Renaissance Workshop Company
The foremost manufacturer of early musical instruments worldwide

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Harp

	King David playing the harp. Stained glass by P. von Andlau - late 15th century. Wurtemburg museum at Stuttgart

The harp is one of the most ancient types of stringed instruments. It was important in pre-Christian cultures and still survives today in many forms all over the world.

In the Middle Ages strings were made from twisted animal gut (usually from sheep), although horse hair and even silk were used as well. From the 9th century onwards gut strung harps were used right across Europe from Wales and Scotland to Italy and Hungary. The early wire strung clarsach first appeared during the 10th-12th centuries and became the principal stringed instrument of Ireland and Scotland.

Since tuning was diatonic, only one mode could be used at a time.

[more about the Harp]

RWC Harp

	RWC Minster Lovell Harp Kit

The Renaissance Workshop Company lap harps draw its inspiration from historical sources but essentially they have been designed for quality of tone, ease of playing and ease of construction.

There are two versions of harps with 22 and 17 strings respectively, each one of them in several versions.

Minster Lovell is a village about 4.0 km west of Witney in Oxfordshire (UK) and is home to the historic ruins of Minster Lovell Hall. It gives name to a lap harp with features taken from several historic sources, designed for ease of playing with or without semitone keys.

In our Diatonic 'Minster Lovell' Harp, the pillar is steamed and bent from solid beech and the harmonic curve is cut from a matching piece. Specially selected lime is used to make up the rectangular soundbox.

The harp is fitted with traditional tuning pins and 22 gut strings tuned diatonically G - a'' making it suitable for most early music.

Included as standard are a spare set of top strings and a tuning lever.

Our Chromatic 'Minster Lovell' Harp has the same quality materials and design but is fitted with traditional brass 'flag' action semitone levers. It is tuned G - a'' suitable for most early music and with the addition of the semitone levers can quickly be changed to any key.

The 'Weekender' Harp is a medieval style lap harp of 17 strings with a range a little over 2 octaves a - c''. You can choose nylon or gut strings.

Each instrument is entirely hand built by 'in-house' experienced craftsmen to special order in our own workshops in Toledo (Spain) to the highest standard of craftsmanship. They come with 12 months warranty and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on setting up, playing and maintenance.

A padded case is available as an optional extra if required.

Harp Kit

	RWC Lap Harp Kit

The same instruments are offered in kit form for home assembly.

The price includes the license to build one instrument for private use and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on construction, setting up, playing and maintenance.

To ensure success, even for the first time builder, each kit includes:
A fully dimensioned life-size drawing and working template,
A manual with clear and concise step-by-step full assembly instructions.
A set of photographs illustrating further each stage.

Construction of our 'Minster Lovell' Harp is straightforward and we can recommend the kit for anyone wishing to build a traditional harp for the first time.

The pillar is supplied pre-bent from solid beech and the harmonic curve is cut to match. Selected lime is supplied thicknessed and cut to size for the simple rectangular soundbox.

A tuning lever, 22 traditional style tuning pins and a set of gut strings complete the kit.

The Semitone Keys Kit is supplementary to the 'Minster Lovell' harp kit and contains 22 'flag' style semitone levers in die cast brass, a hole template and fitting instructions. It is easier to fit the semitone levers during the initial construction of the instrument rather than after the tuning pins and strings have been fitted.

The 'Weekender' Harp kit is one of a range 'Weekender' kits which have been designed for ease of assembly, practicality and economy. They are enjoyable to build and can be finished, as the name implies, in a weekend or two. All the parts supplied are cut to size from English sycamore, beech or laminated birch, ready for final assembly. You can choose nylon or gut strings.

Harp Technical Plan

	RWC Lap Harp Kit

You can make the same Harp from scratch, following detailed step-by-step instructions through the construction process in a clear and concise manner.

A fully dimensioned life-size drawing with templates and a set of photographs illustrate each stage.

The price includes the license to build one instrument for private use and 12 months free access to our 'helpline' for advice on construction, setting up, playing and maintenance.

This icon indicates that you can choose between the hard copy of the documents sent by postal mail, or the downloadable electronic files, in pdf format to your computer. In order to view and print the pdf files, you need the free 'Acrobat Reader' program installed in your computer. Life-size drawings require large printers. Electronic documents have a reduced price, don't have shipping costs, but are non-refundable.

Harp Accessories and Spare Parts

Harp Availability and delivery time

Not all of the items listed on our site are available immediately. Products without a reference nor a price are rarely available for quick dispatch. If you are interested in them, please contact us.

We publish standard availability, which means that this product usually ships in that time since it has been ordered. But at the specific time of your order, that interval can be longer or smaller depending on many production factors.  In addition, you still will have to wait for your product to arrive (delivery time). [More info about availability & delivery dates]

Harp Configuration, References and Prices

			Check the offers: In April up to 25% Off
			Ref.				Price [1]
	Harp - Minster Lovell
	Finished Instrument
	Harp - Minster Lovell, without semitone keys		FHAML		Finished		554.85	RWC
	Harp - Minster Lovell, with semitone keys		FHAMLS		Finished		638.26	RWC
	Kit + drawing + instructions + license
	Harp - Minster Lovell, without semitone keys		KHAML		Kit		267.19	RWC
	Semitone keys for Minster Lovell Harp		KHAMLS		Kit		71.45	RWC
	Drawing + instructions + license
	Harp - Minster Lovell, without semitone keys		PHAML		Plan		37.15	RWC
	Harp - Minster Lovell, with semitone keys		PHAMLS		Plan		57.83	RWC
	Accessories and Spares
	Medieval Lap Harp (Weekender series)
	Finished Instrument
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 nylon strings G-b - plywood (Weekender series)		FWHAN		Finished		287.62	RWC
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 nylon strings G-b - solid timber (Weekender series)		FWHANS		Finished		319.96	RWC
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 gut strings G-b - plywood (Weekender series)		FWHAG		Finished		348.89	RWC
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 gut strings G-b - solid timber (Weekender series)		FWHAGS		Finished		379.53	RWC
	Kit + drawing + instructions + license
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 nylon strings G-b - plywood (Weekender series)		KWHAN		Kit		100.38	RWC
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 nylon strings G-b - solid timber (Weekender series)		KWHANS		Kit		129.32	RWC
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 gut strings G-b - plywood (Weekender series)		KWHAG		Kit		149.74	RWC
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 gut strings G-b - solid timber (Weekender series)		KWHAGS		Kit		178.68	RWC
	Drawing + instructions + license
	Medieval Lap Harp - 17 gut strings G-b		PWHA		Plan		27.48	RWC
	Accessories and Spares

Prices and Exchange rates
All published prices are exclusive of VAT and shipping costs. They are shown in RWC.
The following exchange rates are valid on April 28th, 2020. See other conditions

Exchange rates 1 RWC= 1.585 GBP 1.725 EUR 1.973 USD 210.4 JPY 2.744 CAD 3.017 AUD 1.925 CHF 144.3 RUB 13.97 CNY 35.84 ZAR 46.99 MXN

Promotions
Some temporary offers and discounts might apply: In April up to 25% Off

Ordering
For security and service quality, we need your order to be in writing and cannot take it by phone.
If you want to buy, please, fill and send the ORDER FORM. Should you have any difficulty, please contact us.

More Info
For more information about buying our products, you should consult the following pages:

Currency exchange Shipping Cost

Discounts: In April up to 25% Off VAT or Sales Taxes

Methods of Payment Customs Duties

Customer Service Availability & delivery dates

Copyright © 1999 Renaissance Workshop Company Ltd.
Last modification: 03 de mayo de 2019

Phone:(+34) 91 450 30 50