Hello everyone,

I am looking to buy a new harp soon. I’m looking for a easily portable harp (I’ll buy a carry case for it if it doesn’t come with one) of good quality. Right now I have the Harpsicle’s Sharpsicle which is really good for a budget harp according to my harp tutor (Molly Madden). I like that I can hold it between my knees and don’t have to have it on the floor. I don’t think either company has a trade-in program where years later I can trade my harp and upgrade it by paying the difference of the two harps. It’s sad but that would really help people.

Now, I’m ready for a harp with a larger range that is still easily portable (as in I can carry it on my back with it in the case) and I’m having trouble finding and picking a harp. So far I’m stuck between the Sharpsicle’s Grand Harpsicle (scroll all the way down, its the last harp on the list) http://harpsicleharps.com/harps.htm and the Dusty Strings Ravenna 34 http://manufacturing.dustystrings.com/harps/models/ravenna-34/

I like the Grand Harpsicle because:
1) cheaper. the harp plus case rounds up to $2000, where the Ravenna with case rounds up to $2200
2) is part acoustic and part electric. it can be played with or without an amp but the option is already built in, where the Ravenna I’d have to play $395 for a pickup.
3)Grandharpsicle comes with a stand/base where the Ravenna charges an extra $100
4) finally the grandharpsicle is just like my current harp as I can play it holding it between my knees/thighs (I have some weird paranoia about putting something as expensive as an instrument on the floor without protection. only takes a random puddle of who knows what to damage it)
5) The Grandharpsicle comes fully levered where Ravenna doesn’t (but I calculated that into the price above already) I also don’t care that the Ravenna has one extra string on the very top. I’d valued a lower string more than a higher string as I rarely go that high anyway.

The above are my reasons why I’m considering the Grand Harpsicle but the cons, to me, are:
1) have to wait 6-8 weeks for the harp to be built
2) according to my tutor, the strings on my Sharpsicle are very close together which makes it a bit weird for her but shes been playing a large harp for years and I assume they have more finger room. As I’m used to the ‘small space between strings’ I dont really see this as a issue for me
3) I’ve heard bad things about it and even ready that is was a good ‘toy’ and the base wasn’t even or the pickup for the amp didn’t work.

The only thing the Ravenna has going for it is:
1) that it’s a fairly cheap floor harp which might help with my paranoia about putting it on the floor (or i’d carry some matting everywhere i go in the case)
2) My tutor personally recommended it to me as she owns other Dusty strings harps and can vouch for their quality
3) I would kinda like the impression it would have on people when they come visit and see a beautiful harp standing in the corner of the room

So you see my predicament, I want an portable, affordable harp with at least 33 strings, a case must be available for it (either comes with or purchasable). I lean more to the lap harp but I really am curious about getting a floor harp. Would having some kind of carpet matting carried around help with my ‘issue’? I’m looking for any info, experiences, reviews of both harps and if possible can you tell me how one feels vs the other? If you have any other harps that are in the similar price range ($2000-2200) please share a link. Also if you know of companies that do trade-in on harps that are also in the similar price range, share a link please.

Thank you for reading this long post lol!