How Old is too old?

[HBrock25]

I’m looking at buying a harp.. How old do harps typically get? How old is too old for a harp? or does it not matter?

[catherine-rogers]

It’s not the age, it’s the condition. A lot like cars.

[Irene C]

I’d like to put in my two cents, and it may not answer your question about the age of the harp, but maybe the age of the player.

I was saying to my harp teacher yesterday that if anyone asked her if they should buy a new pedal harp and they are in my age bracket (over 50) to consider a used harp.

I bought two new harps over the last 6 years (I love them both) but

[paul-knoke]

Condition does indeed count for a lot! I have harps that are 200+ years old that play just fine, albeit after restoration/conservation. Something that’s worth bearing in mind is that if you’re looking at a harp from before 1940, you should do some research on how they were meant to be strung. Putting modern strings on an old harp can lead to some big problems!

[catherine-rogers]

The stiffness of the pedal movement can be addressed somewhat by adjusting the springs. Ask your harp tech about this.

[Tacye]

Lever technology has changed quite rapidly so an older harp may be just as good as when it was made, but won’t necessarily have the latest levers on.

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