Lyon & Healy 46 string pedal harp

[Thomas Trotter]

Hi, I recently was given a big Lyon & Healy 46 string (I think) harp with 7 pedals.

[Thomas Trotter]

[anita-burroughs-price]

[brook-boddie]

Tom,

You have

[catherine-rogers]

12850 is the serial number. You could call Lyon & Healy at their toll-free number and they could tell you when it was made and the model. Looks like an 85 series semi-grand. The 85s have come in several different sizes and some minor redesign since they first appeared; originally there was the concert grand (47 strings) and the semi-grand (46). Then appeared the petite (40 strings) and the grand petite (44).

In the photo it looks like you have a couple of plug in connections on the right side of the base. Your harp may be electric. Some close up pictures of the base, the soundboard and the kneeblock (that tight curve above the shortest strings where the neck joins the body) would be helpful.

By the way, put the pedals in the highest notch if possible when not in use. Takes pressure off the strings. A certified harp technician could tell you what repairs it needs to make it playable and/or salable, should you wish to sell it.

[Tacye]

12850 probably means it was made in the late 1990s as the serial number is
not too far off mine.

[rod-wagoner]

Congratulations on getting a pedal harp as a gift!

[john-strand]

Hi – I also think you have an electric model with the solid (non-acoustic) soundboard – I can see that the center strip where the strings come through looks totally flat – an acoustic would tend to have “bowed” up a bit toward the lower strings – also, it doesn’t look like there is any difference in the string holes in the soundboard between the wire strings and the gut strings – so there are likely pickups on each of those holes and they would all look the same – if you look through the sound holes on the back you will probably see a lot of wires to one side of the center strip –

[Thomas Trotter]

[jessica-wolff]

The technique isn’t necessarily the same for small harps. Depends on whether the harp is closer to a pedal harp or more of a folk harp.

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