Testimonials: Lap Harps

Hi Musicmakers Crew!

Just wanted to let you know how much I adore my Limerick wire-strung lap harp. Here is the link to a YouTube video of a little song I learned. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed learning it on the beautiful little harp.

Thanks again,

Karen

I built a Limerick from your kit in 1994. I have played it in a production of Don Quixote in Brazil, a teahouse and a radio station in Shanghai, China, and traditional music sessions in Glasgow, Scotland. I made my living playing this harp in Seattle's Pike Place Market in 2002 and 2003. I supported myself playing this harp (with some help from my gothic 36) going to clown school in San Francisco in 2004. In 2005-6, I took the Limerick harp on tour with the 135th edition of the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. I accompanied aerialist Lu Viera for her tissu act in the preshow for most of the tour. In 2007, I taught a harp workshop at Lark Camp, a traditional music camp in California, using the Limerick.

I currently live in New Orleans and play the Limerick harp in the Herringbone Orchestra. This summer (2008) I am going to be playing the harp for the Caravan Stage Company. This company tours and performs on a one-of-a-kind theater ship. The 2008 tour will be in Greece. In short, the Limerick harp has been one of the most useful things I have ever encountered.

Thank You!
Luke Brechtelsbauer

Luke Brechtelsbauer plays our Limerick Harp - Wow!!

First of all sorry for my English....I know it's not perfect but I'll try to explain it the best I can!!!! At first, I decided to use Heat Transfer to decorate soundboard, but here in Italy it was very difficult to find it and the patterns were unsightly.

So I decorated soundboard with stencil because I wanted a floreal pattern.

Then I start to sand, paint and assemble all parts. When all was dry I started painting by hand all the golden inlay near the soundchamber and the neck/pillar and I used enamel paint. Then I started finishing. Now I'm waiting for the final tuning and to put sharping levers on. Me and my father will be very proud and happy if you'll show my photos on your web site!!!!! I'm looking forward to see them!

Thank you for all and if I need some other accessories I'll write you soon!

Best regards

Eleonora

I have attached a picture of my completed harp. I am totally in love with it. Your instructions were easy to follow and it took me 2 weeks to finish it completely. Our summer was very humid so the drying time for the coats of varnish was extended beyone normal. Even as the strings are newly strung, it seems to keep it's tune well and I know as time goes by it will hold the tune for long periods of time.

Thanks for a very pleasant visit to your shop and thanks for manufacturing such a great instrument kit!

Sincerely,
Jan Lucas

PS - You might also be interested to know that I am a 67 year old single mom and have never built a musical instrument before.

I have finished my double strung Limerick Harp. I used your blueprints and cut out all the parts using a band saw. I am sending an attachment with a photo. This is my 3rd Musicmakers harp. I have built a 31 string Gothic from plans and a Heartland Harp from a kit. I took the Heartland with me to Ireland in October to play in the Seisiun Na H'Eireann pub competition with my group from Alaska. We got an award for the best overseas band. It fit nicely in the overhead on the airlines.

Thank you for such enjoyable projects.

Anita Hales, 56 yr old Grandmother and kitmaker

Wilkinson harp

I used Musicmaker's Kit plans to construct this Limerick Lap Harp, using Rosewood for the sides and bottom trim, Walnut for the neck, Pillar, top and bottom pieces. Baltic Birch for the soundboard, back and appliqués, with Rosewood backing strip. All decorative and reinforcing screws are Brass. Finish is Gloss Deft Clear Wood finish.
I have constructed numerous home projects using purchased plans ordered from various catalogs, however, your plans are the most accurate, precise and least complex that I have ever encountered. Your email responses to the few questions that arose, were fast and to the point.
Chuck Wilkinson
Seeley Lake, MT

Dear Musicmaker Friends,
I have recentrly finished my Limerick Lap Harp which I built from scratch using your blueprints and hardware kit. It is of black walnut that I got from a Texas supplier. I modified the neck and pilar shape slightly but otherwise it is per your fine drawings. I am very pleased. All dimensions and angles worked fine. It sounds good too. It was a project that I'm proud to show off.
I also made your Teardrop Mandolin from the kit a couple of years ago. It is great and I've actually learned how to pick out a few tunes. No fancy chords though due to 79 year old finger joints..
I have attached a picture of me with my Musicmaker projects.
Thanks for the fun and memories,
John Mathis


	Dear Musicmaker’s, I want to tell you how pleased I am with my harp! I carved celtic patterns all over it by myself. My friends cannot believe such a harp came from a kit! Thank you for creating such wonderful kits that are a true pleasure to build. Velancy Reed, Utah

Dear Mary,
As mentioned previously I am working on my "Limerick-on-location" shot for entry into the prestigious Musikit catalogue. I still have another film in the camera awaiting processing. The kangaroos were pretty nonchalant about seeing the Limerick when I first arrived but pricked up their ears when they heard the amazing sound quality. I'm told it was one of the nicest harps they had heard all day.
Thought you might like to see these shots taken when we were showing an overseas visitor the sights around here.
Best regards to all
Peter
Australia

Dear Mary,
Thank you so much! Tiffany will have a complete harp! I am going to have to learn how to play it, it has such beautiful, mellow sound! It sounds just like our Kimball piano.
We are a mission school, (Red Bird Mission School) a not-for-profit K-12 school in the Appalachian Mountains, and the wood Tiffany used for the frame of her harp is blonde maple which originally was the seat of a bleacher in our gymnasium! Talk about recycling! :-) She stained it a light golden color and it looks really nice. The wood is very hard. The bleachers were used for at least 15 years and then replaced. The wood must be 19 years old! We don't throw much away here. :-)
When Tiffany strings the last string, I will send you a picture of her and her harp. This was her first attempt at a musical instrument, and she did quite well. You will see her joints are not perfect, but they hold. And we are so proud of her. Not just for completing the harp, but for even attempting it! And she got an "A" on it! And the "Technology Award"!
Tiffany graduated from high school last Sunday. She will be pleased to be able to complete her project. Thanks again! And God Bless you all!
A pleased customer's Mom,
Lynette Barker

Hello Kit People:
Two things - first, thanks for making such a wonderful Shepherd's Harp kit. It went together perfectly and is a beautiful thing to play and behold. Start to finish took about a week, including things I had never done before like soundboard decorations using the transfer tool I got from you. A friend who has played Celtic harp for over 20 years says its one of the nicest sounding instruments he has ever played - "What a big, rich sound!" is the quote.
Here are two snapshots of the Shepherd's Harp I recently built from your kit.
You can see that I replaced the walnut soundboard trim up the sides and across the top with a wood herringbone inlay. I did use the iron-on trim across the bottom, as it looks like the walnut base. I also filled the carving on the sides with gold leaf.
The laser rosettes were used as provided, but the inset was painted with a subtle blue paint to add a little visual interest.

The soundboard decorations were transferred using your slick electric transfer tool, and colored with colored pencil, per your site's suggestion. The Celtic design was found on the web, at a free-use clip art site.

We also decorated the walnut oval reinforcement piece on the other side of the harp with a Celtic knot design filled with gold.

All the best,
Brian Flora
Organ Builder
www.floraco.com/organs

I built one of these (Limerick Harp) a couple of years ago NEVER having done anything like that before. I am thrilled with it. It has a big, attractive sound, and to my ears, sounds as good, or better, than other harps the same size. It really was not difficult to put together: it took me 2 weekends. A student of mine also ordered a kit, and hers came out just as well.
-Andra Bohnet

I have ordered many plans and kits from Musicmaker, and have always been 100% satisfied when I receive it! I have started a harpmaking usiness, and still use your plans and kits! I am so happy to have a company I can trust around when I need you!
-Randal Novitch