Shakti Guitar
Shakti Guitar
Hi Guys, I'm looking for any information on the "Shakti guitar" played by John McLaughlin in the 70's I think it was built or designed by Abraham Wechter when he worked for Gibson. It is a normal 6 string but has another set of strings under the main one's running diagionally. I have a request from a client to build one but I have never seen or heard of one until he said it. I found a video of John McLaughlin playing one on Utube but it's differcult to get a decent look at it. Any help would be appreciated. John
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Re: Shakti Guitar
There is a photo and some discussion of it here:
http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/f ... ures/16294
http://www.shakenstir.co.uk/index.php/f ... ures/16294
-Doug Shaker
Re: Shakti Guitar
Thanks Doug now I know there were 7 extra strings, still a ways to go. John
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- Posts: 278
- Joined: Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:21 pm
- Location: Palo Alto, California
Re: Shakti Guitar
The Guild of American Luthiers has published plans for a harp guitar. Many harp guitars have similar string sets, so those plans would give you an idea of how to add the strings, structurally. Then the main thing would be to figure out what notes the strings were meant to be tuned. Your client might know that.
-Doug Shaker
- Neal Carey
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Re: Shakti Guitar
John, check out this video of McLaughlin demonstrating his Shakhti guitar:
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2j1wq ... VazkBlm3fY
The video is *VERY* poor quality, but he talks about the scalloping of the fingerboard so that you can create microtones depending on the pressure you use on the string. The sympathetic strings are strummed during playing.
I searched a little and found this page of Shakhti specifications: http://www.facebook.com/EmArcyR/posts/184381891645941
Good luck!
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2j1wq ... VazkBlm3fY
The video is *VERY* poor quality, but he talks about the scalloping of the fingerboard so that you can create microtones depending on the pressure you use on the string. The sympathetic strings are strummed during playing.
I searched a little and found this page of Shakhti specifications: http://www.facebook.com/EmArcyR/posts/184381891645941
Good luck!
"Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted." - John Lennon