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Venus Transport Cover Set?

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Home Forums Harps and Accessories Venus Transport Cover Set?

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  • #281610
    Rachel
    Participant

    Greetings!

    I’m currently in search of a 3-piece transport set for my Venus harp. My harp is a 1980s Venus Classic Grand Concert Harp model 75, and the stores I’ve contacted so far have all said that they didn’t think the large Lyon & Healy set would fit. They also don’t offer refunds either, so I don’t want to be stuck with a transport set I can’t use and having wasted so much money.

    Could anyone tell me what sets would work with this model of pedal harp? I have the dust cover that the harp came with, but I’d like something more sturdier for transporting it.

    Thank you so much!

    • This topic was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by Rachel.
    #281614
    balfour-knight
    Participant

    Rachel, that is indeed a large harp, probably larger than any L&H, except for maybe the Salzedo model. You might contact Venus directly and ask them for a recommendation. They are still in the business of repairing/rebuilding harps, I believe. They should know if any L&H transport cover would fit your harp. Also, maybe a Salvi cover would fit your harp. I have a Camac concert grand, and I know that they have a different harmonic-curve and shoulder shape, so I do not think you could use a Camac cover, unfortunately. This Camac cover is the best of all the transport covers I have ever used, so if one would work, I heartily recommend it. Also, have you thought about contacting Carolyn Sykes at Pacific-Atlantic harps in CA? She sells new Camac harps and all brands of used harps, so she might be able to help you if Venus cannot. Hope this helps.

    Harp Hugs,
    Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

    #281629
    paul-knoke
    Participant

    Four Seasons Harp Covers will make a set to fit your harp.

    #281718
    balfour-knight
    Participant

    I hope so, Paul, but when I contacted them a few years ago, I never got back a reply. Are they still in business?

    Cheers,
    Balfour

    #281722
    Rachel
    Participant

    Hey all,

    Thank you both for your advice! When I had my harp regulated, I did ask the harp technician since he worked for Venus (Kurt), and he said any large cover should fit. But then I’m hearing from the stores that some cases might not fit, so not quite sure what to think on this end especially since I can’t get a refund and return the case if it doesn’t fit my harp.

    I don’t know if this will help any, but the measurements for my harp are:

    the height of my harp is 71.5″ and the width from the back of the knee block to the column is about 38″/38.5″. The length of the base is about 31.5″ with the feet sticking out 3.5″, and the width of base is 20″. The soundboard width is 21.5″.

    I hope this helps more. My harp is one of the earlier ones, so I don’t know if the newer models had changed measurements any or if they kept the harp the same throughout the years. I’ll definitely try asking Carolyn Sykes and Four Seasons though!

    Thank you so much for your advice and harp hugs back!
    Rachel

    #281724
    paul-knoke
    Participant

    Yes, Four Seasons is still in business. I’ve had no problem ordering several covers from them. They did a great job making both a column cover and a padded cover to fit my scroll-top Erard.

    #281745
    balfour-knight
    Participant

    Thanks, Paul. Rachel, according to my catalog of Venus harps in 2005, the Classic Grand Concert harp had 47 strings, was 74 3/4″ tall, the extended soundboard width was 23″, and the weight was 86 lbs. This definitely sounds larger than the harp you have, which you said is from an earlier time in the 1980’s. That may be why Kurt told you that “any large harp cover should fit your harp.”

    Happy transport cover hunting, and harp hugs,
    Balfour

    #282282

    Balfour,

    Thank you so much for looking up that information for me! That was a major help. I kept looking at my harp and kept thinking that it didn’t seem much larger than any other harp. In fact, it seemed smaller than my last teacher’s pedal harp. Since I had been recommended looking into the Salvi transport cases by another as well, I took a look at the Salvi harps to see what their dimensions were. For the Minerva, it was larger in height and width from my own harp. The soundboard was larger by an inch, and the Minerva had legs that stuck out similar to my own as well. So, I plan to go for the Salvi transport set. I figure if it could fit a harp like the Minerva, it should be able to fit my own harp. Especially since the base cover seems to be more adjustable with it being in a two-piece.

    Thank you so much for your help!

    Rachel

    #282283
    balfour-knight
    Participant

    Hi Rachel,

    Thanks for all your kind words. I think you are doing the right thing by choosing the Salvi concert grand cover. There is a nice professional harpist on these forums, Gretchen Cover, who loves her Salvi transport covers, like I do my Camac one. Maybe she will see this thread and respond.

    That is so interesting how Venus made that earlier harp smaller, and then larger later! L&H obviously did the same thing, over many years of redesigning their harps. My Atlantide Prestige is similar–the height used to say “73 inches.” Now, it is 74.25″ tall, and weighs more than the earlier ones! It is just like automobiles, I suppose. Sometimes the cargo area is large enough for a concert grand harp, and then when the company redesigns the car, it is not long enough to fit the harp in!

    Best of luck with your Salvi cover!

    Harp Hugs,
    Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

    #282304
    Gretchen Cover
    Participant

    Yes, l highly recommend the Salvi transport cover. Very sturdy and I like that the base cover attaches to the main harp cover. Mine is now 10 years old and has only one small wear spot patched with duct tape:)

    #282306
    balfour-knight
    Participant

    Thanks, Gretchen–so glad you saw this. I like the same things about the Camac cover, the base cover attaches to the main harp cover, and there are plenty of handles to assist moving the harp and getting it in and out of the car! On my Camac cover, there is also a nice zippered “pocket” for accessories like tuning key, tuner, and extra strings. Because of the different neck shape of Camac harps, I did not think a Camac concert grand cover would well-fit the Venus, but it seems like the Salvi cover would do very well, since the neck shape of Salvi’s is more like the Venus.

    Best wishes, everyone! We are under an eight-inch deep snow in western North Carolina right now, so happy Winter!

    Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

    • This reply was modified 2 years, 2 months ago by balfour-knight. Reason: typo!
    #283344
    balfour-knight
    Participant

    Hi Rachel,

    Did you get the Salvi transport cover? Hope so and that it fits your Venus harp really well!

    Our snow in NC wasn’t enough for us, ha, ha, so we are “vacationing” in Snowshoe, West Virginia, where there is really deep snow, from three to four feet of accumulation! We are looking forward to a horse-drawn sleigh ride this afternoon in this magical “winter wonderland.” Of couse, the songs are playing around in our heads, including “dashing through the snow…….”

    Happy harping,
    Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

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