Guide to Buying a Harp
If you have you want to learn the harp, having access to a harp is very important. The best way to learn the harp is to have a harp to practice on daily, so here are some ways you can get your hands on a harp right away without breaking your budget….
- Rent to Own Programs
Since full range harps are not cheap at all, there are many places that offer rent to own programs.
To find one near you simply do an the internet search for a harp store or harp dealership in your area.
Depending on where you are, there may be a place very close by or you might have to drive for a few hours. Usually, you can find at least one in or nearby major cities.
These places will usually have a showroom where you can play the harps, and most allow you to rent with the option of renting to own. If you rent the harp and decide you want to purchase it the money you pay for rent goes towards the cost of the harp.
Obviously before you rent or buy a harp you’ll probably want to try it out. Most places have a showroom where you can come in and play the harps before you rent them. I recommend starting with a harp with at least 33 strings. This will give you the range to play almost every song. Everyone looks for something different in a harp and everyone is looking to play at a different level, but the most important things is that you like the way the harp feels and you like the way it sounds when you play it. I recommend asking which harps are available and doing some research before you come in to try them out. The process is kind of similar to purchasing a car…
As far as price goes, lever harps will usually rent for 65 to 75 dollars a month and pedal harps are usually between 85 and 12 dollars per month. The price of a full range lever harp starts around 2800. The price of pedal harp starts at around 8,000. Some places also sell full electric harps which cost around 5,000.
2) Buying a harp online:
I purchased my harp, which is called a Grand Harpsicle, online.
It has 33 strings, a small sounding board, and an outlet to plug into an amp.
This harp costs 1800 and I mention this because it is significantly less than a celtic lever harp, and very portable. I bought the Grand Harpsicle because it is half the size of my celtic harp (A sierra 36) and when plugged into a decent amp, it sounds amazing. Being a professional harpist, I like to have as light as a load as possible when performing gigs. The only downsize I want to mention is that the levers aren’t exactly sturdy. I carry a screwdriver with me so I can tighten them when they get loose.
(Rees harps is the manufacturer and you can buy it directly from them or find them in almost online stores).
3. Buy a cheap, small range harp to get started:
If buying or renting a full range harp is out of your budget, I recommend buying a cheap, small range harp. The harp may not sound the best, and you may have to get creative in playing some songs, but at least you will have a harp you can practice hand position, scales, and reading music. If you plan on pursing the harp, you will probably grow out of this harp quickly, but the good news is, harps do not depreciate that much so you can probably sell it for around the same price you bought it for when you have enough cash saved to upgrade….
If you have any questions about obtaining a harp or learning the harp, e-mail me at aglassofcheri@gmail.com