If money was no object I would buy….

[Leigh Griffith]

In the meantime, I’m waiting for the head gasket repair on my
Subaru……it seems the 2.5L engines from ’98 through ’02 have well
known and documented head gasket failures.

Okay, you’ve got my attention! I have a 2000 Sube Outback (my 5th Sube, btw). how many miles can I expect out of it before the head gasket goes? Just so you know, I’ve only bought one Sube new (a ’92. We did the head gasket somewhere around 180,000 – 200,000 miles) and had to do head gaskets on it and one other.

I don’t look forward to it, but like you, can’t buy another car at this time. What I really dread in looking at another car is how they are all jacking the rear ends up in the air (the Outback is higher than I would like, but the lowest I could find). It is a loading nightmare for a short person to use an SUV!

That said, after paying off all debts and putting aside enough to live on for the next ??? years, I would buy more of the same harp as I have – Triplett Sierra 34 – so I could have one at home, one at each church I play at (2), one at each home (of friends) I practice in (2), and one at the gallery where I volunteer

[Geri McQuillen]

A William Webster fully carved dark walnut McFall (I’ve already written to Santa for this one.)

[Jerusha Amado]

Catherine,

Thanks for the link!

[Indra Prabowo]

Briggs, I’m also a fan of style 15. I love it’s simplicity of design and in the real world it’s just much more affordable than my dream harp!
I’ve seen one advertised in Lyon Healy CPO for under $10,000 but it’s already sold. For the time being I’m just very happy with my Prelude..

[tony-morosco]

The harp Derek Bell used when he played with the Chieftains was a Pilgrim Clarsach. That model of harp was actually designed specifically for him and they are great harps and not hard to find.

The harp he used later on for recording and his solo concerts was built by Glenn Hill of Mountain Glenn Harps. He had a similar harp, not as detailed carving, for sale not long ago. It was the harp Derek used when he performed the concert in CA that was recorded for the A Celtic Evening With Derek Bell album.

If you had the money he could build you pretty much anything you want. And actually considering both the quality and custom nature of his work he really is reasonably priced.

[barbara-brundage]

That one does, Jerusha, if you click on the right model.

[Briggsie B. Peawiggle]

Leigh, I just don’t have an answer for you. Some may never go, I suspect. Mine went at 113,000+ but I could still drive it. It was just losing coolant, but it was not overheating. But ooooh you could really smell the coolant. It has 2 head gaskets, so both will be redone. I got news yesterday that the gaskets, the wheel bearing (which has also gone bad on the left front) and the timing belt replacement will be $1800….ballpark. It’s less than I thought it would be, and far less than a dealer would charge– and my dealer just sucks. They couldn’t even bleed my brakes properly there….I drove away with air in the lines on a Friday at closing time — with a wedding to do the next day. I had to take it to a little shop the next morning to get the brake lines bled properly. No way do I want them messing with my engine.

I too love my Subie for hauling Big Daddy around in. I can get the Camac (that’s Big D) and my Troub in it together, along with accoutrements of the trade….music stand…etc. I even took the Camac to Kentucky (from Michigan) last spring with a suitcase and all my other junk. It’s a fairly easy load, and I just LOVE the car to pieces. To me it’s worth the fix.

Of course this all happened to the car after I spent some money on getting Loveland levers (full set) put on my little Eve harp last weekend. Who cares? The Eve has levers now!!!! YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

Briggsie

[barbara-brundage]

In case you’re confused about the models, the gold trianon is called the Oriane.

[Jerusha Amado]

I am confused!

[patricia-jaeger]

Tony,

Yes, you are right that Derek Bell’s first harp was made especially for him by the Pilgrim shop in South Godstone, Surrey, England. But it was not named Pilgrim Harps until Wilfred Smith, the founder of the company, died, and the workers decided to buy his company, form a cooperative, and rename their company Pilgrim, in the 1980’s. Derek Bell’s harp was actually a Wilfred Smith clarsach. You can consult John Hoare, the excellent engineer who has been working there through the Wilfred Smith days, and is still there at Pilgrim. Wilfred was multi-talented, starting off as a professional flautist in several London orchestras, writing a flute Method, doing some repairs on harps on the side, often carrying them home to his studio/shop in Barnes,

[barbara-brundage]

It’s right there on the page Catherine linked to, second from the right.

[Jerusha Amado]

I think that I need to get my eyes examined!

[Tacye]

An early Erard Grecian in perfect condition…

[Liam M]

OK, In addition to my lessons and health care plan, I need new tires for my 51 Willys Wagon with 999,999+ miles on it.

[Leigh Griffith]

Hi Briggsie,

Thanks for the explanation! I may be about due, then, since I have over 125,000 on mine…. Yes head gaskets, exhaust systems and ball joints are the biggies on Subes, just part of the package. When you consider that there are other models out there that don’t get the miles out of them that we can get with Subes (I assume Michigan, like Maine, is brutal on cars) the repairs we have to do are worth it. Hubby and I drove to Augusta and back today (4 hours each way) on a verrry washboardy I-95. The frost heaves have arrived with a vengeance!

I guess it’s been a few years since we had those major jobs done. We never go to the dealer for repairs. We have our favorite one and two man shops for those – cheaper and better quality work overall.

Levers on the Eve! I haven’t gotten up the courage to drill the holes for the strap buttons on mine yet! Congrats!

I forgot to add to my dream list that all of that stuff comes after I have spent the month of February with Ro! I will pay her for private lessons and to be my tour guide to Tasmania!

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