Testimonials:
Folk Harp Design & Construction

Hi Jerry,

Just a note of thanks for posting that article on your website about the harmonic curve and harp strings. This is a 9th century Irish psaltery from a carving on a stone pillar in Co Donegal ,ireland that I made. And it would have been a real string breaker if I hadn't found your article. Thanks! I love you guys, and tell my friends about you every chance I get. I bought the hardware and strings I used to make this psaltery from you guys. Happy new year to you. Stay warm up there in the frozen north!

Sue Macias

Thank you for the book, it's just what I need to get going, I'm a furniture maker so the woodwork side is no problem but the info on string length's, tensions and the harmonic curve are excellent, no math! The service was also excellent and I look forward to doing business with you in the future.

John Waymark

Hello Jerry,
I am reading your folk harp design and construction book these days, with great interest, I like the practical approach and the balance between theory and practical tips. I have already built an "almost Limerick" from your blueprint, I call it "almost Limerick" as I chose a different shape for the neck and pillar, but the geometry is all yours. The harp turned to be a good one, different skilled harpists have already tried it and each time it is appreciated for the sound, especially at the bass end, which is quite a surprise for such a small harp.

So, congratulations for your design, it has to be a really good one if it led to a successful instrument at my first try at building one, and in spite of some errors I made (I had not bought your book yet).

Thanks for now,
Marco

"This book will have a very important place in my library of reference materials. In fact -- and perhaps this is the highest praise one instrument maker can give another -- it has caused me to start rethinking some elements of my own harp designs, and has hopefully put me on the road to being a better harp maker! "

This quote is from Fred Casey's review of Jerry's book in the American Lutherie Magazine. Read the full review here.  

Having had the experience of building my first harp ( a 36-string Paraguayan-style harp from John Kovac's plans) I realized that the greatest benefit of the experience was that it enabled me to begin to formulate more intelligent questions about harp-making. Now, as I've been reading- and re-reading - thru your book it seems that every other page elicits "Well, THAT page was worth the price of the book!" I cannot commend you enough for the clear expression of your points and opinions and the reasons behind them.

I was in the process of designing my second harp when your book arrived. I'd drawn up a big diagram of parallel lines at the spacing I wanted -much as you present in your harp design worksheet - and had come up with a string angle. I now understand, however, that the "prettty" harmonic curve I'd settled on would have resulted in many broken strings in the treble range and a bunch of thunky duds in the bass.

That book has saved me from a bunch of bad decisions and the grief they'd have elicited (without my really knowing why !)

Thanks, Jerry.
You did good!

Dave Graham (in Estelline, SD)