The HEARTLAND AUTOHARP

By Ken Ellis of Whippoorwill Acoustics

Back in April of 2016 I sent an email to Ken Ellis, maker and designer of quality custom autoharps at Whippoorwill Acoustics, asking him if he was interested in helping me pursue a dream: A luthier-made autoharp that met my criteria for sound, playability and beauty at a price that would appeal to beginners as well as players wanting to upgrade from a manufactured instrument or purchase their first diatonic. After two years of collaboration and in-depth discussions on everything from wood choices and bridge styles to tuning schedules and chord bars, the Heartland Autoharp became a reality.

I heartily endorse the Heartland Autoharp! It’s constructed of quarter-sawn cherry (my all-time favorite tone wood) and sitka spruce. It has a sweet, bright, clear tone that makes melody picking a dream — and an amazing amount of volume. The smooth, satin finish and incredibly light weight (approx. 6 lb.) make this model extremely comfortable to hold and play. In spite of its light weight, the Heartland will surprise you with its tuning stability. When it comes to tuning, fine tuners (standard on every Heartland) make tuning a breeze.

All Heartland Autoharps have 15 chord bars in three rows. Setups for 15-bar chromatic (four key), two-key diatonic and single-key diatonic are available. The purchase of each Heartland Autoharp includes a personal consultation with me via email, phone and/or online video conference to discuss setup and help determine the tuning, chord selection and bar arrangement that works best for you.

I love my Heartland Autoharps. I think you will love them, too!