Hello! This is my first post here, hoping to find some advice. I've recently started to learn the harp using a rental instrument, and now I'm looking at buying options.

The ones I adore most are the wire strung harps. I know there are a few well-known makers like ardival and triplett, but they are also terribly expensive for someone just starting out. I found a couple of smaller non-ebay harp makers as well - folcharp, dreamsinger and another era lutherie, for instance. Does anyone know how reputable they are? Or am i just better off saving up and buying from a well known maker?

Another option is building your own, if you are handy and feel confident (or, have a woodworker friend who would help?). Musicmakers and Markwood both offer a kit... the 26-string Musicmakers Limerick and the 22-string Cambria kit.

(Is it okay to post links to the site?)
Here's the Limerick: https://www.harpkit.com/limerick-lap-harps.html

And the Cambria kits page: http://markwoodstrings.com/cambria/the- ... harp-kits/

It seems Musicmakers have changed their offerings since the last time I looked, but perhaps they still have videos that also help with the build.

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Here's tae us--
Wha's like us?
Damn few--
And they're a' deid--
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Hello there, monochrome_rose. I'll email you a contact (too soon for PMs, yet). He's an experienced wire harper and he'll be glad to offer whatever guidance you need.

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"Time is the wisest counselor of all." - Pericles

"I remain not entirely convinced of it." - Nano

Fwiw, I have a triplett 25 - wire for sale (USA)

My wife has one wire harp from William MacDonald on Skye, and another on order.

http://macdonaldharps.net/

I thought they were very reasonably priced, for a hand-made instrument. Lovely tone, but they are much more difficult to bring up to tune and keep in tune than a modern gut-strung harp.

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h218/ ... nu01kn.jpg

http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h218/ ... icdabk.jpg

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Deartháir don phaidir an port.