The “Guitaro”

An Autoharp Instrument

The “Guitaro” was a brand of autoharp produced by the Oscar Schmidt company from the mid-1960s until the early 1970s when it was discontinued.

The Guitaro instrument has the same mechanics of a standard autoharp, with chordbars that have padded, felt dampers to mute specific strings when not being used by the chord being played. It has 24 strings (unlike the approx 37 strings on a standard autoharp) and 15 chord bars. The long slender body of the Guitaro is intended to be held like a guitar, rather than upright, or across the lap of the musician, like the autoharp. Although, some musicians play the Guitaro across the lap as well.

The Guitaro was officially rolled out to the public in 1964 with an accompanying book called “Make Wonderful Music with the Guitaro.” Anita Carter of the Carter family is perhaps one of the most well-known Guitaro players, having appeared on promotional material. Sara Carter and her mother Maybelle were also Guitaro players.

In 1964, Oscar Schmidt commissioned a single called "Strummin' My Guitaro," written by Harlan Howard and sung by Mother Maybelle Carter, to help promote the instrument.

Lyrics:

A married man will bring you shame
For he'll go home tomorrow
I'd rather spend my night alone
Strumming my Guitaro, strumming my Guitaro

I've been in love a dozen times,
I'll love again tomorrow
But now my weary heart and mind
Must hide with my Guitaro, hide with my Guitaro

A single man will take your heart
And in its place leave sorrow,
So someone else can have my part
I'll carress my Guitaro, carress my Guitaro

I've been married, I've been single
They both led to sorrow,
But I'll admit the nights get cold
Strumming my Guitaro, strumming my Guitaro

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In later years, the Guitaro was also produced by companies other than Oscar Schmidt like Silvertone and Airline.

While never gaining as large of a following as the traditional autoharp, today, the Guitaro can be found in resell shops and online, in places like eBay and Reverb.com.

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Group Picture: The Carters: Clockwise - June on Autoharp, Anita on Guitaro, Helen on Guitar and Mother Maybelle on Guitar.