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Stephen @ WCH
West Coast Harps economically ships into 46 locations inside Canada. We are primarily a Dusty Strings Dealer but stock other harp lines as well.
We now sell Lever Gut Strung Dusty harps for those that want that “feel”.
Canadians are well served between Kathy at Vixen and ourselves for quality harps. The level of service offered is very high and the net margins are very low.
The average business analyst will scratch their head at anyone entering this market, the obstacles are many and the currency risk daunting for the neophyte (and the experienced)
Stephen Vardy
West Coast Harps
Disclaimer: I sell FH34 harps in Canada
FH34 is built with the same quality of design and construction as the FH36H
It is available in several woods.
It is a very rich sounding harp.
It has an identical string feel and tension as the Crescendo34 and the Ravenna34.
It has the same soundboard as the FH36 harps.
It is relatively easy to ship.
I do not view the FH34 as a mini 36 but rather it is an outstanding harp in its own right.
We are selling them to players who find the 36 string harp size and reach to be a little large for their taste.
The FH34 fits in most cars whereas you may need a larger vehicle for the 36 series.
The FH34 sound is definitely the high end Dusty sound.
The base is not as pronounced as the FH36 but the sound is definitely well balanced.
Walnut is the lightest and has a darker more pedal harp sound to my taste with a more of a base emphasis in the tone.
The Sapele has a more neutral sound
Maple is brighter in emphasis – excellent in noisy environments.
The Bubinga has that added Bubinga spice that is hard to describe – this harp is a little heavier.
Alison Vardy is now gigging smaller gigs and performance group work with an FH34 Bubinga with the Dusty pickup on board.
Using it with a Crate Limo and LRBaggs Paracoustic preamp.
It balances very well within live acoustic group music and early music.
(Alison is touching the harp)
Every harp is a compromise.
No harp does it all.
If you are doing a wide variety of harp activities you will need several harps.
If you wish to only own one harp the FH34 is a very good choice as it is very versatile in many environments.
Hope that helps
Stephen Vardy
West Coast Harps
Victoria BC
http://www.alisonvardy.com/harpsound-audio/harp-amplification.htm#topsystems
I use the limo solo for the “Taxi” category
I use both a Taxi and Limo together for the Limo PA.
All these categories pre-suppose that the harpist has a fair degree of comfort and is not forcing things for volume.
Alison’s Westling Nova is as loud as most pedal harps and we usually amplify at +30 background and about the same for foreground so she has full use of maximum dynamics of the harp in concert.
Any +36 harp should be used with the Limo not the Taxi for better base representation.
Bought my Taxi for $250 used and billed over %50,000 in new types of gigs to it before I stop counting. Ten years later I am still using it on the fourth battery. I have literally tortured it and just continues irregardless.
I agree with all the previous Taxi/Limo comments previous.
Stephen Vardy.
