The 34 Daisy and 34 Lotus produces a richly colorful tone that is even throughout its range from first octave C down to sixth octave A, and made sweeter with the use of bow brand lever gut strings and pirastro bass wires. Full sharpening levers provide clarity of tone and pitch when engaged. The design of this harp creates ease of playing for young or adults alike, being built with a round back for hours of comfortable playing. The Daisy 34 weighs 13.3 kg and is available with its own carrying bag to enable transport, allowing you to brighten a wide range of venues with its beautiful sound. Professionals and students enjoy the 34 string lever harp.
Rent Harps
Buying a harp is a big commitment so renting first is a great idea, giving you time to get to know if harp is your thing and what you are looking for in a harp with regards to size and sound.
People often look online for a harp and without knowing can purchase something which is poorly made and limited in terms of strings and levers. Not all harps are equal and you always get what you pay for.
My favourite lever harp is without doubt the Tim Guster. Made in South Australia and not only aesthetically pleasing but a gorgeous tone and the levers I prefer which are the camac. Yes Salvi and Lyon and Healy make great lever harps but in my experience the locally made by hand Guster always sounds better to my ear. Salvi and Lyon and Healy lever harps are of course the top of the range so expect excellent craftsmanship and beautiful design. You can custom order Salvi and Lyon and Healy lever and pedal harps from Harps Australia.
Andrew Thom makes very interesting and well loved lever harps in Tasmania. I have had several students purchase from Andrew and they have all been very happy. His harps are made of carbon fiber and you can customise the shape and choose your own car colour with various finishes.
If you are after a small lever harp I would recommend something made by Brandden Lassel at (Harp and Harps) , An Andy Rigby Harp or a Denwar for locally made new harps. Sometimes you can be lucky and find a second hand Waratah harp made by Warwick at Harps Australia and they are a gem for a small harp.
Other small lever harps with a sound reputation are Weiss and Forrester harps but always ask your teachers advice on individual finds on the second hand harp market or one of the retailers listed. I own a Camac Little Big Blue which is actually black but it is the electric acoustic 44 string pedal harp and I love it. Parisian made Camac are not generations old like Salvi and Lyon and Healy but they are making some amazing harps and have been leading the way in electro/acoustic innovation. You can order yourself a Camac lever or pedal harp from Carter Harps in South Australia or from Harp and Harps in Queensland. Be wary of rosewood harps made in Pakistan, I have heard a few horror stories regarding these harps, for example a commonly found harp called a Meghan harp is manufactured in Pakistan from rosewood or beechwood in some cases.
Here is a video review for you to consider Meghan harp review
At The Harp Lab I have a selection of harps for rent ranging from nylon strung lap harps up to 40 string full levered harps with professional gut strings and professional wires. Rental harps from low to high cost:
1 x Andy Rigby 26 string lap harp which I made 20 years ago in one of Andy’s harp making workshop and it has never broken a string! A lovely tone and light for travelling with, always a favourite of mine.
A fullsicle 27 string with a pick-up installed made by Reese harps in the US. This is a bit of fun and get’s a good amount of volume out of that pick-up! Great festival harp! Comes with a stand for sitting down playing.
I have the Grand Harpsicle with the pick up for more of a range at 33 strings. They are both nylon strung.
The Sofia and Talesin range are from a development undertaken by Harps Australia to provide top quality budget harps for rental of which I own the Sofia in blue with CB and F levers and the natural which is fully levered. Also the Sofia 34 in Black fully levered and the Talesin 34 in Mahogany. These harps are sturdy and robust and have withstood the test of time as rental harps so if you see one second hand you should have no problems, just get an opinion on price from your teacher or ask Harps Australia!
The Saffron 34, Mikel 38 and Tulip 40 are all made by Mikel Celtic and upgraded with pirastro wires and bow brand lever gut. These harps are made in Pakistan but are NOT rosewood or beechwood and have been quality tested over several decades. These harps make perfectly good rental harps and even first harps if you’re on a budget but I would still recommend saving your pennies and going local. Like I said, you get what you pay for.
The 27 Saffron string harp weaves a tapestry of richly nuanced sound ideal for chamber settings, producing a tone that is even across its range 1st octave A down to 5th octave C. The use of sugar strings produces a sound that is sweet and clear, and full Mikel sharpening levers provide clarity of tone and pitch when engaged. This harp is designed for comfort and ease of playing for everyone. Weighing 8.9 kg and optionally coming with its own carrying bag the Saffron 27 is easily transported. This harp fills a room with its gentle tones, being ideal to play for loved ones in the home, hospital, or for other gatherings filled with meaning.
Buying a harp is a big commitment so renting first is a great idea, giving you time to get to know if harp is your thing and what you are looking for in a harp with regards to size and sound.
People often look online for a harp and without knowing can purchase something which is poorly made and limited in terms of strings and levers. Not all harps are equal and you always get what you pay for.
My favourite lever harp is without doubt the Tim Guster www.timguster.com. Made in South Australia and not only aesthetically pleasing but a gorgeous tone and the levers I prefer which are the camac. Yes Salvi and Lyon and Healy make great lever harps but in my experience the locally made by hand Guster always sounds better to my ear. Salvi and Lyon and Healy lever harps are of course the top of the range so expect excellent craftsmanship and beautiful design. You can custom order Salvi and Lyon and Healy lever and pedal harps from Harps Australia https://www.harpsaustralia.com/.
Andrew Thom http://www.thomharps.com.au/ makes very interesting and well loved lever harps in Tasmania. I have had several students purchase from Andrew and they have all been very happy. His harps are made of carbon fiber and you can customise the shape and choose your own car colour with various finishes.
If you are after a small lever harp I would recommend something made by Brandden Lassel at Harp and Harpshttps://www.harps.com.au/, An Andy Rigby(https://www.facebook.com/andy.rigby.56) Harp or a Denwar (http://www.harpsales.com/) for locally made new harps. Sometimes you can be lucky and find a second hand Waratah harp made by Warwick at Harps Australia https://www.harpsaustralia.com/ and they are a gem for a small harp.
Other small lever harps with a sound reputation are Weiss and Forrester harps but always ask your teachers advice on individual finds on the second hand harp market or one of the retailers listed. I own a Camac Little Big Blue which is actually black but it is the electric acoustic 44 string pedal harp and I love it. Parisian made Camac (https://www.camac-harps.com/en/) are not generations old like Salvi and Lyon and Healy but they are making some amazing harps and have been leading the way in electro/acoustic innovation. You can order yourself a Camac lever or pedal harp from Carter Harps www.carterharps.com in South Australia or from Harp and Harps https://www.harps.com.au/ in Queensland.
Be wary of rosewood harps made in Pakistan, I have heard a few horror stories regarding these harps, for example a commonly found harp called a Meghan harp is manufactured in Pakistan from rosewood or beechwood in some cases.
Here is a video review for you to consider https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QenOEQdM858.
At The Harp Lab I have a selection of harps for rent ranging from nylon strung lap harps up to 40 string full levered harps with professional gut strings and professional wires.
Rental harps from low to high cost:
1 x Andy Rigby 26 string lap harp which I made 20 years ago in one of Andy’s harp making workshop and it has never broken a string! A lovely tone and light for travelling with, always a favourite of mine.
A fullsicle 27 string with a pick-up installed made by Reese harps in the US. This is a bit of fun and get’s a good amount of volume out of that pick-up! Great festival harp! Comes with a stand for sitting down playing.
I have the Grand Harpsicle with the pick up for more of a range at 33 strings. They are both nylon strung.
The Sofia and Talesin range are from a development undertaken by Harps Australia to provide top quality budget harps for rental of which I own the Sofia in blue with CB and F levers and the natural which is fully levered. Also the Sofia 34 in Black fully levered and the Talesin 34 in Mahogany. These harps are sturdy and robust and have withstood the test of time as rental harps so if you see one second hand you should have no problems, just get an opinion on price from your teacher or ask Harps Australia!
The Saffron 34, Mikel 38 and Tulip 40 are all made by Mikel Celtic and upgraded with pirastro wires and bow brand lever gut. These harps are made in Pakistan but are NOT rosewood or beechwood and have been quality tested over several decades. These harps make perfectly good rental harps and even first harps if you’re on a budget but I would still recommend saving your pennies and going local. Like I said, you get what you pay for.