaking Stratocaster like in my project portfolio! Thank you for the independent thought and creative inquisition!!

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

This is where woodworking becomes art.

-- Don, Pittsburgh

That is just stunning—it’s almost like your own mini string quartet!

Chuck

-- Chuck, Pullman, WA

That looks like a fun machine, well done! It’sbeautifully made my friend , good luck with the music kindest regards. Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

I actually heard a soundclip of your instrument on oddmusic which led me to here. I love the sound of the instrument you created. It’s beautiful and unique. Only problem is I know I’ve heard that song somewhere before, and I can’t remember from where, and it’s bugging me. >.< I don’t mind it being played over and over again in my head though because that instrument you created has got to be one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve heard; hands down.
If you can, relieve me of my misery and tell me what song you were playing, and please make some kind of audio disc with that instrument on them. I crave more now. =/

Without hearing your beautiful artful instrment the beauty of as it stands is awe inspiring!!!!!!!! WOW !

-- Never board, always knotty, lots of growth rings

here’s the audio
(I want to be able to find it later. Hope you don’t mind that I’ve posted the link here)
http://s261.photobucket.com/albums/ii49/wheelharp/?action=view&current=wheelharpclipbyJonJones.flv

I think i could listen to this all day long. What a beautiful sound.

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

How extraordinary! I would love to hear more about this instrument and more songs. It sounds like you’ve hidden an orchestra with a cello included inside of the box. The sound is hauntingly beautiful!

-- "They who dream by day are cognizant of many things which escape those who dream only by night." ~ Edgar Allan Poe