I’ve got a new Jolie hybrid harp. In March I started learning to play the harp. I rented a 26-string Dusty Strings Ravenna just to see if I really liked it. Less than a month into this grand experiment I knew that I wanted a harp of my own. The process of choosing one was daunting. There is so much to consider and the investment isn’t insignificant.
My first thought was a larger harp from Dusty Strings. They have a great reputation. My hammered dulcimer was from there so I felt comfortable with the company. Wonderful wood. Rich tones. But really heavy so harder to take to church and other places. There were others I considered seriously including a carbon fiber harp from Heartland Harps. The sound was nice and they were really, really light. Unfortunately the customer service wasn’t great.
Then I heard about MusicMakers harps. The one I chose is a Jolie hybrid with carbon fiber structure and wood on the outside. Their customer service was magnificent. Rich tones, but much lighter than the Dusty Strings. I decided that as I get older the low weight will make it easier for me to get it in and out of the car to play at church.
Waiting for it to arrive was awful. Originally they quoted about 100 days to manufacture and ship. Imagine my surprise when I got a notice that it was ready to ship almost 2 months early. It took about a week to arrive – a very long week. But very much worth it.
I had intended to have two videos, one on each harp. But unfortunately the one on the Ravenna got accidentally deleted.