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Thumbnail Filmstrip of Jolie Harp: Christy-Lyn Edition Images
The Jolie Harp: Christy-Lyn Edition
Note: Harp above shown with quilted maple soundboard upgrade.
We designed this custom model Jolie Harp in collaboration with Christy-Lyn at Learning the Harp. It's the same harp you'll see featured in many of her videos on her fabulous YouTube channel.
The Christy-Lyn edition is built off our Jolie harp model. It starts with the same compact, modern design and is available both in an all wood model and an ultra-light carbon fiber/wood hybrid model. In addition, the follwing upgrades make the Christy-Lyn edition unique:
- We use premium curly maple for the sides, back, neck, and pillar. This is the best of the best. We set aside our most striking pieces of curly maple for use in this model.
- We use curly maple binding around the edge of the body.
- We apply an antique blonde stain to the wood which accentuates the grain patterns and warms up the tone of the maple.
- The harp is finished with a high gloss sheen that is smooth, inviting, and begs to be touched.
Harpist Christy-Lyn compares the hybrid version of this harp to an Ogden.
What's Included:
- Finished Jolie Harp - Christy-Lyn Edition
- Camac levers
- Padded Gig Bag
- Tuning Wrench
- Spare Nylon Strings
- Free Shipping within the Continental US
Owner's Manual
Jolie Christy-Lyn Edition Key Specs
| Strings | 34 |
| Range | C2 to A6 (String Chart) |
| Weight - All Wood Model | 22 pounds |
| Weight - Hybrid Model | 15 pounds |
| String Spacing | Concert Medium |
| String Tension | high |
| Sharping Levers | Camac |
| Gig Bag | Included |
| Size | 52" tall, 24" deep, 14" wide |
| Soundboard | Aircraft Birch |
| Body, Neck, Pillar, Back | Premium Curly Maple and Carbon Fiber |
| Warranty | Musicmakers 5 Year Warranty |
Down Payment Option
You have the option to put 50% down to get your Ballad Harp started.
Use the promo code downpayment when checking out to pay half now and half when the harp is ready for shipping.
Soundboard Upgrades
Our harps use an aircraft grade birch plywood. It has 6 layers of birch laminated together and is just 1/8" thick. We have used this same material on our soundboards for years because it provides exceptional strength and stability as well as a clear, consitent tone.
Birch, however, is a plain looking wood without much in the way of interesting grain patterns. There is nothing wrong with that. However, many harpists prefer something with more visual appeal. We have sourced a variety of interesting and gorgeous veneers that can be applied to the soundboard. Each veneer is unique and turns your soundboard into an eye-catching, head-turning, work of art.
Does adding a soundboard veneer effect the tone of the harp? Yes - it does, although not very much. Each veneer is slightly different but, in general, adding a soundboard veneer will trend the tone of the harp to be slightly warmer.
Click here to see available soundboard upgrades for the Jolie Harp.
Here's a couple of pictures of our Sonnet Lap Harp with the quilted maple upgrade.
About Christy-Lyn and Learning the Harp
Learning the Harp is THE place to go online if you want to learn the harp. Christy-Lyn is the perfect guide for your harp journey. Whether you are an absolute beginner, or an expierenced harpist, Christy-Lyn and her team provide easy to follow videos, instruction, encouragement, and community.
You can find the Learning the Harp website here or check out her amazing youtube channel here.
Resources
Replacement Harp Strings
Order Replacement Harp Strings
Other Harp Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Christy-Lyn is a harp teacher based in South Africa. She and her team at Learning the Harp are known for their high quality harp teaching videos on YouTube. They also offer online courses and a vibrant harp learning community through their website - Learning the Harp.
The Christy-Lyn edition includes a high gloss, Antique Blonde finish. The Antique Blonde color was chosen to add warmth and definition to the maple as well as highlight the curly maple grain pattern.
The most notable difference is the weight. The hybrid model weighs just 15 pounds. The all-wood model weighs 22 pounds. The hybrid model looks the same on the outside but much of the wood on the inside has been removed and reinforced with carbon fiber.
The hybrid model tends to sound slighly brighter than the the all-wood model.
We consider the string tension to be high. It's stiff enough to allow for dynamic playing but not so stiff that it is hard to play.
This is a tricky question. We don't stock other makers harps here so it's best if we don't answer that directly. String tension on folk harps doesn't vary all that widely so it isn't likely to feel vastly different than anything you might be used to unless you are coming from a very low tension harp.
Well - "Concert String Spacing" is the term you hear about in the harp world. It doesn't really reference a specific distance between strings but refers to the fact that the spacing between the strings gets slightly narrower as the strings get shorter and higher in pitch.
To establish a standard, we measured the span between C4 (middle C) and the C5 the C above middle C) on harps from several different makers. We found that the average spacing across this octave was 98mm. So this is what we consider Standard Concert String Spacing.
The distance across that span on the Jolie Harp is 100mm, just ever so slightly wider than Standard Concert String Spacing.
If you want the answer to this question - you can measure the distance between C4 and C5 on the harp to which you would like to make the comparison.
You can order a complete set of replacement strings or individual strings here.