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I’m surprised at how much steam this thread picked up so long after I originally posted it, but am glad it served as useful fodder for conversation! I appreciate everybody’s input.
I ended up narrowing my choices down to a Hayden Harp, which I like for its size, very low weight, ruggedness, and beautiful tone; and a Marini Made Bass Minstrel, which I like for its extended range, more traditional construction, and lovely tone.
Ultimately I decided to go with the Marini Made because I wanted the extra versatility of the additional strings. I’ve had it for a few weeks now, and love it. Unfortunately my harp teacher is moving to Boston – tomorrow will be my last lesson with her. There’s only one other harp teacher in town, who teaches at the local university. She doesn’t normally take on adult students that aren’t harp majors at the college, but my teacher is going to try to get her to make an exception for me since I actually practice regularly. Wish me luck. Otherwise I’m on my own.
I don’t think there is really a harp that exists that would meet my criteria for bringing on backpacking trips. It’s just not the right instrument for that. So I’ll learn ocarina or something that is better suited to that application, but will focus on the harp for general musical satisfaction and for car camping trips.
To answer Elettaria’s question about why I didn’t like the dulcimer, it was just a matter of it not being musically fulfilling for me to play. I’m well aware of what a talented dulcimer player can do with it. I just didn’t enjoy playing it enough to be able to get to a point where I was that good. Practicing it felt like a chore.
Harp, on the other hand, just “feels” right. I can’t explain why. It just seems like it’s the instrument that I want to play. Playing it brings me joy in a way that playing Dulcimer doesn’t, even though the dulcimer is, objectively speaking, better suited for my intended purposes.
In case you get keen on the dulcimer again, my partner has a travel dulcimer from Pete Staehling of Feather Dulcimer.
Funny you should mention this, as I had him build one custom for me when I first started playing the dulcimer. He happens to have retired to the town where I live, so I got to go to his workshop and pick out the wood that he built it with. He’s a great guy.
Wow, that sounds much better than I would have expected for a carbon fiber harp. I’m in Florida, so it would be around $1700 usd. On the high end of what I’m willing to spend, but not undoable.
Do you think the fact that it only goes one octave below middle C would be excessively limiting? Any thoughts on the Loveland levers that it includes?
