tell me about your lap harp

[jennifer-buehler]

Thanks Briggsie!

This is really dumb but I have a Triplett Christina and have never tried the lap bar with my Stoney End because I assumed the biscuit of wood inside was too wide. I guess I’ll need to try 🙂

[jennifer-buehler]

Sigh. It’s definitely a no go for the Triplett lap bar.

[donna-benier]

Look at anotherera.com. Craig Pierpont makes a lap harp. I have owned one for many years. Use it in the summers to take out to a park, go on a day trip or short getaway. It keeps it tune incredibly well. Only minus is that after keeping it on your lap awhile, it really hurts. I tend to find a bench to sit on where I can straddle it instead, and let the base rest on the bench.

[lyn-boundy]

I’m not sure whether my Sharpsicle counts as a ‘lap harp’ exactly because it probably falls just outside the expected size but it is very light and portable weighing just 4lbs. Because I didn’t really know what I was looking for with my first harp I went for a Harpsicle as they seemed to have an excellent reputation and it felt like a safe bet; I certainly haven’t been disappointed and now that the ‘birth’ of my 34-string Clarsach is imminent I have no plans to let Orphea (the Harpsicle) go. I did buy a stick to go with her and a strap but I don’t use either – the strap because I don’t need to aggravate existing neck and shoulder problems and the stick because I found it encouraged, rather than reduced wobbling and, anyway, I find I am far more comfortable crossing my legs at the calves and gripping the harp between my knees – I can play for hours in that position without any discomfort or loss of grip. I also bought a stand but the thread on the vital screw adjustment packed up completely after about 9 months’ use.

I could have happily continued to play with this harp alone for many years as far as tone and general quality are concerned – my only real reason for ‘upgrading’ was the desire for some big bass notes (the Harpsicle has 26 strings with sharping levers on Cs and Fs). I still expect to get a lot of use out of her over the years to come.

[Adair]

just wanted to suggest you also consider looking into this… marini harps are putting what looks like some kind of rubberized material that helps the harp stay put. i use a strap on my little harp (a Breton) but am looking for other ideas. i made a small music makers Limerick harp years ago and put a cello end pin on it, which goes up inside the harp when i am not using it, but I am still not happy with the wiggle factor.. perhaps exploring this rubberized material WITH knee bones would work out.
here’s the link:
http://www.marinimadeharps.com/lap-harp.htm

tristan adair

[robert-hanson]

I have a Morgan double lap harp which gives me three octaves on the left hand and three octaves on the right hand all in a very small package. You can play the same repertoire you play on a regular harp the only difference is that your hands play on two different plains. It only takes a few minutes to get use to it. You can play the bass in the same octave as the melody which gives your arrangement a totally different sound with the bass now sounding close harmony notes against the melody. Another special affect are tremolos. Also the double harp can be set up chromatically by setting all the levers below mid C on the right side and setting all the levers above mid C on the left side. You can play the Bumble Bee Boggy with all its chromatic runs which would be impossible to do on a pedal harp… It’s really fun to experiment with.

[randal]

I so wanted to try double-harp — when I first contemplated actually acquiring a harp and committing to studying (I was in precontemplation for some 20 years…didn’t think I would, a) be able to manage harp playing as a guitarist [with fingernails], and, b) felt like I had way to many musical interests to actually commit to harp playing as an older adult..). But, I figured out that–as with melodeons–I do much better with diatonics! : )

As a bit of a musical nomad–I’ve found the sound of harp inescapable, after all these years–and finally committed to it…I’ve arranged my O’Carolan tunes on my small lap harp and have been playing those the past year, and finally procured a wire Triplett (25 str) from the Virgina Harp Center (that was shipped out today!)

[deb-l]

wow congratulations Randal, tell us all about it when it arrives!

[randal]

Thanks Deb–I will indeed : )

Unfortunately I’ll have to string it up before I can enjoy playing it–it’s missing some strings. But I’m really looking forward to playing this repertoire –harp tunes, after all!–on harp proper, rather than all the other instruments I’ve been playing the tunes on all these years…to compensate for not having harp ; )

[deb-l]

I’ve played different instruments too till I discovered harp, but playing Carolan on the Harp is one of life’s greatest pleasures. Wire too, just what he would’ve played it on!

[deb-l]

Tristan, The Marini lap harp looks like a clever idea with the rubber base but it’s still somewhat large for the lap and I’d have to lean back to play it.. I think it might be more comfortable to play a lap harp propped on a stool, maybe they shouldn’t be called ‘lap’ harps at all..

Rob, that double Morgan sounds intriguing. I didn’t think you could make bass notes with shorter strings alongside the trebble. Thought they had to be a particular string length to vibrate at the right pitch? It sounds like a lot of fun but I’m not sure I could wrap my brain around having 2 different planes I find lever harp tricky enough.

[Author]

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