Learning to play the harp.
I've been wanting a harp for years (I've played piano for 60 years) so now I'm retired I wanted something else to learn. I did dabble with the harp 15ish years ago - a 22 string cheap harp but wanted one with more strings.
My son gave me the money to buy one but it was a cheap harp, 36 strings. I bought it from the same UK company I bought my digital grand piano from 6 years ago thinking the harp would also be good. It is one that is made in Pakistan so they tend not to last more than 3 - 5 years but would be good enough to learn on then get something better. Bad mistake.
It would not stay in tune and would go out of tune as soon as I took the tuning key off suggesting the tuning pins were slipping. Then it developed a rocking motion suggesting the frame itself is warping. I was spending more time trying to tune the thing than actually learning to play it. Then a string broke when it wasn't even being played. Plus point there I now know how to replace a harp string. I was getting increasingly frustrated with it and very disappointed as was my son.
There is a very reputable harp shop about half an hour's drive from where I live. I keep an eye on their website. The harp of my dreams was the Dusty Strings Ravenna 34. I had the pleasure of trying one many years ago and fell in love with it.
Imagine my surprise to see one for sale at a very reasonable price (second-hand) because it had been water damaged. It had been rented out to a school and somehow, during the pandemic they must have had a flood and the base of it got wet. It does have a bowed soundboard because of it but otherwise is absolutely fine. A new one costs £3000. This one was for sale for £1200. It's only two years old. Too good to miss so now I'm the proud owner of the harp of my dreams. It keeps in tune and it sounds wonderful. I just need to learn how to play it properly. Having to watch YouTube videos from a couple of ladies who do online teaching, one in Canada and the other is in South Africa. There are no harp teachers in my area, the nearest being 100 miles away. Luckily I can read music so that helps a lot.
Trying to learn some fairly easy Christmas carols.
As for the other harp, it's being returned for a full refund. When I phoned that company, they didn't seem surprised and they actually said it was a manufacturing fault so I think I'm not the only one who's returned a harp. I think the company that makes them in Pakistan rushed the order and quality control went down the drain. The Courier is collecting it on Wednesday.
All's well that ends well though. The Dusty Strings is made in America and the quality is really amazing.
Now you know where I disappeared to
I've been wanting a harp for years (I've played piano for 60 years) so now I'm retired I wanted something else to learn. I did dabble with the harp 15ish years ago - a 22 string cheap harp but wanted one with more strings.
My son gave me the money to buy one but it was a cheap harp, 36 strings. I bought it from the same UK company I bought my digital grand piano from 6 years ago thinking the harp would also be good. It is one that is made in Pakistan so they tend not to last more than 3 - 5 years but would be good enough to learn on then get something better. Bad mistake.
It would not stay in tune and would go out of tune as soon as I took the tuning key off suggesting the tuning pins were slipping. Then it developed a rocking motion suggesting the frame itself is warping. I was spending more time trying to tune the thing than actually learning to play it. Then a string broke when it wasn't even being played. Plus point there I now know how to replace a harp string. I was getting increasingly frustrated with it and very disappointed as was my son.
There is a very reputable harp shop about half an hour's drive from where I live. I keep an eye on their website. The harp of my dreams was the Dusty Strings Ravenna 34. I had the pleasure of trying one many years ago and fell in love with it.
Imagine my surprise to see one for sale at a very reasonable price (second-hand) because it had been water damaged. It had been rented out to a school and somehow, during the pandemic they must have had a flood and the base of it got wet. It does have a bowed soundboard because of it but otherwise is absolutely fine. A new one costs £3000. This one was for sale for £1200. It's only two years old. Too good to miss so now I'm the proud owner of the harp of my dreams. It keeps in tune and it sounds wonderful. I just need to learn how to play it properly. Having to watch YouTube videos from a couple of ladies who do online teaching, one in Canada and the other is in South Africa. There are no harp teachers in my area, the nearest being 100 miles away. Luckily I can read music so that helps a lot.
Trying to learn some fairly easy Christmas carols.
As for the other harp, it's being returned for a full refund. When I phoned that company, they didn't seem surprised and they actually said it was a manufacturing fault so I think I'm not the only one who's returned a harp. I think the company that makes them in Pakistan rushed the order and quality control went down the drain. The Courier is collecting it on Wednesday.
All's well that ends well though. The Dusty Strings is made in America and the quality is really amazing.
Now you know where I disappeared to
