I receive e-mails every so often from individuals wondering how best to market their used harps. This is my secret list of top resources. (Updated 2024)
- HarpColumn.com This site is great, but reaches a world-wide audience, so it’s harder to connect with people in Minnesota. There is a fee to post a classified. https://harpcolumn.com/submit-a-classified-ad/
- Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace I’ve met many lovely people who purchased their harps off Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace.
- MN Chapter of the American Harp Society Currently the chapter has a free classifieds section on their website where you can create and manage a listing. You are entirely responsible for this listing: managing it, renewing it, etc. They also release a newsletter every other month during the school year. If you visit the MN Chapter website, there is a contact link and you can ask the secretary to include a local listing in the upcoming newsletter.
- Local harp teachers E-mail them directly. They may have students looking for a used instrument. It’s good to include the harp’s maker, age, number of strings, a photo, and details like whether it has levers, etc. (But you won’t always get a response; harp teachers are busy people!)
- Groth Music in Bloomington This lovely music store sells instruments on consignment. They don’t do harp repairs, but you can contact them to discuss pricing for consignment, etc.
- Local harp makers Check with our two Minnesota harp makers to see if they have space to offer your harp on consignment. Musicmakers is located in Stillwater, Minnesota, and Stoney End is located in Red Wing, Minnesota.
- Ask a friend Ask any harpists you may know if they’d like to buy it. Ask them if they have friends who’d like to buy it. Ask your friends if they have friends who play harp. You never know who knows someone that might help you. I acquired a beautiful little harp this way, from a former co-worker’s step-fathers’ ex-tenant.
- And finally… Consider donating your harp to a local high school or middle school. Many young harpists never get to play in a band or orchestra because their school doesn’t have a harp and it takes so much effort to transport a harp to school every day. By donating your harp, you could make it possible for harpists to gain valuable and fun experience making music as part of a group! Also, depending on the school, you might be able to write off the donation on your taxes.
Of course, you could always consider keeping that harp of yours and taking lessons…
You might also enjoy reading: Three Places to Find a Harp in St. Paul/Minneapolis.
Stephanie Claussen teaches harp lessons out of her home in St. Paul, Minnesota. She strives to ingrain in each student not only effective harp technique, rhythm skills and a sense of musicality, but also a love for making music.