[Shannon Friel]

Hi Rozelle,

Here’s a small list. Most are light-tension with narrower string spacing.

Sligo Luchair (what I play)
Salvi Donegal (“standard” spacing. I have one but find I always gravitate back to the Sligo)
Camac Janet
Fisher Harps
Teifi (would have to find used)
Starfish Harps
Kevin Harrington Harps
Killarney Harps
Thormahlen Ceili

I was also originally a pedal harpist. For more advanced Irish-style playing, the change of harp improved the sound dramatically (and was also more comfortable). Hope this helps!

[Shannon Friel]

Hi Charles,

Thanks for the response, I appreciate it. I hesitated to even post this, but I wanted as much information/confirmation beforehand.

On 4 different strings that are perfectly in tune, when I lift the lever the pitch becomes noticeably too sharp— anywhere from 2-3 Hz on the bass notes to 4-6 Hz in the middle register, 7-8 Hz off in the upper register. Others are generally off throughout the rest of the harp, but not all of them are quite that bad.

I’m also looking at my 3rd string wearing away on the 3rd octave (F, then A, now waiting on G to break)— these are the (silkgut) strings the harp came with. The strings I’m putting on to replace are the fluorocarbon, but that’s also what Salvi/Lyon and Healy recommended, so the fact that the 3rd octave F doesn’t seem suited to that string is bizarre. I’ve never had strings slip off the bridge pin before, and no matter how much I stretched the string it still slipped off.

Altogether disappointing because I really like the body of this harp, but the levers don’t seem to be “professional” grade for their professional line of harps. I’m surprised this hasn’t come up for discussion yet.

Thanks again,

Shannon

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