This is a fully electric wire-strung harp with a standard quarter-inch guitar output jack.  The instrument can be played acoustically, or connect to an amp with a standard guitar cord.  If playing through an amp, you can also connect the harp to a guitar or keyboard effects unit to add special effects like reverb, chorus, delay, etc. 

The harp is electrified via pickups along the neck, which amplify the wire strings and allow different sections of the harp to be adjusted for tone/loudness if desired.   The harp does not need to be "plugged in" to play it  -- when played acoustically, the wire strings have a magical, bell-like tone.  This effect can be heightened via use of the guitar effects processing unit mentioned above.  

The harp has 26 strings from the F below middle C, to the 3rd B above middle C.  The harp is currently tuned in the key of C, and is equipped with Robinson sharping levers.  Each lever raises the string by half a pitch, so that C#, F#, etc. can be obtained. As a point of reference, C levers are painted red, and F levers are painted black.

This harp was built in 1995. The age of the instrument should not lessen its value. Unlike pedal harps, older folk harps are actually preferred by some people because the instrument’s tone is often richer. The sounding board on this instrument is slightly bowed, but this also is not a concern. It is caused by the tension of the strings. On a pedal harp, a bowed sounding board can be a big problem, but not on a folk harp because the string tension is so much less, the sounding board hardly ever or never needs to be replaced. If the sounding board ever did need to be replaced, it is a simple matter.

A picture of the acoustic "Limerick" style harp can be found on the MusicMaker’s website at www.musikit.com or call the company at 800-432-5487.

Electric harps are hard to come by, and generally, very expensive. The Camac electric harps – 33 strings – sell for $4500 new or $3900 used. A new Silhouette harp by Lyon & Healy is around the same.

Harp comes with tuning key, extra strings and its own padded nylon carrying case. 

As a price comparison, a new, finished Limerick harp in walnut, without sharping levers, sells for $900. (MusicMaker’s are currently selling a used Limerick, without levers, for $700.) The case is $100, and an extra set of strings is $30. There are levers on this harp, which add $200-$300 to its value. In addition, this harp is unique in that it has been electrified. This adds approximately $1,000 to its value. The price of this harp is a steal at $1500, plus shipping and insurance, if desired.

Harp comes with extra strings (I am not sure if it is a complete set) and its own padded nylon carrying case.  This harp has been played a lot and has a number of scratches and scuffs on the body, but it has a beautiful sound and is a solid instrument.

The original owner bought a full-size electric harp and no longer needs this one.