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Hi Randal,
If it is the model I think it is it might be possible with brass or bronze, probably dropping the range 3-4 steps, but then you might be very well getting into wound strings in the bass or, better, half hard silver or even 14k drawn gold. The tension under that scenario might also be unreasonable. On the other hand, if you can live with steel, probably.
There are a few gigantimous wires out there but personally I think that 30 is the biggest I can would want to have, and that is with doubled Gs in the mid and the lowest string a D with narrow 11mm spacing. OUCH!! At that point I’d just design and build from the beginning, LOL, it would be a lot easier.
One problem when going from nylon/gut to metal is that one had best replace all the grommets with stainless steel; brass is just too soft. Going the other way though…
I’ve converted a Cunningham 30 string from wire to nylon which was a lot easier. I’d suggest doing some digging into specifics with Debbie and Steve Triplett. They were at first skeptical when a friend converted a Zephyr to wire but were OK with it when she showed them the proposed strings.
Haha that was a long answer that might be better put as “I’m dubious, but heck, take a look; why not?
Best wishes,
BiagioHi Jerusha,
The version by Franz Schubert, much simplified by me haha. The Holly and the Ivy is an old English carol but actually has pre-Christian roots. Here it is sung by one of my favorite choirs (King’s College).
If you would like an actual score to Ave Maria there is one by Barbara Brundage at Sylvia Wood’s Harp Center:
https://www.harpcenter.com/product/pdf-download-brundage-class2-ave-maria/harp-music-books-christian
I just lifted the arpeggios off a piano score and edited like mad (grin). Doubt I can play it anymore but what the heck, time to get back to music!
Best wishes,
BiagioHeh heh, at the moment sawdust. When that’s cleaned up, Silent Night, Ave Maria, and The Holly & the Ivy are traditional favorites at Casa Sancetta.
Happy Holidays,
BiagioPlease tell us when your Ravenna arrives Molly! I’ll bet you are thrilled and goodness knows so am I for you:-)
Biagio
Well, sure my friend, It would be tough to sell a harp on the promise of future tone haha. I do admire the Dustys, in my book Ray Mooer is one of the savviest makers around.
He and others began to put hardwood veneers over the softwood boards, not just for looks but because makers got tired of explaining to customers tht the hairline cracks that inevitably appear over time are not a problem but actually improve the tone. They will still develop and the wood undergo physical and chemical changes but more slowly and cracks will be invisible from the front.
I do agree emphatically about the Ravennas, adding to that Phil Boulding’s Oran Mor and Oladion as being overall among the best “budget” harps in the US. There are a few others from independent makers but let’s not get sidetracked haha. A number of those independents are licensed by Musicmakers – they make some tweaks of their own but budget harps all have that a/c laminate.
From start to finish a spruce board will take a week or three to make depending on how well the shop is equipped; fine grained wood is also expensive and must be dried to about 8% moisture content.
With the laminate, you just cut to shape and glue it on! Rarely will it be double tapered as a wood board is though I think that Dusty does; Caswell did and so do I but it’s one more labor step that does not make a huge difference on that a/c stuff. Why bother?
Biago
Cheerio,
BiagioThanks Balfour my friend,
The message was more about keeping a new harp purchase “real” but what the heck, I don’t mind commenting on upgrades. There are ways to bring those laminate board harps up close to concert grade spruce boarded (is that a term?) but probably not from your basic kit. Some change might include just be changing the strings as it comes out of the factory. Still, yes, I’m pretty jazzed…
We will see but as you and most know a solid wood board will not reach it’s best sound and equilibrium for several years vs. a laminate – with that what you hear at first is what you will have. There are ways to make those laminates sound as or almost as good as a solid wood board as I said, but they will never continue to improve.
I made some major changes to the string design – I’m confident it will sound good but also not like the standard model; which also sounds pretty darn good!
Biagio
Ha Ha Molly, nice that you liked the car analogy. I always have a private giggle writing it. “Get something good and keep it” if I follow your mindset – sound policy wish I had that discipline!
Regarding teachers: it is always good of course if you can attend lessons in person but there is also a lot to be said for using the Internet. When I first moved to the Puget Sound area I took lessons via Skype from Laurie before she moved closer.
Good thing too, she quickly cleaned up a lot of my self taught errors. There are many others, Laurie is just one I know well (and like and admire). I don’t know if she accepts students these days..If you wish to contact her this is the website (she has a lot of good info there too):
Happy harping!
BiagioWhen talking with beginners on the Virtual Harp Circle (which will shortly be moving to groups.io) I sometimes liken buying a harp to buying an automobile.
Back in the 70s before pollution controls etc. (but never mind) many kids including me were happy with a VW Bug to start – we could always sell it later and move up to a middle range thing like the Ford Falcon, a sport model like the Triumph Spitfire or muscle car (think Stingray). I did all that in fact LOL.
You can think of modern autos and harps in that way too. These days I drive a Ford Focus but at one time a Spit, a Beemer and before a Honda Civic. I do my own harps now but started out with a good reliable Musicmakers Limerick, upgraded to a very big McFall-type, and now have downsized to a wire 26, floor sized nylon 26, and the soon-to-be Cheyenne 36.
Earlier lessons learned the hard way – don’t buy a lemon; buy something reliable and easy to maintain at first. Case in point – that Spitfire. I spent more time tuning the thing than driving it!
It’s not much different today. Harpsicles are good affordable harps, the Ravennas are all around fine, Dusty FHs get you into the higher end and Preludes take you into the muscle end.
Man, haven’t thought of that Triumph for along time. Heck of a car when it ran LOL.
Biagio
>”As you do consider moving on to a pedal harp in about 5 years, I think you may like to learn classical technique from the very beginning”<
I agree Wil though would point out for Molly’s benefit that most beginner instruction follows one of the several classic techniques. The differences at the basic level lie in the force with which you play; it’s not until you get into intermediate and advanced levels that the styles begin to diverge with respect to effects. That is, there is stuff you can do on a pedal harp that is difficult or impossible on a lever harp – and visa versa.
It’s true that one can get away with careless technique on a lever instrument that one could not on a pedal tension. for a while – one being not closing fingers all the way to the palm.
Yes, one can get away with it but it’s shoddy and will come back to haunt you – especially if you move up to a higher tension instrument!
B
Hi Molly,
I did not notice if you have a teacher available in your area. If not, I especially agree with buying a lever tension instrument: that will be a lot easier for you when developing technique.
One thing about the Oladion – Phil usually builds after he receives and order, and lever costs are extra; Dusty would probably have a partially or fully levered Ravenna 34 in stock.
About the range: 34s and 36s usually end with a bass C. That can be changed to a low A on most but that is a special order (and of course you lose two notes at the top). I’d go with the design as is (low C) unless or until you want more bass later on.
Best wishes and please tell us what you decide.
Biagio
Haha to you too, my friend! Of course you want the full five octaves; in fact if you had not fallen in love with Cherie you might easily have fallen for a 38, right?
On the other hand, get a bunch of mainly folk/Celtic players together and if someone pays a gliss there will be smiles and mayhap even a few tut-tuts:-)
Of course, when those of us who also play the clarseach show up with a Dusty there will be some tut-tuts when we use our fingernails LOL.
Cheers,
BiagioWilliam Webster has a good reputation, not as well known as others as he is a solo (independent) maker. Several other fine harp makers are as well: Kortier, Thormahlen, Kemper, Blessley and Boulding for instance – but I understand that Wiliam changed his location a few years ago which my be why you can’t find much information.
As long as you are considering alternatives, I strongly suggest that you look at Phil Boulding’s Concert Oladion; that harp is much admired where I live ( Puget Sound area) by some very fine players:
https://magicalstrings.com/HarpsDulcimers.html
Had I not talked myself into upgrading the Musicmakers Cheyenne with a spruce SB and decided to just buy a full 5 octave harp, I would have been sorely tempted by the Oladion. Of course, if you have access to some minimal wood tools (an electric drill, several clamps, preferably a finish sander, screw drivers, socket wrenches and hammer etc.) ) and are willing to learn how to mount levers an MM kit is also a possibility.
It appears that the Populist uses an aircraft laminate board like the Dusty Ravennas and Crescendo and is probably heavier than the former. Also to consider: if you buy the Populist and William had some misfortune you would not be able to go to him for any repairs if needed.
Sorry I can’t be more helpful..as always it is best to try a harp out in person if possible. If not possible, I’d suggest the Ravenna. Some people – I’m thinking of those like our friend Balfour – really want all 5 octaves, but 34 strings is fine for many others. Hope that is helpful!
Biagio
I guess I’m just old fashioned. For day-to-day tuning I am very happy with a Snark SN-8 preferably attached to my tuning wrench. I find the Korg GT-120 perfectly adequate when I need both hands free e.g. if mounting or regulating levers.
As for metronomes, I look for a tic-toc sound; chimes etc. are annoying; I also want the option of an earphone. That led me to the Wittner MT-50.
Sorry I did not directly answer the question, but these are low tech, low cost and reliable tools.
Biagio
The only reliable ways to get a good harp inexpensively are: 1) find a great deal on a second hand one, 2) be lucky, 3) build from a kit.
1) That can often happen if you keep your eyes open, are willing to accept what fortune brings, and look it over in person
2) That does happen more often than you might think if you try a “harp wanted” ad in harp forums. ( Recently a person here was given a 30 year old Triplett Axline)
3) You will pay for the cost of materials, the labor in cutting the shapes, and about a 15% profit margin to the kit maker. Or about $1400 US (see below figure).In terms just of raw materials with adequate levers a decent 34 +/- string harps will cost at least $1200 US and that is before labor and either designing it or buying a blueprint. I does not get much cheaper anywhere else in the world.
That figure of course does not consider some innovative ideas such as a card board box with plywood frame. Which can actually be OK but you have to know how to do it.
There are, naturally, exceptions: a friend (in Maine) made a beautiful harp from lumber salvaged from an old barn at no cost except strings and hardware. But Fred has a fully equipped shop and knows what he is doing.
Biagio
