Buying your first harp - what you need to consider
You are convinced and want to buy your first harp. If you are already learning to play the harp, this is an obvious thought. However, when you stumble across the high prices that you sometimes see on the internet, you might have more than one question in the back of your mind. This is quite normal, which is why we would like to use this article to answer the most important and most frequently asked questions about buying your first harp.
Which harp would you like to buy?
A basic distinction is made between pedal harps and hook harps (keyed harps). Most beginners opt for a hook harp due to the slightly lower costs. These start at around CHF 2000 for beginner models. Pedal harps tend to start in the mid five-figure range, especially if you are going into the concert harp sector.
Student harps usually only have 20 strings, whereas the large classical concert harp has 47 strings. Traditional Latin American models have 36 strings. The smaller number of strings alone suggests a smaller size. In principle, harps are also available in different sizes.
As far as the choice of harp is concerned, you decide on the size, on which you should seek advice, above all for the look and of course the sound. You should also take the opportunity to play the harp once. As a harmony instrument, where between two and four notes sound at the same time, you should make sure that the harp's tuning is stable and that it sounds really harmonious.
Buy or rent a harp?
If you are just starting to learn to play the harp, most teachers recommend that you rent a harp. This will give you a feel for the instrument and if you do decide to buy, you can offset part of the rental fee against the purchase price. This model is highly recommended, especially for children and beginners. After all, if you buy an expensive concert harp straight away, you could be annoyed later on because you have to sell it for less if you decide against it. Rental instruments are also recommended for growing children. This way, you can always hire an instrument that is adapted to the size of your child.
Or maybe you're already sure or you've been renting a harp for a while and now you want to go out and buy your first harp. In this case, the first step is to talk to your teacher about which model and which supplier they recommend. You can get good offers from specialised dealers on the Internet. The same applies to classical music shops and, of course, the top class harp makers. Here you will get good advice straight away and this can be worth its weight in gold.
Do you need additional material?
All you really need to play is the harp and your stool - which should be height-adjustable if possible. But as soon as you want to tune the harp, which is the case before every playing session, you will also need a special tuning key that is customised to your instrument. A tuner also makes sense for the harp, as each string is tuned individually and you always have to tune it with semitones and whole tones.
If you already have a piano stool at home, you can also use this. Otherwise you will only need the sheet music and the music stand. If you need to transport the harp, you will also need a transport bag. You should also choose a suitably robust one. You can often get the harp and bag as a set. This has the advantage that both fit together perfectly. If a small person is playing, a stool for the feet can be an advantage so that the person playing sits stably.
Deciding on a harp according to age
If you want to buy a harp, you shouldn't compromise too much on quality, even for children. This is because a harp that is too cheap can quickly show slight defects - in the form that it doesn't keep the tuning stable and this can spoil your child's fun and they won't be able to get up to practise the harp.
For this reason, most teachers recommend the hire model, especially for younger children. You will definitely get a good, solid instrument for your child and they can play to their heart's content. This way, your child can get used to a great, harmonious sound straight away and will also enjoy picking up the harp again and again.
Deciding on a harp according to your skill level
As with most other instruments, the same applies to the harp: It's best not to make any major compromises when it comes to the quality of the instrument. It doesn't have to be a CHF 60,000 concert harp, but it shouldn't be an overly cheap industrial product either. If you have any doubts about whether you will really make progress on the harp, opt for instrument hire.
Where should you buy your first harp?
Admittedly, the market for harps is not really a mass market. The instrument is too rarely sold. What we really recommend is a specialised harp maker's workshop. Here you will get high quality and the advice you need.
But of course there are now also excellent offers on the Internet. The best thing to do here is to read the customer reviews, which will give you a good starting point for your first harp. You can also look on the private market. Sometimes you can get a real bargain here.
If you are really unsure, ask your teacher, who will be able to give you the best advice. They have the experience you need to buy a good harp. If you want to buy locally, you should take someone with you who is familiar with the harp and knows what to look out for in terms of construction and sound. Then you can be sure that you are buying a good quality harp.
What details can you look out for?
When you go out to buy a harp, you might be excited. It's not all that often that you buy your first instrument. That's why we'd like to give you the most important tips along the way:
Appearance: Take a rough look at the harp first. What do the strings look like? What do the body, foot and pedals look like? How are the tuning pegs made? Is everything straight? Or does something look warped? Walk around the harp and look at it from all sides. There should be no cracks because, depending on where they are located, they can have a negative effect on the harp's round sound. Does the body have a balanced curvature? What do the glued edges look like? Has the work here been clean?
The overall fit: Is the harp level? Feel free to test it in several places on the floor to see if it is stable at every point. It should do this even if you don't hold it in place with your hands or shoulder. How do the strings run? Are they all the same distance apart? Is the harp the right height and fit for you? Try it out. How does it feel? How stable is the harp when you play it? Does it lose its centre of gravity quickly? If so, playing could become tiring in the long run. For children, you should also make sure that your fingers can reach the outermost strings. Otherwise the harp is simply too big and you should choose a smaller model.
Tuning: Then it's up to your ear or the ear of the person accompanying you. How does the harp sound? Do the strings sound round and beautiful? How do you like the sound? This also has something to do with subjective perception. Not everyone finds every sound equally pleasant. Take the time to try it out. What type of strings are fitted? Often it is gut or nylon, rarely carbon, nylon or very rarely metal. Pay attention to how it feels to play. Are the strings stable and firm or do they seem almost limp? This should not be the case.
The technique: How is the entire mechanism processed? Does anything rattle? Can everything be operated smoothly? Are there any annoying noises when playing? With pedal harps in particular, you need some technical knowledge to be able to judge this, which is why we strongly recommend that you take an experienced person with you. Or you can have it inspected by an expert. This is quite common practice, especially for advanced models.
Accessories: Is there a complete package or do you have to buy everything separately? Especially with your first harp, you should look for a set price. Otherwise you will have to think about everything individually and you may not even make the right choice.
The history: If you decide in favour of a second-hand instrument, find out the reason for the sale and how many previous owners the harp has had. There may be hidden defects that you or the person accompanying you should look out for.
As you can see, if you want to buy your first harp, you need to bring some time with you. But it's time well spent, because once you have a great first harp, you're sure to have a lot of fun with it.
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