Lifting

[Suzie Q]

How do you lift your harp up and down stairs?

I have a pedal harp (80 lbs), and was wondering what you did with yours. My teacher was showing me the other day the correct way to lift a harp (with two people obviously – one at each side). Going up, was something new. She tipped the harp forward and grabbed under and around the column and neck and the other person lifted from the base of the harp.

Is there any advice or tips you can give me?

Thanks!

[katerina]

We do the same on our factory, but sometimes we have to carry them on alone. It’s not quite havy – just completely uncomfortable. So I do: I bend the harp to the column and take it (horizontally) with one hand on column and other – around soundboard. And this lets me, – not a big girl of 53kg weight, – carry it with no problems for 20-30 meters and even more or several stairs up or down.

[Pat Eisenberger]

It sounds like to use the same method I do. I wrap my arms around the top of the harp and tip it forward,and my husband lifts the base. Then up the stairs we go. I have to say that if I’m not careful, the string pins poke the inside of my upper right arm…

We’ve never figured out a good way to go down the stairs. Any suggestions?

[Suzie Q]

What I do to go down the stairs is pretty much the opposite of what my teacher showed me about going up. One person takes their right hand and puts it in one of the holes on the back of the harp, and then wraps their right arm up and over the upper part of the neck. Then, tilt the harp backward (as if you’re going to play) and put the left hand further down the neck to keep it steady. Then, the other person reaches down from the bottom, similar to going up the stairs. But yes, the tuning pins can dig into the skin, so I usually try and have a jacket or long sleeves to lessen the effect.

My biggest problem is keeping the harp from tilting: that is why I asked the advice of my teacher.

I have yet to try going up with this new method, so I hope there aren’t too many problems with steadiness….

[Tacye]

I usually carry harps downstairs with the column parallel the stairs and the base going down first.

[Author]

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