Is the Chicago CGX suitable for weddings / funerals?

[byoung2690]

I’m going to be purchasing my first pedal harp and financially am limited to the Chicago CGX. I understand that it does not match the quality of the 85CG and so on but was wondering if it would still be suitable for performing at weddings, funerals, and other similar venues.

[balfour-knight]

I don’t know where you are located, but since you are talking about a L&H, you do have other options available in the same general price range. I just checked the prices of the L&Hs and other brands at the Virginia Harp Center, USA. The Chicago CGEX is $18,500, a Salvi Daphne 47EX is $19,900, a Salvi Daphne 47SE is $16,500, a Salvi Arion 47SG is $18,900, and a Camac Egerie EX is $18,900. Since I am a Camac fan and own an Atlantide Prestige, I would look at the Egerie. The sound, resonance and projection of Camac harps are much more suitable than the other brands of harps, for weddings/funerals, etc. that you asked about. If it were just between the Chicago and the Salvi’s, I would pick a Salvi.

This is, of course, my humble opinion, and other folks here would certainly have the right to disagree, but I am a professional harpist and I know from experience about these different brands of harps. I hope this helps.

Best wishes,
Balfour

[brian-noel]

Congratulations on the purchase of your first harp. There has been some discussion on here about the Chicago line of harps, but I think if it were me, I’d go to the source and ask the sales staff or Steve at L&H what causes the difference in pricing between the Chicago and, for example, the 85. If you were buying a new car, and looking at a Honda and a Subaru that had a $5000 difference in pricing, I’d find out what I was getting for the extra $5000 with the Subaru, and if it was worth the extra cost. I understand that some of the parts in the Chicago line might not have the same quality and durability of the more expensive L&H models, but again, I think you need to initiate an honest conversation with L&H and have them explain the pricing difference. Keep in mind you are purchasing an instrument from the best harp maker in the world (my opinion), so any instrument you get from them, as long as you like its sound, they way it fits your body and hands, and the look, I’m sure you’ll be happy with it. Like any purchase with complex mechanics, there are always things that can go wrong, but it has been my experience that L&H stands firmly behind their products and will do their best to maintain their stellar reputation. And yes, I’d say it would be perfectly fine for weddings and funerals (you might opt to get the soundboard decorated to add a little flair to the look of the harp).

[byoung2690]

Thank you so much for your replies, I haven’t fully purchased the pedal harp yet just deposit. It’s so funny you mentioned the egerie Balfour because that is what I ended up narrowing my decision to last evening. Do you strongly recommend the ex over the straight? How much would that increase the fullness / projection of the harps sound?

[balfour-knight]

The EX larger soundboard area does make a great difference to the overall tone of the harp. L&H gets the credit for inventing the extended soundboard, and it made a great impact on the harp world. Harpists at that time remarked on how full the tone of the bass was with the extended soundboard. If you intend to mostly play this harp without amplification, then I would strongly recommend the larger soundboard. If you can try out the harps in person, then you could compare the straight soundboard to the extended and see what you think. I hope this helps.

Brian Noel is also a professional harpist, and he may agree about the extended soundboard. Most of us do prefer that, I think.

Cheers,
Balfour

[byoung2690]

I appreciate both of your responses thank you guys very much. I feel confident now in choosing my first concert grand, the egerie ex.

[balfour-knight]

Elsewhere on these forums, there is a video of a Camac Harps concert featuring Sylvain Blassel playing a beautiful, straight soundboard new Egerie. I believe Gregg Bailey posted the link. Sylvain chose that particular harp model because of the repertoire he played, in which he needed less sustain and less resonance from the bass strings. It is an amazing performance, as are all of Sylvain’s! For general purposes, however, most harpists would indeed prefer the extended soundboard, for all of the reasons we know.

Best wishes in your new pedal harp adventure,
Balfour
P. S. My first concert grand pedal harp, many years ago, was an 85CGEX. It was very nice, but could not come near my current Atlantide Prestige!

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

The last time I tried Chicago harps, they sounded fine, and they look very nice, and are perfectly appropriate to use. However they are made, they are a better option than the others mentioned, in my opinion, expert or not.

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