Types of Small Harp: Exploring Compact and Portable Options

Last Updated on July 3, 2026 by folkstrings

Small harps are a genuinely diverse family, not one instrument — the right pick depends entirely on which type you actually want. Here’s the one I’d point you toward for each.

What Are The Different Types of Small Harps?

When it comes to small harps, most instruments fall into a few main categories, I also provide my top pick for beginners under each if you need one!

Lap Harps:

These compact harps are designed to rest on your lap, making them lightweight and highly portable. They’re ideal for beginners, children, or anyone looking for a travel-friendly instrument.

Celtic (Lever) Harps:

The most popular type of small harp, Celtic harps typically have 22–34 strings and feature levers that let you easily change keys. They’re versatile and commonly used in folk and classical music.

Wire-Strung Harps:

These harps use metal strings, producing a clear, bell-like tone. They’re often inspired by historical designs and are favored by players interested in traditional Celtic or early music.

Electric Harps:

Small electric harps come equipped with pickups for amplification, making them great for performing in modern music settings or with bands.

Note: Instruments like lyres or Aeolian harps are sometimes called “mini harps,” but they are technically distinct from true harps and less common for most players.

Buying Guide for Small Harps

When I bought my first harp, I focused on several key factors that helped me find the right balance between quality and price. Here’s what to consider as you shop for your own small harp:

Scale and Range

The number of strings determines what music you can play:

• 15-19 strings: Very limited range, best for simple melodies
• 22-26 strings: Good for beginners, allows for most folk music
• 29-34 strings: More versatile for intermediate players

I started with a 26-string harp, which gave me enough range without overwhelming me as a beginner.

Types and Price Ranges

• Lever Harps: $500-$2,000, suitable for beginners to intermediate players
• Lap Harps: $300-$800, more affordable but with limited range
• Lyre Harps: $100-$300, the most affordable option (though technically a different instrument)

Setting my budget beforehand helped me narrow down choices without getting overwhelmed.

Weight and Portability

If you plan to transport your harp regularly, weight matters:

• Under 10 pounds: Ideal for frequent travel and younger players
• 10-20 pounds: Good balance between portability and sound quality

I chose a 12-pound harp that I could easily carry to lessons but still had decent sound projection.

Quality and Materials

Look for these quality indicators:

• Solid wood soundboard: Produces better resonance than laminated wood
• Sturdy tuning pins: Should turn smoothly but hold tension well
• Even string spacing: Indicates careful craftsmanship

While professional harpists invest in high-end models, I found many affordable harps that don’t compromise on sound quality. Reading reviews from other beginners helped me identify good-value instruments.

Is Harp a Good Beginner Instrument?

It is, but it helps to go in with accurate expectations rather than optimistic ones. The harp has a reputation for being delicate and difficult, and some of that reputation is earned — full-sized pedal harps are expensive, physically demanding, and genuinely hard to transport. Small harps sidestep most of those problems. A good lap harp or 26-string lever harp is light, relatively affordable, and you can play something that sounds like actual music within the first few sessions rather than enduring months of scales before it becomes rewarding.

What you will find challenging, regardless of size, is the two-handed coordination. Harp playing requires your hands to work independently in ways that feel unnatural early on — right hand carries the melody, left handles the bass and harmony. Getting those two things to work together takes time. It’s not harder than guitar overall, but the coordination challenge is different and it catches some beginners off guard.

Can You Self-Teach Harp?

Yes, to a point — and that point is roughly where left-hand technique becomes important. Most self-taught harp players do fine with melody lines, simple folk tunes, and basic accompaniment patterns. There’s genuinely useful beginner content on YouTube, and providers like Harp Column and Celtica Harps publish structured beginner courses that are worth the investment.

Where self-teaching tends to break down is finger position and nail angle. Bad habits here are easy to develop and hard to undo, and they limit you once you try to play anything faster or more complex. If you’re serious about progressing, two or three sessions with a real teacher early on — just to check your technique — is a better investment than months of self-teaching followed by months of unlearning. That said, plenty of people play lap harp at a satisfying hobbyist level entirely self-taught. It depends what you want from it.

Is Small Harp Easier to Learn than the Regular Sized Harp? My Experience

In practical terms, yes — and not just because the strings are fewer. A smaller harp means your arms aren’t reaching as far, string tension is lighter so your fingers fatigue less quickly, and the whole thing sits more comfortably on your lap or a low stand. When I was starting out, the physicality of a full-sized instrument was genuinely off-putting. You spend mental energy managing the instrument before you’ve even thought about the music.

The trade-off is range. A small lap harp might give you two and a half octaves; a proper lever harp gives you four or more. For folk music, hymns, and melody work that’s usually more than enough. If you want to play full classical arrangements, you’ll eventually need more strings. But as a starting point — and often as a permanent instrument for players who know what they want — a small harp is not a compromise. It’s a genuinely good instrument in its own right.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different kinds of small harps suitable for beginners?

The main categories are lap harps (also called lyre harps), lever harps (Celtic harps), and wire-strung harps. Lap harps are the most beginner-friendly — small, affordable, and easy to hold. Lever harps are better if you want to play in multiple keys; the levers on each string let you sharpen notes, which matters for folk and traditional music. Wire-strung harps have a bright, metallic sound suited specifically to early music and Irish traditional styles — not the obvious starting point for most beginners.

How many strings do typical small harps have?

Lap and lyre harps usually have between 15 and 21 strings. Entry-level lever harps typically have 22 to 27 strings, covering around two to three octaves. For most beginner folk and melody playing, 22 strings is comfortable. Below 19 strings you’ll start to feel the limitations fairly quickly.

Can you recommend beginner-friendly small harps?

The Donner lyre harp is consistently good value — solid build, decent tone, and it comes with a gig bag and spare strings. The Harpsicle range (made by Rees Harps in the US) is a step up in quality and worth the extra cost if your budget allows. For lever harps, the Roosebeck Heather is a reasonable entry-level option, though quality control varies across budget brands — reading recent reviews before buying is worth the time.

Where can I buy a small harp?

Amazon and Reverb have the widest selection. Reverb is particularly useful for secondhand harps, which can be excellent value — harps don’t wear out quickly if they’ve been maintained. Specialist retailers like Rees Harps, Lyon & Healy, and Triplett sell direct and tend to offer better quality control at the mid-range price point. In the UK, Pilgrim Harps is worth checking for lever harps specifically.

What should I look for in my first small harp?

String material matters more than most beginners realise. Nylon strings are forgiving on fingers and standard for most beginners. Carbon fibre strings last longer and hold tune better in changing temperatures. Steel or bronze wire strings have a completely different tonal character and aren’t generally recommended unless you’re specifically pursuing that sound. Beyond strings: check that the harp holds tune reasonably well (recent reviews, not manufacturer’s claims), that any levers engage cleanly, and that the body is solid wood rather than laminate if you can manage it within budget.

Author Profile

Daniel Johnstone

Daniel Johnstone is an English writer and folk musician who has been playing stringed instruments for over twenty years. He started on guitar as a teenager before working his way through cavaco, tenor guitar, autoharp, mountain dulcimer, and harp. He founded Folkstrings.com to provide practical, experience-based buying advice for folk instrument players at every level — the kind of guidance he always wished had existed when he was finding his feet.

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