Help Me Find My First Autoharp!

February 23, 2009 3:00 AM

I've decided to learn how to play the Autoharp, and am looking into purchasing one for the very first time. What's a good entry-level instrument? (Note: keep in mind that I'm an absolute beginner, and am looking at the lower end of the price range, since I'm just starting out.) Thank you in advance for your help, all!
posted by sarabeth to sports, hobbies, & recreation (8 comments total)

Contact the folks at Elderly Instruments in Lansing, Michigan, let them help you make the decision based on your goals.... A very trustworthy place with people that know what they are doing!

And, consider buying used, this is an instrument that many folks buy, use lightly, then sell...

I've an Oscar Schmidt...and love it... (one of the more inexpensive models)
posted by HuronBob at 4:49 AM on February 23

oops..here's the phone number.... 888-473-5810
posted by HuronBob at 4:53 AM on February 23

Elderly's a great shop. Make sure you pick up a chromatic electronic tuner; it will be your new best friend.
posted by omnidrew at 7:11 AM on February 23

Call these people. They're in North Carolina, but they know everything there is to know about autoharps, and they'll talk to you for ages, and they will recommend and ship, and they'll help you find music (both sheet music and CDs).
posted by ersatzkat at 9:26 AM on February 23

There not being a huge demand for Autoarps these days, call around to folk music shops or antique dealers and see if you can get a used one in playable condition. Autoharps are not that fragile, but the pressure put on them by the heavy strings is so much that most autoharps are constructed pretty simply and there isn't a big range in quality. On a used one check that there are no cracks or seams pulling apart (again... the string tension) and look to see that the felt pads that make contact with the strings havn't gotten soft, flattened, or broken. Make sure all the pins work well - no stripped gears. And then get some Appalachian recordings of melodic autoharp - you will be surprised how easy it is to play complex melodies and accompaniment at the same time.
posted by zaelic at 9:33 AM on February 23

I stalked my local Craigslist for a year, waiting to get my first autoharp. In Toronto, I saw perhaps 6 ads during that time. A couple were too expensive, and a couple weren't good enough--I was holding out for a 21 chord model, since I wanted the 7th chords. I finally got an Oscar Schmidt from 1979, and it's perfect--worth the wait. I've heard that the new Oscar Schmidts are actually of poorer quality than the vintage ones, but I can't remember the source (it was an online article). Anyway, if you can wait, I'd recommend holding out for something used and local. Good luck!
posted by Beardman at 10:14 AM on February 23

seconding zaelic - beware of sunken tops in used harps. Longitudinal cracks in the back aren't too much of a worry (apparently), but I have a 21-chord with a slightly sunken top that makes smooth chording almost impossible.

It's worth springing for an extra set of strings (about $100 - make sure you get the right ones) and a good tuning wrench in addition to that chromatic tuner.
posted by scruss at 10:34 AM on February 23

Thanks for all the good suggestions, everybody! I will contact both of the places you recommended post-haste, and keep my eye out for used autoharps as well. Actually, what got me thinking about this was finding one at an antique fair, but it wasn't in the best shape, and I'm hoping to start off on the right foot with something in good condition to get me off and running.
posted by sarabeth at 2:23 PM on February 23