single and multiple harp owners

[Alice Avery]

Hi, Deb,

I’ve been playing harp for 4 years and started out with a Mid-east Minstral 29; purchased before I knew anything about harps.

[Michaela Braveman]

I own two beautiful customs harp, both of which I absolutely adore:
– Thormahlen Swan in Koa (36-stings)
– Lewis Creek Nightingale (27-string therapy harp)

Up until recently, I would have said that I feel I have all I need for the rest of my life. Well, then Heartland Harps came along with their new Infinity 36-string carbon fiber harp (http://heartlandharps.com/infinity.html). While part of me resists the concept of a “plastic” harp (yikes!), I am very intrigued by the idea of having an instrument that is small, light weight, virtually undestroyable and that has 36 strings. This sure would make a great travel companion on road trips as well as air travel. And it has an amazing voice too.

I think Heartland Harps came up with a winner! While in my mind, a carbon fiber harp would never replace a traditional wooden harp, it sure makes for a great additional instrument. Unfortuanately, the price is a whammy…, ouch!

Something to ponder for the future….

[andy-b]

I have two harps, a Camac Athena concert grand pedal harp and a Thormahlen Serenade lever harp. I don’t do much gigging, but I like having harps with two such different voices. Plus, when I do arranging or composition, I can check both lever and pedal changes by having one of each type of harp.

[deb-l]

Karen, such a bad influence for us sensible types, I don’t think your done yet!

[KarenA]

I have:

1. A 36-string Thormahlen Koa Swan (one of the best in world, my main performing harp)

2. A 36 string Blevins Riversong mahogany (nice sound but cracked where neck and pillar meet so required repair)

3. A 29-string Blevins Eden walnut (nice sound but also cracked where neck and pillar meet)

4. A 26-string Dusty String FH 26 in maple (also one of the best mid-sized harps around)

5. A 22-string Stoney End Brittany in walnut (one of the best lap harps, I truly in love with it)

I hope I don’t buy any more as we are running out of room in the house. But now I am eyeing the Grand Harpsicle…must resist!

[Jerusha Amado]

Gosh, how old are your Blevins harps?

[KarenA]

Less than 6 months! I was truly disappointed. Comparing it with my other harps, the workmanship isn’t as good as the Thormahlen and Dusty Strings. I live in a tropical country by the way and all were subjected to the same climate so there is no excuse.

[Jerusha Amado]

Were they under warranty?

[Sylvia Clark]

I teethed on pedal harps at the University when I was a student.

[karen]

I am a two harp girl as of last week! I have a Dusty Strings FH-32 in beautifully figured sapele wood. I LOVE my Dusty and have no plans to get rid of it but am REALLY loving my new Pratt Chamber Harp. Those extra 4 strings are pretty fabulous too! No plans to get a third but years from now, who knows?!
Currently, I play the Pratt because it is so new and I am so enamored with it!

[jessica-wolff]

If I had the money, I could easily be tempted by a really small pedal harp, such as the Lyon & Healy style 12 or 14. In that case, I might also be tempted to turn in my Troubadour I for a smaller harp such as the Merlin. As is, though, I can live with what I have.

[deb-l]

we seem to have that in common Jessica, I’m not sure what it is about the small pedal harps!

[jessica-wolff]

Well, in my case, I’m just under 5’0″, so like small cars and small horses, they just seem to fit right.

[Leslie Davis]

Well, in my case, and since possession is 9/10ths of the law, I’d say I am the proud owner of approximately 8/10ths of one harp since my harp is here in Colorado Springs, but I’ve yet to receive it!

But seriously, I don’t ever see myself purchasing another harp which is why I spent ‘many moons’ researching and comparing different harps so that I would, hopefully, choose just the right

[deb-l]

Karen, is it hard to go back and forth between harps with very different string tensions?

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