I play lever harp, and my Required list would go more like this (I left off the items that are performance-related):

REQUIRED:
Harp (I don’t need a dust cover because my harp doesn’t have complicated carvings where dust can be trapped)
Tuning key (should come with the harp)
~Electronic tuner
Music stand (I’ve tried to play with the music propped on a bed or desk, and it’s horrible. Make this a sturdy folding one like the Peak stand, and you’ll only need one)
~Hygrometer
Humidifier and dehumidifier (I live n the northeast – wet in the summer, dry in the winter)
Bench/chair (again, make this portable and you’ll only need one)
*~Music
*Replacement strings
*Harp regulation (every year; with a lever harp I can do this myself)

“~” Are items you can get inexpensively.
Since your daughter is young, I would also add lessons to her Required list.

If you’re looking for rental harps, try the [Atlanta Harp Center](http://stores.atlantaharpcenter.com/-strse-template/harprentals/Page.bok) and the [Virginia Harp Center](http://www.vaharpcenter.com/displayHarps.php?dsp=lever&ty=rental). I *think* they do out-of-state rentals. If you’re going to start with a lever harp and aren’t stuck on getting one that feels like a pedal harp, [Stoney End](http://www.stoneyend.com/_downloads/SE%20Rental%20plan.pdf) also has a rental/rent-to-own program.

How very exciting for your daughter! I hope that your effort pays off in many years of enjoyment for both of you — and rest assured that your ears are going to have a much easier time than your violin-parent friends’. 🙂 My mother still misses my inept but determined piano practicing; I think if I had been playing the harp at that point, she never would have gotten over me leaving the house. . . .

Jill,
We might be able to help you find a rental if we had a general idea about where you are, not specific. I couldn’t ask you privately because there was no shared e-mail on your profile. There is, in my opinion, a subtle advantage to playing the harp over violin. (I know, you didn’t ask…) Harp students seem to stand out in their peers eyes, as doing something special since there aren’t very many of them. There are of course the ones who taunt them as well, but the young people around me have a different level of confidence, and I believe that is particularly important in this day and age. Sorry to digress from the purpose of your post, but I wanted to throw that in.
Also, all those expenses you note, don’t have to come overnight. They come in stages, so the burden isn’t that great all at once. Years ago, I was sitting outside my young daughter’s flute teacher’s house as she had a lesson, and was speaking to a mother, waiting for her older daughter to come out. I made the comment to her, at least our daughters aren’t playing the piano, how expensive is that? She looked at me and said, you haven’t priced flutes have you? At the time, a low/mid end flute for a serious student at a music program, was $35,000.00. (I haven’t had to price them in 8 years or so.) I just want you to know, a concert harp just might cost you a little less…is your wallet feeling better now? (smile)
Anyway, if you want to share a general location, we all might be able to help you with a harp rental. Warmest regards, Sherj

Don’t know if this provides comfort, maybe just perspective: many items you list are not harp-specific.
REQUIRED:
Instrument
Electronic tuner
*Replacement strings
Basic maintenance/repairs

RECOMMENDED:
*Lessons
*Music, manuals, books
*CD’s, MP3’s
*Insurance
Humidifier (dry climates) / De-humidifier (moist climates)
Hygrometer
Music stand

IF YOU WANT TO PERFORM:
Small light for your music stand
Portable music stand

LUXURY ITEMS:
*Multiple instruments
*Summer camps / Institutes
Better travel case
Amplifier and pick-up

Instruments sort of pick their players. If the harp is the one that speaks to her she probably will not be persuaded onto a flute or a violin. And the cost of many is very high at the higher levels for all instruments whereas a lot of amateur harpists play the same harps as professionals do and whilst that is costly at the start by amateur standards you get an instrument that has great potential! Mum says she is delighted my harp is not a horse and she had horses when she was young!

REQUIRED:
Harp (lever or pedal)
Dust cover
Tuning key
Electronic tuner
*Replacement strings
*Harp regulation (every 1 to 5 years depending on harp and usage)

Every harp maker I ever heard of provides a tuning key so that is not an extra expense.

You don’t need a dust cover. It’s nice, but you don’t need one. Most of the more expenseive harps (pedal harps, higher quality lever harps) come with some kind of a case or padded cover. If not and you really feel the need for a dust cover thow an old sheet over it when not being played.

An electronic tuner is recommended, but not required. A tuning fork (or other note reference) and patience is all that is needed. If she has a cell phone chances are she can download a free tuning app, which is what I use more these days and my stand alone electronic tuners mostly collect dust (maybe I need a dust cover for my tuners?).

Almost every thing else except strings and maintaniance are things that you can add over time as needed. Fun From the First Vol I and II are very inexpensive ($10 each) and will keep her busy for a while.

Keep in mind that most of the other things you list will apply to almost all instruments. No matter what you play you have to, over time, collect sheet music, have a music stand, get lessons, have maintainanence, etc…

An overhaul on my basic fooling around flute can cost $100 to $200, which I need to do every year. If you move up to a hand made flute you may need to get a complete overhaul every 3 to 5 years, which seems like a lot of time, but it can be very expenseive. Over $1000.

I only need to get my pedal harp regulated every two years or so, and it costs $300.

So maintanance on even my cheap flute costs the same or more than my pedal harp.

The big cost for a harp are the strings. Even inexpensive options for restringing a pedal harp are not cheap, and even if you can get away with restringing every other year thats a few hundred more, plus keeping extra strings on hand in case one breaks.

However, while the strings on my guitars are much fewer and much less expensive, they need to be changed almost every month. My estimation for completely restringing a Concert Grand would be $420 (less for smaller harps with less strings, and even less for harps that are typically strung with all nylon strings). If you’re not playing professionally you can easily get away with only doing that every other year, so $210 a year.

Not bad. I spend about $180 per year on guitar strings for my 3 guitars. If you only had one guitar and restrung only every month you can get away with between $60 to $75 a year depending on the type of strings you use. I spend about $60 on my acoustic, $85 on my good electric, and $48 on my beater electric.

So harp strings are a big expense and higher than most other stringed instruments, but even with a guitar you would still be shelling out some bucks.

The big deal with the harp is the initial expense. For what you need to spend for even a basic, lower end concert grand you could get a pretty freaking amazing violin.

Wow, you guys are overwhelming Jill. Let’s get down to something really basic: The 8 year old who wants to play. Has she actually touched a harp or given it a try?

If she really, really wants to learn, I would suggest having her go for a couple introductory lessons (presuming there is a harpist where you live – we do not know that), If she still wants to put the effort into this, I would make the daughter to commit to trying for a set period of time – maybe three months or six months. I would in conjunction with the teacher find a suitable harp to rent.

The things I would buy is music stand, tuner, and adjustable stool or chair. Children grow a lot and it is critical to have a bench/chair/stool at the proper height. A small harp can be wrapped in a blanket for moving. I would not get carried away with a lot of extras until you know the student is going to stick with the harp. You can buy extra strings for the octaves that break a lot or are critical for practice. The lessons and harp rental will be the big expenses.