Buying a new harp

[Jenny Li]

Hey guys,

I just recently decided to pick up harp playing, and now I want to buy an instrument! I was just wondering if you guys knew where to get small (19-22 string) harps for a reasonable price, since I’m still a college student and don’t have much money to spare! This is just going to be a hobby of mine, so I don’t need an exquisite harp, but I would like an instrument with a good sound that could last me a while. Thanks.

P.S. I don’t have a teacher or anything (I already play several string instruments and played a small harp a little bit), and I live in NC, if that helps.

[Gillian Bradford]

Lots of places sell these small harps. Try Music Makers as they have a couple of kits that you can put together yourself quite affordably with decent sound. All you need is a screw driver and some time. Blevins make small harps also and many like them. I’m sure others will also point you in the right direction.

The only other thing I can say is that with less than 26 strings will you find repertoire rather limiting, unless of course you plan on composing and arranging music yourself. The harp is one of those instruments that require range to be really satisfying musically. But if you are happy with that limitation then go for it.

[barbara-brundage]

If you’re around Asheville this weekend you might want to pop over to Southeastern Harp Festival at Lutheridge Center:

http://www.southeasternharps.com/SEHW/Vendor_Hall_and_Shopper_Pass.html

You can get a pass to the vendor hall without purchasing the conference registration.

[Rachel]

The cheapest out there are the harpsicle series and the Dusty Strings Ravenna 26.

[Audrey Nickel]

I would say that, if the choice is between a Ravenna and a Harpsicle with levers, the Ravenna would be the better harp for right around the same price (by the time you start putting levers on Harpsicles, they start to creep up into the Ravenna range very quickly), even if you have to get it without levers initially (unlike the Harpsicle, the Ravenna can have levers added as you need them).

[Liam M]

Hello Jenny and welcome to the wonder of fingers dancing in Heaven.

[Liam M]

make that “Minstrel <$300.00″!!

[barbara-brundage]

I don’t know for sure about this (haven’t had confirmation from them), but FWIW, I heard at Asheville that Mid-East is going to go to harpsicles and stop carrying the Pakis.

[Audrey Nickel]

Having said my bit on the harp (and you know, harpers are a bit like us Episcopalians…wherever two or more are gathered, you’ll find at least three opinions!), I want to address the “no teacher” issue.

A lot of us, myself included, started out without a teacher.

[Liam M]

And a valuable two pence they are indeed!

Audrey, my son is a reasonable guitarist… You would have laughed yourself silly had you seen it when he came to visit Da and there he was with my Minstrel, Playing it sideways and upside down like a guitar!!

[brenda-lee]

Hi Jenny~ I have a beautiful 35 string harp by Robert Cunnigham at home, but this weekend I bought a 27 string lap harp from Timothy Harps.

[Audrey Nickel]

Why “under 27 strings”?

[Rachel]

If you do not have access to a teacher, there are at least videos that you can watch in addition to using teach yourself books.

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