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Yes, I’m still very happy with my Mikel harps. I think that because they’re made in Pakistan, people confuse them with Rooesbeck harps, which are made of rosewood and are complete crap. Mikel harps are well made and they are a good company to deal with. I’ve owned several of them. Of course if you have the $$, check out Dusty Strings, their harps are wonderful and sound great. They’re also twice the price, so if cost is a big consideration, you might give Mikel Harps a second look.
@wil-weten You’re right, I guess my post does sound like an advert for them. But I think they have been unfairly treated (a) by the whiney person who posted her big long complaint at the top of this thread, and (b) because they’re from Pakistan, same country as those crappy rosewood harps. So yeah, I think they deserve a more even treatment. I don’t think I was “extremely lucky”, I’m a harpist who simply bought a harp and the experience went well.
I’ve tried to post YouTube links etc here, and I don’t think that this forum allows for that. So I’ve put together a page of the various videos I’ve made over the years using Mikel harps. Simply go to my website at www [dot] GordonJohnston [dot] ca and click on the menu pick for Mikel harps.
Hope this helps. I’d be happy to answer any questions. I just want to see this company receive fair treatment.
I just received my new Mikel 38-string harp, and it’s terrific! I’m impressed with the woodwork and the way the harp looks and feels. The sharping levers work well and create accurate half-steps, which is especially important in a larger lever harp like this because it gets tuned in E-flat, but you need to be able to play in other keys regularly. I had never heard of sugar strings before (the name sounds like candy floss) but they sound great and feel good, better than wound nylon.
I really like dealing with this company; this is my sixth (?) Mikel harp. I bought four of them a few years ago to start a harp ensemble at my church, and some of the harp students there have bought Mikel harps as well. The thing is, the price is so good, and I think these harps definitely represent good value for the money. The carrying cases are really well-padded and they make it easy to move the harps around.
I gotta say, I think I hit the jackpot with the woodwork on this one, I ordered mahogany with a gold soundboard design. The mahogany is just the perfect brown/red colour, and the finish is even and beautiful.
I would recommend Mikel harps to anyone who is looking for a good celtic harp.
Regarding Mikel harps — I am a pedal harpist who was looking for a reasonably-priced lever harp for the few times that I need one. I ended up buying a Mikel harp, and I am extremely happy. The process of initially buying the harp was daunting because I had never heard of the company, and I had to deposit $$$ directly to their bank account, sight unseen! It was nerve-wracking, but I’m glad I did it. I used my Saffron-34 yesterday to play a St Patrick’s Day gig, and it was fun. The levers are terrific, they work just fine and are adjustable.
Mikel Harps are strung with nylon purchased in the USA, so it makes sense to purchase replacement strings from an American supplier. Of course, the smartest move would be to purchase a spare string set when you purchase a harp — that’s pretty standard practice in the harp world, to own a spare set of strings. Strings break, that’s just the nature of the beast. The Mikel website contains string charts for every one of their harps so you can easily order the correct size replacement string from a supplier like Markwood Strings.
IMPORTANT: if you order a Mikel harp, be sure to order a tuning key or two. Standard harp tuning keys don’t fit.
I recorded my experience and my very positive feelings about this company in a blog I kept over the past year: https://mymikelharpexperience.wordpress.com/
