LOTKEY 19 Strings Harp, Solid Mahogany Harps 29'' W/Gig Bag,Tuning Wrench,Straps,Instruction for Professional Lyre Harp Player,Beginner,Adults F3 G3 A3 B3 C4 D4 E4 F4 G4 A4 B4 C5 D5 E5 F5 G5 A5 B5 C6

I've had to tune mine a few times because it would slip out of tune really quick the first couple times, that's a thing lyres do, but now it's just fine and I've been playing it quite a bit without needing to tune. I like that it's a great beginner instrument, especially since I have really small fingers that dislocate easily, so I can't play guitar, and piano is painful. I've been able to play this much more easily, and my hand can span a good chunk of the strings to pluck multiples without over stressing my hand joints. The lyre is a great size and is comfortable to hold as well. The sound is lovely, and the resonance in the body is pretty soothing as you play. My second string snapped the first time I tuned it, but I also think I had turned it a little too fast without giving the string enough time to adjust, so user error. Start with slow, few millimeter increments, and let the strings settle for a moment. It's ok if you can't get it into tune right away, just work slowly, tweaking multiple strings as others rest till you can get them all in tune. The strings are adjusting, so it will slip out of tune very quickly at first, that's fine, let the strings settle and just keep gently tuning over the next few times you play it so they don't snap, it'll get there. Restringing was fairly simple. Easier than a guitar, for me at least, and although I couldn't find my guitar string nippers, those will work well to trim the string once it's on. The nice thing is not only did it come with the case, extra strings, and the tuning wrench, but the booklet included contains some musical pieces so that you can get started.

lotkey took notice of my review and they have sent me a replacement for the lyre harp that I previously received - this one appears to be in perfect condition, I tuned it up last night and it sounds beautiful this morning. thank you lotkey! the bit about tuning in my original post is still very much the case, but that's an intrinsic property of lyres - you're going to have to tune this a lot before it stays in tune, the strings stretch and the body compresses until everything settles, but after the first week or so, it will keep its tune for many days at a time a small note on tuning to anyone buying the lyre pictured: I've tried several tuning arrangements, and have found it amenable to keys between F3 (174) and C4 (I managed to just barely tune with a D4 bass note, but had to be very careful with my tuning and broke several strings in the attempt) thank you again to lotkey for sending a replacement for the cracked one! ___ old review: Mine came with a crack in the body just above the F hole. hard to say if this was carelessness in shipping, since there was almost no padding in the box, or a manufacturing defect. it also came with a broken D string, which I was able to quickly replace with one of the provided strings. still a bummer though. be prepared to retune the strings every time you play it for the first few days, as these new strings quickly fall out of tune. by day 3 of constant retuning, the strings seemed to only fall a couple cents out of tune over night. overall, excellent value for $50, and an absolutely delightful instrument, which easily fits in a suitcase and is a joy to play. shame about that crack in the body though.

I've upgraded this review from a prior one after having more time with the instrument. The instrument looks great, it sounds good, and has good construction. It's a little difficult to tune because its sensitive to loosing or tightening the strings. It takes a few sessions of tuning for it to stabilize, because new untuned strings take time to stretch. Note that this particular model doesn't have labelled pegs/strings, so you'll have to learn what they are from experience. If you depend on labelled strings, then you'll have to do this yourself or look for a version of lyre that's designed with labels. What's pictured by the seller is accurate.

I got this harp yesterday and slowly worked on tuning it. As with all new strings, it takes time for them to stretch and settle. Take your time and allow the strings and wood to adjust to the tension. I really appreciate the lower 4 strings going down to F, it makes the left hand have more options. The body itself is noticeably bigger than the 15 String version, but also adds to the tone. I added a different strap (my preference) and knee bones, but it comes with a black strap which would work just fine too. The included bag makes it easy to bring places too! It’s light enough. Some of the strings, I needed to slightly push in to get the strings to grip while tuning, so they wouldn’t slip. This is common for entry level harps. Also, there are no levers. However, it’s fairly easy to temporarily adjust the F’s to sharp or B’s to flat to accommodate a multitude of additional songs other than just the songs in the key of C. I would have liked it to come with an extra set of strings, but the listing did indicate that there wasn’t an extra set. I’m not a professional by any means, but I do enjoy playing immensely. If you are wondering whether you’d like to play harp, this isn’t a bad way to try it out without breaking the bank. It’s sturdy and can stand on its own. F and C strings are color coded correctly for US with blue and red respectively. And there is plenty of music out there for 19 string harps. I’d recommend this 19 String Lotkey.

What a beautiful sounding and beautifully made instrument. The piezo pickup is superb at getting the most out of each individual string. You won’t impress anyone playing it unamplfied. I tune it to a pentatonic scale and because playing it upright is very limiting and unwieldy I play it on my lap with the arch against my stomach. Luckily, it stays perfectly balanced on my lap. I would also recommend a swarmandal/tanpura for a great lap harp.

Why did you pick this product vs others?: I picked this lyre harp because of the price and features This is a beautiful lyre harp in sound and looks. Very pleased with this lyre Ease of tune: Tuning this lyre was not difficult at all .The strings set for me around 4 days Color: Beautiful Big fun playing this Tuneability: Wonderful tone A big Wow Quality: Outstanding

(Please see EDIT at end of review) I bought the 19-string Lyre at half-price during Prime Days and I'm glad I got it at half price, because it really can't be called a musical instrument, a lyre, or a harp. It is truly a royal pain to tune and play. I've played a harp of some form or another for years. There are so many issues with this. First, the tuning keys are EXTREMELY touchy. The slightest tap on the hammer can throw the harp out of key. The hammer doesn't really fit the tuning pegs, causing "sloppy action" while trying to tune this. The strings chosen for this harp do not fit the notes. The upper octave strings aren't short enough, requiring stretching to near-breaking point to hit the pitch. That's basic bad design. The lower octave string diameters are so off that the strings are "sloppy" when plucked and have low volume. The string length and thickness is just poorly designed. Every string on this harp easily goes out of tune and is a real chore to try to get it back in. Even with all my years of experience I wasn't able to get a single string directly on "tune center"; it was always sharp or flat. Far too 'touchy'. This harp would work a lot better if it had a better quality set of strings and a hammer that actually fits the pegs. I can't recommend this even at half price, much less the full price of $90. It is nigh impossible to tune properly and the strings play poorly. I really don't know how it has any 5-star ratings. This really is not a "playable" instrument. In one of the videos I wondered why the player didn't seem to be aware the lyre was out of tune. Now I realize it's probably because he found it impossible to get it IN tune. I was going to return this, but the lyre itself is 'pretty' as a display piece. So I've decided to invest a little more on some quality nylon strings to see if that improves both the tuning and play, as nylon is more forgiving and sounds better in general. But I really can't recommend this instrument, especially for beginners. Beginners need a quality instrument so play is more enjoyable. Not being able to tune an instrument properly will detract from that enjoyment. EDIT: I spent a bit extra and purchased a set of quality NYLON strings for this harp... and they really make a difference. They are far easier to tune, easier on the fingers, and sound better. The lower strings are still 'sloppy' from being too loose. I wound up wishing I'd bought a slightly larger harp for greater string range. For the price I paid this wound up being okay, so I changed my review from1 star to 3 stars... but 'acceptable' performance in my opinion will require the extra purchase of nylon strings, which I would very much recommend. But what I would really recommend is spending more and getting a larger, better harp. This is okay though if you're low on cash and just want a basic instrument. But seriously, the steel strings included with the harp are useless. They don't tune well, are hard on the fingers and sound terrible. Nylon is the way to go with this instrument. NOTE ON NYLON STRINGS: Tune them slowly, over a period of days. This will allow them to stretch and not break. It will take several days for them to stretch and 'set in' so that they hold their tune and they will need re-tuned regularly until they reach their set point (this is well-known among classical guitar players). But once they are set, the sound is pleasant and the strings much easier on the fingertips than steel. Just remember: slow and steady. If you try to tune any string quickly and all at once it will likely break from the strain.

I’m replacing this item. The one I received has the front cut outs completely off center and it was going to bother me forever. The manual also didn’t include tuning or instructions for the 19 string lyre, so it was useless for the one I bought. Came in a big cardboard box, the only words were “made in China” Edit: replaced for the harp instead. Still not the greatest. I like that it’s light and easy to carry, but even as a complete beginner these strings all needed restrung. The nylon is facing the wrong direction, out not in, so half of my tuning slipped off the pegs my first go around. Restrung the entire harp. Wish I hadn’t needed to. By the time I reached the highest notes, the strings were too short to use. They really should consider including replacement strings if they won’t send them strung properly.