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I’ve heard really good things about all the harps that Biagio and Sherry mentioned. Another place you might want to check is Blevins harps. They have several lap harp models, and I think their Eden has a warm, full sound. Happy harp-hunting!
I agree with Wil.
I started on a mid-east harp, and mine happened to be pretty good. I’m even one of those people who wrote a positive review (with conditions, of course– such as: the levers are total garbage and the tension is low). However, I think I was one of the few lucky ones.
If you want a very inexpensive harp that sounds at least as good (actually better, IMO) as the Roosebeck, get a Backyard harp. I played a cardboard soundbox harp last year, and it was really enjoyable. Bonus: If you make it from the kit (I did, it was fairly easy) you can decorate it however you want. 🙂
If you have more funds than that, I also agree with Wil– look into Stoney End (I’ve played them, they’re great), Blevins Harps, Dusty Strings, etc. Good luck, and have fun! 🙂
Morley harps sell Dustys!
Biagio already said anything I might say, (also, more and better than I could) but I will put this out there:
Last year at the Edinburgh harp fest, I tried soooo many harps–my favorite brands there included Mark Norris, Silver Spear, and Pilgrim.
(Incidentally, the EIHF is going on now. If you can make it there tomorrow or Tues, the exhibition hall is open till 6)Good luck with finding your ideal harp!
AllisonThanks, Biagio!
I’m interested in seeing your 26 once it’s done. I love seeing what people do to personalize their instruments. (Of course, yours are completely personalized, since you make them, too…)
Gwalchmai is a cool name. What language is it from? I’m thinking that my harp will probably end up with something Scots-Gaelic since it was in Scotland that I fell in love with wire. But, we’ll see what happens after more playing.About finding a brooch and earring– I actually bought all the components separately, but you’re right that they are absolutely the type of stones and settings that would be used in a brooch. 🙂
And now I’m off to tune again!
I think it’s great you’re going to have a lesson with Bill Taylor! I took a wire workshop with him last year at EIHF, (and also spent inordinate amounts of time at the Ardival booth playing and asking questions) and that was what really convinced me to look into wire harping. If I’d had the money at the time, I totally would have brought home a Kilcoy or a Rose. They are great!
You can play wire without nails, it’s true, but if you don’t want to develop callouses or blisters, you’ll have to play very lightly. It will still sound good, but will be quiet.
About finding your way on wire strings: I imagine you could just get used to it, but what I do (and many others do, too) is use sharpie markers to color a few inches of the Cs and Fs and then there’s no confusion.
I hope that’s a little bit helpful, and I hope you find the harp you’re looking for.Here’s a little update about my actual wire harp–
I decided to inlay 2 stones on the front of the pillar, with silver settings. The green is chalcedony, and the white is rainbow moonstone. The moonstone has a lot of blue fire in it, and it’s lovely (they look better in person is what I’m saying. haha!)
I’m quite pleased with the outcome. 🙂Janis- Stoney End does sell a couple models of cross-strung, and you can get them as a kit. “Esabelle” is the small one. It’s a different shape than the Brittany (It’s like their Eve, I’m playing one in my profile pic) but it wouldn’t require fiddling with the design to get it built. 🙂
Welcome to harping! The others have already left some great advice, so I wont repeat. I do want to say, though, that I started on a 22-string harp, and it worked really well for me for a couple years. I always propped it up on a small table, ottoman, or stool so it was the right height to play and I didn’t have to try balancing on my lap. I think you can absolutely learn on 26 strings. Enjoy!
Yay! I’m glad you got it done! It looks great, and I can’t wait to hear it. 🙂
Biagio- please please tell me that Truitts are easier to install than Lovelands… I’ll have help available, as I can’t even seem to regulate my levers without extra hands… Oh dear. (I’m just doing partial levers at first, once my double is ready, so I’ll just have 8)
Randal- I, too, am totally in love with folk music tradition and tracing influences and roots, communities, cultures– so much beauty out there (and here) to see and hear! 🙂
Biagio- Once I get it actually in tune and get a tune worked up, I’ll make a little video.
About naming, I’m not sure when/if that will happen. I named my first harp immediately when I got it, but found I didn’t usually think of it having that name all that often. When I got my carbon fiber, I thought, “I’ll wait to ‘get to know’ this one better before I give it a name.” That was 3.5 years ago, and as far as I’ve gotten is I think of it as female. I do talk to her sometimes, but haven’t felt too compelled to come up with a name.
I think the clarsach and I are friends now (haha) so that’s a start. 🙂 I am going to inlay 2 stones on the pillar for decoration sometime next week, and the final look might influence how I feel about a name.Balfour- that’s quite the menagerie! Do you have to have a roster to keep them straight? 🙂
Anybody else name their instruments?
That is interesting, Biagio. I’m glad there’s a variety of styles for us to choose from– and that there is now teaching material available for all of them! 🙂
Speaking of the Queen of the strings, my harp is settling closer to being in tune! It sounds really nice already. I can’t wait for it to get fully settled–I’m just dying to hear it completely in tune!Balfour- my sweet husband feels the same way as your sweet wife (how many harps do we need?!), BUT he has a similar thing with guitars, so we end up with a few of both. haha
