Kit - ParaHarp 34SL Lever Folk Harp Kit with WOOD (Available 1-20-2025)

We are introducing our newest kit: The ParaHarp 34SL Folk Lever Harp including Wood!

(The harp kit will be released on FREEDOM DAY, Monday, January 20, 2025.)

The ParaHarp 34SL is a 34-string harp with Sharping Levers for all Cs & Fs.

The ParaHarp series folk harps are based on the world-famous 36-string, Paraguayan-styled folk harp designed by Davy Clark's late mentor, Maestro John G. Kovac.

Click on the above pictures to choose & enlarge the photo shown at the top of the page.

Contact us to set up a ZOOM or Discord appointment to see & hear this series of harps.

Harp & Kit Features:

* 34 Strings of about 5 octaves, from C2-A7.
* Our ParaHarp 34SL harp kit is sharping lever ready and comes with Loveland brand levers for C & F notes. (Which is more than adequate for the needs of all levels of Beginners & most Intermediate Players.)
* Lighter in weight & more compact compared with similar-sized, Celtic lever folk harps.
* Uses DuPont’s Tynex nylon strings throughout.
* Uses 17-wound bass strings for more efficient & responsive bass.
* The ParaHarp’s sound is more easily obtained with less effort & finger power.
* It uses traditional South American-style guitar string tuning mechanisms with real brass drive gears for long-lasting tuning mechanism strength.
* The 34SL model uses strong, but lightweight cabinet multi-ply wood throughout. 
* Harp is self-standing, unlike its Paraguayan cousins.
* Features an acoustically closed Back Panel with a bass-ported Bottom Plate for greater bass response. This also provides more sound volume for the audience.

* The kit comes with complete & comprehensive wood processing & assembly instructions. 

However, the builder will need some very basic woodworking knowledge and tools to complete the kit. All of this necessary knowledge and know-how can be easily obtained by watching the thousands of woodworking YouTube videos now readily available on the Internet. Some are listed on Davy's Harp Resources page.

Kit Soundboard Options:

* The Kit includes the Standard Soundboard option by default and is made of 5/32" multiply commercial Luan.

* An optional Deluxe Soundboard uses a sectional, animal hide-glued Paulownia Soundboard for more exceptional sound & response compared to the Standard Soundboard Option.

* Both Soundboard Options are pre-made for you! Each Soundboard Assembly is cut and shaped, all sub-components are glued together, holes are drilled, and the surfaces are finished. (Once your harp is finished being built, you only have to install your chosen pre-made assembly option.)

Your Labor & Tools Needed for Constructing and Assembling Your Kit:

Wood Components: Use your own basic hand & power tools to finish sand, selectively edge-route (or, sand), drill holes in select components, dry-fit, level, adjust & glue together all wood components, and fix minor blemishes & flaws including any cut & machine marks, etc., and add surface coloration, finishes &/or protectants.

Soundboard: Install and fine-adjust its fit. (Typically, this involves sanding off any tiny excess of width and height.)

Hardware: Install all hardware, tuning mechanisms, sharping levers, etc., using your own ordinary hand & power tools. A specialty tool kit with various bits, drivers, drill bits, etc., is included to help assemble your kit harp.

Strings: Install into the harp and tune all strings. A string & tuning tool kit is included to help you finish this final process.

Recommended Tools & Supplies: (Not included; provided by you)

• Powered drill/driver including #1 and #2 common Phillips (cross) bits. (A battery drill with a bit holder is preferred.) 
• Specified Drill bits.
• Ratcheting, multi-bit manual screwdriver can come in handy for some delicate assembly routines.
• Flexible, manual sanding block.
• Course to fine sandpaper. (Anywhere from 120 grit to 220/240 grit)
• A powered oscillating disc sander.
• Tite-bond III Wood Glue and maybe extra Super Glue. (Tite-bond I, II & various white, epoxy, or gorilla-type glues are not recommended.)
• Wood putty or other appropriate wood filler.
• Many woodworking project clamps, both deep & shallow.
• Firm rubber hammer or similar.
• ¼” socket wrench handle or driver.
• Wood Pre-Stain solution (required).
• Primer & Paint, Stains or Dyes, etc.
• Top Coat surface finishes like Shellac, Lacquer, Wipe-on Poly, etc. (Thick, brushed-on Polyurethanes and similar are never recommended for musical instruments.
• Various paint brushes, application rags, etc.

Harp's Details & Attributes:

Paraguayan folk harps are known for their bright treble & midrange courses with a firm bass range, right down to the bottom bass note with a pleasing resonance & sustain.

It has high-moderate tension with strings spaced a few millimeters closer than comparable Celtic-style folk harps. This makes it far easier to coax a great tone out of the harp, especially for beginners, senior citizens, and children with a lot less stress & tension on the player's hands.

Traditional Paraguayan harps use more robust guitar tuning mechanisms which make tuning the harp at least 2 or 3 times faster with almost no mistakes that normally break your strings on Celtic-style folk harps.

This harp series uses a bottom-loaded bass port for more robust bass maintaining its bass sub-harmonics normally lost with holes cut into the back of the harp. And, this also helps the sound to better project from the harp out to the audience.

This harp's Back Panel is made to be easily removed for string installation & other maintenance. It includes an easy lift handle mounted to the back of the harp. 

This new model 34SL Folk Harp has 34 strings, and is the C Major scale, from two C's below middle C up to three A's above middle C.

This model harp includes a Neck that is Sharping Lever ready. This means it has been designed to receive Sharping Levers. However, this kit consists of some of the most widely used Sharping Levers on B, C, & F. You are free, in the future, to add your own Sharping Levers on whatever notes you desire.

The harp kit includes, by default, the Standard Luan Soundboard.

The Deluxe Soundboard Option requires an extra 7 - 10 days of custom processing time before your full kit will ship. (Deluxe Soundboards are typically not stocked but are custom-made to order, on demand.)

Of all the components of your harp, the Soundboard is the most critical. It is the heart of any harp. Ours is designed to "float." This means it can be easily removed, repaired, or replaced in case of an accident, etc.

And, it is freer to "move" with the humidity which provides less cracking or splitting of its wood over its life (compared to those harps with solid wood soundboards that are glued &/or screwed down to the harp's infrastructure). Since you can more easily remove it as necessary, there's no need for an expensive luthier to break down the harp to restore it, taking up to many weeks or even months to do so! 

It also includes Dupont brand Tynex nylon harp treble strings and over two octaves of wound nylon (wrapped) bass strings. 

Very lightweight, typically around 25 lbs or so. The harp stands almost 55” tall. And, it is shorter, front to back than most Celtic folks harps near the same number of strings.

A 1-year conditional warranty is included with the kit's parts, pieces & wooden components before you assemble it. As you begin to assemble the kit, the warranty on the wood & strings becomes nullified.

Strings, DIY mistakes, and abuse are not covered by warranty at any time. (Except, strings are partially covered only until installation.)

What comes with your ParaHarp 34SL kit:

• Complete Assembly Instructions.
• * Wood components (all are pre-processed for you) (see NOTE below)
• All the harp hardware including Bridge Pins and String Tuning Mechanisms
• Dupont Tynex brand nylon Harp Strings throughout
• Select Loveland brand Sharping Levers & hardware for all C & F strings
• String & Assembly Tools, which include the following hard-to-find tools:

* NOTE:  All wood components are pre-cut and shaped, select edges are pre-routed with round-overs, Top and Bottom Plate slots are pre-routed, and select components are pre-marked for drilling holes with all Bridge Pin holes fully pre-drilled on the Right Neck Half.

Some raw wood flaws may be pre-adjusted by us and pre-filled with wood putty, etc., requiring you to finish any repairs (as would be required of any good woodworker).

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 Go to the Harp Resources Page

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If you make a mistake on your harp, even if not caused by us, please, notify us right away and we will see how we can help you to complete your harp anyway. You never know how we might be able to help you, which is our goal; for you to be successful in your harp building & playing! We won't abandon you in your harp-building process after the purchase, either. Let's work together!

• It is less expensive for you if we add shipping separately for each complete order instead of hiding it within increased prices for each & every one of our products while making the bogus claim you are getting "free" shipping & handling. No Carrier ships for free!

• Please, be aware Black Friday, Christmas Season, weather-related emergencies & various man-made disasters often delay deliveries; often without notice to us or you. JK Harps accept no liability for such delays that are always beyond our control.

• REMINDER: String Tuning Mechanisms & Wound Bass Strings may have a back-order delay in shipping of approximately two (2) to three (3) weeks due to their custom nature. 

• When any delayed orders finally ship, you will be immediately notified by routine email.

• All orders will be tracked and you can be updated, via carrier email, if you choose, as the process goes along.
• All orders are fully insured per standard carrier insurance services.
• All shipping & handling will include standard fees for shipping materials & order handling.
• A viable shipping address is required and we are not responsible for orders not deliverable at your end. (P.O. Boxes & A.P.O.'s are not qualified deliverable addresses; no exceptions.)
• Any orders over $100 will require a delivery signature at the address you provided for shipment receiving before you can receive your order.

PRE-BUILT HARPS 

• Pre-built, USED harps are only available for local pickup at our Georgetown, Kentucky harp-making shop.
• Pre-built NEW harps are available for local pickup (as above), or can be shipped to your Zip Code within the Continental USA only. 
• Contact us first to obtain a shipping estimate for shipping to your Zip Code. 
• After you purchase your new harp online (if to be shipped) you will be given a second link via email or text message so you can pay for the Shipping Fee for your new harp. (Your harp will not ship until after the Shipping Fee is paid.)
• A nominal, flat Shipping Handling Fee of $25 will be added to your order upon payment for your harp.

• See the harp's description & shipping directions for any further details.

DAMAGE to SHIPMENT

• You must check your delivery for any damage or loss immediately upon its arrival in the unlikely event of any shipping issues with the product caused by the 3rd party, the delivery carrier.

• Take pictures, if possible, and notify the Carrier immediately of any damages to or missing order(s). (Within 24 hours or less.) John Kovac Harps by Davy C (David J Clark, Agent) will not be held responsible for damage to or losses of orders done while in transit. Claims will be made to the shipping carrier immediately in such cases. (But, inform us also to keep us in the loop if anything might be done on our end.)

• If you fail to notify the carrier in a timely manner and the claim gets rejected, you may forfeit your right to redress with the shipping carrier.

• For clarification, but not in all cases, once you make a claim with your delivering shipment carrier, and they approve your claim & finally pay your for your loss or damages, then you will forward us that payment. Once cleared with our financial institution, then we will immediately ship out to you a replacement order(s). 

Photo Credit: Matthew Henry