where do pedal harps go when they die? | Harp Column

where do pedal harps go when they die?

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This topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 8 years, 2 months ago by tenthousandclowns.

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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June 4, 2018 at 7:04 pm #217873

tenthousandclowns
Participant

what happens to pedal harps when they retire or give out? Do the actions usually wear out before the bodies? Do people keep them around to look at usually? It seems like there are way more harps being made than being sold as ‘for looks only’… I would like to try to build a small pedal harp for touring with (36 strings or so) by removing the bottom octave or more from an action and building a new harp around it… any thoughts?

June 6, 2018 at 6:30 am #217892

Sidney Dharmavaram
Participant

My observation has been they get spray painted and put on display at JCPennys. 🙂

June 6, 2018 at 2:19 pm #217904

Biagio
Participant

Try asking a pedal harp restorer for parts, such as Carl (on this list) or Howard Bryan:

http://www.oldharpsmadeyoung.com/

Biagio

June 7, 2018 at 5:20 pm #217930

Tacye
Participant

It takes a lot to make a harp not worth repairing or rebuilding. A corroded mechanism can do it, or all the wood gone with woodworm. This is an example of a harp that needs rebuilding around its mechanism:
https://www.gardinerhoulgate.co.uk/Catalogues/mi140618/lot0766.html

How were you thinking of removing the bottom octave from an action? They need the main action block at the top of the column/base of the mechanism.

June 7, 2018 at 8:53 pm #217933

paul-knoke
Participant

If you’re interested in a really small pedal harp, the Fischer 5-pedal “school harp” might do the job:
https://www.fischerharfen.de/en/fischer_schulharfe_mod_93

June 11, 2018 at 7:47 pm #217983

tenthousandclowns
Participant

wow I like that fischer harp… i had never seen one before. How can we get them to make it double action and seven pedals?

I’m not sure how hard it would be to connect the rods to a higher octave of mechanism, I assume a custom part or two would have to be machined for each of the 14 linkages.
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