Loading options for a harp

[daniellethetexasharpist]

I’m curious as to safe ways to transport a harp(s)…

If I were to transport two harps, would it be safe to load them on top of each other??

[patricia-jaeger]

The professional harpists John Escosa and Joseph Longstreth, who toured as a duo for Community Concerts in many United States towns, used one car in which both of their pedal harps were stacked, very carefully. If you absolutely must bring both harps

[unknown-user]

I purchased a cover and dolly for my harp, and it was worth it!!!! I highly advise getting a cover if you can find one for your harp model. Mine turned out to be water proof and padded so it’s perfect for traveling. The dolly was amazing too, I love it very much.

Also do you have a pedal harp or lever? Mine is a lyon and healy pedal, so I got alyon and healy case and I got the American Harp Cart. I really LOVE both of these things!

I hope that helps, God bless!

— Natalie

P.S. I’ve never transported two harps together, so I’m not sure about moving them stacked on top of each other. I would think it would be okay if you put a very thick blanket or some tough padding between the two of them and made sure they were really secure and wouldn’t slip around. But I have no idea how safe it would be!

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

It is not simply a matter of stacking them. As I was told by Alice Chalifoux, the only way to do that is to reverse one harp, loading it disc side down, so that the strings part of the harps are next to each other and not the bodies. If you could use a van, then you could column-load them side by side. If your vehicle is long enough, then something else might work.

The principle concerns in placing a harp in a car are these: to protect the harp from impact, bumps, swerves, and stress. This is accomplished by adequately padding the harp, such as with a mattress, or thick foam pad underneath, and laying it flat. It must be flat so that the neck is supported evenly and equally all the way across it. If not, you will find you have trouble tuning the harp after you arrive, I do. If you column load, the harp must be within a frame that holds it still, and equalizes the pressure on the neck, and still suspends it from all bumps, only now you also have to deal with turning. You can get torquing in the neck otherwise. If you braced it against the wall of a van against padding, it would work, but it must be braced evenly and fully. A seat belt alone will not do that. A harp must be coddled.

A colleague of mine was column loading her harp between van seats and showing me how simple it was and how it did no harm to the harp, and I had to point out to her, “Didn’t you just have to have the neck replaced?”

The old-school approach is still the best, I say, flat-loading the harp onto a full-size bed in a station wagon, like a Ford Flex, and ideally, you can use bungee cords to hold it in place in case of sliding. Mrs. Frances Miller had a frame constructed that was like half a trunk, it had padding and hand-holes along the sides. She could pull it out, lean it against the car, set the harp in it, lift it up and slide it in, and secure it to the wheel-wells with bungee cords. I never saw anything better than that. They should be made and sold. One alternative is to have plastic/acrylic sheets in the car, one on top of the other, with a foam pad on top, and slide the top one out, put the harp on it and slide it in. Or a couple of vinyl-covered exercise mats. Only, I don’t think they are adequate suspension by themselves.

It also helps when putting the harp in, as Virginia Flanagan showed me, to hold the harp and stand between it and the car, to sit down on the edge of the car and at the same time lower the harp into your lap, then slide out from under it, and, voila, it is gently loaded onto the car.

It may be safe to column load, but my experience has clearly indicated the effect of torquing on the neck. I believe, that in the long run, this will necessitate replacing the neck. It may be that one would have to do that anyway, but why tempt fate, and why have tuning problems? This is all based on my experience with a Lyon & Healy Style 23 manufactured in 1979.

I have never tried a wheelchair lift, but as they can hold the harp suspended in belts, they might be very good, or perhaps not. The ramp is certainly helpful.

[Katherine Denler]

Hi Saul,

As an avid column loader I am curious about your comment. In my situation, a Ford FreeStar with two captains chairs, and a flip-fold rear bench, the harp is positioned between the two seats, with thin bolster pillows against each arm-rest which lie along the body of the harp. In this way, the harp is suspended from turning, sliding, etc. There is also a pillow between the crown and the center console. Because the harp is evenly padded between the seats, the harp never moves. Thus no pressure is on the neck, but evenly distributed on the column/base. I have found my harp stays in tune very well, even on long trips.

I feel that side-loading may be more dangerous in case of an accident — if you are hit from the side or rear the harp could be jarred by the impact in such a way to cause serious structural damage. While column-loading protects the knee block at least. Obviously being in a car accident with your harp could be very bad, no matter how you load it.

That would be a really interesting HarpColumn article… I know of one person who was in a bad car accident with harp in car, and the harp came out with only one scratch. Things you could do to minimize damage? A worst-case scenario article?

Just my two cents! That’s very interesting, sitting beneath the harp to load it. Could be great suggestion for someone not strong or tall enough to lift a harp in.

[Katherine Denler]

I forgot to say in my other comment: but I know the Atlantic Harp Duo does travel with two harps in a van. They are not stacked, but placed side-by-side with base to crown. I’m not sure exactly how they maneuver them in to begin with, but I’ve seen the finished product. You could probably contact them, they are very nice — http://www.atlanticharpduo.com/contact

[Alyson Webber]

I am reviving an old thread…

I currently drive a 2008 Prius, the same model that supposedly fits a L&H85CG and 23. I haven’t purchased my harp yet, but I assume that it will be a tight fit, if a fit at all for me and my “future” harp if I load flat. For short distances, an uncomfortable ride is fine, but I’m concerned about traveling several hours in this way. I have seen a picture of a L&H CG harp loaded BACKWARDS into a Prius, with the base behind the passenger seat and column along the passenger side. I think that loading backwards would be a much more comfortable drive, but it apparently needs an extra person (or two!) to maneuver the harp in and out. If the harp is backwards, though, the passenger seat is flipped forward, and no help can ride with you.

I would love to discuss the possibilities of self-reverse-loading. Has anyone tried this? Are there things that can be made to assist? What I am thinking of is a piece of plywood, with attached padding, that can be set out on the ground behind the vehicle. The harp can be laid out on the padded board, and strapped on, so that the base is facing the tailgate. Can a female harpist in reasonably good shape then hoist the board on the base side up to rest on the tailgate, and then use the bumper as a fulcrum to slide the whole apparatus into the vehicle?

What are the possible dangers in this, possible setbacks (besides needing a whole length of harp behind the car)? I have no experience loading a pedal harp, but I have a nasty habit of planning ahead. 🙂

Thanks, all.

[Biagio]

This question always engenders more questions: what kind of harps? what kind of automobile? do they have soft or hard cases?

Loading options will vary depending on the answers. In general you want to protect the pedals and neck (or levers and neck) as the first priority. I have a van for transporting multiple harps with custom frames and so do most of the makers that I know.

Some touring harpists with lever harps in soft cases load them flat but I shiver when they do that with one on top of the other. What ever the harp(s) and whatever the mobile they should be secured with bungee chords or (preferably) nylon web straps. The touring pedal harpists I’ve known all used a hard case.

I’ve been known to wrap a (large) lever harp in a blanket and flat load it in a Toyota Corolla for a short trip, but I REALLY don’t recommend that!

Biagio

[balfour-knight]

Alyson,

My sweet wife always helps me load my pedal harp. It is an 85GP, so it is much easier to deal with than a full-size concert grand. Both of us and the pedal harp fit comfortably in a 2002 Honda CRV. I know that if I ever had a larger harp, this would not be possible!

Hope some folks who deal with larger harps can help answer your questions!

Have a great day,
Balfour

[Alyson Webber]

Just in case anyone does a search on what harps fit in what harpmobiles, I successfully fit myself (5′ 7″) and a L&H Style 100CG, flat loaded into a 2008 Prius. It is tight and not comfortable for long distance. For that, we reverse loaded it – base first.

[balfour-knight]

Alyson, I assume that this means you were able to get a L&H 100CG. Congratulations! That is a very nice harp and it is good to know that it will fit into your Prius.

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