Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I am also curious about this harp. Please write to us your impressions and others that may have tried this harp. I would be interested to know your impression on how it would hold up with long hours of use, in and out of car, how difficult to put legs on and off, etc. Thanks in advance. My workhorse small harp is kinda wearing out.. actually i should just replace some levers but I really want a NEW affordable harp. Harp fever strikes again. Thanks in advance.. tris
Hello Peg,
I graduated with the class of 1998 from the School of Music Thanatology and have been working some 13 years. At the time, we were only allowed to use Musicmaker’s harps (gothic 31) and Dusty Strings (2 models I think were allowed). I got a Gothic 31 and adore the harp. All these years and the sound just gets better. A few years ago I switched to a smaller harp, as I found that @ 58, taking that gothic around for 8 hours a day, in and out of my car, is just hard on my body as well as the harp. I switched to a smaller harp for my patients and have been happy. My gothic 31 is used for weddings, funerals, and events and rarely have I even needed to amplify, even in cathedrals.
I would start with your 31 Gothic if you are at all able, or a smaller of their harps. Start big, go smaller, if you must, eventually. I highly recommend Jerry’s harps. Obviously please temper my advice with how many visits you do per day, if you are in one location seeing patients, your physical ability to heft in and out of car and up and down stairs, etc. I would love to try one of the carbon fiber harps, wow what an idea to not worry about heat, cold, retuning, banging the harp, raindrops at weddings, etc. BTW, my work with hospice patients has been my life’s calling; I adore my work. Good luck!
Hello,
I worked fulltime in a residential hospice for 5 years and after suffering wrist pain from carrying my harp around, had to figure this one out. Of course it all depends on your harp and its size. I used a rolling secretary’s chair with a well padded back and seat and put the harp on its back onto the seat, and would roll from room to room. I used a little backback attached to the back of the chairback for my tuner, wrench, etc. I could wheel into the room, easily put the harp on its feet, and sit down on the secretary chair, ready to go in seconds. I use a Musicmaker’s Gothic 31 but currently use a small harp driving, out in the community. This chair was my regular office chair from my cubicle there, so you may want to ask someone at the hospice for a rolling chair of your own, or borrow each time you are there. My carpel tunnel healed.
I adore my 2009 Pontiac Vibe (same as Toyota matrix but cuter). Sadly, GM has discontinued the Vibe, but I think you can still get the Matrix and maybe some Vibes at a great deal. I purchased my Red Flash used at 17,000 miles from a rental car company. I currently am at about 65,000 .. lots of travel as a full time hospice harpist. I researched for months and experimented with many cars, taking harp to make sure it fit. I research big purchases ad nauseum, including Consumers Report April yearly guide on cars, and asking all my car guys. I ADORE my car. I like the Traction No-Slide in snow button (wow it works.. I tried to do a donut in an empty parking lot and actually couldn’t). I play a rather tall 31 string gothic and don’t have to flip the front passenger seat down at all. Even can have one passenger in the back. As well as all my other gig stuff. No repairs. The car is extremely comfy and I get about 30mpg. Only negative is the panels in rear make side vision a little tricky, but I am used to it now.
BTW my contrabass fits too (I played professionally until I discovered harp). Now its all harp, all the time.
