Comparing Therapy Harps

Many makers are now offering harps intentionally designed for therapy. Although there are harp therapists who can and do use their usual floor harps (and even pedal harps) for this purpose, lap harps are beneficial in that they can be easily transported from room to room and even played while strolling down hospital corridors. Ideally, harps intended for therapeutic work should not only be lightweight to reduce strain on the player, but also strong to withstand frequent use and interactions with patients, and their tone must be mellow and soothing (overly bright or harsh tones sometimes produced by high-tension strings can potentially be agitating to patients*).

Even with therapy and other small harps, one size does not fit all. The choice of available harps was a bit overwhelming for me, so in an effort to help clarify my own options, I created the following chart of some models from reputed sources. All of the information was gleaned from the maker's and/or retailer's websites. The prices listed reflect a full set of levers, but most of the harps are offered at a lesser rate for partial levers (or no levers at all). Some of the prices also include other accessories including a case, lapbar, etc. Note that one of the harps, the Niamh 27, is priced in Canadian rather than US Dollars.

harp	# of strings	weight (lbs)	price (fully levered)
Bass Minstrel by Marini Made	26	8	• $1241 (Loveland) | $1331.00 (Universal) | $1396 (Truitt): Marini Made Harps
Christina Therapy Harp by Triplett	25	7-9	• $1695.00 USD (Camac): Triplett Harps • $1881.00 USD (Truitt): Emerald Harp
County Kerry by Jeff Gaynor	24	6.5	• $1374.00 USD (Truitt + case): Emerald Harp
EvenSong by Stoney End	26	9.5	• $1699 USD (Truitt + case, lapbar, strap, stand, etc.): Emerald Harp • $1399.00 USD (Truitt + case): Stoney End
Fullsicle by Harpsicle	26	4	• $799.00 USD (Robinson): Harpsicle Harps & Harp Center
Jessie Ultra-Light by Lewis Creek	27	6	• $2199.00 (Truitt + case, strap): Emerald Harp & Lewis Creek
Marie XP by Blevins	23	5	• $2926.00 (Truitt + case, strap, surcingle): Bedside Harp
Marie FX27 Hybrid by Blevins	27	6	• $4438.00 USD (Truitt + case, strap, surcingle): Bedside Harp
Minstrel by Marini Made	26	6	• $1066 USD (Loveland) | $1131.00 USD (Universal) | $1196 USD (Truitt): Marini Made Harps
Morgan Meadow by Rees Harps, Inc.	23	8-11	• $2475.00 USD(Rees + stand): Rees Harps, Inc.
Niamh 27 by Timothy	27	9-11	• $2450.00 CND (Camac): Timothy Harps
Nightingale by Lewis Creek	27	7.5	• $2199.00 USD (Truitt + case, strap): Emerald Harp; • $2299.00 (Truitt + case, strap): Lewis Creek
SweetHarp by Caswell	29	9	• $939.00 USD (Loveland): Caswell Harps

I had the opportunity to try several of these harps at the 2011 Somerset Folk Harp Festival which I really hoped would narrow my choices down, but for the most part, I'm still in a quandary. The vendor hall at the festival was rather loud so for the most part I do not think I got to hear the harps at their best. Price is definitely an issue for me, and not just in regards to the grand total for the harp and accessories, but also the availability of financing. Of the harps listed above, Caswell Harps offers a great no-interest payment plan and Triplett has a rent-to-own option which is also quite reasonable.

My favorite of the lap harps that I tried was the Marie Petite. It was a beautifully crafted instrument with a very nice tone and is exactly what I'm looking for aesthetically. However, it is at the top of the price range and, for that price, I think I would like something with more strings. Blevins does offer a Marie with 27 strings (not shown in the chart) but the weight was not listed and it is nearly $3000.

Heartland Harps is making 36 and 38 string harps out of carbon fiber which are remarkably light for their range and are practically indestructible , but they cost at least much as a standard wood harp of the same size. I wish they would consider making a smaller harp (maybe 27-30 strings?) out of the same material so it would be both featherweight and small (and hopefully less expensive!).

I'm tentatively settled on the maple Fullsicle due to its ease on my shoulders and pocketbook (it's both the lightest and cheapest of my options). Christina Tourin recommended them for the budget-minded harper on her site, but with the caveat that since the lower strings overlap the pillar, it would be difficult to hold the harp by the pillar, allowing it to hover over a patient while he or she plays. However, it was just redesigned so the harmonic curve and fore-pillar are slightly larger which not only improves the tone and volume, but also makes it so the lower strings no longer overlap the pillar. My only reservations are that the Fullsicle (I believe) uses zither pins rather than standard harp pins which in my experience are more of a pain to tune and tend to cause string breakage. I also don't have any experience with Robinson levers. Aesthetically, it is a little clunkier than the other harps. I really enjoyed playing it at the festival though, and as an added bonus, the cost for shipping and accessories for the Fullsicle is also cheaper than for other models.

Update - February 02, 2015: I've tried to correct some broken links and update some of the pricing with more current figures. The ultimate resource for this information is, of course, from the harp-maker's own website, so please verify their information before purchasing. To my knowledge, Caswell Harps are no longer being made as unfortunately harp-maker and accomplished musician Chris Caswell passed away in January 2013 from cancer.

*"The tension needs to be lighter than most harps. Tight-tensioned strings produce a tone too bright for the comfort of many patients, especially when played at the bedside. Patients on morphine drips are especially sensitive to the bright sounds of a harp with tight tension."
- Christina Tourin Cradle of Sound: Harp Therapy Manual