Known for their pioneering use of carbon fiber, Ireland-based Emerald Guitars crafts instruments that offer exceptional structural stability, lightweight comfort, and clear, balanced tone. The Synergy X7 represents a modern reimagining of the harp guitar, pairing extended-range creativity with a rugged, travel-friendly footprint.
Unlike traditional harp guitars that can be large and unwieldy, the Synergy X7 was designed as a lightweight, ergonomic instrument that still captures a full-bodied voice with the expanded tonal palette. Harp guitars open the door to layered fingerstyle arrangements, drone textures, and orchestral-style accompaniment from a single player, but they can be wonky, temperamental guitars. Not so with the Emerald! Carbon fiber construction delivers stability and consistency, so the Synergy X7 is a particularly appealing option for musicians who want extended-range capability without the fragility often associated with extended-range designs.
This circa-2017 Synergy X7 features a short 24" scale six-string guitar paired with six sub-bass harp strings, creating a wide tonal range from deep drone bass to articulate melody work. Expanding the concept even further, this Synergy X7 was custom-ordered with six additional high-pitched harp strings above the standard configuration. These “super-treble” strings create a striking three-register layout—sub-bass, standard guitar, and upper harp—allowing cascading harmonics, bell-like melodic accents, and harp-style counterpoint well beyond the traditional format. It's also worth pointing out that this Synergy X7 was made when Emerald was still using pin bridges, instead of top-loading designs.
Emerald’s one-piece molded carbon fiber body and neck provide exceptional strength and tuning stability, while the compact body, offset soundhole, and ergonomic bevels keep the instrument comfortable despite the added string array and mass. Stainless Steel frets, Gotoh 510 tuners (18 of them to be exact!), and Graph Tech nut and saddle round out a design focused on clarity, sustain, and reliability in a lightweight package.
This 2017 Emerald Synergy X7 has been played and enjoyed, so it shows some wear and signs of use. But because of the durable, carbon-fiber construction, there's no damage or cause for concern. The setup is excellent and hasn't shifted since the factory, and with stainless frets, foreswear isn't a concern. This one also has electronics under the hood: three LR Baggs Elements—one for each set of six strings—have been clearly wired together to one output. This 2017 Emerald Synergy X7 includes its original gig bag. If you've been curious about the harp guitar, here's a custom example with the extended treble harp strings that is rugged, built-to-last, and plug-and-play ready.