Introduction
Transporting a pedal harp can be a daunting task due to its size and fragility. Whether you are a professional harpist or a dedicated student, knowing how to safely move your instrument is crucial. Today I will discuss how to fit a pedal harp into a car without causing any damage to the instrument or the vehicle.
Choosing the Right Vehicle
In order to transport a pedal harp it is vital to select the right vehicle. In my experience, an estate car is your best option. My favourite has always been the Ford Mondeo Estate. But the VW Passat is great too. I recently got my harp into a Toyota Corolla Estate, it is slightly narrower than a Ford or a VW but I managed. I’ve always fancied a BMW 5 Series Estate but to be honest, I’ve never tried to fit a harp in one.
Always measure both your harp and the vehicle’s interior dimensions before attempting to load the instrument into a car that’s new to you. Or even better, take your harp to the dealership and test the cars with your harp. Buying a car is a huge decision and the last thing you need is to discover that it won’t fit your harp.
You’ll need to make sure that there is sufficient width between the wheel arches in the boot of the car. Also, once the seats are folded flat, the floor of the car needs to be smooth, with no ‘lip’ at the back of the car.
Preparing the Harp for Transport
Before placing the harp in the car, it is essential to prepare it properly. Cover the harp in its padded cases to protect it from scratches and bumps. It might be a good idea to have extra padding on hand if you are putting your harp in an unfamiliar vehicle.
Loading and Securing the Harp
Once the harp is prepared, carefully load it into the vehicle. It’s best to have an extra pair of hands to help with this step.
Make sure that when you put the harp in the car, lay it on the side that doesn’t have the mechanism.
The way I do this is to stand in between the harp and the car, and gently lower the harp towards myself (and the car) so I end up almost sitting on the boot of the car with the harp resting on me. I then lean the harp to the side and rest the column on the car before standing up, still holding the weight of the harp as much as I need to. I rest the harp on the edge of the boot and lift from the base of the harp to slide it in.
You may need to move the passenger seat forward, depending on the make of your car. Some cars also have a lip when the back seats are folded down. If your car does, it will need either padding or some sort of surface on top to smooth it out.
Obviously don’t go piling all your suitcases etc. on top of the harp now it’s safely in your car. I wouldn’t put anything heavier than my harpo trolley on the harp itself. I usually also have room for my piano stool and rucksack containing my spare strings, music, and tuning equipment.
Remember to check that the harp is stable and well-supported before starting your trip.
Conclusion – transport a pedal harp with confidence
Transporting a pedal harp is not always straightforward. However there is a knack to it and I can definitely say that by this point in my career I’m used to it. As long as your harp has plenty of protection and you are gentle with it (and you have a suitable vehicle), you can be pretty sure your harp will be fine.
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