• Instruments

    instruments_photo

    Love At First Sound

    Guitjo: pronounced [git’-jo]. Eidolon is unique in that they have invented an instrument that helps give them their own musical voice. The guitjo has been described by everyone from JAZZIZ Magazine to USA Today as being a “beautiful harp-like sounding instrument…like nothing they’ve ever heard before.”

    So what is it that makes this instrument so special? Start with the late Oregon luthier Denny Stevens, one of the finest US guitar builders, and add Joe Scott’s innovative ideas in taking the guitar to places it’s never been before. Re-design it, re-string it by replacing the lower-pitched with higher-pitched ones, add another neck with additional bass strings — all this gives the guitjo incredible range not found on traditional guitars.

    The double-neck guitjo has a total of 14 strings, and is designed so that Joe can play both necks simultaneously. He does this using a variety of guitar techniques, such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, and mirrors. The guitjo neck has only high-pitched, treble strings, and sounds much like a harp or hammer dulcimer. The guitar neck is strung like a traditional 6-string guitar, but has an additional bass string.  Joe also had Florida luthier Rich Mermer (www.mermerguitars.com) build him a thin body acoustic/electric double-neck guitjo in 2003.

    Hannah plays a 1998 Christopher Dungey cello, based on a 1739 Montagnana model. For more info on Dungey cellos, check out www.dungeycello.com. It only has one neck and four strings…. Hannah is currently suffering from neck envy and rumor has it that she has commissioned a double-neck, 8-string cello. She also plays a 1999 David Forbes bow.