need info. on Triplett harps

[Leigh Griffith]

Hi Martine,
Sorry I haven’t replied sooner. My computer did a “meltdown” and I lost everything on it, including the posters and programs for our ensemble’s upcoming concert (May 3)!

You must be so excited about your harp! Because I am with mine all the time, I haven’t really noticed a change in tone, but just a few days ago one of my emsemble mates commented that my harp was sounding really nice and that it had opened up since I first got it (last July). I play quite a bit, and I’m told that that makes quite a difference in how the sound matures.

For some pictures of me and my harp:
http://www.leighcgriffith.com go to the “some of my other interests” page, and http://harpsong.ning.com (click on my name).

Of course we will expect pictures of yours when it arrives!

Leigh

[unknown-user]

Hello Leigh,

Finally, finally my harp has arrived !!! Strange as it may feel as it came all the way from California USA to this little cheesy place like Gouda in the Netherlands, standing there in my room.

I almost fainted when I saw it and it took a while before it ‘fitted’ in the car…but it is DIVINE !! The sound is amazing and I’m so happy with it. I am practising, tuning, practising, tuning etc. whenever I’m off work, like today. I want to play often so that the soundboard will start bellying up and the sound will mature.

I have been on your site and it must be very inspiring to play with others on a regular basis. I like your quilts too, my God you are so creative !

I do not have any pictures yet, but I will send you them as soon as I have made any.

Keep harpin’

Martine.

[Murray Simmons]

I’m thinking about getting a Sierra 34 myself.

[Leigh Griffith]

Hi Murray,

I am still in love with my Sierra. The tone has matured and it seems to me to be “richer” than it was new, and also a bit louder (or I am not as bashful?)! We ( our ensemble) had set up to practice and I nipped into the bathroom before we got started. Two of our members have Dustys and I heard the rich warm tones of someone warming up and thought, “Yeah those Dustys do sound nice”. When I emerged from the bathroom I was shocked to see one of the other folks sitting at MY harp making that beautiful sound! You really don’t hear it as well when you are right next to it. My harp will be 3 years old in July.

Hope this helps!
Leigh

[Jerusha Amado]

Leigh,

I’ve heard one Triplett in real life (a Signature) and found it to be a beautiful-sounding instrument.

[Leigh Griffith]

Wow, that’s a tough question! I like both for different reasons. The Triplett has a little bit “livelier”(?) sound, the Dusty 36 is a little “warmer”. Remember that the Sierras I heard were all brand new harps that had not yet developed. Mine has opened up nicely, I think. Like I said earlier, I though my friend was playing her Dusty and I was surprised to see she was playing my Triplett. I would probably be saving up for a Dusty to have as well as my Sierra just because I like them both. Unfortunately, I am very short (4′ 10″) and have very short arms and just cannot reach around the Dusty Strings soundboxes, even staved and semi-staved. As it is, I really have a long reach to the bottom strings on the Sierra. So, for practical purposes, this is probably the biggest harp I can handle. I do not feel as though I have settled for second best, though. I really do love my harp. Other harps I have heard and liked the sound of were the Timothy Llyr (which I could reach all the strings on, but was out of my price range at the time) and the R Harps Merlin.

I don’t know if this helps you any. So much is up to the individual harp and the individual ears hearing it!

Leigh

[Dennis McKenzie]

I have a fineline 34strig Catalina with much onamation work done on it and the sound is wonderful. I played Dusty FH 34 in Seattle a few weeks ago and it could not compare to my 34. The tension was much less and the bass was week because none of the strings were wraped. The Dusty FH 36’s sounded much better than there 34. I play for hours every day and the sound seems to be getting better and better mostly in the lower strings they have such power and now blend very well with the pure nylon strings. I love this harp, it a work of art.

[Dennis McKenzie]

I forgot to say that it is a Triplett staved back looks just like there Celtic II just a little bit bigger

[Kelly Ford]

I was reading all the comments on Triplett harps and someone mentioned
“waiting for the soundboard to bellyup”

[harpglo-jean]

Hi Kelly,

When I bought my nine year-old cherry Triplett (30 string) harp from Sylvia Woods’ last year, the soundboard was slightly raised, and I questioned her about this, because I was concerned too. She just replied, “that’s a good thing when the harp’s soundboard is coming up, it improves the tone”..and sure enough, the tone on this harp is indeed very deep and rich sounding and it’s still in great shape today, with no problems!…hope that helps…..Gloria

[Kelly Ford]

Hi Gloria ~ thank you so much for the feedback.

[patricia-jaeger]

Because you mention the richer sound of the 34 string harp, I think you will enjoy this one more. and so will those who hear you.

[Zen Sojourner]

It’s not so much the number of strings as their placement.

[harpglo-jean]

Hi Kelly,

My 30 string Triplett harp has an adequate amount of strings for most of the pieces that I play, but it is not my primary harp.

[deb-l]

I agree with the above opinions.

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