How much does a harp cost?

[Biagio]

This topic comes up one way or another quite often. One way to address this is to figure out just the material costs and then factor in overhead: equipment and depreciation, other overhead (advertising if any), labor a reasonable profit margin, etc. Ignoring all of that for now, let’s price out one model – a 26 string fully levered – in two configurations: cheapest possible, and more expense. In the US:

First you need to beg borrow steal or buy a blue print – or design you own. Keeping it simple blue prints will cost about $25 – designing your own about twice that (you will need a drafting table of some sort, paper, etc.)

The harp frame and body will run from $150 to $400 depending on what you do:

All Baltic birch for the frame with Finnish birch for the sound board – $100+ for the body and frame, $50 for the sound board. Total about $150.

Solid wood – let’s say cherry frame, pre-made spruce sound board – $250 for the frame, $150 for the board.

So, OK, $150-$400. How about the rest?

Tuning pegs, bridge pins, eyelets, misc. screws and glue $100. Levers $150 – $420 from least expensive to most. Total – $250 – $520.

Strings: about $150 – $200 depending if some are wound or not.

Adding it all up before stuff like lots of clamps, jigs fixtures etc.:
Total $525-$1125 (did I add that up right? please check my calculator fingers).

Perhaps you can knock off a $100 or so if you happen to have to have some of this just sitting around.

Shall we add in labor, overhead etc? Nah, let’s not I think the point has been made.

Biagio

[charles-nix]

I’m guessing here–but 100 man hours labor for a very simple 26 string on a one-off by an experienced woodworker with good equipment? Maybe 150-200 man hours for the “first time builder”? I’m just making a guess. If that’s right, your $2000 26 string harp is being built for around minimum wage, not to mention what the equipment and tools cost–and what they cost to maintain.

I haven’t noticed a great rush of people into the harp building field as a way of getting rich quick.

As someone who does have the equipment and knowledge, it is not surprising to me how expensive harps are–it is surprising how inexpensive they are.

[Biagio]

I’d say that’s in the ball park Charles. For a simple lap harp that I’ve made before many times perhaps two weeks elapsed start to finish. Of course a lot of that is just sitting around waiting for glue and varnish to dry, strings to stretch in etc.

On the other hand, a full week or more just to draft a new design so, yeah, 100 man hours at least.

Of course a professional will get discounts on most of the materials; or the individual crafts person may have access to logs he/she can mill and dry.

There are also economies of scale. If you ever drop in on Dusty Strings’ shop you might see a half dozen or more harps in different stages of manufacture, with only one-three people working.

That said, I too am often amazed that good harps cost as little as they do!

Biagio

[evolene_t]

Great post Biagio, it’s important to remember what we are paying for!

[Author]

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