Advice needed

[Danamarie]

I am in a bit of a dilemma. I am thinking about purchasing a new lever harp with more strings, than my Triplett 30 string sierra, as I am progressing in my studies.
It is just a bit on the heavy side to transport and move. My other harp is heavier , Salvi Ana and it is too heavy to carry to gigs or exams.
So, I like the Salvi harps a lot. I am wondering if the Salvi Gaia or Titan with 38 strings would satisfy my needs. Does anyone have knowledge or experience with either of these lever harps? String width between strings,which one sounds cleaner and more pleasant to the ear, if the levers are good ones (Camac levers are great, but my Ana has the classic, ‘salvi slicers’ and many strings break often). The Salvi Una also has some good qualities and the Camac Melusine and Korrigan too. Need some good advice here if someone can help because my pieces are getting advanced and I have run out of strings!

[harpist123]

Do you like your 30 string Triplett? If you do, you might consider the Triplet Signature (36 string) or Triplett Eclipse (38 string). Signature 25-28 lbs, Eclipse 28-32 lbs. And both come with the option to purchase the coolest “slide-into-case” wheel board to pull your harp like a piece of luggage (or just carry without it, if that much weight isn’t a problem).

[wil-weten]

So, Danamarie, you want a harp with perhaps 38 strings which is easier to travel with than your Salvi Ana.
I think the first question you may like to ask yourself is which kind of sound you prefer and whether you prefer the middle hard tension of the Triplett or the hard tension of the Ana.

I wonder why you mention the Camac Melusine. As it is nylon strung with relatively light tension it sounds quite different from the Salvi Ana.

You already mention the Camac Korrigan, which, like your Salvi Ana, has pedal gut strings.

You may like to find out whether you would like a Camac Isolde (with carbon strings with celtic or classic string tension) or a Camac Excalibur (with carbon strings with a tension somewhere between celtic and classic tension).

All harps mentioned above have 38 strings. When weight and/or dimensions are an issue you may think of a 34 string harp.

[Danamarie]

Thanks for your thoughts.
When I really think about it, the Ana, I have had to work more to get the sound needed, and the Triplett 30, I can get the dynamics and touch/sound much easier but with much less effort.
I find the Triplett 30 is easier to play, has a more Celtic sound, but does not have the classic pedal harp sound I am looking for and maybe that is what am struggling with.
I have tried to find sound clips of the Titan, Gaia, Una, from Salvi, and the Triplett Eclipse, the Camac Korrigan and Melusine, Excalibur or Isolde online but can’t find any. I did try the Carbon Fiber 38 string, which I liked as well, however exchange rate is too high.
The weight of the harp to transport is a factor. My Triplett 30 walnut is heavy and I imagine with 38 strings would even be more heavy.
I have a lot of thinking to do and I would love to be able to try any of these harps but I am not close to any city center. thanks for your assistance here.

[wil-weten]

Hope this helps. There are many more of these kinds of clips on youtube
Camac Korrigan:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZreDLhVuSY&feature=youtu.be
—
Camac Melusine:
https://youtu.be/DHGJ5IuJkK8
or
https://youtu.be/9jLxTl6LxJw
—
Camac Excalibur:
https://youtu.be/lvVroKcB448
or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS1fQFK96LQ
or
https://youtu.be/ZgrD3qriqh8
—
Camac Isolde Classic:
https://youtu.be/uJ7vvyrRTno
—
Camac Isolde Celtique:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0tI19uSsN8
One can find quite a lot of people playing the Camac Isolde Celtique

• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by wil-weten.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by wil-weten.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by wil-weten.

[Tacye]

I think you may struggle to find a classical pedal harp sound in something light weight and with a light feel to play. The sound, string tension, strength and weight of harps are all linked. How do you transport the Ana? Do you have a good trolley for it?

[Biagio]

I agree (as usual) with Tacye although you could try one of the Heartland carbon fiber harps

Double-strung Air Serenity

or the Dusty Strings Boulevard 34
https://manufacturing.dustystrings.com/harps/browse-models/boulevard-34

[guzzie1]

Here are links from YouTube about the Salvi Una and Salvi Titan. Hope these help.

The harp lessons I attend, I always use Titan. The sound is really good, durable and less sensitive to the weather changes which we have a lot in my country. The string tension I found it perfect since I was not looking for a harp which have string tension and spacing of a pedal harp.

In fact I decided to purchase a Titan myself since it was at an affordable price range for me. Although at first I was in a bit of a dilemma because I did like Una because of a Celtic sound it has.

[wil-weten]

@ Guzzie, please tell me, how do you make youtube clips visible in this forum? Which code do you add to the link to the clip?

[guzzie1]

@ wil-weten, I just copied the URL of the Youtube video and pasted it. I may have selected the URL clicked the link button and selected ‘open link in a new tab’. This was my first time posting a video, thats why I don’t remember 100%.

[brook-boddie]

You may also want to consider the Stoney End Marian. In my humble opinion, they are highly underrated harps. The Marian is their largest model, and they make other models that are very nice in their own ways, but the Marian really is quite nice. Mine is made from quilted maple. You could email or call to see if they have this particular wood in right now. Their Lorraine model is very nice too, although it has less strings and a slightly reduced finger spacing. Keep us posted about your your search is going!

I also have a Salvi Ana that I love:

• This reply was modified 7 years, 2 months ago by brook-boddie.

[wil-weten]

Thanks, Guzzie, but I still can’t make the embedded links working.
Brook-Boddy, how do you manage to make the embedded links working? I really want to master that little trick.

[Tacye]

The links don’t show the pictures in your screen as you write the post; for me they get added when I submit.

[Danamarie]

Thanks so much for all of the advice, comments and video clips. It has been a real help to me!
SO far I am still drawn to the Salvi Titan for sound, appearance, tension. The Camac line also has some great harps, but the Melusine and Excalibur are more Celtic sounding to me.
Carbon Fiber Harps by Heartland, since I am in Canada, with the exchange rate, shipping, insurance etc. would have their 38 string come in over $10,000 which is not what I am able to afford, even though I still enjoyed playing it this past October 2017.
The Salvi Una is too tinny sounding as is the Gaia, even though Salvi did give it a good try!
I did enjoy the Stony End Marian which i had completely forgotten about, but it only has 34 strings and the pieces I am preparing for Gr.6 RCM Harp need the lower C instead of the G which my Triplett 30 has.
Triplett do have some nice sounding harps as well, but in 36-38 strings are heavier, clunkier and just not visually appealing to me. The tension I do like, but I am interested in playing more classical music, as I have done the Celtic route in the past.
So I need a 36-38 string Harp, that I do know 🙂

[Danamarie]

Just beautiful playing!
I would love to have a copy of the ‘Willow’ piece to play. I also have a Salvi Ana in Walnut but it is too heavy to transport and lift anywhere by myself.

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