The touch guitar is a stringed instrument of the guitar family which has been designed to use a fretboard-tapping playing style. Touch guitars are meant to be touched or tapped, not strummed.[1]
The touch or tapping technique was formally codified by American guitarist Jimmie Webster in his 1952 method book called the Illustrated Touch System.[2]
Dave Bunker playing a double-neck touch guitar
Webster credited pickup designer Harry DeArmond with first demonstrating the potential for touch-style playing.[3] Webster himself collaborated with Gretsch Guitars on a guitar stereo pickup design for the Touch System (which fed the bass and melody output to two separate amplifiers), but the concept was not commercially successful.[4]
Unlike Webster's approach, which was to play on a single-necked instrument, guitarist and luthier Dave Bunker designed, built, and patented (in 1961) the first double-necked, headless,[5] touch-tapping instrument called the DuoLectar.[6] While both guitars employed a two-handed tapping technique, Webster used a single-necked instrument while Bunker used his double-necked DuoLectar guitar.[7]
Webster's tapping technique can be heard on a 1959 record.[8] In 1960, Bunker first demonstrated his double-necked instrument for the Portland Oregonian newspaper,[9] and then on the nationally broadcast television show Ozark Jubilee.[10] His designs ultimately led to his double-necked touch guitar in 1975.[11][12]
Other designs followed. Among them was the single-neck Chapman Stick (developed by Emmett Chapman in 1970 and produced in 1974[13]), the single-neck Warr Guitar (first produced in 1991[14]) and the single-neck Mobius Megatar.[15] Other touch guitars have included the Solene, Chuck Soupios's dual-necked BiAxe[16] (patented in 1980 and produced during the early 1980s), and Sergio Santucci's TrebleBass.
^Webster, Jimmie (1952). Illustrated "Touch System" for Electric and Amplified Spanish Guitar. New York, NY: Wm. J. Smith Music Co.
^Bacon, Tony (2005). 50 years of Gretsch Electrics : half a century of White Falcons, Gents, Jets & other great guitars. [United States]: Backbeat Books. ISBN9781476852805. OCLC 974231751.
^Bacon, Tony (2005). 50 years of Gretsch Electrics : half a century of White Falcons, Gents, Jets & other great guitars. [United States]: Backbeat Books. ISBN9781476852805. OCLC 974231751.
^Dickerson, Deke (2013). The Strat in the Attic: Thrilling Stories of Guitar Archaeology. Minneapolis, MN: Voyageur Press. p. 120.
^Objects for use : handmade by design. Smith, Paul J., 1931-, Busch, Akiko. New York: H.N. Abrams in association with the American Craft Museum. 2001. ISBN0810906112. OCLC 46385863.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
^Roberts, James (2003). American basses : an illustrated history & player's guide. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. ISBN0879307218. OCLC 52518941.
^Webster, Jimmie (1959). "Webster's Un-abridged". YouTube.com. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15.
^"New Guitar Tickles Ears When Touched By Maker". Oregonian. April 24, 1960. Retrieved December 27, 2018.
^"Dave Bunker - Duo-Lectar". YouTube.com. September 1960.
^"Dave Bunker submits patent application for his dual-necked Duo-Lectar electric "Touch Guitar" to U.S. Patent Office on September 16, 1957". www.historylink.org. Retrieved 2018-12-28.
^Seven, Richard (June 25, 2000). "Why Dave Bunker Is Not Singing the Blues". Seattle Times Newspaper.
^The Biaxe. YouTube. 4 January 2009. Archived from the original on 2021-12-15.
^Wade, Graham (2012). A Concise History of Rock Music. Warwickshire, UK: Bill's Music Shelf. p. 314. ISBN978-16191-1016-8.
^Scapelliti, Christopher (June 19, 2015). "Watch the Duo-Lectar Double-Neck "Touch Guitar" in Action Circa 1960". Guitar World.
February 14, 2023
touch, guitar, touch, guitar, stringed, instrument, guitar, family, which, been, designed, fretboard, tapping, playing, style, meant, touched, tapped, strummed, double, neck, headless, touch, guitarstring, instrumentclassificationstringhornbostel, sachs, class. The touch guitar is a stringed instrument of the guitar family which has been designed to use a fretboard tapping playing style Touch guitars are meant to be touched or tapped not strummed 1 Touch guitarDouble neck headless touch guitarString instrumentClassificationStringHornbostel Sachs classification321 322 Composite chordophone Inventor s Jimmie WebsterHarry DeArmondDave BunkerDeveloped1950s 60sRelated instrumentsWarr GuitarChapman stickMegatarHistory EditThe touch or tapping technique was formally codified by American guitarist Jimmie Webster in his 1952 method book called the Illustrated Touch System 2 Dave Bunker playing a double neck touch guitar Webster credited pickup designer Harry DeArmond with first demonstrating the potential for touch style playing 3 Webster himself collaborated with Gretsch Guitars on a guitar stereo pickup design for the Touch System which fed the bass and melody output to two separate amplifiers but the concept was not commercially successful 4 Unlike Webster s approach which was to play on a single necked instrument guitarist and luthier Dave Bunker designed built and patented in 1961 the first double necked headless 5 touch tapping instrument called the DuoLectar 6 While both guitars employed a two handed tapping technique Webster used a single necked instrument while Bunker used his double necked DuoLectar guitar 7 Webster s tapping technique can be heard on a 1959 record 8 In 1960 Bunker first demonstrated his double necked instrument for the Portland Oregonian newspaper 9 and then on the nationally broadcast television show Ozark Jubilee 10 His designs ultimately led to his double necked touch guitar in 1975 11 12 Other designs followed Among them was the single neck Chapman Stick developed by Emmett Chapman in 1970 and produced in 1974 13 the single neck Warr Guitar first produced in 1991 14 and the single neck Mobius Megatar 15 Other touch guitars have included the Solene Chuck Soupios s dual necked BiAxe 16 patented in 1980 and produced during the early 1980s and Sergio Santucci s TrebleBass Stanley Jordan playing a single neck touch guitar Merle Travis occasionally used a tapping style 17 on his single neck strummed guitar as did Roy Smeck George Van Eps Barney Kessel and Harvey Mandell 18 Subsequent years have seen Eddie Van Halen Stanley Jordan Steve Vai Jeff Healey Fred Frith Hans Reichel Elliott Sharp and Markus Reuter all feature the use of tapping techniques References Edit Types of Guitars Detailed Guide PrimeSound org 2021 12 17 Retrieved 2022 01 10 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint url status link Webster Jimmie 1952 Illustrated Touch System for Electric and Amplified Spanish Guitar New York NY Wm J Smith Music Co Bacon Tony 2005 50 years of Gretsch Electrics half a century of White Falcons Gents Jets amp other great guitars United States Backbeat Books ISBN 9781476852805 OCLC 974231751 Bacon Tony 2005 50 years of Gretsch Electrics half a century of White Falcons Gents Jets amp other great guitars United States Backbeat Books ISBN 9781476852805 OCLC 974231751 Dickerson Deke 2013 The Strat in the Attic Thrilling Stories of Guitar Archaeology Minneapolis MN Voyageur Press p 120 Objects for use handmade by design Smith Paul J 1931 Busch Akiko New York H N Abrams in association with the American Craft Museum 2001 ISBN 0810906112 OCLC 46385863 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint others link Roberts James 2003 American basses an illustrated history amp player s guide San Francisco Backbeat Books ISBN 0879307218 OCLC 52518941 Webster Jimmie 1959 Webster s Un abridged YouTube com Archived from the original on 2021 12 15 New Guitar Tickles Ears When Touched By Maker Oregonian April 24 1960 Retrieved December 27 2018 Dave Bunker Duo Lectar YouTube com September 1960 Dave Bunker submits patent application for his dual necked Duo Lectar electric Touch Guitar to U S Patent Office on September 16 1957 www historylink org Retrieved 2018 12 28 Seven Richard June 25 2000 Why Dave Bunker Is Not Singing the Blues Seattle Times Newspaper www stick com History stick com Info Warr Guitars The Megatar The Biaxe YouTube 4 January 2009 Archived from the original on 2021 12 15 Wade Graham 2012 A Concise History of Rock Music Warwickshire UK Bill s Music Shelf p 314 ISBN 978 16191 1016 8 Scapelliti Christopher June 19 2015 Watch the Duo Lectar Double Neck Touch Guitar in Action Circa 1960 Guitar World Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Touch guitar amp oldid 1077295046, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
