Gibson Style U

Overview

The Gibson Style U is a harp guitar produced by Gibson from 1902 until 1939. It combines a standard fretted six-string neck with up to ten unfretted sub-bass strings carried on a hollow extension arm projecting from the upper bout of the body. The bass strings are tuned diatonically below the standard guitar range and provide drone and bass-line accompaniment to chords and melodies played on the fretboard. The Style U is widely regarded as the most ambitious of Gibson’s early harp guitars.

Origin & History

Gibson introduced harp guitars under several model designations in the early 1900s, capitalising on the period’s enthusiasm for guitar and mandolin orchestras. The Style U debuted in 1902 and went through multiple revisions over its long production run, with body sizes, sub-bass arm shapes, and ornamentation varying across decades. The model was discontinued in 1939 as the harp-guitar fashion faded and Gibson redirected its energies toward modern flat-tops and archtops. Surviving examples are now important collector instruments and reference points for harp-guitar revivalists.

How It’s Played

The Style U is played seated, with the instrument resting in classical-guitar position or with a strap supporting its weight. The right hand alternates between picking on the fretted strings and plucking the sub-bass strings, often with the thumb. The bass strings are typically tuned to a diatonic scale below the lowest fretted note, allowing the player to add walking bass lines or sustained drones beneath chord progressions. Modern players have extended the instrument’s repertoire well beyond the Edwardian-era parlour pieces it was originally built for.

Cultural Significance

The Style U documents a moment when the harp guitar was a serious component of American popular music, especially in the guitar-and-mandolin orchestras that flourished before World War I. The instrument was used by professional Gibson artists in the company’s early promotional ensembles. Modern harp-guitar players including Stephen Bennett and Andy McKee have brought renewed attention to instruments of this lineage, and surviving Style U examples remain in active concert use today.

Related Instruments

• Harp guitar – the broader instrument family
• Gibson L-1 – contemporary Gibson flat-top
• Mandolin – Gibson’s other early specialty
• Mandobass – another mandolin-orchestra extension
• Lyre guitar – an earlier hybrid string instrument

Frequently Asked Questions

How many strings does the Style U have?
Sixteen — six fretted plus ten sub-bass strings.

Are the sub-bass strings fretted?
No — they are open strings tuned diatonically.

When did Gibson stop making it?
Production ended in 1939.