Best Harp for Young Child

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This topic has 9 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 11 months ago by anita-burroughs-price.

Viewing 10 posts - 1 through 10 (of 10 total)

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September 16, 2011 at 5:06 am #71282

L H
Participant

I am currently looking for a harp for my 6 year old child.

September 16, 2011 at 5:28 am #71283

tony-morosco
Member

Do you think she is

September 16, 2011 at 10:18 am #71284

lisa-fenwick
Participant

I have a couple of young students who purchased a Dusty Ravenna. I think this is a good quality harp for the money.

September 16, 2011 at 11:55 am #71285

barbara-brundage
Participant

Do you have a teacher for her? Even if they don’t rent commercially, many teachers keep harps to rent for their own students. If you don’t have a teacher, get one first. That is THE most important thing for a child that age.

September 16, 2011 at 11:56 am #71286

barbara-brundage
Participant

Also, you don’t need to be near a rental source. Most harp stores have rent to own programs and they will ship a harp to you. But get a teacher first.

September 16, 2011 at 4:33 pm #71287

Tacye
Participant

As Barbara says, find a teacher before you find a harp – some teachers have hire harps, and many have definite ideas about what sort of harps they would like their students to have.

That said, if you are confident assembling one yourself you might also want to be aware of the smartwood harp kit.

September 16, 2011 at 7:57 pm #71288

L H
Participant

Thanks so much for all of your wonderful suggestions!

September 16, 2011 at 8:43 pm #71289

Tacye
Participant

There are some harps, including harpsicles, which can not have sharping levers added.

September 17, 2011 at 1:22 am #71290

tony-morosco
Member

I love the harpsicle, but I wouldn’t recommend it for your situation. It can work, And I wouldn’t rule them out completely, but if you went that route I would really push for the grand harpsicle for the range and size (and full set of levers) and at that price you may as well invest a bit more and go for the Ogden.

The pilgrim harp Tayce mentions is actually comparable in size, and string tension and spacing to the ogden. Depending on where you live that is a good choice too. Pilgrim is based in England and their harps are harder to come by in the US and Canada, where the Ogden is Lyon & Healy based in Chicago, and fairly easy to come by in the US.

But the harpsicle was designed as a light, inexpensive travel harp. While it isn’t inherently limited to that use, and can even be used professionally on some instances, I think a serious study of the harp would necessitate replacing it with something larger, and with full levers (and depending of the ultimate goal and type of music she wants to play, stiffer string tension) sooner then later.

Definitely what the others said, however. A teacher will be able to help you find the right harp for her.

September 17, 2011 at 2:57 am #71291

anita-burroughs-price
Participant

I have had young students play theLyon and Healy
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