#Best autoharp value portable#
#Best autoharp value professional#
#Best autoharp value windows#

Tension on the strings should feel consistent throughout its range. Check the condition of the wood (keeping an eye out for cracks and warping), and inspect levers and pedals for functionality. Though it may seem prudent to save money upfront, a poorly constructed harp may need expensive repairs down the line. Take the overall build quality of the harp into consideration. Manufacturers sell strings via their websites. For example, you canвЂ™t just get generic nylon replacement strings and expect them to fit. An important note is that strings are specific to the model of your harp. Since strings break from time to time, itвЂ™s good to keep spares on hand. A combination of wire, gut, and nylon is common. Strings can be made of different materials, which vary depending on the pitch of the string. C strings are red, and F strings are black or blue. Harps are one of the only string instruments that use colors to indicate notes. To play a lap harp, the player must use either a lap bar or strap (similar to a guitar strap) to hold the instrument securely against their body. Some come with a backpack-style carrying case.

They weigh a much more manageable 5 to 10 pounds, making them easy to carry.

#Best autoharp value portable#

Lap harps are small and portable with 22 to 26 strings.

#Best autoharp value professional#

Professional musicians and those wishing to play more tonally complex classical music play pedal harps. Pedal harps can be on the small side, weighing 60 to 65 pounds, or as large as 80 pounds. The pedals can change each string of a given pitch in varying octaves and can change the note to be sharp, natural, or flat. Pedal harps feature seven pedals and 40 to 48 strings. As such, pedal harps are larger and heavier than their levered counterparts. The addition of pedals greatly increased the number of notes the instrument was capable of playing (they play in all 24 keys). Single-action pedal harps were introduced in the 1700s and improved upon by the double-action pedal harp in the 1800s, with advancements throughout the early twentieth century. This type of harp is suitable for beginners because itвЂ™s easier to manage in terms of size and mechanics. However, the overall number of keys in which a lever harp can play is limited. Harpists can flip levers with one hand while playing to enable them to make music in more than one key. When in a вЂњdownвЂќ position, a lever plays a natural note when itвЂ™s flipped up, it plays a sharp (raised) note. The levers are found on the neck of the instrument there is one lever for each string. These instruments stand between 3 and 5 feet tall. Lever harps, sometimes referred to as Celtic harps, are mid-size instruments featuring 30 to 38 strings and weighing between 15 and 48 pounds. Levers: If youвЂ™re playing a lever harp, the levers are located near the tuning pins on the neck. Pedals: If youвЂ™re playing a pedal harp, the pedals are located near the foot of the harp and are played with the feet. Shoulder: The shoulder is the bent portion of the harp where the neck meets the soundboard. Tuning pins: These pins can be tightened or loosened to raise or lower the pitch of a string.ДЇoot: The foot is the base of the instrument, which allows it to rest on the floor. The top of the soundboard rests lightly on the playerвЂ™s right shoulder. Soundboard: The soundboard is the angled wooden piece closest to the player. Strings are fastened from here to the soundboard, and tuning pins are located on the neck. Neck: The neck is the horizontal wooden portion at the top of the harp. Head: The head is at the top of the column. Key considerations Parts of a harpД¬olumn/pillar: The column is the outer, straight wooden portion of the harp, furthest from the player. I would suggest getting the best instrument you can afford, because a cheap factory instrument will ultimately leave you unhappy.Blues and jaw harps are not string harps - theyвЂ™re part of the harmonica family and are played with the mouth. Th the current price for a decent entry level luthier built instrument (like the d'Aigle Tahoma model at about US $1400). It is my own observation that their resale value tends to hold up over time (assuming the instrument has not been abused), but think 60-70% of what you paid, not 90% of what you paid.Дepending on your budget, you can expect to pay in the range of US $600 - $1000 for a good refurb instrument.

#Best autoharp value windows#

There are some specific models and time windows for Oscar Schmidt autoharps that, when properly refurbished and set up, make instruments that are a pleasure to play and to own.

Once that is done, the price is much the same as the next step, which is what you are contemplating, a refurbished vintage instrument. First, I would personally ***NEVER*** advise anyone to purchase a current factory made autoharp except through a top end luthier who can set it up and correct the issues that come straight from the factory with these 'instruments'.