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1. As much harp as you can -- i.e., as many strings, the best sound you can imagine or have ever heard, the most beautiful, the best quality -- as you can afford. Stretch yourself a bit more to get exactly what you want. You probably won't (until you turn into a harp addict) buy another harp for a while, so you want to be thrilled with it now AND in the future!
2. A harp with a full, even sound throughout the registers; not tinkly in the higher octave, not too hollow sounding in the bass.
3. A harp with some bass range; i.e. buy at least 27-30 strings to begin with, more if you can afford it with the harpmaker you like the most.
4. The sound you like the most. Not the looks, or the reputation. Sound is what you will make every day, and listen to every day. So sound is what needs to move your soul. When your soul is moved, buy it!
5. A floor standing harp. Do NOT start off with a lap harp; they are much too hard to learn on first, too small, and too uncomfortable in your lap!
6. A stave back or round back harp if buying a 34-string harp or larger. Stave back means that the back of the sounding box is five-sided. Some harpmakers use a four-sided back. This is not only uncomfortable on your right shoulder, but it also limits your reach with your right arm. Harps that are rounded in the back of the box also allow an easier reach with the right arm. Stay away from 4-sided harps for the larger sizes. It doesn't matter for the smaller sizes, because your arms can easily reach the smaller number of strings!
Below is information about some of my favorite harp builders. There are other good harp builders in the U.S. and abroad, so this list is by no means exclusive. These comments are my own personal opinion, and quite subjective. In the end, you always want to keep in mind that you want to buy the harp whose sound moves your soul. For me, this sound is heard on harps by: Dave Thormahlen, Thormahlen Harps; Dusty Strings (owned by Ray Moors); Dave Woodworth, Heartland Harps; Dwight Blevins, Blevins Instruments; and Bob Cunningham, Cunningham Harps.
Dave Thormahlen lives in Medford, Oregon. I like his harps because the the overall tone is superb in all sizes; his harps sound even and full from bottom note to top note, and the sound is silky -- moves my soul! I have won competitions on his little 27-string cherry wood harp, which has the biggest, fullest sound of any small harp that I have ever heard. I record on his 36-string "Swan" (listen to Blessed Spirit and Angelic Noel) and perform solo concerts on it. His harps are very well made, come with a 5 year warranty, and are beautiful to look at. The tension on the strings is great; quite strong and consistent. I like a deep sound, but not hollow, full sound but not tinkly or too bright and cutting in the upper octave. If this is the sound you also like, then consider Dave's harps. I currently have only one harp of his in stock, a 36-string in mahagony. For further information about his harps, take a look at his web page, or email him, or call Dave directly in Oregon at (541) 753-4330.
Dusty Strings harps also have a good string tension, and therefore I don't distort the sound when I pull hard. They have a full sound, with a harmonic overtone series a bit higher than on the Thormahlen harps. They sound very smooth and silky in the bass range (the notes blend together a lot, something you may or may not like), and bright in the highest octave. I do like the Dusty Strings harps very much, as do many of my students. Dusty Strings has a well-deserved reputation for reliability and consistency of quality. One of the few "factories" in the Celtic harp world (employing more than ten people), they produce more harps that almost any other harpbuilder per year, and they also produce other fine quality folk instruments. You can reach them directly at (206) 634-1656, or find them on the web.
Dave Woodworth from Wisconsin is another favorite harp builder (currently living in Ashville, NC). His harps are less expensive compared with the Thormahlen and Dusty Strings harps. He makes a Tyrolean-style Celtic harp, which is very different to look at. The entire sounding chamber (the box in the back that the strings go into) is curved, or arched. Dave says that this design gives a humongous sound (which is very true) and an even sound throughout the registers. Dave can be reached at (800)WOW-HARP, or look up his web site.
Dwight Blevins of Blevins Instruments is another favorite harp builder of mine. His harps are a real bargain for the quality of harp! The sound is quite mellow and even throughout the entire range of the harp. The workmanship is quite good. He offers more models of harps than any other harp builder that I know, and many options for variations on construction. Dwight can be reached at (800) 398-HARP, or see his harps on his web page.
Bob Cunningham For the past twenty-five years, Bob has hand-crafted finely made harps and other instruments, sold directly from his shop with unlimited guarantee. Designs and methods of construction have evolved over a thousand-plus harps with many satisfied and repeat customers around the country. Prices are as low as possible because advertising has been primarily by word-of-mouth and sales have been direct. He can be reached directly at (612) 378-2605 or (612) 698-8882, or you can find him on the web.
You have the option of buying your harp with or without sharping levers. Sharping levers are used to change the pitch of each string a half step, thereby making the harp capable of playing in up to eight different keys. If you choose to buy the harp with levers, I strongly recommend that you consider Betty Truitt levers or Camac levers. While Loveland levers have been considered to be the top standard in the Celtic harp industry, Betty Truitt's levers and the Camac's are far superior in my opinion. They are smoother, most customizable, create less stress on the string, maintain a clear tone, and are completely quiet when being moved up and down. While these levers are more expensive than the Loveland levers, the difference in price is minimal compared to the investment you are making in your harp. You deserve and should buy the best harp you can find, so why not buy the best sharping lever system as well? You can order these through your favorite harp builder, or you can contact Betty Truitt directly at (619) 473-9010 if you have further questions or would like to order a sample pack to try out.
So, you have to take all this into consideration, and decide what YOU like and want. The BEST way to buy a harp is to hear a whole bunch of them at the same place; have a harper/harpist try them out for you, so that you can hear an actual song being played on each one of them. Drag your favorite local harper/harpist to a harp store in your area, pay them (or bribe them with lunch or something) to play for you for an hour or two, and let your ear guide you. It's difficult to remember harp sounds from day to day. If you can't hear a lot of harps together at the same time, take a notebook with you and take COPIOUS notes! Maybe make a chart to compare, using features such as:
Send Mail You are Education
Schedule Vitae
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to Cynthia Here!