Some of you may remember a couple of my posts in the past few months looking for a Harper high D with no luck in finding one. But patience has paid off and I was able to finally get my hands on a pre-owned non-tunable, non-engraved Harper high D, about eight years old and in nice shape. This one is called the “Harper Classic” crafted by gunsmith Steve Harper in England.
A couple interested members requested I let them know when I get one and to post my impressions. Let me say that it was well worth the wait. This is a fine instrument, at least in terms of what I like.
I’ve had the opportunity to use it at our sessions and with the band, and I’m duly impressed. A fellow sessioner and excellent flute/whistle player of 20+ years who plays O’Riordans, Copelands, and Burkes played it at our Thurs night session last week and after finishing a great reel, looked it over, paused and with a reluctance to hand it back said, “Based on just that one tune…best whistle I’ve played. Gonna have to get one of these.” This was indeed very high praise from a well respected musician. Tony Hinnigan sings the praises of Harper as well and uses them in his projects.
Side-by-side with my Overton high D, the design concept is basically identical. The visible differences can be seen in the gently flared end of the Harper, along with a contoured, slightly oval 3/8" diam brass ‘HARPER CLASSIC’ emblem placed between two thin knurled rings nicely etched into the tube about 1" below the blade. Very nice aesthetic touch and nicely crafted. Tube OD is the same, but the Harper’s wall thickness appears just a hair thinner and is slightly lighter in weight. Overall craftsmanship is top notch with great attention to detail.
As was mentioned by a few Harper owners in response to my posts, I’d agree the Harper is pleasantly unique in tonal character and I’d say the volume is about the same as my Overton and Susato. The tone is open, round, strong, and pure with some chiff and the whistle is very responsive. It has a kind of sweetness that’s difficult to explain…but very pleasing to me. I’m also pleasantly surprised how well it performs in moderate/large sessions, and very impressed with the spot-on tuning and intonation. Absolutely no pitch issues when playing with other instruments. In session and with the band, it’s dead-on and fits in perfectly, even when not completely warmed up. I can tell this will be a much-used session and stage performance whistle.
The first octave is strong, the second octave is clear and true, and sings out nicely in sessions without overpowering other instruments. Balance is excellent through both octaves. Back pressure is ideal for me. I think I prefer the Harper over the Overton for the way I play, and the advantage of being able to play it cold with no discernible degradation of pitch, tone, intonation, or playability. Intonation (being in tune with itself) is literally perfect. I’m cursed with perfect pitch and this whistle is dead-on in both octaves, including the c-nat using 0XX000. I’ve heard a couple complaints about Harpers not being in good tune but this one couldn’t be any closer to perfection.
I don’t know if other Harper owners have noticed this, but what amazes me is unlike my Overton and Chieftain, the Harper doesn’t need to be warmed up to play in tune or to sound good. My Overton and Chieftain need to be completely warmed up to be in tune and even then they can be slightly flat unless played aggressively…as they’re meant to be played. The Harper has the ability to be played aggressively, but it’s not required to be in tune. When I pick up my Overton and play it cold, it’s very flat. Warmed up, it’s more in tune, easier to play, and sounds better but still requires aggressive play to be in tune. When I pick up the Harper and play it cold, it plays fine… accurate pitch and intonation, easy to play and sounds great. This may have something to do with the metal Steve is using, I don’t know. He says he uses “gun metal”. I haven’t experienced any major clogging problems yet.
Like Overtons and Chieftains, I’d venture to say the Harper isn’t for everyone. I think it fills a niche for intermediate/advanced players who like the sound of a good metal whistle with a wonderful, unique tone. I wouldn’t recommend it for a beginner, as it does require some playing experience and technique to get the most out of it.
BTW, during my search I saw that Hobgoblin UK had received a shipment from Steve, so he’s back in business. I contacted the Hobgoblin store in Minnesota and spoke to the owner who said that’s great news since Harpers were always good sellers when he could get them. He sent me an e-mail a couple weeks ago saying he’d ordered some Harpers and would come in with his next shipment. So Hobgoblin U.S. should have them in about a month from the date of this post. “Should” is the key word here. Keep in mind the one I have is eight years old, but I’ve been told Harpers have always been pretty consistent, so wouldn’t hesitate to try a new one.
Yes, it was well worth the time and effort trying to find a Harper. This is one fine instrument that I can’t seem to get enough of.
Post updated to add a photo:
