Hi Christine,

I can’t tell you much about the Fishman because I never heard it, but I have a Dusty Strings installed in my lever harp and it sounds really good, considering it is only a single output. This is the lever harp pickup (DS makes two types, for lever and pedal harp), the only difference with the pedal version is that the 4 piezo pickups attached to the inside of the soundboard are slightly smaller than the pedal version. The sound characteristics should be the same, that’s what they suggest in their PDF flyer, also to be found on the site of a Dutch harp shop where I bought the harp and pickup…check out the link:

http://www.zingendesnaar.nl/pdf/Harp_Pickup_Flyer_Jan_2013.pdf

So the pedal harp version must have the same quality as the lever version, which has a balanced sound with deep lows and clear highs. But it can also be a bit (too) ‘middy’. I guess this also depends on the characteristics of the harp acoustically…plus the frequency range of the strings that are usually played most (say 2nd to 5th octave) are in the mid, low-mid and high-mid/high regions. When amplified, you can also adjust this a bit by tweaking the EQ settings on the amp.

Of course I use my pickup to amplify the harp but I also connect it to a pedal board with guitar effects such as chorus and reverb. On stage I usually play with a band, which in my case means instruments such as drums and percussion; in this setting it can sometimes be hard to compete with the volumes of the other instruments. I use monitors on stage (not a guitar amp) and the harp has to be cranked up quite loud to compete with the rest…that’s when feedback problems can occur. It also depends on the sound technician, but this DS pickup does have its limitations to which level it can be amplified, otherwise it starts to feedback.
But I don’t know in what setting you will use your harp, so this might not be an issue for you at all if you perform on your own.

Last November I ordered my Camac electro acoustic pedal harp and as far as I’m concerned, this is the best amplification system for pedal harps available on the market right now… 4 outputs: for separate low, mid and high output (with single string piezo pickups) plus a soundboard output for the overall acoustic sound. Alas, this is not available as an inbuilt system sold separately, but after all it’s probably the best option for amplified harp. Then again, it’ll cost quite a bit more than a pickup installed in your pedal harp.

Oops this has become quite a story altogether, but I hope it can be of help… anyway, best of luck choosing the best pickup Christine!

I have the best of both worlds. DS on my style 85 petite pedal, and Fishman on my carbon fiber Delight. Both harps sound beautiful amplified.

I’ve had the Delight only since the summer, so I don’t have much experience with the Fishman. The sound is crystal clear and beautifully balanced with only one pickup! I believe this is in part because of the carbon fibers natural resonance.

The DS has given me the same problems as Maya, I wish I’d had her instruction booklet instead of the one they sent me! I followed them to a ‘T’, and so my mid range is extra boisterous because of their placement. The bass and treble are absolutely gorgeous though, and the whole range of the harp glows. The DS really is wonderful. It does rattle around on me, I’ve squished cotton balls in some places to muffle it, but right now it has a mysterious buzz that I can’t seem to find…

The best thing you can do though is get Deborah Henson-Conant’s “Gurl’s Guide to Amplification”. She wrote it for all musicians but obviously thinks like a harpist, and she has tons of tips for amplifying harps too. I’d invest in the book, as you will surely learn something, and then use it as a reference as you explore your options. God bless you!

— Natalie

Has anyone tried the wireless pickups that violinists and cellists stick on their instruments?
I want a pickup, but I don’t want cords swishing around or stuff stuck to the inside of the harp picking up pedal changes.

Hi Christine,

I’m glad all of our posts helped you to make a decision. This forum is all about sharing knowledge and helping people out..it’s a great community indeed.

Yeah and I guess DHC can be of great help; after all she has a lot of experience with electric harp and amplification. No wonder she has an endorsement with Camac who developed the electric DHC light for her…

Have fun with your pickup, I hope you can purchase one soon!

I bought a K&K Big Twin and just put it on today to test it. It seems to pick up the whole range of the harp very well and is easy to put on. For now I’m putting the pickup heads (there are two) on with Scotch mounting squares. They’re like sticky tack for posters and should be easily removable if I want to take them off or try different placement. Since so far it sounds good where they are I’ll probably leave them for now.

On the back of the soundboard, one fairly close to the bottom, and the other higher up, probably almost halfway up the soundboard.