Aoyama pedal harp ?

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This topic has 4 replies, 3 voices, and was last updated 4 years, 4 months ago by Harry Do.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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April 28, 2022 at 5:18 pm #287402
Harry Do
Participant
Hi guys,

Just want a bit of opinion for those who have had Aoyama Pedal Harp (specially the Orpheus 47 model)
I am saving up for it and I am in Australia, it costs about 25K $AUD new. So hopefully I can get it by the end of 2023. I can’t afford anything more than that as I am not professional musician and I don’t want to spend more on other brand. Of course if anything better second hand come up then I’ll snatch it 🙂 but for the moment second hand pedal harp is extremely rare in Australia

Apart from the sound which I’m ok with. How is your experience with:
-Parts: Is it easy to get parts if a rod broke or something like that? Kudo if you can give me an answer as Australian with experience on this.
-Regulation: can any technician regulate it? Or it has to be Aoyama technician? Australia don’t have a pedal harp technician in the country so we rely on USA ones. What I mean is Is the mechanism sort of universal the same way as like LH or Salvi and any technicians can do the job?
-Anything else you might have problem with? Or can think of please feel free to comment

Thank you in advance
- This topic was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Harry Do.
April 28, 2022 at 8:00 pm #287406

carl-swanson
Participant

Hi Harry,

Aoyama harps are fine instruments that any knowledgable technician can work on without any problem. If you are interested, I know of an Aoyama Musa 47-C that is up for sale that you could have for about $11,000 US. Shipping to Australia would be around $700 to $800 (I’m guessing). The harp is 25 years old, is a natural (not gilded) and is in excellent structural and cosmetic shape. I’m not making any money on this myself. I’m just trying to help out an old lady who needs to sell it. If you have any interest, email me privately.

Carl Swanson

April 28, 2022 at 8:09 pm #287407

Harry Do
Participant

Hi Carl,

Thanks for your reply.
We seem to have problems shipping harp to Australia.
I asked a few USA harpist who relocate to Australia and they all explain a very lengthy process with importing and tax and custom and fee etc
That’s why I never choose the option of buying it myself from USA.
Plus the conversion rate will jack up the price dramatically
Not sure if you have a different experience?

April 28, 2022 at 9:21 pm #287408

balfour-knight
Participant

Harry, do you know Carolyn Sykes at Pacific-Atlantic Harps in California, USA? She was from Australia originally, and is a harpist and dealer in new Camac harps. You can locate her website and contact her if that would be helpful to you. She should know first-hand about getting a harp to Australia. Also, if you would consider a Camac harp, you can regulate them yourself, if you are handy with your hands.

Also, Carl Swanson, who responded to you, is very well-known as a harpist, teacher, editor of great harp music, author of A GUIDE FOR HARPISTS (care, maintenance and repair of the pedal harp) and builder of fine pedal and lever harps. If he says a harp is good, IT IS!

Best wishes,
Balfour

April 28, 2022 at 9:30 pm #287409

Harry Do
Participant

Thank you for your reply!
I have contacted her. Hopefully something can be figured out.
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