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I think you made a great choice with getting the Prelude for your main harp. I have a Prelude 38 and love it so much. I’ve been deeply happy with it for about 6 years now. I’ve had Dusty Strings harps before and although I do really like them for smaller harps, I would choose my L&H for a large harp over any of their large harps. The high register is lovely in my opinion, not plinky at all. It’s bell-like and beautiful. The upper register on Dusty harps is less plinky than on Tripletts or other lever harps, in my opinion, but it still doesn’t compare to L&H. The lower register is more balanced/smooth on my L&H, I think, whereas on the Dusty the bass strings sound kind of rough to me (although robust and satisfying in their own way, for sure). I have had zero issues with my Prelude levers.
However!!! I have the Dusty Strings pedal harp pickup system installed in my Prelude, and I swear by it. If you perform ever, make the investment, I think it’s one of the best pickup systems out there for harp. I pair it with an MXR M108 ten-band EQ pedal, to adjust the EQ to whatever room I’m playing in, and it helps tone down the mids and shape the sound. Most EQ pedals don’t cover the full tonal range of a large harp so it’s worth it getting the 10-band.
Thank you Gretchen! I guess I could get away with bad technique on a smaller harp, and won’t be able to anymore on a fuller-size harp. Thanks for the tip… Gonna search for teachers.
In the meantime- arnica and CBD oil!!!! (And somehow staying away from my big harp that I’ve been waiting for for so long!!!)
Carl, I am completely self-taught, save for receiving a tip or two from professional harpists that I’ve met on my travels. Playing a 26 string lap harp is so different than playing the real deal! I’ve been thinking that I really should take a lesson or two to focus on body alignment and such. It’s likely that I’m doing a few things wrong!
Sylvia, yes using the thumb at the top of an octave. Maybe I just was plucking too dramatically? I dunno.
Andelin and Amanda, thanks so much for your input! It’s good to hear confirmation of some of my suspicions, hehe :). I played the Prelude at the seller’s house in their kitchen, which has hardwood floors and granite countertops and such… I have a feeling the room wouldn’t be warm for any instrument. And the Prelude does seem to have great projection so the sound was probably bouncing around all crazy on the walls, with old strings and my improper technique, haha. My current harp is a Dusty Strings Ravenna 26, so although I hear those harps have higher-ish tension, I have to pluck it harder than I’d imagine I need to pluck the Prelude, to get good projection.. I’ve read in a few places that each harp has its own distinct character, strengths, weaknesses, etc., so you have to learn how to play to its strengths. Makes sense to me! I eventually would like to progress to pedal harp, so I think this instrument would be a great thing to have for a few years to gear myself up for that 🙂
