Salvi Orchestra Model Help

[harp57]

Hello, I’m interested in buying a 46 string Salvi pedal harp. The seller had it regulated and restrung by a respected harp technician. He said the neck was in great shape and guessed a younger age for the harp. The seller looked up the harp and found out it is a Salvi Orchestra model harp built in 1977. They are asking $10k with a padded case and bench.

Any questions I should specifically ask prior to seeing it? I’ve only played Wurlitzer and L&H in the past. I haven’t played for a decade and would like to play for fun

Thanks!

[Gretchen Cover]

I owned a Salvi Aurora concert grand the same age. New it cost $6,500. I sold it ten years ago for $10k. Harps of that era were known as battleship harps because they were built very sturdy. The necks are very strong. I much prefer Salvi to Lyon and Healy which I learned on. The pedals are exactly the same on Salvi and Lyon Healy. That said, you could still could be dealing with age issues. When I sold my Aurora about ten years ago, it needed a rerivet. I discounted the price $3,000 to reflect that repair. A hobbyist would not need to deal with it but it kept professionals from buying the harp. In addition, the base frame was going to need a repair in the future due to age. So, my point is, you should get a full inspection by a guild tech to determine any needed repairs now or in the future. Specifically ask about the soundboard, base frame, neck and possible rerivet. Cosmetically, my harp was in excellent condition. Also, keep in mind a new set of strings will cost around $600. The strings should be changed if they are more than a year old or have that amount taken off the asking price. My thoughts.

[balfour-knight]

All good thoughts, Gretchen. I wondered if the harp tech who regulated this Salvi harp put all of that in writing. If so, I think the harp has already passed its “examination.” It was supposed to have been restrung then, too. Were all 46 strings replaced? What was the actual date of the restringing and regulation? I would definitely ask the seller to provide this documentation!

$10,000 would also go a long way toward buying a new harp. I would recommend a Camac Egerie! Camac harps come with a 10-year warranty.

Best wishes,
Balfour

[harp57]

Thank you for the suggestions! I spoke to the seller again and she says the regulation and complete restringing was October 2021. She says she was not given a report—-maybe I should ask for a receipt to prove it was done?

Do you think buying a used harp is too risky? I always heard a used harp has better sound and of course is less costly. I could go to Virginia Harp Center or Atlanta Harp Center in the SE here but their inventory has been low.

Any advice is appreciated 😀

[harp57]

Thank you for the suggestions! I spoke to the seller again and she says the regulation and complete restringing was October 2021. She says she was not given a report—-maybe I should ask for a receipt to prove it was done?

Do you think buying a used harp is too risky? I always heard a used harp has better sound and of course is less costly. I could go to Virginia Harp Center or Atlanta Harp Center in the SE here but their inventory has been low.

Any advice is appreciated 😀

[balfour-knight]

I think it would be a great idea for you to go to the Atlanta or Virginia Harp Center in person to see the harps and really experience them. They will get in more harps as the year progresses. You could check their inventory lists regularly, and get on their email list. They can notify you when they get in a harp that you would be interested in, and they are all very reputable, nice folks. (Tell them I said so, ha, ha!) Yes, buying a used harp can indeed be risky, and that seller should have been given a full report by any reputable harp tech.

I hope this helps.

Best regards,
Balfour

[balfour-knight]

Forgive me for being suspicious of the Salvi–it is the fact that it is so old, I guess, and I would feel much better about it if the harp tech gave you a full report. Think of it like buying a used car that old–it would be risky!

[Gretchen Cover]

I would ask the seller if she would give you permission to talk to the tech. Buying a harp that old has plus’s and minus’s. A professional probably would not buy this harp but a beginner or someone who plays for fun like you might be able to use the harp for quite a few more years with no problems or repairs. The Salvi harps of that vintage, as I said above, are very well built. That was the situation with mine.

I would certainly not pay $10k for a semi-grand harp this old. Salvi does not have records of this era harp but I think the cost new was about $4k. Not sure what I would pay, maybe $5-7k. I would gently ask the tech for guidance on pricing and perhaps contact Anderson Insurance for advice. I presume you would join the American Harp Society if you not already and use that privilege to insure the harp through Anderson.

[Gretchen Cover]

Here is a Salvi Symphony harp you might want to look at. https://reverb.com/item/41702096-salvi-symphony-harp

[balfour-knight]

I agree with Gretchen! The Salvi Symphony harp advertised above in Gretchen’s link for $7k is well-priced and was serviced by Peter Wiley, nothing to hide. I think instead of $10k, the Salvi Orchestra should be $5k up to $7k, like Gretchen said. By the way, does this harp have an extended soundboard? They cost more than straight soundboard harps, of course. The only Salvi Orchestra I can find in an old Salvi catalog has a straight soundboard. This is certainly something to check on.

Hope this helps.

Sincerely,
Balfour

[Gretchen Cover]

Another thought. If you are willing to pay $10k for a harp you might be better off buying a new Salvi Daphne for $15k.

[harp57]

Thank you for your advice Gretchen and Balfour! After the seller said the restring was October 2021, I looked back in my messages from August 2021 when I initially contacted her and she said it had been recently restrung then as well. I don’t really trust the seller at this point (and it sounds like it is overpriced anyway).

So I took Balfour’s advice and looked at Virginia harp center’s website and they have a used Style 100 that I am interested in. That was the model I played in college and I loved it back then! This was built in 1968 but totally rebuilt by Lyon and Healy in 1996. It has been restrung, regulated, and inspected. Any advice? Do I need to play it even though I played the same model for years?

Thanks!

[balfour-knight]

Thanks so much for your reply, Harp57. Yes, my sweet wife and I think that it would be a very good idea for you to see, play, and “test drive” this Style 100 in person, if at all possible. Everyone has their own taste in a musical instrument, and all harps are different from each other, even the same model. If you actually can drive, or can be driven, to the Virginia Harp Center, you could get your harp and take it home with you, rather than chance having it shipped. I have known folks who rented a car or van to do this, too, if driving your own car is not an option. We trust the wonderful owners and staff of the Virginia Harp Center to do the right thing, when someone buys a harp from them, so you will be in good hands.

Harp Hugs from both of us,
Balfour and Carol Lynn

[Gretchen Cover]

Try before you buy. The sound can vary widely. You don’t want to make an expensive mistake. Don’t be afraid to negotiate the price.

[Gregg Bailey]

Just to clarify for people on here like Nicbo who might think, “I thought you all said harp prices aren’t negotiable!”, it should be pointed out that it’s one thing to negotiate on the price of a PRE-OWNED harp, but that new harp prices are pretty much firm.

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