Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Truitts, hands-down. Installed these myself on both of my harps. Easy to throw, easy to regulate, and look like a beautiful gold necklace for the neck of your harp. Plus, they are made in the USA (this matters to me).
Karen
Just talked to Dave, and I should be getting it on July 1st- so excited!
I will definitely post pics, and possibly a brief music video when I get comfy enough.Karen
Ooh, LOVE walnut myself! My new harp, a Heartland Dragonheart (soon to arrive) will be made of walnut. So we are both expecting new arrivals. Isn’t the anticipation just part of the magic though?
Karen
Heck, I worry enough about transporting my harp in the car just during short road trips. I’d never dream of leaving it alone-even in the shade. With my luck an errant tree limb would break and crush both my van and harp. LOL
Karen
I agree with Pat. It’s kind of like the difference between a fiddler and a violinist. I think of myself as mostly a harper, because of the venue of music I play, and the fact I play a lever rather than pedal harp.
Having said that, however…the line can become very blurred when you have a lever harp that looks like a pedal harp and you play only classical music on it (for instance). And, it depends on the person. Some people are touchy at being designated either a “harper” or a “harpist”. I’m cool with either term, but prefer harper.
Karen
Great choice! I’ve heard a lot of nice things about Triplett harps. It’s the Irish low-headed model, right? Are you having it built in walnut or cherry? Post some pics when you get it in if you can, we love seeing new arrivals here!
Karen
Deborah, thank you. I play both for pleasure and performance- and have received many compliments on the sound of my wire harp. Holding my hands in the shape of a claw causes way too much tension for me, so that is one of the reasons I play the way I do, besides the fact that I can’t grow nails. Plus, I like the softer sound of pads on steel strings. Another great thing about steel is they rarely break (I have yet to break a single string after two years). This
Boy, Audrey, you really have a problem playing with others, eh? Beauty is in the ear of the beholder, and there are several people who have bought Sylvia’s CD’s that would strongly disagree with you. But since you seem to be into insulting artists whose talents are far above yours (IMO), why not have a go at Pamela’s O’Carolan Ladies? Now remember, she plays this not only with fingerpads but also on (gasp!) steel strings. In fact, it is the exact same model as mine, you know, one of those very untraditional Musicmaker’s Limerick lap harps (oh the horror of it!)
But seriously, do you even realize how completely snobbish you sound? If I was thinking of learning to play in the so-called “traditional” manner on wire harp, I’d be turned off just by your attitude alone. I especially like your last line- LOL!! Who made you judge and jury of the wire harp world?
Just remember, respect goes both ways, Audrey. And nice matters. Enough said.
Karen
Let’s just make a small distinction here- about “proper” wire technique. By whose definition? The ancient bards of Ireland? Since they are not with us, I would refer to the fact there are three methods to play wire harp- the classical harp method, the coupled hands or Heymann method, and the traditional Cathcart/Caswell/Bell(?)
I had a 22 string lap harp I built from a kit that I sold about a year ago. It was 20 years old when I sold it with no problems.
Another thing to keep in mind about longevity is how you care for the harp. Wood does not age as quickly if kept in a controlled environment (humidity, temperature, etc.). This is especially true if the soundboard is made of spruce.
I think if you care properly for a harp made by a reputable harpmaker it should not be unreasonable to expect that it will last for many decades.
Karen
I have a small wire harp, specifically a 26 string Limerick, and I play it exactly the same way as my larger lever harp. Changing the technique you have already learned is not necessary unless you are set on playing wire harp in the traditional manner.
I’ve installed Truitts on my 33 string Voyageur with a 14-volt Dewalt power drill (on low) as the harp was standing, not laying. The first few levers were a bit challenging, but once I got the hang of it everything went pretty smoothly. I averaged about 15 minutes per lever, accounting for minor last-minute adjustments. I’ve also installed Truitts on the F strings of my wire-strung Limerick. Installing levers, while not especially difficult, is a patience testing project. What I really, really like about Truitts is the fact that there are 4 slots for screws on each lever. That way if you mess up (and I did, a few times), you can back out the screw and put it in a different slot. If you drill a hole by mistake, a good quick fix is to plug it with a round toothpick. This way if you have to drill another hole close to it the drill won’t slip into the previous hole. In most cases, the replacement lever will cover any previous holes from other levers.
Hope this helps!
Karen
