Oscar is considered to be the best Paraguayan harp maker in the World. He has resisted the urge to upsize and go all modern on favour of working with friends and family the same as he has always done. His harps are very nice. Having said that, they are a little high in price as he doesn’t normally sell directly abroad, instead selling through Gustavio Arias (paraguayanharps.com). There are many good harp makers and also many not so good ones in Paraguay. The good: Oscar (El Ray), Gustavo Arias, Constancio Sanabria, Gustavo Sanabria and others……
Although I mainly play the classical Harp, I have recently started playing the Paraguayan and have had 8 lessons with who I believe to be the only teacher currently in the UK. I consider myself lucky to have found him.

Here I am playing on a Gustavo Arias Harp with my new teacher (but only until Sept as he leaves for Paraguay) Luis Martinez.
He has taught me 8 tunes in as many lessons and he is a lovely man.

http://www.youtube.com/user/lizlops007

I hope you have, by now found a great harp and are enjoying playing it.

Niina

Hi Deb. I started taking lessons in April with Luis Martinez, the guitarist in the videos. I had been looking for a teacher for ages but there just aren’t any in the UK. I was lucky that one day I went out from Chethams to lunch and heard Luis busking. I approached him and asked him for lessons. I’ve had 8 lessons since April and guess what, we have been asked to play two pieces in a harp lunchtime concert next Thursday at Chethams. I am going to Trinity Laban to cintinue my classical study under Gabriella Dall’ Olio, but I know that I will end up a Paraguayan harpist now. My intention is to go to Paraguay in a few years and stay for a year to study with Nicholas Caballero, Martin Portillo and Marcello Rojas.
Niina