Lyon and Healy 85XP Price

[Gerrard Els]

Hi there,

I would love to get feedback on a harp I’m seriously considering to purchase, as they don’t appear frequently.

This is for a 3/4 Lyon and Healy 85 XP for sale at $9200, made in 2006, serviced every two years of its life, new bass wires, no dings, scratches, very little played, comes with dolly and padded cover.

However I can not find this model on any price lists from that time. I got a 2006 price list and only shows the regular 85 petite. No XP model.

I found this harp on harpcolumn which is about same as the one I’m looking at, age, size, condition etc. ITs appraised at $15 000, also selling at $9000. Here’s the link:

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Does anyone know what did these harps cost when they were brand new? Thanks in advance ^^.

[catherine-rogers]

If you can get the serial number of the harp, you can contact Lyon & Healy. They can tell you when it was made and what it cost then. Many people do check the serial number before buying a used harp to see if it’s had any major repairs, etc., that Lyon & Healy knows about. Of course they wouldn’t have info on any work done by independent harp techs.

[balfour-knight]

Hello Gerrard,

Well, you are in luck! I just found a price list from the Sylvia Woods Harp Center from July 1, 2005. The L&H 85 Petite listed for $10,000, and the 85 XP (Extended Petite) was $12,000.

I did find another price list from the Virginia Harp Center in 2006, but the 85 XP said “discontinued.” Therefore, the harp you are looking at may have been made in 2005, or 2006 just before L&H discontinued them.

I hope this helps. That was good advice from Catherine, too, in order to be sure about the harp’s selling price at the time it was made.

Best wishes,
Balfour

[Gerrard Els]

A huge thanks so much to Catherine and Balfour for your insight. It seems then that they are a rare harp to find as well. If they were new at $12000 shipped to the other side of the world and sold at $9200 fully serviced, 14 years old, is that a good deal?

[balfour-knight]

Hi again, Gerrard,

There is another “thread” running right now on this Forum called “the art of harp price negotiation” that you may find helpful. Biagio and Gretchen are friends of mine, and they have posted some great ideas.

I will say that if that L&H 85 XP is in as great condition as the seller says it is, then I think it would be a good buy. Is there any way that you can check with the harp tech who regulated it last time? Most of us seasoned pros would not want to buy a harp until we saw and “test drove” it PERSONALLY, but some of us have taken the word of someone we trusted to play the harp and give us their unbiased evaluation of it. Zoom or Skipe comes to mind these days, for you to see and hear the harp before you buy it.

Hope this helps.

Harp Hugs and cheers,
Balfour

[Gerrard Els]

Hi Balfour,

Alright thanks, I’ll take a look at it. I’m going next week to view the harp and has got a good feeling about it ^^.

[balfour-knight]

That sounds wonderful, Gerrard. I have played several of these petite 85 harps in the past and they are great little harps. I hope it all works out well for you!

Cheers,
Balfour

[Gerrard Els]

Thanks a lot Balfour,
I’m looking forward to it 🙂
Now I just need to find the best way it will fit in my Honda Jazz

[balfour-knight]

Hello Gerrard,

I’m wondering if your Honda Jazz is the same as a Honda Fit. We used to own a Fit and once column-loaded an 85 Petite in it. The rear seats folded down flat, which was very nice. We put pillows under the harp, especially on top of the parking brake, loaded the harp into the car between the front seats on its column, then used ropes to secure the harp to the inside handles of the car to keep it from turning over. The harp was in a nice heavy transpot cover, of course. It took my wife and I both to do this, so be sure to get an assistant to help you!

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Best of luck,
Balfour

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