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Hi All!
Thank-you for inquiring! I apologize for the time it has taken me to reply. I have a little newborn now and I find time gets away from me. After so much research, chatting, and deliberation, we ended up with a harp that came up last-minute. It is a Jamie Newsom “Emilie” 36 string lever harp. It is made by a harp maker local to my area. I happened to contact a teacher who plays one of his harps and asked if she knew anyone looking to re-home an instrument. She did know someone! And it worked out perfectly. The harp has a beautiful sound. My daughter is positively delighted and so am I.
Oh my, I forgot what a journey looking for a new harp can be!
I am still quite enamoured with the Prelude. Waiting until the music shop bring it to the mainland (from a nearby island) so I can try playing it. And despite all the wonderful encouragment I have received, there is still a little voice of doubt that makes me think maybe I should search for something smaller for my daughter.
Out of curiosity, I have kept looking for other used harps. I have come across Stanley & Stanley, Belvins, and Another Era Lutherie harps that have captured my attention. I especially love the aesthetic of the craftsmanship on the Another Era harp. Sadly, it is in Kentucky and I am on the West Coast of Canada and the seller does not wish yo ship.
It’s such a delight to see all thr harps and harp makers that are out there! I will keep you posted on what we decide. If you have any experience with the three luthiers listed above, please do chime in!
Hi All,
The Prelude 40 that I have put a deposit on was new in 2018. When the weather warms up, they will have it shipped to my local store and I can try it out firsthand.
My store doesn’t seem to have the 6-wheel harp caddy models, but do seem to have access to the Lyon & Healy two-wheel harp caddies. I am pondering my options – I am pretty sure either will move our harp with ease.
I will also be looking for an adjustable bench. If anyone has any recommendations, I am all ears. I see some really nice ones on harp.ca, but don’t want to spend $300 on a bench right now. Maybe down the road.
I find it amusing how the author of the Lyon and Healy calogue capitalizes “Harp” too! Lol!
I’ll keep you posted on what happens!
Christy
Balfour, Jaydg, and Gregg,
Thank-you for all the discussion and input! My kids have been having a few restless nights and it has limited my time for forum replies!
I appreciate the various perspectives on the tension of the strings. I don’t want my daughter to injure herself or become overwhelmed by the mechanics. However, I really want to lean into and support her enthusiasm. I am inquiring with a couple of harp teachers in my region. I will take her to try out the Prelude strings herself. I think she will be fine, but I will be sure that we start with a harp instructor that will set her up with the best possible technique to prevent any troubles. Hopefully, as we continue with the teacher, they can correct if my daughter begins using poor technique.
There seem to be varying philosophies among harp instructors around teaching young students. Some have no problem starting young ones on the harp and others, as you mentioned Balfour, prefer to start the children with some music theory and piano before beginning the more mechanically challenging harp. Because young children can be fickle, I worry about staring her on an instrument that she has little interest in (piano). It may be in part because I could never get into the piano myself and only really enjoyed music practice when it was singing or playing the harp. I don’t want her enthusiasm to fizzle out, but I don’t want to overwhelm her either.
Gregg, I enjoyed reading the excerpt from your 1899 Lyon and Healy catalog. While it may come across as a bit of a sales pitch, I can certainly agree that there is an “indefinite something in the tone of a Harp which compels [my] interest and admiration.”
As it happens, one of the branches in connection to my local music store just recently received a pre-owned L&H Prelude 40 in natural (we could be harp twins, Gregg)! And the price is less expensive than all the new harps I was looking at – perfectly in my budget! I feel like it was meant to be! I have already put a (refundable) deposit on it. We are exploring the best timing to have it shipped to my local branch. I didn’t realize, but supposedly, it is risky to move harps in the winter as the cold can cause damage. I also want to check it over myself before committing 100%.
The look and sound of the Troubador are lovely. It looks like one would take much longer to order in. It’s interesting that you note a fuller sound, Gregg. And also odd that the Prelude does not have levers on the bottom two strings…
Has anyone tried both the K2 Harp Caddy and the Lyon and Healy model? I can either buy the K2 Harp Caddy on my own, or go through the store to bring in the Lyon and Healy model. I have head positive reviews for both, but if anyone has a side-by-side comparision, that would be splendid.
Thank-you all for advising on our journey into the harp!
-Christy
Hello Gregg, Balfour, and Carol Lynn,
I hear you both have many good things to say about the L&H Prelude 40! In fact, the Prelude was the harp I always dreamed of having throughout my teenage years. The elegant, pedal harp-like aesthetic deeply appealed to me. It does to this day. And of all the lever harp videos I have been listening to, I agree that it has one of the richest, fullest, warmest sounds. I love it. I am glad to hear that it really lives up to my perception of it.
Since I do not have firsthand experience with pedal harp spacing and tension, I wonder if the strength needed to pluck the strings would be challenging for a 6-year-old? Or perhaps it is a fairly inconsequential difference at the end of the day. I am happy to hear you agree that with an adjustable stool, she should reach the strings without issue.
My goals are not terribly ambitious. I do not plan to advance to pedal harp at this time, but I understand that my desires may change in the future.
The one really nice thing about the Prelude is that it is actually IN STOCK and ON THE FLOOR at my local music shop (unlike the other models) so I can listen to it in person. It has the ebony finish, which happens to be my favorite (though they are all beautiful).
My biggest reservation is the price – at 60% more than the other models I was looking at, it is definitely a greater financial commitment. I may be permitted to get away with the same down payment, but the monthly payments would push the limits of my budget or otherwise have to be spread over a longer term. I also wanted to have it in time for my daughter’s birthday in April, so I have limited time to save up more.
Finally, I do worry a bit about the weight and the challenge of moving it from place to place. On the upside, my two-year-old won’t easily be able to tip it over. On the downside, we have a large staircase leading to our front door, so getting it in and out of the house may be a little more challenging (not that we would plan to move it frequently). For those who have one, how do you find moving it, especially up and down stairs?
The Dusty String FH36S sounds so nice to my ears too. I especially love the walnut. I find the sound quite warm and robust, though definitely brighter than the Prelude. The bass has a rounded sound that is not at all metallic (my problem with the Titan), and the higher notes are bell-like and not tinny. I would like to have one again one day. Since we don’t currently have financing options for one, I have placed it on the back burner. I will have to investigate the Boulevard and its sound.
Balfour, your Angelica sounds divine! I will have to look for a sound clip of the Camac Atlantide Prestige. I am definitely drawn to that full, resonant pedal harp sound. Maybe one day I will dream a little bigger. My FH36S was also strung in nylon and I found the sound quite pleasant.
I am grateful for your engagement and input. It is so nice to have people to discuss these considerations with!
-Christy
Thank-you for all your insight, Gregg!
I am located on the Canadian West Coast and some of these harp makers are not as commonly seen in my region. I have also been out of the harp world for a long time. Maybe it has more to do with my ignorance, lol!
I appreciate the introduction to the MusicMakers Epic model – agree that it has a lovely, warm sound! I love the curvature of the soundboard, and the craftsmanship is really unique. I also looked at Rees, Marini, and Pratt harps for the first time. It is fun to see how every maker brings their individual touch to the style and sound of the instrument.
One of my challenges right now is that I must rely on the financing opportunity available at my local music store. And, of course, they deal in the “bigger” brands. In the future, I hope to save up for longer and invest in whatever model tickles my fancy, regardless of lead time, financing limitations, etc. To get started, we are comfortable with a student harp model.
Your comment provided a wealth of knowledge. Thank-you for investing the time to reply to me!
– Christy
