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Check the metal feet at the base of your harp and make sure they are tight. My prelude had a buzz several yeas ago and tightening the feet stopped it.
Manon,
Your posting leads me to think you are not near any harp related people which is why you posted your question here. You did not mention how many strings are on your harp. I am guessing you have a heather 22 string with carved designs. The problem with the Pakistan harp is, as your friend says, the sound board. The sound boards have a nice wood veneer glued to cheap plywood. Often when the harp gets tuned it is too much for the plywood and it gives away leaving you with bits of wood dangling from strings. Any new sound board requires daily tuning so being new the tuning may not take as well until the sound board shapes up. I am pretty sure that these soundboards are held together with glue and do not lend themselves to reconstructive surgery. I almost bought one my self when I started out but the salesman at the House of Musical Traditions in Silver Spring Maryland talked me out of it. The reason the harp will not stay tuned is a function of the stress on the sound board and the tightness of the tuning pins.
Frankly, you would use this harp best as a nice thing to put flowers around. I am not sure it is worth the money to disassemble it and replace the sound board.
I recommend looking for a good 20+string used harp at the Virginia Harp Center (Midlothian VA, Atlanta Ga and Philadelphia)http://www.vaharpcenter.com. They sell used harps that you can trust. As some one staring out, you will need to find a teacher and information. Several teachers use Skype. The cardboard harp you mention requires you to build it. You might want to consider the harpsicle these have a decent sound and a strong following among the young harpers. http://harpsicle-harps.com/6-harps
A nice starting harp 20-23 strings (used) can run between 1,000-1,500$ and trust me you want sharping leavers. You may consider joining this Facebook group which is all about a web based harp resource center that has 1000’s of web links. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1450814398527159/ There are lots of harp related groups on Facebook as well. It is sad but the harping community does generally look down on the “Pakistan Special”. If you can’t afford sharping levers there is lots of sheet music out there in the key of “C”.
You might want to consider subscribing magazines like the Harp Column (where you are now) or the Folk Harp Journal (has music for beginners and lots of adds) http://www.folkharpsociety.org/index.html
Trust me you will do well to get the best you can afford because you will get better and out grow your first harp. I’ve been at it for 15 years and I will never be a strong player due to arthritic hands but I would not give it up because it makes me happy.
Finally, congratulations on your decision to take up the harp. It will give you years of joy and frustration but well worth the journey. You can contact me through Facebook using the group I mentioned or my email below.
Sincerely Jaque Davison
This diagram and other links related to harp maintenance are available in the Virtual Reality world called “Harps”
