West Coast Harps
  • HOME
    • About West Coast Harps
    • About Owner Alison Vardy
    • Harp Notes Archives
    • Blog
  • HARPS
    • Choosing a Harp
    • Lap Harps (24-26 strings)
    • Smal Floor Harps (26 - 32 strings)
    • Large Floor Harps (34 - 38 strings)
    • Custom Order Harps
    • Used Harps & Accessories
    • Price Chart
    • Buy Harp Strings
    • Buy Harp Accessories
  • DULCIMERS
    • Choosing a Hammered Dulcimer
    • 12 / 11 Dulcimers
    • 16 / 15 Dulcimers
    • Chromatic Series
    • Piano Dulcimer
    • Used Hammered Dulcimers
    • Buy Dulcimer Accessories
    • Buy Dulcimer Music
    • Price Chart
    • Bowed Psalteries
  • SALES INFO
    • Pricing and Quotes
    • Payment Methods
    • Shipping
    • Shipping Bases and Terminals
    • Warranties
  • LEARN TO PLAY
    • Harp Lessons and Rental
    • Printable Harp Lessons
    • Community Harp Lessons
    • Canada Teacher List
  • RESOURCES
    • Celtic Harp Sheet Music
    • CD Purchase
    • Care of Your Harp
    • Our Instrument Makers
    • Resource Links
    • Amplification of Harps
  • CONTACT US
    • Harp Notes Archives
Our Last Word - Orphan Harps
Not all harps are professionally crafted. Some are made by amateur woodworkers who know how to make wood beautiful yet know nothing about the physics of a nice sounding, playable harp. Therefore quality can vary greatly.   West Coast Harps stocks only professionally made harps.

Harp making methods and technologies have progressed tremendously in the last fifteen years as the North American harping interest has expanded. Some earlier folk harps, even those made by long established companies, were not particularly well designed rendering them obsolete with poor sound, bad weight-to-size ratios or lesser playability. These outdated harps are simply not enjoyable to own and are best described as hard to sell “orphans”. As a result these harps may end up on eBay alongside the cheap but usually unplayable carved rosewood harps from Pakistan.

As said earlier there are no free rides in the harp world. You tend to have any two of these three choices but usually not all three – cheap, beautiful or playable. Any larger used floor harp priced much below CAD$2000 must be considered to be a cheap deal. It is your guess as to which remaining choice applies - either beautiful or playable. It is unlikely to be both. It might be neither.

Every harp is a compromise. Which harp is right for you? Let us help – that is our foremost service. Contact Alison
Alison Vardy
alison@westcoastharps.com

phone: 250.722.2912 
West Coast Harps 
2235 Hummingbird Drive
Nanaimo  BC  V9X 1G6
CANADA