Arlen Oleson 22 and 29-Strings Harps Handcrafted in Maine (New York, NY)

Arlen Oleson 22 and 29-Strings Harps Handcrafted in Maine

HARPS BY ARLEN OLESON.Twenty-two (22) and twenty-nine (29) string harps Handcrafted by Arlen Oleson in Maine USA Of small dimensions the harps are light and easily portable You can place the harps on your knees or between your knees on a seat which allows you to play them where and when wish inside out outdoors We have a few harps of each size in inventory and we will of course take your orders For each harp ordered allow 7-8 weeks from the start of the work for Arlen Oleson to build the instrument and ship it to your doorstep The harps will be shipped from Maine in the USA ( 150 USD for S& H within the US and to Canada S& H costs to be determined for other locations) Case not included we can also have a case crafted on demand and ship it to you. (Price and S& H cost to be determined) . Instrument pricing is as follows 22-string harp 1 500 USD 29-string harp 2 500 USD We will be delighted to schedule an appointment to come see a 22-string harp in person in Montreal or both the 22 and the 29-string harps directly in the atelier in Maine. . Why are Arlen Oleson s harps different .As Arlen Oleson says It s not that I build almost entirely with hand tools which I do. I use hand planes chisels and hand saws much the same as medieval builders did. It s not that they are built one at a time which I do also. It s that my approach to harp construction is radically different. . He continues Harps produce a great deal of pull from the string tension. This force requires a very strong structure to support the load. Builders solve the problem by using heavy dimension hardwoods. This solves the stress problem but creates another one. The mass of material acts as a mute damping off vibration which could go into sound production Early on I asked myself if I could build with much lighter materials . The answer turns out to be yes. I accomplish this by using laminated tapered staves of vertical grain cedar steam bent to make the string arm and column. This is extremely strong and lightweight and has a minimal damping effect. It is also extremely labor intensive. The soundbox shell is also very lightweight being made of the same quarter sawn cedar that I use as soundboard . Arlen Oleson concludes The result of this is a surprisingly lightweight harp with a full strong voice. My 22-string harps weigh only 5 pounds and have a voice comparable to a full size concert harp . Come visit our harp workshop in Maine and see for yourself