Harp dollies on stairs with open risers.

[Pamela Saunders]

I think I’ll wait until I buy a home before I buy a pedal harp. I’m alone,so a town home is the best I can do in the market where I am. But it’s more likely that I’ll be buying a condominium. Some complexes have all units on the ground level, but not all of them. Outside staircases are the open riser type as far as I can see in the real estate pics. I’m not looking at any places in person yet. But I keep finding information stating that a four inch sphere must not be able to pass through the open space on a run of stairs that goes up more than 30 inches.

A six wheeled harp dolly typically has wheels that are six inches in diameter. How well would one of those dollies go up the stairs? Is a person better off with a two wheeled dolly with 11 inch wheels? Also, the harp will be a Lyon & Healy or Salvi with 40 strings or a Camac with 44 strings, not a big one.

• This topic was modified 6 months ago by Pamela Saunders.

[balfour-knight]

Hi Pamela,

How funny that you brought this up, since I encountered this very problem shortly before I retired! At one of my last Christmas concerts where I was using my Camac Atlantide Prestige, I had to take the harp up a flight of steps into the church chancel. Not knowing that the 6-wheeled harp dolly would have a problem, I attempted to take the harp up those steps, only to find that it was impossible because the wheels got stuck in the open step risers! In order for the wheels to turn and “climb the steps,” they have to push against the ordinary back of the step, which was missing. My sweet wife who always helps me move the harp said that we should just take the dolly off of the harp and carry the harp up those steps. That worked, since there were only 7 or 8 steps, but a concert pedal harp is heavy, as we all know!

I don’t know if the 11″ wheels would have worked, but I would say definitely try it out before you purchase your home. I would heartily recommend the Camac Clio 44-string harp with extended soundboard. They are great semi-grand harps! I LOVE my Atlantide Prestige 47-string!

Hope this helps. Wishing you all the best,
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

[Pamela Saunders]

Maybe I should stick with lever harps. But I would want one with 40 strings. Maybe I could carry it if I had to. Maybe having a pedal harp is not important enough to me. I keep going back and forth about it. And I’m getting way ahead of myself. But string type and tension are more important for me than whether the harp is or isn’t a pedal harp.

• This reply was modified 6 months ago by Pamela Saunders.

[catherine-rogers]

I use a two-wheeled cart with large, pneumatic wheels. It works on all kinds of stairs; I use it for lever harp and for 44-string Camac harps and used it for a 47-string concert grand for many years until I sold that harp. It is also best for all surfaces including gravel and unpaved roads, carpet, tile, just about any surface you can encounter. Strong straps are a must, as harps will bounce a little on any cart when going up or down stairs. Go slowly and take your time. Your harp and your back will thank you!

[balfour-knight]

Catherine, thanks for your reply. I’m glad to know this, too, in case I ever encounter those kinds of steps again. Wishing you all the best,
Balfour

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