Features,
Innovations, and Options
All of my harps share a common approach and lineage, and feature:
• The Finest Materials - such as air-dried violin-grade Spruce and stainless steel tuning pins.
• Book-Matched Sides and Backs - This requires individual attention to each harp but produces the most aesthetically pleasing and structurally stable instrument.
• Precisely Developed String Profiles - From the inception of each design, the stringing comes first. Great attention is given to evenness and tonal response.
• Generous Soundboxes - Too small a box chokes the tone. Great sound comes from understanding the potential of the instrument.
• Hands-on Craftsmanship - Such moments as tuning the soundboard or matching the grain belong to a high order of craftsmanship. I strive for it in every harp I make.
In addition, Caswell Harps is a unique combination of design elements, as shown below, joining to produce truly unique, world-class instruments.
Click on images or titles for details.
Pasted Graphic 13Dynamic Tension Balancing - My patent-applied-for new load-bearing member allows me to build a lighter, stronger harp that still plays like a Celtic harp. First developed on the Butterfly.
Soundboards - My proprietary soundboard vastly
strengthens and lightens the soundboard, increasing
bass and treble response while allowing the
traditional tonewood to speak more freely. Used on
the Rhiannon.
Pasted Graphic 9The Split Neck - A Latin-American innovation of the last generation, this method of neck construction makes a lighter, more stable, and fully balanced harp. Used on the Hybrid Harp Series.
Pasted Graphic 16String Spacing - Classic string spacing is a "standard" pedal harp spacing, and my Celtic is a refined traditional spacing which feels comfortable to many classical players yet affords many of the benefits of the Latin American and historical spacings.
Pasted Graphic 15Sharping Levers - I offer three styles of sharping levers and various options that work for a variety of harps and budgets.
Pasted Graphic 2Tuning Systems - Traditional taper pins and guitar-style machine tuners provide the most choice of any harp maker.
Ranges - See a chart showing the ranges of
all the models, plus a description of how we describe
the range of an instrument's pitch.
Pasted Graphic 6Cases - I have two levels of cases made for the harps–a lovely deluxe model, and a very fine affordable one.
The Ancient Celtic
Harp -
The source of
inspiration for nearly all my harps. Most clearly
expressed in the Bardic Harp
Series,
especially the Gwydion.
Woods Used - Walnut, Maple, Jatoba, Koa,
Rosewood, Spruce, Appleply–each used for their beauty
and best function.
Warranty - The Caswell Harps Warranty is one
of the best in the harp world.
All of my harps share a common approach and lineage, and feature:
• The Finest Materials - such as air-dried violin-grade Spruce and stainless steel tuning pins.
• Book-Matched Sides and Backs - This requires individual attention to each harp but produces the most aesthetically pleasing and structurally stable instrument.
• Precisely Developed String Profiles - From the inception of each design, the stringing comes first. Great attention is given to evenness and tonal response.
• Generous Soundboxes - Too small a box chokes the tone. Great sound comes from understanding the potential of the instrument.
• Hands-on Craftsmanship - Such moments as tuning the soundboard or matching the grain belong to a high order of craftsmanship. I strive for it in every harp I make.
In addition, Caswell Harps is a unique combination of design elements, as shown below, joining to produce truly unique, world-class instruments.
Click on images or titles for details.
Pasted Graphic 13Dynamic Tension Balancing - My patent-applied-for new load-bearing member allows me to build a lighter, stronger harp that still plays like a Celtic harp. First developed on the Butterfly.
Pasted Graphic 9The Split Neck - A Latin-American innovation of the last generation, this method of neck construction makes a lighter, more stable, and fully balanced harp. Used on the Hybrid Harp Series.
Pasted Graphic 16String Spacing - Classic string spacing is a "standard" pedal harp spacing, and my Celtic is a refined traditional spacing which feels comfortable to many classical players yet affords many of the benefits of the Latin American and historical spacings.
Pasted Graphic 15Sharping Levers - I offer three styles of sharping levers and various options that work for a variety of harps and budgets.
Pasted Graphic 2Tuning Systems - Traditional taper pins and guitar-style machine tuners provide the most choice of any harp maker.
Pasted Graphic 6Cases - I have two levels of cases made for the harps–a lovely deluxe model, and a very fine affordable one.
The Ancient Celtic
Harp -
The source of
inspiration for nearly all my harps. Most clearly
expressed in the Bardic Harp
Series,
especially the Gwydion.
Warranty - The Caswell Harps Warranty is one
of the best in the harp world.