I’m definitely not an expert on pedal harp, but I’ve learnt that the Etude series

Tim,

I can’t speak for Aoyama harps, because I’ve never seen or played one.

Hi Tim,
I can’t speak for Aoyamas, but since you are in Europe I would recommend looking at either Lyon and Healy, Salvi or Camac. I own a Lyon and Healy harp, and their harps are always of the highest quality. You can’t go wrong with their harps. They have a European dealer in Remagen, so I would highly recommend that you visit if possible. They should have a lot of harps in stock there:
http://www.lyonhealy.com/europe.htm

Salvi is based out of Italy and their harps are very good. They have several dealers in Germany: http://www.salviharps.it/index.pl?pos=01.03&lang=en

Camac harps are based in Paris, and have a showroom in Röttenbach: http://www.camac-harps.com/camac-harps-eng/allemagne.html

I hope this information helps. I don’t know how far Remagen or Röttenbach are from where you live, but making the drive would be well worth it if you are making such an important and large investment. That way you can see a variety of harp makes and models and make the best choice for you. I drove almost 3,000 miles (about 4,000 km) to pick up my harp, and it was definitely worth the trip! Good luck!

Vince

Hi Tim,

I’ve heard that Aoyama harps are nothing special (I can’t remember exactly but someone might have told me that you’ll get a better harp for your money with L&H or Salvi). You will also need to check if there is a harp tech near you that can regulate an Aoyama – I hear that they have a different type of action and not any harp tech can work on them… if something serious broke you might find yourself having to send your harp a great distance to get it fixed.

~Sam

There’s an Aoyama Monarch 47D in my school and that’s the pedal harp my teacher uses for our lessons. I don’t think it’s a “bad” harp like some people have said. I’d say it’s a very decent harp.

I bought my Lyon & Healy 23 without having seen it first. I have to admit that it’s a risk. There was a little adjustment that had to be done when it arrived. I talked to the agent and she called L&H. The next day, my school staff made the adjustment for me. That’s the best part of having a good agent order a harp for you. You might have to pay a bit more than ordering one yourself but then they can help you if there’s a problem with your harp.

I love my L&H 23. It sounds and looks great. It attracts me. But that’s the point. A harp that attracts me might not attract you. So you have to choose it yourself.

I think it’s worth going to the showroom and try out all different brands possible, you’ll get some ideas of the sounds. Then for the brand you like best, pick the model. That’s what I did. I don’t have a chance trying all L&H models. My school only has L&H style 100, Salvi Aurora, Salvi Daphny, Aoyama Monarch and some Camac pedal harps… They’re not ones I’d buy, but they did give me some ideas about the sounds and projections of each brand.

Also, L&H has a bounty program. If your agent has that, I’d ask about it. Your daughter’s only 14. When she grows up, she may change her preference. If you can trade your harp in for another model and get a 90% or more on a refund, then that’s a good deal.

Tim, from one parent amateur to another I would now say that I would never buy a concert pedal harp for my daughter

Hi Tim,

I haven’t tried the Aoyama Etude 47E, however I have had a little play on the Aoyama Vega. I noticed that I needed a lot of strength to push the pedals and to pluck the strings, overall it wasn’t easy to play.

Due to where I live, there’s not many harp technicians around, so