Electric harps

[unknown-user]

I don’t think I’ll be getting this electric harp soon, I’ll have to save up for a year or two! I like to research stuff though so I wanted to look around and narrow it down to exact models, and I believe the DHC Light is my favorite. Thank you all so much for the wonderful responses!

— Natalie

[daniele-di]

Hey guys, sorry for bringing up this old topic…
Well…after 3 years from the creation of this topic, those are still the only electric harps around… a bit disappointing 🙁
And since I’m searching for one with the strap, the option are 3:
Silhouette
DHC Bluelight
Grand Harpsicle

Now, talking about prices, the Silhouette is listed at 6k$ , the Grand Harpsicle at $1695 and the price of the DHC Bluelight is apparently a national secret 😀 I’ve been writing to Camac but I didn’t received any reply, I only found it one one website listed at -ouch- £3695 .

Up until now I also never found a shop in UK that has an electric harp to try.
Only one said that they could order one for me and they assured me that it sound nice…but NO WAY I’m gonna buy an harp without even trying it…

I hope Camac is gonna reply…I really want to try the DHC 🙁

[Sherj DeSantis]

Daniele, assuming you are in the U.S. these prices can be found at Virginia harp Center online, under prices. You can also try the Atlanta Harp center as well. They both maintain a close relationship with Camac. I’m not sure who you would contact in a different country. Best of luck. Sherj

Camac Electric Lever Harps
Camac Electro 30 30 Strings $4,650
Camac Electro 36 36 Strings $5,300
Camac Blue Lite 32 32 Strings $5,500
Camac Blue Lite 32 “True Fire Finish” 32 Strings $6,500

[daniele-di]

I’m in the UK 🙁
And often the conversion $ – £ is an INSANE 1-1.
Anyway the Camac UK shop replied but…”I’m afraid that we don’t have one in stock for you to try at the moment. In fact, they are currently only made to order with around a 3-4 month wait on them so at the moment I don’t know when we will next have one in. They basically go out to customers who have pre ordered as soon as they come in. We may have one at Edinburgh next year so it’s worth getting in touch with us before that festival to check.”

why must it be so haaard 🙁

[daniele-di]

asking all around Europe to find a place where to try a DHC bluelight, but no one has it and a shop confirmed me that people just order it and they send them over when they receive them…so they are just buying it blindly …

I can’t even conceive spending thousands of $ blindly without even trying what I’m gonna buy 🙁

[BlauwHarpje]

Daniele, Camac had all four (Electro 30 + 36 and DHC 32 + 36) on the expo at the Jazzharp.org event here in Leiden the Netherlands …
My suggestion is to get in touch with Camac in Paris and organize a trip to their “Espace Camac”, I’m surprised you get such an unhelpful service from the UK harpshops.
I own an electro 36 which I’m planning to trade-in for a DHC 32/36 … very pleased!

[BlauwHarpje]

Danielle, the Camac Electro 36 costs £3,624.95 and 30 costs £2,995.00 … source is earlymusicshop.com in London … the DHC’s are not listed but on the continent the DHC 32 costs the same as the Electro 36 …

[Laura]

Hi everyone,

Sorry for replying to this old topic. I wanted to know what your opinions are on electric harps for beginners. I’ve been wanting to learn the harp for years now and I think I’d really like to learn on an electric harp. Would you recommend it for beginners or only those who already play? And any advice for what harp to get? I’d obviously love a Carmac, but I think since I’m only beginning they may be a little out of my price range! Though I have seen some Rent-to-own options with Harps International… Anyone here done this? I think Harpsicle Harps are more within my price range but I’m not too convinced on their sound.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Many thanks!

[wil-weten]

Hi Laura,
You dream of an electric harp and you write: ” I’ve been wanting to learn the harp for years now”.

My 2 cents: start learning to play a soon as possible on a decent harp within your budget. You may like to start with renting a harp first or to buy a second hand harp from a reputable harp shop.

If at all possible try to get your fingers on as many harps as possible. You will discover that there is not only a large difference in string tensions and the sound of the harp, but also in the way a harp ‘feels’ while you play. Some harps may feel comfortable right away to your back, arms and ‘front’ others will need some special measures to be played comfortably. By the way: stand harps with a round or a staved soundboard may play more comfortable than smaller harps with perhaps a square soundboard, but this is not always the case. So one needs to try harps ‘hands on’.

After a year or so of playing, you will know much better what you like and what you don’t like in a harp.

Why would you like an electric lever harp instead of an ordinary lever harp? The answer to that question may help you find out which kind of harp you would like to learn playing on while saving for your dream harp.

[Biagio]

This is an interesting conversation and I am wondering: why the desire for a purely electric (non-acoustic) harp? I have never really looked into this, being an acoustic kind of guy. Are there special features about it that one can’t find with an acoustic harp? Some of he latter can be both with adding pickups, that much I know: most notably David Kortier’s with a piezo on every string, or more”modestly” Dusty Strings’ kit. Is there a big difference in capability, or is the venue the attraction?

Thanks for any information.
Biagio

[BlauwHarpje]

For me the electric harp was initially purchased to allow me playing while the family was asleep 😉 gradually started enjoying its (very) light playing and discovered its features … effect pedals add lots of fun …

… endless examples …

For classical traditional repertoire I’d prefer acoustic, carrying an electric harp together with all the gear required to get some decent sound can be a pain … but alone with my DHC36 connected to a mixer with headset I’m in another world.

[Laura]

Thanks so much for the info!! Of course when I say I’ve been dreaming of learning the harp for years, it’s been on an acoustic harp. But lately, when I’ve been looking at different sites, the electric harp keeps popping up and I really like what people have been doing with them, with the mixers. I think that I’ll take your advice though, and try out as many harps as I can… Starting with acoustic and seeing how I go.

Thanks again

[Worden]

I’ve tried all of the major branded electric harps over the years but eventually settled on the Lyon & Healy Silhouette harp. I’ve found it has some good advantages, but also a disadvantage as well (I’d say the major disadvantage is that as there is no soundboard it’s not possible to rest the hand while playing). There is a good overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the Silhouette harp here. I would definitely try it before buying it as you don’t want to receive something you’re not happy with, or are uncomfortable playing.

[Biagio]

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems to me that (ergonomics aside) the string design is critical on these. More so than on an acoustic or electro-acoustic since the choice of sound board has no effect (there is none LOL). This would mean to my builder’s mind a lot less work and therefore expense on the one hand, and rather more expense for materials on the other (pickups, pre-amp, synthesizer, etc.).

I did a little research: a package for a 36 string harp (less synthesizer and/or amplifier, headset etc.) costs about $600 US. The rest is like an acoustic less the soundboard so we’re looking at about $1100 for strings, wood and levers, or $1700 total. So in principle a harp maker could make a custom one for you, though the charge for labor I could not predict. But as I mentioned earlier, the labor is much less than for an acoustic: I’d guess about two weeks maximum including finishing. So if you know of a custom harp maker it might be worth looking into that.

It rather surprises me that there are only a limited number of people making these at present. I suppose that has to do with limited demand – although I also notice that David Kortier is also offering electric cross strung harps. Pretty cool!

Biagio

[Daniel]

Hi everybody, my first post. Thoughts on two things Biagio brought up:
For me, part of the appeal of an electric harp would be eliminating the acoustic sound and shaping the sound the way I want it (I wouldn’t use it for a traditional harp sound, much like you wouldn’t use an electric guitar for a classical guitar recital). If you’re not in a huge venue, the acoustic sound will be heard and will overlap with any “effected” sound you would use. Also, I could imagine more problems with feedback on an electrified acoustic harp. Unfortunately, I haven’t had the occasion to try this. Maybe more crosstalk on an electro-acoustic harp as well?
Considering how important the body and soundboard are on electric guitars, I don’t think it’s something that can or should be neglected on a purely electric harp. Again, I’m no builder and have therefore not built fully electric harps with different soundboards (I wish…), but I know how fussy guitar players are.

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