Salvi "Gaia" - Unboxing, Review, Comparison - The Michigan Harpist

[@Stella0Tracy]

I love the sound of the Gaia. Based on this sound and a few others I have heard, I would like to purchase the Gaia.

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Let me know what you think!

[@MHcomposer]

Wow! Nice sounding Gaia! Most Salvi lever harps I hear are a little brighter than I’d like but this one sounded very good, warm, really close to a pedal harp’s sound.

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

I agree! I think Salvi offers several different types of harps via string types/tension. The Gaia can be strung in nylon, silk gut, or gut. This one is gut. :-)

[@vehrkalia]

Yes, really close to a pedal. I've thought the same.

[@sinapisalba]

our new Gaia arrived just yesterday :o))) she's so beautiful and so friendly with our little folk harp, really a good new family member :oD I really love her sound

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Oh, congratulations!!!! I applaud your excellent taste, and wish you much joy!

[@tahoesnowlion]

The Gaia sounds wonderful❤❤❤❤

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Thank you!!!

[@carmenfreeman693]

Thank you very much for the comparison. 🙏🎶

[@vehrkalia]

Best video comparison ever. Thank you! I love the Dusty Strings and the Lyon&Healt, but Salvi is doing better year after year. I'm impressed. Nowaday I could say I would be happy purchasing a Salvi harp. :)

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Oh wow -- thank you so much! Yes, I agree. It's also really interesting how Salvi has different tiers of harps/tension levels for the lever harps to be more directed at professional vs student use. Many of my students have found this to enable them to get a Salvi harp!

[@elizabethdexter3779]

Also the Ogden is more mature which will mellow it. I have a feeling that anything you play will sound beautiful, even the Pakistani harps on eBay 😷😊

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Agreed! -- HAHAHA! Oh my gosh, thank you. That is definitely a compliment.

[@janetbocaner8562]

I adore your Iris!

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Thank you!! I'm rather fond of her, myself! ❤

[@elizabethdexter3779]

I am really kind of monopolizing this feed, sorry about that! I have fallen in love with the Una which as you know has 38 strings. Do you feel the need for the extra 4 strings over what has become the standard lever harp of 34 strings?

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

No worries, haha! I'm just glad that this is helpful! :-) I feel that for the vast majority of lever harp repertoire (85-90%?) 34-36 strings is more than enough. Where you start to really enjoy having those 38 strings is for the power of the bass and resonance, and for liberation across the octaves for more advanced classical/pop songs. Great question!

[@elizabethdexter3779]

@@TheMichiganHarpist thank you. For some reason I just saw this reply

[@jimbuxton2187]

I'm pretty sure when you play the gaia a lot over time , the tone will warm even more. The true sound of the gaia was exposed in your solo piece...it seemed to open up the sound. Clear and round...

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

I agree entirely!

[@felixp7]

@ChanahAmbuter I have a student in my string orchestra who really wanted to play harp so I allowed it and she has one of these. I noticed that it is hard to get it in tune with the rest of us. Do you have a video or any suggestions for getting the harp more in tuned or just how to do it? thank you

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Hello! CONGRATULATIONS on having a harp in your string orchestra! Great for you all! I can absolutely walk you (or/and her) the tuning process! Does she have a teacher? Is this the Salvi Gaia (with levers) or a pedal harp? Please feel free to reach out to me at [e-mail] and we can figure out a way to connect! It takes me less than 10 minutes to tune my 47-string concert grand harp (more like 5, if that). We can figure this out!!!

[@kukacostejberizs]

I tried a Gaia, wonderful (and expensive).

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Hello, Nora! Yes, they are definitely wonderful harps! My first lever harp(s) were a Camac Korrigan and L&H Prelude -- expensive harps, too!

[@kukacostejberizs]

Harps are sooooooo expensive (thinking of my parents who bought my first one).

[@3762302]

Great video comparison. Do you know where I can find the piece: White Rose? I don't really have reliable post services where I live, do you know if there's a digital format?

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

This is her website! www.emeraldharp.com/sheet-music/ . You should be able to find the collection somewhere there, or reach out to her!

[@3762302]

Thank you :)

[@samanthathompson9812]

Thanks, very helpful. i cant help wondering how so many harp youtubers afford multiple harps. None of my biz I know.

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Hi Samantha! I'm so glad the video helped! -- As far as multiple harps go, the secret is: I immediately turn around and rent them out to my students! I deliberately buy used quality harps (33-50% off the new price but same sound quality), and only then if I'm running low on rentals. (I haven't in a long while!). I have about 20 students at the moment, and only one rental harp is in my house right now - the rest are out being happily played by my students. I only summon my rentals back about every two years for regulations, which is when I make these videos. Since, depending on the size of the harp, rentals are about $50-85/month, and most rentals end up being 1.5-2+ years until a student decides which "forever harp" they'd like to buy, my harps actually end up paying for themselves quite quickly. It's a great business investment for those who teach! I'm just grateful and thrilled that I'm able to be a full-time, professional harpist and interact with so many like-minded souls and make beautiful music together with them.

[@samanthathompson9812]

@@TheMichiganHarpist That’s very interesting, thank you for sharing. Does the student need to buy separate insurance or would the instrument be covered by standard home insurance? Do they have to sign an agreement to abide by certain rules (not leaving it in a hot car, for example)? I imagine many harpists would feel too protective of their instruments to lend them out. I’m in a major metropolitan area but it’s it really difficult to find harps to try or buy, even used. Do you buy harps without trying them?

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

@@samanthathompson9812 I don't require specific insurance, though many home insurance plans do cover in-home use. Huntington T Block has a great performance insurance plan. I do, however, only rent to students actively taking lessons with me and have a contract with credit card info, etc, and care instructions. I bought most of my lever harps not in-person - places like the Virginia Harp Centers (NJ + Va), the harp connection (MA) and the Atlanta harp center are FANTASTIC and will record/photograph to one's satisfaction prior to purchase. I also ADORE L&G Ogdens since they are so dependable and uniformly fantastic.

[@samanthathompson9812]

@@TheMichiganHarpist Thank you, great info. I am a bit nervous to buy a harp without trying it! Sorry one more question: have you ever tried one of the Heartland carbon fiber harps and if so, what did you think? I’d love the portability but have heard from a couple of people that they don’t project well. Others love them.

[@jondoes8222]

The Ogden is the best

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

The Ogdens have a great sound!!! I own three for renting in my studio. They're so consistently rich and warm and powerful! :-)

[@elizabethdexter3779]

The little Allegra is also lacking an octave at the base, so not a good comparison

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Oh, absolutely -- the Allegro was one of the smallest good harps I have in the studio. I played it mostly as an honest comparison for SIZE CLASS volume and sound quality. Sometimes it can be a mystery unless directly compared back to back; volume and sound characters are definitely important factors. The Allegro was NEVER going to be comparable to the Gaia, but it's hard to define the difference without hearing it!

[@ms.marieanne]

Is there a difference in tension bet gaia and Ogden?

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

It mostly depends on the string type - if it's strung in silkgut or nylon, it will be a lower tension than gut. Otherwise, it would be the same tension between them. Great question!

[@jondoes8222]

I do not know how im going to do it because im not a man with means but someday I will find me an Ogden...

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

Oh, absolutely! They're handsome instruments! You can also look for a used one!

[@user-oy1zz5hw8j]

Which one is better?

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

You know, all harp models have their own distinct voice, just like people. Some people are drawn to one particular type of sound, and another in a different direction. I personally adore Ogdens for their richness, but I'm primarily a pedal harpist so I'm most drawn to similar types of sounds. The extra strings on the Gaia are a big bonus for leverharpists!

[@mandarinlearner]

Allegro blows the others away

[@TheMichiganHarpist]

The Allegro is a GORGEOUS harp, especially for its petite size!