When it comes to eBay, the only reason I look at the feedback is to make sure that the seller at least delivers their products. I do not trust the feedback system to give an accurate account of the products themselves; for this I take a ‘buyer beware’ attitude.

The long-standing problem with eBay’s feedback system is that few people will risk ‘retaliation responses’ for giving accurate feedback about a sellers less-than-fantastic products or service. If I have 200 positive reviews, will I risk my score by on account of one bad experience? Most people won’t.

That’s just the way the eBay cookie crumbles.

As for the harps themselves; I’d rather buy from a company location in my own country that has a solid reputation and is available to make repairs and stand by their product, than some eBay store selling goods made in Pakistan, that have an overall poor track record.

If ones motivation for considering an eBay harp is purely financial, there are many alternatives in North America for harps of good, solid quality at affordable prices, from companies with equally solid reputations.

Triplett, Blevins, even Dusty have been working to introduce new harp models that address the need for more affordable prices, without sacrificing overall quality. Each one is created by people who specialize in their craft. In contrast, the Pakistani harps are made by a company that mass-produces ‘instruments’ of a wide variety, from bodhrans to maracas. It’s just another business, creating as many replicas of the same item that they can. It could just as easily be shoes or shirts.

There is also the widely available option of buying a quality pre-owned harp, sometimes with the warrantee still intact. Here at HarpColumn there are multitudes of such harps for sale in the Listings, from small 19-string lap harps, to 47 Concert Grand.

I am far from an expert, but this is my reasoning. I hope my opinions have helped.

Thank you, everybody, for your kind advice.

When I add it to what I have already found online it says enough for me. I will buy a real harp and worry about the cost later. I have found a good used one from a dealer whom I know I can trust.

I guess it is confusing, because today there are a lot of fairly good, cheap imports of other instruments. As a guitar player I have came to discover that

I found this on youtube, maybe there are some good ones out there ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuWh9dzvWw8

I have to reply tto this, I went to the scottish games in Charlotte this years and sat through the harp competetion, one guy actully used one of these horrid harps fo rhis performance, he was an excelletn player but coul dnot make that think sound anywhere as lovly as a harpsycle I woul dstay away form those if you really want to play the harp they are horrid (also 2 of my class mates last year had them and they just dont sound good or eep a tune) they are just horrid!