Autoharp Accessories Buyer's Guide - From Riverboat Music(tm), This is a supplement to our Autoharp Buyers' Guide page, which provides helpful information about choosing autoharps. It mentions accessories you should consider buying when you acquire an autoharp, but we felt that we needed more detailed information, as well as example products in each category. Many products, like picks and straps are available at any guitar store, and, frankly, the brand you buy isn't important. But certain products, like cases and gig bags, deserve meaningful reviews. Again, these are just suggestions based on our experience. You may find other products that meet your needs better, but at least we're hopefully starting you in the right direction. Cases and Gig Bags For decades, autoharps were sold with fancy-looking cardboard cases that weren't all that sturdy. They do protect your autoharps from dust and dings when it's sitting at home, so a used autoharp that comes with one of these cases is likely to be in better shape than one that does not. But if you're hoping to take your autoharp out of the house often, you'll eventually want to get something more durable. Only the most solid cases will protect your autoharp if someone throws a suitcase on top of it. But for tossing in the back seat or wandering around festival grounds, I prefer "gig bags," also called "soft cases," as long as they're well padded and rugged. Here are some brief comparisons of cases and gig bags Oscar Schmidt has made over the years. The last three are currently available from multiple sources. Note: Several other companies, including autoharpstore.com, have offered decent gig bags over the years. (One is shown below.) Sadly, the gig bag Chromaharp offers for about $20 is worth every penny. Not much padding, handles that don't velcro together for carrying, etc. But it will keep the dust off and it does make it easier to carry. (As of this writing, you can still get them from RBI, but they are not recommended. Other Accessories The tuning "hammers" (wrenches) that come with some instruments have a lot of "play" or "wobble." That is to say, they don't always fit as snugly over the peg as they should. You may eventually want to consider an upgrade, especially to a tuner that is "T" shaped so equal pressure is put on all sides of the peg. Whether you want to strum all the strings at the same time, or use more complex picking patterns, you'll need to buy some picks. Fortunately, you can use the same picks guitar players use (either "flat picks" or "fingerpicks"). If you want to play your harp upright with a strap, you'll find that guitar straps work just fine. If your harp doesn't come with strap buttons, you'll find that guitar strap buttons are available from a wide range of sources, including (probably) your local music store. DON'T just screw them in, though. Look at other players' instruments choices and online examples to decide where you want the buttons to go, then pre-drill a hole with a bit that's barely narrower than the screw that comes with the strap button. If you eventually want to "electrify" your "harp," and you don't mind a bit of work and careful craftsmanship, you'll find that dealers like Pete D'Aigle often stock a magnetic pickup designed specifically for autoharps. It's similar to the ones Oscar Schmidt is now putting on their more expensive acoustic-electric 'harps. See our article on Autoharp Pickups for more information. Sample Accessories The following table shows examples of autoharp accessories that should meet or exceed your needs. Why Amazon links? - I put Amazon links in each block, because Amazon provides direct links to each product, and most of the other vendors have product pages that "move around" or that disappear if they're out of stock for more than a day. In addition, if you click on an Amazon link and buy one of these pieces I get a small commission. That said, even Amazon links change over time, so if you click on a link and it gives you nothing, that doesn't mean the product is unavailable. Other Vendors I don't get commission from these, but they may save you money or hassle. For example, you will get good service from D'aigle and Elderly, both brick-and-mortar stores with knowledgeable employees. On the other hand, you can often get better prices if you try the Autoharpstore, who will send you what you order but who doesn't always seem to have someone onhand to answer questions. If you try any other vendors, be certain to "deep-dive" on their reliability before you send money. Recommended Product Illustration Amazon Link Oscar Schmidt's Autoharp Gig Bag Autoharp Store's "Ultra Plus" Gig Bag Autoharpstore sells less expensive cases, but this is the one I recommend. It doesn't fit OS73B or C, despite their site claims. Oscar Schmidt's Softside Case Good protection, oversized for accessories, sheet music, etc. Oscar Schmidt Hard Case Maximum protection. Golden Gate T-shaped Tuning Hammer (any good brand will do) Flat Picks (any brand will do) Finger Picks (any brand will do) Ernie Ball Guitar Strap (any brand will do) Strap Buttons (any good brand will do) D'Aigle Pickup (I like this one , but pickups of various designs come and go. Check out our article for suggestions. Click to go to our Autoharp Pickup article. Visit Pete D'Aigle's autoharp pickup page. Instructional Materials Our sister site, HarpersGuild.com has compiled a list of useful books and dvds for learning different styles on the autoharp at your own pace. Click here for more information. Conclusion However you chose to acquire the instrument coming into your household, we wish you the best, and we'll answer your questions if we can. Note about Suppliers: While we try to help you get the instruments and other products you want by recommending suppliers with a good record of customer service, all transactions between you and the supplier you chose are governed by the published policies on the supplier's web site. So please print off any order confirmation screens and save copies of invoices, etc., so you can contact the appropriate supplier or invoke the product warranty should any problems occur.* Note about Ordering Musical Instruments Online: Buy only from folks with a reasonable return policy and be sure to have any musical instrument you ordered online checked over by a professional as soon as you receive it. Every musical instrument has the potential for being damaged in shipment, even if the box looks fine when you get it. In addition, musical instruments shipped across the Pacific have a very high percentage of manufacturing defects. If you look at online reviews, a surprising percentage of the one-star reviews say something like "By the time I realized it was damaged (or had a critical manufacturing defect), the period for returns had run out, so now I'm stuck with a useless piece of . . . . " Yes, the manufacturer should have better quality control, and the store should pack things better. But in the end, you are responsible for making certain that an instrument or product will serve your needs while you still have time to return it. Note about Availability and Pricing: Although I try to keep an eye on things and to recommend products that are reasonably available, the musical instrument market does fluctuate, and any product on this page may change price or become unavailable without prior notice. If you "click through" to see details on a product, and nothing happens at all, or you are routed to a supplier's home page, please let me know and I will remove the product from the online listing until I can find a replacement or another supplier. *Here's an irony: every year, I receive about a dozen complaints from folks who have never been to my sites before, angry that a deal between that person and a vendor or manufacturer I recommend went south (in their opinion). They "googled" the product, saw my recommendation or review, then e-mailed me to tell me they were going to sue me or report me to the Better Business Bureau for personally ripping them off by recommending a product they had bought from someone else. Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, the problem is really because the customer didn't read the whole ad, or ordered the wrong thing, or threw away his paperwork and doesn't know where he bought it from, etc. I'm always polite, and sometimes I can even help them get things straightened out with the vendor, but it's not, technically, my problem. Click here to return to the text.

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