Mikel Celtic / Mikel Harps Review

[Biagio]

Mikel, like any newer entrant, has to face a period of evolving acceptance. Quality control and consistency is always a big hurdle to overcome and that is especially so for harps from Pakistan, which as group started out a few years ago with very poor quality issues.

Hopefully this review is evidence of a continuing turn-around. Nevertheless I think they have a long road ahead and will probably have to charge below market for a time even if they have overcome the quality control issues.

Good luck to them, I hope they make it.

[adla]

The tension does indeed feel even to me across the whole range. I don’t have any frame of reference to compare its tension to another harp, as I’ve never played any other (not counting the little rosewood one, of course– but I’m not sure that that counts). The only other stringed instrument I’ve ever plucked before is my hammer dulcimer, when I’ve decided to treat it more like a lap harp… but I don’t think that’s a fair point of comparison either. The harp strings are far less tense than that, but I’m sure that’s to be expected given the nature of each instrument and the materials from which the strings are made.

The levers do indeed seem to be in tune, and they certainly move smoothly and don’t buzz or anything. I have only had the harp for a little over a month now, but so far, no strings have broken even with the daily abuse of an absolute beginner.

Hopefully my photo attaches properly.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 7 months ago by adla.

[wil-weten]

Hi Adla, thanks for sharing a bit more information. This sounds really good: in over a month of having a new harp no string breakage, and levers functioning smoothly and in tune.

I’m sorry the photo didn’t attach properly. By ththe way, though you can theoretically edit a reply, many of us have the experience that this may result in an automatic deletion of the post. So, often it may be better to use CTRL A, CTRL C before updating in order to be able to restore a post in case it gets deleted. Or, you could simply write an additional post.

[gordon-johnston]

I just received my new Mikel 38-string harp, and it’s terrific! I’m impressed with the woodwork and the way the harp looks and feels. The sharping levers work well and create accurate half-steps, which is especially important in a larger lever harp like this because it gets tuned in E-flat, but you need to be able to play in other keys regularly. I had never heard of sugar strings before (the name sounds like candy floss) but they sound great and feel good, better than wound nylon.

I really like dealing with this company; this is my sixth (?) Mikel harp. I bought four of them a few years ago to start a harp ensemble at my church, and some of the harp students there have bought Mikel harps as well. The thing is, the price is so good, and I think these harps definitely represent good value for the money. The carrying cases are really well-padded and they make it easy to move the harps around.

I gotta say, I think I hit the jackpot with the woodwork on this one, I ordered mahogany with a gold soundboard design. The mahogany is just the perfect brown/red colour, and the finish is even and beautiful.

I would recommend Mikel harps to anyone who is looking for a good celtic harp.

[wil-weten]

@gordon-johnston, congratulations that you got a harp you really like. Your message, just like your only previous message still on this forum, sounds like an advertorial for these pakistani harps.

Having read the different experiences from others, I can’t help feeling you must have been extremely lucky.

You obviously like their looks. J would love a link to a videoclip or your harp ensemble playing these harps in order to get an impression of their sound. Or perhaps, a clip of yourself playing such a harp?

[gordon-johnston]

@wil-weten You’re right, I guess my post does sound like an advert for them. But I think they have been unfairly treated (a) by the whiney person who posted her big long complaint at the top of this thread, and (b) because they’re from Pakistan, same country as those crappy rosewood harps. So yeah, I think they deserve a more even treatment. I don’t think I was “extremely lucky”, I’m a harpist who simply bought a harp and the experience went well.

I’ve tried to post YouTube links etc here, and I don’t think that this forum allows for that. So I’ve put together a page of the various videos I’ve made over the years using Mikel harps. Simply go to my website at www [dot] GordonJohnston [dot] ca and click on the menu pick for Mikel harps.

Hope this helps. I’d be happy to answer any questions. I just want to see this company receive fair treatment.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 5 months ago by gordon-johnston.

[wil-weten]

@Gordon-Johnston, thanks for the link to your site and (indirectly) to the video clips.

Yes, these celtic harps sound nice on your recordings, though, of course, they can’t compete with the harps of Camac, Salvi, Dusty, Lyon & Healy etc., that cost at least twice or even thrice as much.

From the site of this manufacturer and from your site, it becomes clear that the owner has been working hard to improve the quality of their harps. And indeed, they deserve a fair chance.

Still, if these are the same harp models as Muzikkon and Thomann have been selling under other brand names (several harp models look completely identical to me), now and then, there still may be some quality control issues like breaking strings and malfunctioning levers. I’ve heard several people complaining about this, though it could very well be that, recently, these manufacturing problems have been solved.

[arpadoppia]

I bought one of their smallest
22 string harps, and I think it’s
Fantastic! The levers produce
A clear good tone on the thinner
Gauge strings, and the whole sound
Is bright and crisp throughout
its range. However, you want a harp that is strung heavier, more
Like a pedal harp, go for a
Lyon and Healy or a Salvi
Model at several times the price!
Personally, I like both heavier
and lighter strung instruments.
It’s just a matter of adapting
Your technique to each one
to get the best tone and facility.

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

I can say that they have used deception a number of times to try to join my Harp Rent, Sell, Buy group in Facebook, false identities, etc., and I have blocked them every time. One set of horror stories was quite enough. They said they are trying to improve the instruments, but I think they are just a waste of precious rosewood.

[adla]

I’m sorry to hear that others are still having bad experiences with their Mikel instruments.

I can say that, well over a year into my ownership of my Mikel harp (still my only harp), I still love it. I still think it sounds lovely, and it hasn’t started coming apart like Pakistan-made harps from other companies that I’ve read about. Of course it’s possible that I just got lucky, but as a starter harp– especially for someone who’s never actually stuck with learning to play an instrument before, and thus could not justify paying for a more expensive instrument– I still have no regrets about my purchase.

[gaffanon]

I am curious as if everyone who was happy is still happy with their Mikel Harps. they claim to have a US distributor and will speak to me until I ask about one then they go silent. I have never touched one and I would like to honestly. I am coming back to the Harp and my funds are not what they once were.

[wil-weten]

Frankly, in your shoes, I would have a look at a Dusty Ravenna 34, or perhaps a Dusty Ravenna 26 with as many levers as you can afford. Then you would be sure to have a really nice sounding and well-built harp for an interesting price that, for many years, would bring you joy. And besides, you could easily resell it for a good price.

[gordon-johnston]

Yes, I’m still very happy with my Mikel harps. I think that because they’re made in Pakistan, people confuse them with Rooesbeck harps, which are made of rosewood and are complete crap. Mikel harps are well made and they are a good company to deal with. I’ve owned several of them. Of course if you have the $$, check out Dusty Strings, their harps are wonderful and sound great. They’re also twice the price, so if cost is a big consideration, you might give Mikel Harps a second look.

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[adla]

I’m still very happy with mine also. It’s still my only harp and I still only dabble, so it’s possible that a more dedicated musician might find something to dislike; however, I have not.

I have had one issue with it since my last post, however. There are three different sizes of lever across the range of the harp and the smallest size (corresponding to the smallest gauge strings) is metal but has a plastic rod glued on where it actually contacts the string, unlike the larger levers which have either entirely metal construction or a metal core with a plastic outer ring. In the attached photo, you can see that the A lever is entirely made of metal while the B has the plastic part. This is because that original A lever was the metal/plastic combo and it eventually broke under the tension of the string.

I contacted the company to let them know what happened and asked if I could purchase one entirely metal lever to replace it. Instead of selling me one, they went ahead and made me a set of eight entirely-metal levers to replace not only the A that broke but the rest that had been made that way, just in case another one fails (which no others have as of yet- rather to my surprise). They did not charge me for these levers, though they did have me pay for shipping.

So the lever broke due to what I might consider poor design, but I knew going in that I was purchasing a cheap instrument and I was very happy with the support they gave me when I reached out. I still love my harp. It holds a tune wonderfully and has brought me a great deal of joy. I have not been consistent enough in my efforts to learn to play to justify buying something more expensive, so this was the perfect harp for me.

[adla]

…Maybe one of these days I’ll get the hang of compressing photos so that they actually post…

Attachments:

You must be logged in to view attached files.

[Author]

Posts