Mikel Celtic Harps

[wil-weten]

Hi Hearpe, you are writing about the Pakistani ‘Roosebeck harps’, but the subject is the Pakistani Mikel Celtic harps. I think one cannot compare them in quality and it would really be a pity when people would mix these harps up.

For the price you mention for the Roosebeck harps, you’d get a real nice sounding second hand harp from a reputable manufacturer, that is to say, if you don’t mind it has several years of harping experience behind it.

Now, can we please go back to the original question, namely Mikel Celtic Harps?

[hearpe]

Here’s a sample of a Mikel Celtic 34

Well, I was just relating the experiences of my latest harp search after spending the past couple of weeks looking for both used harps and pricing them on ebay. I think you are wrong about your used harp comment , wil. Except in cases of very very much patience, where time is not an issue, the prices of used harps is very high. It seems a lot of players want to get nearly back what they paid originally, considering many of them were probably bought at a lower rate some time ago. I don’t fault them for that, but there’s really not floating around out there with more than 22 strings that you can get for under $500. And that’s why I finally went with the Roosebeck 29 Heather harp myself. I’ve thought about financing a harp in the past, but on a fixed income, that isn’t an attractive prospect, but that may still work best for some people- even a credit card purchase with a lowrate. You can generally get a lower rate with a “balance transfer offer” of no interest for another year or so once you have a balance to transfer, and if you’re not going belly-up bankrupt already!

But anyway, that’s what I like about these Mikel Celtic harps- there’s a lot of harp there for the money it seems. On the other hand, it has to come all the way from Pakistan, and customer service or a return seems difficult. They have a site with a line of other harps:

Celtic Instruments – Celtic Store – Harp & Bagpipe Makers

There are some vendors in the UK but their prices are higher on these harps, and they often call them something other. I just saw this listed on ebay, where the same harp has appeared in another ad from Dublin- exact same pictures- slightly different case and color- and called a Hunky Bunky 34. I think they wanted $900 and another $250 to ship. Sounds like the remains of a wild night of sex I think, and better off to get these harps from the maker, if they aren’t already nearby.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Brand-New-Hunky-Bunky-HB-34-string-best-Lever-Harp-Ash-and-Beech-wood-/181817728713?hash=item2a552e5ec9
Anyway, the youtube sample above is rather short and doesn’t go to all the strings, but sounds pretty darn good to me

good luck to all!

[wil-weten]

Hi Hearpe, you may be convinced that I am wrong as to prices of used harps, but I bought both my second-hand harps (of Camac and Salvi) at a reputable harp store for just a bit more than half of the original prices. Of course, private sellers may be hoping to get a lot more for their harps, but I think this is usually not going to happen if the potential buyer knows a bit about the harp market (and doesn’t mind an occasional ding or little scratch).

And yes, more than twenty(!) years later my second hand harps still are in a fine condition…

And no, I would not dream of buying a harp from ebay without being able to try it out first.

An advantage of buying a used harp from a reputable harp shop is that it is usually revised and in a neat condition, before being sold again.

As to Mikel Celtic harps: here:http://www.mikelceltic.com/worldwide-dealers/ you find a list of dealers of these harps.

I may be tempted to buy one from Thomann.de as they have a fine customer service, were it not that the travel harp I seem to like most at the moment, will be a (second hand) Camac Bardic.

By the way, if you live in Europe and think of importing a harp from a non-European country, you may end up paying a lot more money than the original price, as one has to pay VAT, shipping costs (including VAT on shipping costs!) and some other additional costs.

[Biagio]

I’ve already explained why even a small harp will cost about $500-$600 US in materials alone – if it is well made (and depending on the location). From what I can tell just from the website those Mikel harps seem to be OK, and the price is probably a market entry one. This remains to be seen until more have made their way into players’ hands.

I’ve sometimes wondered why people think that used harps should cost a lot less than new ones, as though a harp is something like an automobile. The fact is that if a harp has been well made and not abused it will actually be a better instrument after several years than when it was first made.

Biagio

[wil-weten]

Hi Biagio, there may be a difference in the economical worth of second harp mass produced harps and the relatively rare harps of harp builders of a certain standing.

Older harps sometimes have levers that don’t function as nice as modern levers (and you know how expensive it is to get new, modern levers on an old harp: removing the old hooks or levers, filling the old gaps and getting it cosmetically ‘right’, drilling new gaps, putting new levers on, especially if one doesn’t dare to perform this oneself).

[hearpe]

Heres a pretty good price on a used Dusty strings 26 with c & F levers-if you’re in he New York area- local pick-up only:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Dusty-Strings-Ravenna-26-C-F-Levers-Als-Music-Shop-NY/171735377666?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D32237%26meid%3D382891c768c94a51a65722c7ee6dd621%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D221838041999

There’s been a Salvi harp on Craigslist here for $2000 but that’s way outta my price range:
http://staugustine.craigslist.org/msg/5100654091.html

My costliest instrument at the moment would be my Baldwin Hamilton studio upright piano I got last summer for $400 delivered. I’ve got a whole bunch of guitars, ukes violins and violas but they are all fairly low end inexpensive items. That allows me to get my feet wet on a bunch of instruments. I’m mostly into Celtic and Pop.

[Biagio]

Very true Wil. I was referring to relatively recent harps (I did say “well made and not abused”). Sometimes you get lucky – someone convinces themselves that they just have to have a particular harp, buy it and find that’s NOT what they wanted, so they let it go at a big discount. Good example – early on I bought an FH26, really disliked it (different story) and sold it for much less than it was worth – had I only known:-)

Always try before you buy – I learned the hard way.

Biagio

[hearpe]

Oh well, I’m now the owner of Mikel Celtic Saffron 34 harp. And very pleased, it’s a whole new experience. The harp is resonant, has good volume and well made, the tuners function smoothly. I have really little else to compare it to, but after having shopped around it seems a lot of harp for the money, and with a nylon case.

I wish I had known of this harp a week or two before I became aware of it, and I probably would not have the Roosebeck 29 Minstrel- which is a nice harp, but in a different class, and having all monofilament strings. The 29 I think could use a rounded back and lighter soundbox- mostly the sides- and I talked about trying some wound basses on it in another thread. I’ll probably try to sell it now.

I’m now of the opinion that you have to have some wound basses to get the real experience. Someone was critical above of the Roosebecks, but I think there are decent ones. The Ashley 31 has a rounded back and wound basses and seems fairly nice in quality. The 36 Meghan has a more rounded back and a lot of strings, but dollar for dollar I think this Mikel Celtic is a better harp at less money then.

But my Mikel Celtic has 34 and will probably be the last harp I’ll buy.
I think it’s a good solid first serious harp for anyone not wanting to spend twice as much. I’ll bet the price will be going up eventually.

Just a hack for now, but I’ll be practicing!

[Biagio]

Congratulations Hearpe, I’m glad to hear that you like the Mikel!

As strings get longer and the frequency gets lower you pretty much are looking at wound strings of some kind after a certain point. What that point is depends on the designed tension and tone of the rest. People will discuus for an agreeable way to pass the time over exactly what kind of strings, tone and so on. And you should hear makers debate sound boards, wood, and everything else!

Biagio

[wil-weten]

Congratulations, Hearpe! Would you like to upload a picture of your new harp? I’d appreciate that. And, of course, if possible, a youtube clip with you playing a piece on your new harp.

[hearpe]

Ugh, the trains outside just woke me again. 3:30 am.
Two days with the harp and just settling in to tune- I guess I can get a snap or two up, but a video may take few days.

I can’t play much just a few open chord progression. I was playing earlier and thinking the rhythmic result would make a good rhythm track for other instruments over it.

I think this instrument is going to grow on me, and if I can’t sleep at nights, I won’t feel that I’m making a lot of noise as with piano or guitar.

[hearpe]

I love this instrument !

Harp is still behind classical guitar and piano and violin in terms of time I can give it, but how very pleasing to sit down and plunk upon, and I look forward to progressing in form and skill

Here’s a short video- just to demonstrate the harp- NOT my playing or annoying heavy breathing!

Anyway despite having a string break spontaneously and a week down to get a replacement from Dusty Strings-customer service from Pakistan is sadly lacking so I might recommend a purchase on ebay if available and then backed up by their buyer protection, like how I got mine- and almost a month delivery- I’m very happy with it and not financing something even more expensive, cause I really don’t have the means. A good harp for the price and I’ve been getting an education on harp strings which seems to be the greatest difference between many similar harps- the better ones are a little beefier on the bass, but just getting a feel for the sounds and have the option of getting more wound strings later. This has more wound strings than the Roosebeck Mehgan 36 and even less expensive and a better design overall I think.

[wil-weten]

Hi Hearpe, I don’t understand: “to get a replacement from Dusty Strings-customer service from Pakistan.” Why order Dusty Strings from Pakistan? A broken string is a normal phenomenon, nothing to do with a warranty to your harp (this only gets different when lots of strings break within a short time).

You can order Dusty Strings (an American product) in a lot of countries. When you are in the UK, you can simply order them in the UK.

[hearpe]

No I ordered a replacememt string from Dusty Strings because I COULDN’T get a replacement from Pakistan and Mikel Celtic. They only forwarded me some web sites here in America and those were vague.
Would’ve taken forever anyway, an I had the one from Dusty Strings within the week. The Strings seemed to match on position and specs, only the length was in any doubt, and the string fit perfectly.
Fortunately, only one has broken so far, and it was the thin winding portion of a heavy nylon wound string- the #26 “D” I think it was.

There is some variance in the bass strings otherwise, between my harp and a Ravenna 34, and eventually I may gradually convert to the Ravenna standards, with both a couple more nylon wound nylon and steel wound strings, I’ll be studying the recordings on youtube and comparing them with the sound of my own Celtic.

[hearpe]

Wil-weten wrote
“A broken string is a normal phenomenon”

Geez- I’m wondering just how normal.

Had another one go- a nylon wound E right next to the other replacement- so that’s two in 3 months-

I’m wondering about the quality of the original strings- some of the wound strings did/do appear wavy if they sound fine otherwise.

Also wondering how common it is to have thicker nylon wound nylon strings farther up than thinner steel wound towards the base? It struck me strange from the first there were thicker strings above the steel wound basses, and those nylon wound strings are the ones failing at the top.

After the last one- I had planned a strategy of building up replacements, because several bought from Dusty Strings saves quite a bit on shipping from the $11 these strings are costing me one at a time- but with Christmas and car repairs I put that off.

I think the Dusty Strings very likely higher in quality, so that might be a consideration in comparing a Mikel Celtic to a Ravenna 34. But it’s still a lot of cost difference, though I also believe the Mikel Celtics have generally risen on ebay as I expected they would. The newer models also appear to have a wooden inlay across the top rail- I have no idea if they have changed the strings any, but not having the greatest of luck here- very happy still otherwise, and making some progress I think.

Gotta go- Downtown Abbey Season 6 is coming on.

[Author]

Posts