If you have read through my page “So You Want To Buy A Harp…” and are interested in taking things to the next level, this page will help you navigate the various harp options currently available in the United States.
Cautions:
1) Harp makers come and go and harp selling scams are everywhere – especially on social media. If it is at all possible for you to have the assistance of a harp professional on your harp shopping journey, please try to reach out to someone. (And it is always nice if you offer them an honorarium for their help.)
2) I advise folks to play the instrument they are considering whenever possible. If they are buying a new instrument, this can be less important – you can generally order from a well established harpmaker with few worries – but in the used market it is crucial. You must be able to size up, in person, not only the feel and sound of the instrument but its condition.
3) I will only be offering links to reputable harp makers based in the US. There are many cheap instruments available online that come from Pakistan and should be avoided at all costs. (The reasons for this would take up an entire long post of their own.) If you don’t know what you are looking for these instruments can be difficult to spot.
Used vs New
The top question I am asked by harp shoppers is “Which is better? New or used?”
The answer very much depends on availability of instruments, pedal harp or lever harp, whether you are starting your harp journey or already playing and looking to upgrade, and your understanding of a warranty. (‘ll get into warranties further down.)
- Lever Harps
The used harp landscape is very different between lever and pedal harps, largely because there are so many lever harp makers (with varying degrees of quality in their materials) and the portability of lever harps can lead to more accidents. I admit that when it comes to lever harps I have a prejudice in favor of buying new. If you are dealing with a harpmaker with a good reputation, buying new helps you avoid scams and generally guarantees a quality instrument with a warranty. And less chance of unknown surprises like hidden cracks caused by a fall.
- Pedal Harps
If you are only concerned with the sound and feel of your potential harp, and not too fussed about how fancy it will be, your options are wide in both the new and used market. The two major pedal harp manufacturers in the US offer their most affordable new harps in the styles that are smaller and/or can be turned on a lathe with minimal finishing and no need to use a master carver. For the simpler styles of harps, such as Lyon & Healy 85 series, both new and used are the most affordable options.
If, however, you really have your heart set on a very fancy pedal harp you may very well find yourself restricted to the used market simply by being priced out of the new market. Especially if you are looking to buy a gilded instrument. The April 2026 price lists for both Lyon & Healy and Salvi have their gold harps priced upwards of $60,000.
I find the best sources of used pedal harps to be the harp retailers I”ll link to at the bottom of this page and the Harp Column Classified Ads. I never trust Facebook marketplace or eBay or other online sources due to the extremely high presence of scammers on these platforms.
- Now vs Later
Another factor in the question of used vs new is how soon do you want to be playing this instrument? Inventories of new harps tend to be limited – you might not be able to choose your harp from the showroom floor and drive off with it – so there may be a wait of up to a year for any instrument you order. If you want to get started right away you will most likely find yourself looking for something used.
How Important Is A Warranty?
First, you must understand what a warranty is and what it isn’t.
A warranty is your protection against Manufacturer’s Defect. If your instrument fails in any way that can be proven to be due to substandard materials, or a flaw in the manufacturing process, through offering you a warranty, the harp maker is standing behind their instrument and will work with you to effect repairs at no charge for the work or materials. (There might be shipping charges.) An important thing to remember here is “can be proven”. It has to be very clear that the flaw in question is due to an issue with manufacturing and not due to any “incident” that may have happened after the instrument leaves their hands.
A warranty does not protect you against any problems with your instrument that can be connected to shipping error (stored in a place to hot or too cold or dropped) or anything you may have done on your end. If your harp has been dropped or kept in the wrong climate or subjected to water damage – the warranty will offer you no protection.
Many people tell me they only consider buying new harps that come with a warranty. If this is your comfort zone, you should stay in it. But if you are looking for a very fancy instrument – or simply want something you can get right now without a long wait I don’t think the lack of warranty should stop you from considering used instruments that do not come with a warranty. Having said that, I strongly recommend having any used harp looked over by a professional harpist or harp technician. You want to know that the instrument you are buying has at least another 10 years of playability left in it without needing a major repair and this can be difficult to determine on your own.
Camac And Venus Harps
I have, to this point, only mentioned Lyon & Healy and Salvi pedal harps for a couple reasons.
First, Camac. I have almost no experience playing Camac harps and none of my students own them. I cannot speak to their quality or acoustic properties or what they are like to deal with as a company. I have no idea about their shipping charges, sales taxes or how difficult they might be to get repaired. Let me be clear – I am not saying they are not good. I am saying I know very little about them and cannot offer any advice based on personal experience with them.
Second, Venus. I actually have quite a bit of experience with Venus harps. I own two, have had students buy several, and briefly worked at their Chicago factory. I love my Venus harps and my students love theirs. Not only do they sound terrific, they were the most affordable option if you wanted a nice, fancy pedal harp. The big problem with investing in a Venus harp now is that they ceased production in 2018. This means that they are only available on the used market. So you cannot get one with a warranty and you also should not invest in one if it shows any signs of structural failure. There are technicians who are happy to regulate them for you and do small repairs but if you find yourself needing a new neck or soundboard or action or any other major repair there are only a few people in the US qualified to do this work. I love these harps and think they are still a valuable addition to the used harp market. But you must understand that Lyon & Healy and Salvi will NOT repair any harps but their own instruments. Not Venus, not Camac, not Erard. If you are considering a Venus harp make sure it is evaluated by someone you trust.
Harp resources and links:
(This list is not complete but is a good place to start)
Harp Information Websites
The Harpmall http://www.harpmall.com/
The Harp Column http://www.harpcolumn.com/
The American Harp Society http://www.harpsociety.org/
Harp Music & Accessories
Sylvia Woods Harp Center https://www.harpcenter.com/
Lyon and Healy West http://www.lyonhealy.com/lhwest.htm
Vanderbilt Music http://www.vanderbiltmusic.com
Harpmakers
Lyon & Healy Harps https://www.lyonhealy.com/
Salvi Harps https://www.salviharps.com/
Triplett Harps https://triplettharps.com/
Dusty Strings Harps https://manufacturing.dustystrings.com/
Lewis Creek Harps https://www.lewiscreek.net/
Rees Harps https://reesharps.com/
Musicmaker’s Harps https://www.mmharps.com/
Harp Retailers
Virginia Harp Center https://www.vaharpcenter.com/
Atlanta Harp Center https://atlantaharpcenter.com/
Michigan Harp Center https://www.miharpcenter.com/