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One of the many things I like about Music Makers: their harps are carefully designed and easily “upgraded” – and they’ll often do a few modifications there too if you ask. Great service, always.
Biagio
Alyson, yes it would – I’d just cut that part of the pillar off and bolt through the pillar foot and ribs. Just did that on a modification of their old Shepherd design as a matter of fact. Those who have modified the Voyageur as I indicated had the SB made by either Betty Truitt or Rick Kemper (Sligo harps). Betty I think just sends a blank board, Rick will taper, add ribs, and even laminate the face if the client wishes:
http://www.sligoharps.com/Components.html
The board supplied with the kit has a glue-on piece to simulate a tapered board. The sound that way is good, double tapering it in fact is much better. Double tapered spruce best of all.
Biagio
OK I’ll share (no surprise). There are only a few kit makers out there and only a few models I would buy:
All of these kits with the exception of the Raphael, are heavier than they might be and that is normal for a kit. All of them might be improved with some different strings and that is also normal. Reasons being that a lighter harp with more “refined” string bands take more tools and skill than the average kit builder probably has; better strings means greater expense.
Music Makers: Voyageur, Gothic, Regency, Smartwood
Of them all the Voyageur is my favorite, with the supplied Performance strings. With a spruce soundboard in place of the high density laminate and gut replacing more of the nylon strings takes it to concert quality IMHO. The same can be said of the Regency which is heavier however. All the models listed are easy to build.Harps of Lorien: Available finished or as kits – the Raphael 26 is superb and a favorite for both therapy and intimate concert.
Stoney End: While I personally don’t like the construction method these are also easy to build, sound very good and consistently very good quality.
Biagio
It’s always a good idea to sleep on a decision like this as Tacye has suggested. It is not uncommon for a bow like that to develop over time – the earlier Troubadours were “famous” for that although of course those are larger harps with higher tension.
As for it being done intentionally to adjust the string angle….often an adjusting angle is made at either the knee block or the pillar foot but they could have been made that way. Ask Gary Stone!
It should last a good long time regardless – hope I wasn’t alarmist. It can take a week or more of tuning before those strings stretch in and hold tune so I’d not worry too much about that for now. So tune it twice a day for a week and relax about it for the time being.
A harp, even a light one, will continue to flex and adjust itself over it’s life. Which is one reason Lovelands in particular need to be “regulated” every so often. The tolerances on those are very tight compared to some other levers and it doesn’t take much change in the angle to buzz or throw them off tune.
There are a couple of players I know in Florida and a famous maker (Arsalaan Fay), so the Eve aside you might get involved in the harp community there if you like. Join the International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsmen and/or the Virtual Harp Circle maybe.
Best wishes,
BiagioBlush! Thank you Alyson and I hope my comment did not come across as snippy. I think levers, like strings and sound boards are pretty much personal choices. Some people feel strongly about one, others strongly about another.
The reasons I don’t like Universals…they pivot on a compression pin which can get sticky, it is really hard to fit them on the shortest strings, and no way will they fit on the RH side for a double strung. On the other hand, for a fairly light kit they’re OK. Jerry would not sell them if they were not, that’s for sure.
Lovelands, Camacs, Truitts, Broughs, Rees (if they ever decide to sell theirs) – they’re all great!
Biagio
Dusty Strings does NOT use Universals. They have Lovelands as the standard choice with Camacs optional. Personal opinion: I don’t like Universals at all. Lovelands are fine but are a pain to install, need more frequent regulation than Camacs or Truitts and cost almost as much (if you buy them from Music Makers). Camacs need special tools. So my number one choice is always Truitts for my own harps.
Biagio
Geez I’m more paranoid than any of you guys, maybe:-) Actually, I made a “sled” or crate – about 2 M long and 1/3M wide that slides into the back of the van: harp and case easily strapped down. Of course that presumes enough head room; still I reckon one could do something similar if not.
Do NOT go over Snoqualamie Pass without snow chains, harp or not; trust me on this:-)
Biagio
Dear Hearpe,
Yup, that last DMT thing is junk, so sorry. All harps fail eventually but it would be nice if that were a bit more that 5 years!
This is not a good place for a long talk about design, much as I would want to! Some of your questions really probe into the craft and I think that is wonderful!! Rather than get long winded though (which is easy for me to do), I’d point you to a couple of sources:
Jerry Brown’s “Folk Harp Design and Construction” from Music Makers:
http://www.harpkit.com/
Rick Kemper – Sligo Harps – Lever harp Building Guide (pdf):
http://www.sligoharps.com/
David Kolacny – “Troubleshooting Your Lever Harp”Jerry Brown (Music Makers) has been making fine instrument kits for many, many years. Rick Kemper is an outstanding designer and restorer; so too is David, and that little book of his should be on every lever harper’s shelf!!
I do agree in any case here alas: your’s was NOT in mint condition and I would demand a refund on return.
Post Script (blush):
Thank you so much Balfour! I make pretty good harps, in others’ opinions anyway, yet times change and with them the love of breathing sawdust. No more – one last wire 22 then the tools go to auction. I swear (said the addict – hee hee).Segueing (sorry folks)..One may design and one may play but it’s really hard to do both! I can only think of a handful who did or do both well.
You could for sure if you wanted to Balfour! Are you sure you would not like a little clarsach tucked away somewhere when the gut is slack and the nylon just doesn’t seem to hold tune at all, up there in the mountains,ha ha?
I haven’t had to change a wire for the longest time, while the gut and nylon were going BANG in the night:-)
Seriously..this 22 is based off Jerry’s Shepherd – it’s a pretty easy modification, I’ll send you the forms and mods if I can tempt you to make your own!
Best to you all,
BiagioOops. Here are my thoughts for what they’re worth.
The deflection (“bow”) does not appear to be excessive – for now. But it will continue and eventually rupture. I’m loathe to estimate how long that would be, but within perhaps 10 years maybe. You have a few choices aside from returning it for a refund from what I see.
1. Don’t worry about it and enjoy for now, assuming you may want a larger harp later.
2. Reinforce the joint. This is not terribly difficult. You would have to de-string and possibly remove the levers and pins; then sand the right hand side flat over the joint, glue on a matching patch (about 1/4″ thick) with the grain running vertically.
3. Or heck return it and buy another… my last remaining double strung 23 for example.
Only slightly kidding – I have one last one left out of a run of seven made for a retreat. Sounds good and has been used of course. But the price is right as I could use some more room here:-)
Email me off list if that interests you – it’s nylon strung G3 to A6, Loveland levers on Fs and Cs.
Biagio
Hi Carl,
Yep, directly from the artist (if they have something I want). Sometimes one must buy a collection, but that’s often worth it to me. For example, I wanted a score for “The Wild Geese” and was not in the mood to radically mark it up from Bunting’s collection for piano forte.
So I bought a fifteen tune harp collection from Laurie Rasmussen.
Perhaps needless to say…..I messed with Laurie’s arrangement too, since I wanted to do this on a wire strung harp with a shorter range.
Another favorite artist would be Dr. Alfredo Ortiz, and anything by Harper Tasche or Kim Robertson is worth buying – when I feel rich, ha ha. Melody’s Music also has lots of lever harp music.
Being still pretty much a beginner, I like to work from a score, rather than learn a tune by ear most of the time; then arrange to suit me from there. So lead sheets are a nice source too, also arrangements for guitar and piano, even cello in one case. Cynthia Shelhart has a nice collection of 400 lead sheets, worth getting just for the reference.
Support the starving musicians!
Grins,
BiagioIt largely depends on what I’m looking for Carl: a particular piece or a collection. What with the wealth of the ‘net it doesn’t make much difference to me where the actual store is located. Lyra Music, where I often go for strings, has just been acquired by Vanderbilt – they have a huge stock of both pedal and lever harp music. For a particular contemporary lever harp piece, I often go to my favorite individuals: Robertson, Riley, Tasche, Rasmussen, etc.
Best wishes,
BiagioThe larger Paki harps may have improved but the recent levers I’ve seen have definitely not. Until they have improved their reputation I would steer clear of any. There are many decent harps by known builders out there that will not break the bank. You can’t know who built the Pakis; it’s mostly a cottage industry, most of them are farmed out and then sold under a general name.
Let me put it this way as a harp maker and friend of many others: none of us will agree to work on those things when they get busted – which they do with alarming regularity.
Just sayin’…..
Biagio
OK I’ll bite – as Wil said there are many variables in harp design but I think we can make some general statements for the smaller ones.
Soundboards: many of us do not think that a solid wood spruce or cedar board sounds any better than a PROPERLY designed Finnish birch laminate one; IF the range is small – say 4 octaves or less AND tension is fairly high. The latter are known as “aircraft grade” plywood – 5 plys per 3mm thickness. I have one like that – a 26 – and in all modesty people drool over it and the Rubarth Merlin.
Cheaper versions have only 3 plies and the cheapest – usually luan – are not worth it except for children’s harps or very light instruments such as a Paraguayan. Under 26 strings – save money and go with the aircraft laminate. Hardwood boards are used on wire strungs – they ring much too long for a softwood or ac laminate (unless you are REALLY into damping).
Sound boxes: you will get the best tone and lightest weight with sides that are only about 0.65cm” thick. Cheaper harps are slapped together with stock 2cm boards – heavy, no contribution to tone and a sign of less than perfectionist craftsmanship. Some nice kits are made with thicker sides however since thinner sides require more work that many kit builders are prepared to do.
Woods: always hardwoods for the neck and pillar and usually for the sides of the box. There is a discernible difference among species in larger harps but I think it is fairly difficult to distinguish a “cherry” tone from a “maple” tone in smaller ones – and for a small inexpensive harp no big deal.
All soundboards will belly up, it is expected.
No matter what wood is used, if the maker is not meticulous in construction and string design, it will not sound very good. On the other hand, some harps that are all or almost all plywood sound very, very good – Dusty Strings Ravennas for example.
Hope that helps.
Biagio
Maybe some day someone will invent a light weight reasonably priced double action for smaller harps – for now as Balfour suggests one would probably have to search for an old Grecian that has been restored. Alas, those cost a bunch too!
Let us agree in any case that there is no “one size fits all” kind of harp – which is probably why many of us have several! Agreed, you can’t quickly do chordal glissando on a cross – but on the other hand, you can’t double the notes in the same octave as you can with a double, or set one side to a different key – say a fifth up. Can’t do that on a pedal harp either.
That’s one very engaging double technique that you don’t often hear about, that is ONLY possible on a double.
Too many beautiful harps too little time! I’m just now finishing off a small 3 octave wire strung – those don’t sound like any other kind of harp, but you sure as heck would not want to gliss on it – ha ha.
Getting out in public is a wonderful thing to do, even or especially if not performing or busking – it’s really amazing how people, especially kids are fascinated by even a small harp. We get lots of questions from them and their parents and when they find out that a small decent harp will cost anywhere from $500 to $1500 maybe some will get hooked. Once hooked they may continue on to larger instruments, who knows?
While it is true that some orchestral music is difficult or impossible on a non pedal instrument there is a good deal beyond the stereotypical “celtic” available for the lever harp. For that matter, some scores would be difficult on a pedal harp. And if one really requires more chromatic ability there are the double strungs and especially the cross strungs.
Full disclosure – I have no relationship with Mark Blessley; his five octave fully chromatic Orion or Rigel sells for around $6000-$6500.
Look Ma, no pedals or levers! No second mortgage either.
Biagio
