HIRE HARPS

The Harbison Harp Studio is proud to offer teachers and students a range of harps for hire. The rates depend on the duration and time of the year of the hire and all particulars are listed on the Hire Application Form.

Grade A - Superior Quality
Camac ‘Janet’ 34 strings (Nylon) 10.5kgs, Camac levers, trad spacing, medium tension
Fisher ‘Shannon’ 34 strings (Carbon) 9kgs, Camac levers, trad spacing, light tension

Grade B - Standard
Camac ‘Hermine’ 34 strings 13kgs, classical spacing, medium tension
Thormahlen ‘Ceili’ 10kgs, trad spacing, light tension
Starfish ‘Lismore’ 9kgs, trad spacing, light tension
Aoyama ‘120A’ 9kgs, trad spacing, light tension

Grade C Intermediate size
26 - 31 strings of gut/nylon, various weights
Makes include Morley, Elysian, Camac
Classical spacing and string tension

To facilitate beginners and overseas visiting players, harps at 3 sizes (Full, Intermediate, Small) are available for hire. Grades ‘A’ and ‘B’ are both full size instruments with 34 strings; Grade A being a concert quality Camac ‘Janet’ and Grade B being a full size student harp (such as the Camac ‘Hermine’). Grade ‘C’ is an intermediate size of harp with between 28 and 31 strings.

All harps require a deposit to be made at the outset of the hire period which will be returned at the end of the hire term (less any repairs or string replacements required). Every harp (and harp bag) is photographed at the outset of each hire and any wear and tear is noted so the hirer may be assured they are not responsible for any existing condition issues. The hirer is responsible for the care and upkeep of their instrument and its carry-bag and any damage requiring repair must be reported to and fixed by an Harbison Harp Studio approved technician. The hirer is on no account to consider undertaking the repair themselves without consultation with the Harbison Harp Studio.

All harps will come with a ‘Harp Hire Pack’ with instructions on harp care and maintenance, instruction about tuning, what to do when a string breaks, how to buy a replacement, about string makes, numbers and gauges, and information on what you need to do re lever repairs and replacements. Your Harp Hire Pack will also contain a letter of valuation for your insurance policy.

String replacements are the responsibility of the hirer ensuring the appropriate string make and gauge. In your ‘Harp Hire Pack’ you will be informed about the make of the strings in your harp which will either be nylon or carbon fibre. The Harbison Harp Studio offers a String Replacement (and postal) service prices ranging in price from €4 to €16 each depending on the string and a chart is supplied in the ‘Harp Hire Pack’. If the hirer is not familiar with how to place a string, please ask your teacher to do it.

Harps remain the property of the Harbison Harp Studio and are required to be kept in the possession of the hirer throughout the hire period. They may not be sub-let, loaned or left with another person.

Harps have different hire terms depending on the grade and time of year. All hire harps are required to be returned to an approved access point (determined at the outset of the hire) in the last week of June annually. This is essential for the facilitation of maintenance and regulation (and repair if necessary).

Full size harps may be hired for up to 2 years only after which a student will be expected to buy their own new or second hand instrument. Small and intermediate size instruments may be hired for as long as the instrument ‘fits’ the player.

Standard Hire is from September to June and all Grade A and B harps may be re-hired for the summer months on arrangement only if they are not needed for summerschool participants and overseas visitors. However, any student who was required to return their instrument for the summer months may have the harp ‘gratis’ for the remaining weeks of the summer.

Travel Box
If the hirer wishes to travel abroad, it is essential that the harp travel in a custom-built travel-box which may also be hired from the Harbison Harp Studio at €100 per trip (up to one month in duration). The Harbison Harp Studio harps are not permitted to travel in any other case and all overseas travel must be approved with the Studio.