FAQ

Like pedal harps, Celtic harps come in different shapes and sizes. You will choose your harp according to your preferred range, string material and tension. Do always ask your teacher for advice before you buy.

The Celtic harp is sometimes pictured as “only” a student or children’s instrument, but it is absolutely an instrument in its own right. It can be heard at the heart of Celtic music of all kinds, jazz, contemporary fusion, and more, and it has its own virtuosi. Therefore, Harp Shop London gives you the option of both professional lever harps and affordable student lever harps.

Celtic harps have been developed with a wide range of string materials and gauges. If you simply want to know which type of strings your model of harp requires, or how to identify the replacement string you need to order, contact us at info@harpshoplondon.co.uk

A practical note about harp strings: any string on any make or model of harp may break at any time without warning. This is normal. We provide replacement strings for any Harp. As strings tend to break right before an important concert or exam, on Christmas day or during the holidays, keeping a full set of spare strings at home will avoid inconvenience.

There are three types of possible string material for the upper range of a lever harp: nylon, gut and fluorocarbon. Each Celtic harp has been precisely designed for a particular type and gauge of string. It is usually better to find the type you love prior to purchase, rather than buy a harp and then seek to alter the sound by changing the strings.

Nylon strings

Nylon-strung harps are a favourite choice for traditional music. Folk harpers like nylon’s flexible tension, which facilitates great virtuosity, and clear sound for this music’s brilliant character. Nylon is also robust, easy to tune and not the most expensive, and so is often chosen by harp teachers for young beginners.

Gut strings

Gut strings have the roundness of the classical harp’s tone, and heavier tension to help prepare a solid playing technique for the pedal harp. They are the most fragile material, but frequently recommended.

Fluorocarbon strings

Synthetic fluorocarbon strings are still quite new for some harpists, but we have had such good experiences with them that we string many of our lever harps with this material. In fact, the most exacting professional lever harpists play mostly on harps strung with fluorocarbon. 

Pedal harps are available with 44, 46 and 47 strings.

A full-size harp has 47 strings and will always be at least 185 cm high. If the harp has 47 strings but measures under 185 cm, it has shortened string lengths with a corresponding impact on the sound. 

It is important to remember this if you are looking for your harp for life. It is a common misconception that smaller harps are only for children. In fact, many professionals like to use them in certain contexts. What is important is the seated position of the harpist at the instrument.

The seated harpist’s eyes should be roughly level with the discs of the second octave. To achieve this, a young harpist may need to sit higher, which is fine so long as they can still comfortably reach the pedals. If their legs are too short, a smaller harp model may be preferable. 

A good pedal technique requires the harpist’s heels to have contact with the floor. High-heeled shoes can help with this!

The principle of an extended soundboard is to expand the volume of wood in the soundboard and soundbox. This creates a greater range of frequencies and hence should make the sound richer. 

It is not the case that the sound is necessarily louder, a common misconception. 

Also, a good straight soundboard instrument can have a better sound than a poor extended one, and should not be dismissed out of hand without trying the harp first.

Our electric Harps of choice

Having dealt with Camac for so long, we know very well their offer of Electric Harps.

That’s why we have selected Camac Electric Harps for our clients!

Camac has been the e-harp market leader ever since it launched its electric Celtic harp (now in the National Museum of Scotland, owing to its contribution to modern trad) in 1984. A hallmark of Camac’s electric Celtic and electroacoustic pedal harps; is the individual piezo pickup on each string, for an incomparably pure amplification with the minimum of interference.

You’ll often hear harpists use the term “blue harp” to mean an electric harp. This is because Camac’s first electric models were electric blue!

Harp Shop London offer a regularly-updated selection of second-hand harps, which come to us because they have been part-exchanged for new harps. All second-hand harps are thoroughly regulated and overhauled in the Harp Shop London workshops before being sold on.

Please note that as our second hand instruments are sold in UK, after-sales service is also only available in UK.

We ship all over the world. Please take note that shipping outside the UK should be insured, so the shipping cost may vary. For shippings abroad we can’t  take responsability of the delivery conditions of the instruments. 

That’s why we highly recommend to ask for an insured delivery.

It’s always a good practice to ask us a consultation before any purchase at sales@harpshoplondon.co.uk

Don’t worry, we’ll keep you updated at every step of the Harp’s way to you!

We’ll be always in touch with you for the status of the order, the tracking of the shipping when the Harp is in its journey to your place, delays in the delivery (it may happen we’re sorry), for any news.

If you have a question about your order, please contact us at sales@harpshoplondon.co.uk