I can will try here to answer some of the questions I am most frequently asked about my custom one-of-a-kind harps! 🙂

I am asked these days if I am still building cusotm harps ?

The answer is that I am, though likely for only another year or so, since I am turning age 69 in January 2022. I have cut back what I will now build, to only single strung nylon or gut harps, with no more than 29 strings. I am also still building my King David Lyres.

1)  How do you design all these different custom harps ?

I first of start with the strings, or as I like to refer to them as , ‘the string band’, as if it is floating in space, with no harp structure connected to the strings, and then I design the rest of the harp around those strings. I first of all design all my harps on my computer using a custom string band design program. I first of all will design the strings to give the tension and feel that a client desires, to match another harp that they are comfortable and used to, or in a new way that fills their needs.

Then I will design the string spacing to fit their playing style, and only then proceed to design the rest of the harp around the strings, to fit their aesthetic and functional desires.

2) Can you build me a harp exactly like one of your existing custom harps?

I never build any two of my harp exactly alike, so that each one is unique and Very special to it`s owner. Part of this is that each piece of wood has it`s own special character and figure, that ensures that each one will look different. But I can create one for you that is very close to the one that you have seen here on my site, or elsewhere, and fallen in Love with ! I have created many custom harps that are inspired by ones that I created in the past. I often times will have clients ask for a certain aspect of one carved harp , and different feature form another one, combined with new ideas and shapes. Though I am only building harps with from 10 to 29 strings.

 

 

Thank you for coming to visit my Harp Pages, please let me know how I can bring your Dream Harp to Life !

Follow your Bliss, and live your Life in Joy!

Glenn J. Hill