After some years of contemplation, and a year of saving and searching
Triplett 25 str. Love it!
Lucky you. I have no intentions of playing a harp but I often dream that I’m playing one. I did last night.
Congratulations!
Hi,
Congratulations! Another wire harper out there now. 
What metal are the strings made of?
I play a copy of the Downhill harp with brass strings (Dennis Hampson’s harp, probably better known as the harp that’s on display at the Guinness store house in Dublin).
…the standard phosphor bronze set that Triplett provides for this harp.
I live where not many wire harps are available (Western Montana), and yet–there is a Triplett 30 strung with brass that has been for sale in a nearby town. I’ve been thinking about that! 
If you’re by any chance thinking of taking lessons with someone, my friend, Ann Heymann (from Minnesota), offers Skype lessons that are excellent value for money. Nobody in the world of the wire-strung harp has managed to pull of a style as exquisite and sophisticated as hers, at least in my humble opinion. I’ve taken quite a few myself and have never been disappointed.
And also in mine. Fantastic player. 
Congratulations Randal! Please don’t tell my wife (she has three harps already), though I do love the sound of a wire-strung harp.
I will have to look for some recordings of her I guess. Derek Bell (was) and Siobhán Armstrong is right up there at the top my list right now.
Siobhan’s a good friend and mentor of mine, too. She’s just lovely.. Great playing too, particularly if you’re interested in baroque styles!
I love the older Irish tunes particularly and appreciate those who find them and keep them alive. To that end, I really like Kathleen Loughnane’s music and harping also.
I see you are in Glasgow; my wife is from Hamilton.
Share a pitcher? please 
Derek Bell played a nylon-strung lever harp, not a wire harp. Do you by any chance mean Patrick Ball?
Wire harps are played differently, and have a very different sound, from nylon harps.
Redwolf
Derek Bell did indeed play the cláirseach.
He didn’t however use the fingernail technique in playing it.
His album Carolan’s Receipt opens with the wire strung harp.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQFC_V_IS0E&feature=youtube_gdata_player
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQFC_V_IS0E
All harps are “cláirseacha” in Irish, regardless of how they’re strung (even pedal harps). The wire-strung harp is An Chláirseach Ghaelach – The Gaelic Harp – or An Chruit.
The way he’s playing there, it doesn’t really sound very much like a wire-strung. It’s not just the lack of using the nails…he’s really over-damping. A great part of the charm of the wire harp is in the drone effect achieved by letting the strings ring.
Redwolf
You are correct of course in terminology. The gut or synthetic strung instrument he played is referred to as the neo Irish harp. As for the sound there’s really a lot of sustain but it lacks that clear distinct attack from using the nails. I agree with you the charm of that ringing is lost. Does anyone know who made his wire harp?
My apologies for not checking in here more often–after starting a thread on..
I haven’t been able to keep up harping over the summer–being the primary caregiver to twins 
…and broken nails
I did manage to recently pick up a smaller hammered dulcimer, on which I play much of the same repertoire of Carolan tunes; my new (to me) small one allows me to play more often as I sometimes don’t keep my large one out. I’ve also been back at the flute and box lately, too
Cheers!