Buying First Harp

Return to forums

Log in to your Harp Column account to post or reply in the forums. If you don’t have an account yet, you’ll need to email us to set one up.

This topic has 22 replies, 9 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 11 months ago by alice smile.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 23 total)

1 2 →

Author

Posts
March 24, 2012 at 11:03 pm #155264

HBrock25
Participant

Hello!
I’m an A level music student who has always wanted to play the harp. The only reason I put it off was because it is so hard to find harps around where I live (My parents are not musicians either so they can’t tell the difference between a lyre and a harp 🙂 as well as it seemed to be an instrument that wasn’t very versatile.
As I’ve grown older and started on different instruments my desire to learn the harp keeps increasing. However, as you all know harps are not cheap.
So to get to the point I’ve found two harps that I like I’m just a bit uncertain.
The first one is the Fireside Cardboard Harp Kit, it costs $139.99 (with added shipping for me) and has a really nice sound, plus I can afford to add levers on later on. However there doesn’t seem to be much info on cardboard harps out there so I can’t really tell if there good or not.
The second one is the Harpsicle, Costing more at $399.99 but it does have a lovely tone. As well as a reliable brand. Biggest downside is the lack of being able to place levers on afterwards. I did look at the Sharpsticle ext but thats starting to go over my range at $560.99

So I ask for your knowledge and wisdom in this matter 🙂
Thank you!

March 24, 2012 at 11:17 pm #155265

Louise Hirst
Member

Forgot to add the other big pro for the Harpsicle is that you can get an electronic plug in which means it can play through an amp. 🙂 (I already have a lead and small amp so it won’t put too much up bill wise)

March 25, 2012 at 4:03 am #155266

HBrock25
Participant

I have a Sharpsicle and I am very happy with it. In your place I would choose a Harpsicle versus a cardboard kit harp, if you can.

March 25, 2012 at 11:25 am #155267

Tacye
Participant

You say A level – are you in the UK?

March 25, 2012 at 12:02 pm #155268

Louise Hirst
Member

Yep I’m in the UK and I did say that there would be added shipping costs for me 🙂
I know perfectly well what kind of shipping prices I’m going to be hit with >.< It's just a shame that there aren't many affordable harp makers in the UK

March 25, 2012 at 2:42 pm #155269

jessica-wolff
Participant

By now you’ve probably discovered that the harp is a good sight more versatile than you thought, yes?

But I would think that the Harpsicle is kind of limited as an ONLY harp. It also, being a lap harp, tends to slide all over your lap, even with one of those bars.

March 25, 2012 at 2:48 pm #155270

Tacye
Participant

Fair enough- I have come across several people who took shipping into account, but not taxes.

March 25, 2012 at 3:03 pm #155271

Louise Hirst
Member

There just wasn’t much information around when I was still in Primary school about instruments and what skills could be learnt from them. It seemed more worthwhile for me to learn the flute and piano instead. Only now with the independence to search for these things myself have I been able to make the decision that learning the harp would be amazing 😀
I think the sheer thought of a harp would of made my primary school music teacher faint. He only loved violins XD

Thanks for the warning about the lap harps moving everywhere 🙂
What do you mean about the Harpsicle being an only harp?

March 25, 2012 at 3:08 pm #155272

Louise Hirst
Member

@Tacye Phillipson

I did take a look at both of these 🙂
The Fireside beat the Waring in the contest though for having more strings and the prospect of additional levers later on.
I like the look of the feather wood harp but to spend that much on a cardboard soundbox harp makes me think that I should go for the harpsicle instead.

When I thought about buying a harp I decided to put it into a cart and check it out to see how much the final cost will be. So I wouldn’t be hit with anything horrible last minute.

Thank you for the links 🙂

March 25, 2012 at 3:25 pm #155273

Tacye
Participant

When I thought about buying a harp I decided to put it into a cart
and check it out to see how much the final cost will be. So I wouldn’t
be hit with anything horrible last minute.

Ah, I think

March 25, 2012 at 3:30 pm #155274

Louise Hirst
Member

I had no idea that they did that. I’ve ordered stuff from abroad before but I suppose those were too small to have VAT put on them? (completely clueless)
Thankfully I do try to have a bit of extra just incase, you don’t know when the prices will change to something else and at the moment I’m just using a converter to change dollars into pounds.

April 1, 2012 at 10:59 pm #155275

rod-c
Participant

Louise:

If

April 3, 2012 at 9:54 pm #155276

Louise Hirst
Member

I looked into rental and unfortunately there is no way I can afford to rent a harp if I then wanted to buy one. Especially since most of the harps up for rental are selling into the £1000’s. The ones I’m looking into are kits then I have to assemble myself as well (except for the Harpsicle).
Thanks for the suggestion though, when I am older and earning I may try and do that for a bigger and nicer harp 🙂

April 4, 2012 at 3:04 pm #155277

Louise Hirst
Member

I found another harp that is in my price range, its a 22 string rosewood celtic lap harp.
I know that straight away people are going to reply ‘nonononorosewood!!’
I was thinking the same thing, but most of the forums on here about rosewood harps are more specifically aimed at Mid-East harps and this one is from an english company. It has also been reduced to half price.
>.< harps are so hard to find!

April 22, 2012 at 9:58 pm #155278

Alison
Participant

Try to avoid the Pakinstani kit harps unless you have an accomplished wood worker in your circle of friends to look at it first.
Author

Posts