There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to harps, so I have many harps for the various kinds of gigs and recording I do. In order of size, smallest to largest, I have:
Harpsicle Lever Fullsicles: These are great little harps that fit in an overhead bin on an airplane, so I travel with them a lot. My first one is black, which I thought would be very cool and jazzy. But it turned out that it was hard to see the F strings (they are dark blue), so I had to make some paint modifications to be able to see the strings. My second and third Fullsicles are made with cherry wood and sound amazing. These harps can be strapped on like a guitar, giving me the freedom to walk and dance around. With 26 strings, you get all the notes you need. I add an Octaver pedal between me and the amplifier to create the illusion of having more bass strings than I really have.
Harpsicle Lever Grand: I love my Grand. The current one is ruby red, and I did an Unboxing Video recently when it arrived at my house. It’s just a little over 10 pounds, which makes it a wonderful performance harp. With 33 strings, there’s plenty of bass power.
Paraguayan Harp: I built this harp myself from a kit made by John Kovac. I love the sound, and the lightweight design. It doesn’t have levers, so it’s limited to what keys it can play in. But the rich sound of the 36 strings more than makes up for it.
Salvi Electroacoustic Lever Harp: This is my recording harp. It has a pick-up on every one of strings, and creates crystal clear recording sound. The 38 strings have an extraordinarily powerful sound, which more than makes up for the weight and difficulty carrying the harp around.
Lyon & Healy 85E Pedal Harp: This is the high end of my harps, equivalent in price to a small to midsize car. Rather than adjusting the pitch with levers, as most of my other harps do, this harp changes pitch with pedals on the feet.
Got questions about your harp, or wondering which one is right for you? Give me a call or shoot me an email, and I do my best to help!