question for those who own more than one harp

[Maria Myers]

What is your favorite harp among the ones that you own?

[carl-swanson]

I own somewhere in the neighborhood of 45 harps, many of which I rent out. A few are antiques, one is a Pleyel Chromatic harp that I still have to decide what I’m going to do with. But the one that I would never sell is my Lyon & Healy number 300, built somewhere around 1898 and which I completely rebuilt for myself about 23 years ago. It’s one of those with a little bust of Wagner on the column, and it’s a 45 string instrument with an extended board. That’s the one I keep for myself and on which I have given many recitals. I love the clear sound, but also the fact that there is so much space in the first octave for my right hand(which I put there when I built the new neck). There are pieces that I play that I can only play on that instrument, because of the space in the first octave. Also, the pedals are light as a feather, much like the Erards.

[Maria Myers]

It sounds wonderful, Carl!

I rent a lever harp.

[kathy-chanik]

Hi, Maria.

[Maria Myers]

Gee, that Cithara sounds beautiful!

[tony-morosco]

It would really depend. I have one pedal harp and three lever harps currently.

I really use the pedal harp most so if I really had to get rid of all but one I would keep that one. However, if it were a matter of just swapping out harps I could see myself swapping my current pedal harp for another. I would keep my Lyon and Healy Folk harp so long as I had a decent pedal harp as well. I wouldn’t want to part with it. I have had it for a long time. It’s traveled with me, and at one time was my only

[renate-kvalsvik]

Oh my, the Cithara sounds like an incredibly beautiful harp. Do you have a picture of it?

[kay-lister]

I have two, the Thormahlen Swan and the L&H 85E Concertino.

[Maria Myers]

Carl,

Actually, I thought you would say that the one harp you wouldn’t part with was the 1892 Erard French Gothique.

[carl-swanson]

Well you’re probably right on that one too. But if I had to choose one, and I could find a good home for the Erard-someone who knew how to take care of it properly and understood the necessity for that- I would probably sell the Erard. But we’re talking hypothetical here. In reality, I probably won’t sell either.

[Karen Johns]

I currently have two harps, a Musicmaker Voyageur & a wire-strung Limerick. Wouldn’t part with either, they are part of my family.

Karen

[william-weber]

You have a Pleyel Chromatic? That’s 7/5 cross-strung, isn’t it? What condition is it in?

[carl-swanson]

It’s in excellent condition. It just needs a new set of strings.

[kathy-chanik]

Yes, the Sandpiper Cithara Nova has an unveneered soundboard.

[Maria Myers]

Hi Kathy,

What type of wood does it have?

[Author]

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