Buying a Used Harp

Photo credit: Bart Hanlon / via Foter.com / CC BY-NC-ND

Whenever possible, it is recommended that you visit the harp before purchasing it. Doing so will help you understand the ownership history, why it is being sold, and allow you to hear the personality of the harp's sound in person. In our humble opinion, hearing a pre-recording, or listening over the phone is not enough!

If this is your first harp purchase, you may want to read our article on buying a harp to lay a foundation of knowledge first. Then you will be more prepared to take in additional detail about the unique experience of purchasing from the used harp market.

Used Harp Markets

If you are looking for a used harp, here's a list of places to begin your search.

Harp players: we are always looking for new places to find used harps. If you know of a vendor or website that resells harps, please add to our list!

General places to look:

• Local Craigslist Listings (use caution)
• Ebay (use caution)
• Auctions (use caution)
• Harp Teachers
• Local Harp Society Chapters

Specific places to look:

HarpWiki has an exhaustive list of harp makers and vendors; the list indicates whether the vendor also sells used harps.

There are some listings/classified boards on the internet that are not a vendor or harp maker. Check these websites below:

Website	City	State/Province	Country	Harp Types
Howard, Bryan	Lynchburg	Virginia	USA	Pedal
Madison Folk Harp Society	Madison	Wisconsin	USA	Lever, Pedal
Harps International			Worldwide	Lever, Pedal
Elena Janzen			Germany	Lever, Pedal
Harp Mall			Worldwide	Lever, Pedal
Harp.bz	Tokyo		Japan	Lever, Pedal
Harp Column			Worldwide	Lever, Pedal

Why Buy a Used Harp?

This section needs more information. Can you help contribute?

Examining the Harp

This section needs more information. Can you help contribute?

Purchasing the Harp

You can sidestep would-be scammers by following these common-sense guidelines:

• Deal locally with people you meet in person - follow this one simple guideline and you will avoid 99% of the scam attempts on the internet.
• Never wire funds by Western Union, Moneygram or any other wire service - anyone who asks you to do so is a scammer.
• Fake cashiers cheques & money orders are common, and BANKS WILL CASH THEM AND THEN HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE when the fake is discovered weeks later.
• Never refund moneys within 90 days of deposit.
• Never give out financial information - bank account number, social security number, eBay/PayPal info, etc.
• Never do communications, financial transactions or shipping outside of your country for a sale.
• Never be "Rushed" or "Accept Confidentiality Requirements". This is a common tactic to isolate the decision making to just one person thereby limiting potential awareness to the scam.
• Use email Interac eTransfers available through the buyer's bank account login. You accept their email and open it with a pre-arranged password using the Interac Certapay System link within the email. Contact your bank's support line for more info.

Further Reading

• What to Look for When Buying a Used Harp | Harp Spectrum
• Buying Used by Steve Moss
• Used Harps: Can You Find a Good Buy? Part 1/6 | Harp Herald
• Used Harps: Can You Find a Good Buy? Part 2/6 | Harp Herald
• Used Harps: Can You Find a Good Buy? Part 3/6 | Harp Herald
• Used Harps: Can You Find a Good Buy? Part 4/6 | Harp Herald
• Used Harps: Can You Find a Good Buy? Part 5/6 | Harp Herald
• Used Harps: Can You Find a Good Buy? Part 6/6 | Harp Herald