Question for wire harpers.

[Redwolf]

I've been looking seriously at this kit:

http://www.harpkit.com/Merchant2/mercha ... y_Code=lim

Hubby's been bit by the instrument-building bug, and I would really love a wire-strung lap harp. Just wondering if this either/or thing can work. Does anyone have experience with this harp strung with wire? How's the tone? Does the soundboard hold up to the pressure of wire strings? It concerns me that it doesn't have a different soundboard for wire, or provision for sound holes.

I've also posted this at HarpColumn, but figured this is a different crowd (and a much more active board), so I might get more answers.

Redwolf

[Tim2723]

I didn't have that one, but one very similar. It was a completed one, and not a kit though. I only owned it for about a year before I lent it to a friend and never saw it again, but I didn't have any trouble at all with it. The birch laminate is very strong and probably overkill when used for nylon strung harps, and my model had an additional brace that ran down the middle of the underside of the soundboard. I assumed that was added for extra strength for wire strings. You might want to get more info from the kit supplier on that detail though.

Music Maker's kits have been around a long time, and they are very popular. I think they've got the bugs worked out very well.

[Redwolf]

I didn't have that one, but one very similar. It was a completed one, and not a kit though. I only owned it for about a year before I lent it to a friend and never saw it again, but I didn't have any trouble at all with it. The birch laminate is very strong and probably overkill when used for nylon strung harps, and my model had an additional brace that ran down the middle of the underside of the soundboard. I assumed that was added for extra strength for wire strings. You might want to get more info from the kit supplier on that detail though.

Music Maker's kits have been around a long time, and they are very popular. I think they've got the bugs worked out very well.

They certainly have very complete instructions! I like that you can view them on-line to get an idea of what you're signing on to before buying a kit. I played a nylon-strung Music Maker lap harp (the "Shepherd" model) at a gathering last year, and liked it very much, which is why I'm so tempted by the Limerick.

Stoney End has a kit also, for their "Cláirseach," which is also a 26-string wire lap harp (and in the same price range). I'm no where near a buying point yet, but if we were eventually to go ahead with this, it would also be in the running.

I like your sig, by the way!

Redwolf

[BigDavy]

to encourage Redwolf to get her wire harp

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEymeFxWhx0

David

[Redwolf]

Already done! I ended up going with a Dreamsinger "Bard," which hubby finished for me (it came fully assembled, except for the neck and pillar assembly, but he had to do a lot of sanding and finishing).

There's a pic of it here:

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=65456

Redwolf