Im on a very strict budget. I bought a 1970s-era Oscar Schmidt autoharp. It had been sitting in a closet and never played. Its mint and is pretty heavy. Fortunately the strings were loosened before it was put in a closet. It sounds wonderful and is playing well. It was stored in its case. Its a B style and looks a bit like the second one you showed. $125.
A couple of weeks ago I found a Korean-made "Chromaharp" 21-chord in immaculate condition for $120 out-the-door at a local thrift shop. Not a scratch on the thing! Plus, a hardshell case. While I'm already a lifelong professional bar-room musician, playing fiddle and harmonica in dance bands since the early 1970's, I took a chance on this instrument on an impulse purchase. I've been studying UA-cam autoharp videos ever since. I've got lots of questions for you! Stand by!
A great video!! I started out with a pre owned OS 21C Chromatic and within a year purchased a d'Aigle Tahoma and no comparison in sound, the d'Aigle aces it!! My plan is to do some work on the OS, lowering the action etc. It had new strings when I got it, I'll replace the felts and recut them to convert it to a diatonic F key harp. The anchor appears to be fine but I'll take the cover off before I start doing anything....Thanks for another terrific & informative video Hal!!
MANY good points. When I was doing heavy research for a series of articles, I bought any number of 'harps cheap at auction just to fact-check some of the "urban legends" I found on the internet. Well, I like tinkering, so I restored a few "to playability," reconfigured a couple to make them more "Folk- and Bluegrass-friendly," and so on. But I have to say, if I was a complete newbie and had paid $175 for an instrument that looked good but turned out to need $300 in repairs, I'd have been bitterly disappointed.
I have a nice luthier made autoharp with a built-in pickup. I recently found that I could use a Katana Go headphone amp with it. So cool, and lots of presets to play with.
I bought my first autoharp for $175 on consignment. A 15 bar harp with no pickup but I was hooked. Within a week I was playing all kinds of music. My next harp was a second hand Oscar Schmidt with 21 chord bars and a pickup and still under $300. As an ex-guitar player I can only say it is very hard to get decent playable electric guitar for under $300. My final harp would be custom made for me by d'Aigle and that was over $2000, which sounds like a lot but guitarists will tell you that a high-end Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster will easily run way over that. Autoharps are great value for your money and Oscar Schmidt makes very playable harps for much less than what you would pay for a guitar with similar features.
Incredible evolution! Could you tell me what drew you to the $2000 autoharp? What are the improvements in the high-end model that you really needed/wanted? For instance, with cycling, very serious bicyclists will get to a point where they ‘need’ the $1000+ bicycle for speed/ergonomics/portability. Or was it more like a splurge crowning jewel in your collection? Thank you!
I have an Autoharp like the one you're showing at 9:21, only mine has a fine tuner on the front. I have been playing it since 2011 when I bought it new. I really enjoyed playing it. Until a few weeks ago when the 'passive pickup' broke! i would love to get that repaired.
I'm in tears. i bough a Chord Autoharp, the strings are rusty, I'm in the UK and have no idea where i can buy the 32 strings needed, I'm a guitar luthier, and can restore the chord bars and springs, its just the strings AND finding the right tuner. Can you help ?
Hi Hal! I am enjoying your videos and the info that you are sharing with us. I am wondering if there is any way to date an OS15B model? I’m wondering if there is a way to tell a 70s vintage from a newer model? Thank you.
There is but it's very hard to describe the most accurate ways. So the easiest at a glance ways are if the tuning pins are nice and chrome-y looking you've got a newer one. The older ones are usually either flat metal or actually a bit corroded. Short answer.
@@wildautoharp Thanks for the reply, Hal! I am happy to report nice chrome-y tuning pins and a well seated anchor (I know--for now, but will reinforce when we restring and re felt). We have already successfully reinforced another OS15B as per your excellent instruction video. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Again, thank you.
Hi! Hal, I have question. I live in Canada but I'm not good at English. Can I buy only chordbuttoms what made of wood? I realy want it and need it! Help me, please! 🙏
My mom has an OS That looks like the one at 9:21 but without a pickup. she's lost the tuning tool... Is there anything she can use as a replacement? Where would she get it?
my OS 100 autoharp (right handed) is too much for me to play vertically. I have no idea how old it is as it has no serial number. I want a laptop harp. Do you all take trade ins?
If it's an autoharp you coud send photos to us at daigle autoharps and maybe we could tell you. If it's some kind of chord zither we couldn't tell you. If you are attempting to determine value I can tell you that even the most rare and most well preserved are worth almost nothing. They are worth less than the time it would take to do the research. Somewhere there is an online archive of all these zither family varieties so you can know what they are and where from but seriously...no value.
@user-il9oc5tc9i tha k you. I've tuned 3 or 4 times already with the fine tuners, which I understand is needful for new strings settling in, and there seems to have been a little improvement so that may very well be the problem. Thanks so much.
Sorry. Finger slipped! They are well stretched by now, but I still do some tuning on the pins. Just make sure there is some pressure on the strings with the fine tuners. It’ll improve.
Im on a very strict budget. I bought a 1970s-era Oscar Schmidt autoharp. It had been sitting in a closet and never played. Its mint and is pretty heavy. Fortunately the strings were loosened before it was put in a closet. It sounds wonderful and is playing well. It was stored in its case. Its a B style and looks a bit like the second one you showed. $125.
A couple of weeks ago I found a Korean-made "Chromaharp" 21-chord in immaculate condition for $120 out-the-door at a local thrift shop. Not a scratch on the thing! Plus, a hardshell case. While I'm already a lifelong professional bar-room musician, playing fiddle and harmonica in dance bands since the early 1970's, I took a chance on this instrument on an impulse purchase. I've been studying UA-cam autoharp videos ever since. I've got lots of questions for you! Stand by!
Thanks for watching! Glad to help.
A great video!! I started out with a pre owned OS 21C Chromatic and within a year purchased a d'Aigle Tahoma and no comparison in sound, the d'Aigle aces it!! My plan is to do some work on the OS, lowering the action etc. It had new strings when I got it, I'll replace the felts and recut them to convert it to a diatonic F key harp. The anchor appears to be fine but I'll take the cover off before I start doing anything....Thanks for another terrific & informative video Hal!!
Thanks for checking it out
MANY good points. When I was doing heavy research for a series of articles, I bought any number of 'harps cheap at auction just to fact-check some of the "urban legends" I found on the internet. Well, I like tinkering, so I restored a few "to playability," reconfigured a couple to make them more "Folk- and Bluegrass-friendly," and so on. But I have to say, if I was a complete newbie and had paid $175 for an instrument that looked good but turned out to need $300 in repairs, I'd have been bitterly disappointed.
I found a hardware store tool that "might" fit as a tuning key! It's called an "adjustable tap socket" mine is by Irwin.
My t-handle tool is being used on a jr zither, a recent thrift store purchase.
Thanks I was wondering about the choices. I have a little ol harp from an attic and it serves me all enough but ill be saving for one of my dreams!
I hope you get one!
I have a nice luthier made autoharp with a built-in pickup. I recently found that I could use a Katana Go headphone amp with it. So cool, and lots of presets to play with.
I bought my first autoharp for $175 on consignment. A 15 bar harp with no pickup but I was hooked. Within a week I was playing all kinds of music. My next harp was a second hand Oscar Schmidt with 21 chord bars and a pickup and still under $300. As an ex-guitar player I can only say it is very hard to get decent playable electric guitar for under $300. My final harp would be custom made for me by d'Aigle and that was over $2000, which sounds like a lot but guitarists will tell you that a high-end Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster will easily run way over that. Autoharps are great value for your money and Oscar Schmidt makes very playable harps for much less than what you would pay for a guitar with similar features.
Did you play something before that? I did. It helped a lot.
Incredible evolution! Could you tell me what drew you to the $2000 autoharp? What are the improvements in the high-end model that you really needed/wanted? For instance, with cycling, very serious bicyclists will get to a point where they ‘need’ the $1000+ bicycle for speed/ergonomics/portability.
Or was it more like a splurge crowning jewel in your collection? Thank you!
I have an Autoharp like the one you're showing at 9:21, only mine has a fine tuner on the front. I have been playing it since 2011 when I bought it new. I really enjoyed playing it. Until a few weeks ago when the 'passive pickup' broke! i would love to get that repaired.
It might need replacing. They often do. The wires are so tiny.
You can hear it in the first part of the first strum.
I'm in tears. i bough a Chord Autoharp, the strings are rusty, I'm in the UK and have no idea where i can buy the 32 strings needed, I'm a guitar luthier, and can restore the chord bars and springs, its just the strings AND finding the right tuner. Can you help ?
Hi Hal! I am enjoying your videos and the info that you are sharing with us. I am wondering if there is any way to date an OS15B model? I’m wondering if there is a way to tell a 70s vintage from a newer model? Thank you.
There is but it's very hard to describe the most accurate ways. So the easiest at a glance ways are if the tuning pins are nice and chrome-y looking you've got a newer one. The older ones are usually either flat metal or actually a bit corroded. Short answer.
@@wildautoharp Thanks for the reply, Hal! I am happy to report nice chrome-y tuning pins and a well seated anchor (I know--for now, but will reinforce when we restring and re felt). We have already successfully reinforced another OS15B as per your excellent instruction video. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Again, thank you.
The Oscar ones I only seen on Amazon. They don't sell any different ones.
Hi! Hal, I have question. I live in Canada but
I'm not good at English. Can I buy only chordbuttoms what made of wood?
I realy want it and need it! Help me, please! 🙏
I am considering the beginner package but can’t decide between a right or left handed harp
That's fantastic! You'll love it either way!
@@wildautoharp I really like playing on my lap. I will call when I finally decide
Can I get more information about the bottom line luthier autoharp please ?
Http://www.autoharp.com feel free to contact via phone or email we'd be glad to discuss!
My mom has an OS That looks like the one at 9:21 but without a pickup. she's lost the tuning tool... Is there anything she can use as a replacement? Where would she get it?
check the other comments, please.
my OS 100 autoharp (right handed) is too much for me to play vertically. I have no idea how old it is as it has no serial number. I want a laptop harp. Do you all take trade ins?
More often consignments.
how do I know how old my Schmidt zither is
If it's an autoharp you coud send photos to us at daigle autoharps and maybe we could tell you. If it's some kind of chord zither we couldn't tell you. If you are attempting to determine value I can tell you that even the most rare and most well preserved are worth almost nothing. They are worth less than the time it would take to do the research. Somewhere there is an online archive of all these zither family varieties so you can know what they are and where from but seriously...no value.
My new Tahoma doesn't sound like that. A lot of the strings that should be resonating sound muted. Don't understand why.
I had to work with the fine tuners to get mine sounding better. Make sure they aren’t sitting too high.
@user-il9oc5tc9i tha k you. I've tuned 3 or 4 times already with the fine tuners, which I understand is needful for new strings settling in, and there seems to have been a little improvement so that may very well be the problem. Thanks so much.
@@geniesmith7319 I just replaced all my strings over Christmas.
Sorry. Finger slipped! They are well stretched by now, but I still do some tuning on the pins. Just make sure there is some pressure on the strings with the fine tuners. It’ll improve.
@@Ellen-n2g thanks so much!
Are you pressing more than one button at a time on that 21-chord autoharp?
No just one. I have another that requires two for every chord. More chords that way but a lot more challenging.