Autoharp By Oscar Schmidt Value

Next of importance to instrument selection is learning about tuning. Purchasing a musical instrument that has 36 strings may be a daunting thought for many, but even more so if you are a beginner. Well if you're reading this post, you've come to the right place. The Oscar Schmidt musical instrument company has been producing Autoharps for more than 100 years. 21 Chord | Electric |.

Autoharp By Oscar Schmidt Value Index

About Pre-AutoharpsAll Oscar Schmidt and Chromaharp autoharps work by pushing down bars that force felt against the strings that don't belong in the chord you're trying to play. The best thing to know how old your instrument is through its serial number. The first twang of a string is higher and the tone settles in after a second. The first unique feature on this autoharp is the Ovangkol wood used for the top, which is very dense, exotic African wood from the bubinga family that produces deep and rich basses. Making Your Own Evaluation. Because of the surge in popularity, a second manufacturing company, the International Musical Corporation in New Jersey, began producing autoharps. Fashion & Jewellery. It was, in a sense, autoharps can be hard to tune, period. Autoharp by oscar schmidt identification. This 'harp will save you the installation fee later. Most of the "Zimmerman" autoharps I've purchased or come across were actually built in Dolge's factory. ) How to Tune Your Autoharp.

All the same, Oscar Schmidt perfected the autoharp and is still the most famous and respected zither manufacturer. But time to spend on those projects has run out, so I won't be getting back to them for a while. Getting into the pattern or sense of the Oscar Schmidt serial numbers is pretty hard. The irony is that the 15 chord bar set was developed for playing the instrument upright. If you have a 50-year old instrument that is well-rusted, steer clear, even for refurbs, unless it is an extraordinary instrument otherwise. Oscar Schmidt Autoharp - Vintage 1950s | Reverb. This model owes its success to: - Its very low cost – (luthier, US made autoharps may cost 10x more). Holds tuning extremely well. To figure the potential price range for your autoharp, you need to figure out what kind and condition of autoharp you have and then determine what similar autoharps are going for used. For guitars, it can be found at the back of the headstock, the neck or on the soundhole stickers. Every musical instrument has the potential for being damaged in shipment, even if the box looks fine when you get it.

Autoharp By Oscar Schmidt Value Inn

Even if later on you order a custom version, you'll have an instrument you can take to gigs with folks you don't know who might wind up playing in strange keys. If you remove the strings, chord bars, and pins, most of what you have left can be described as two blocks of wood, two thin sheets of wood (possibly plywood), and a handful of trim pieces. Guitar Setup: Guitars purchased at Long & McQuade come with 1 free setup, to be redeemed within 1 year for new guitars and 90 days for used guitars. Bob Lewis also does similar work as Chuck and is an expert on Diatonic autoharps. Everyone has their own preference when it comes to autoharps. Note: Autoharps no longer have a built-in tuner (see promotions for tuner deals). Back then, it was a choice between US-made (Oscar Schmidt) and Japanese-made (Chromaharp). I once owned an unplayable ancestor of the Autoharp - a sort of psaltery with a metal bar across the strings and holes cut in the bar. Oscar Schmidt OS21CQ AutoHarp - Quilted Transparent Red - Free Gig Bag and Chromatic Tuner. The purpose of the pin block is to firmly hold the tuning pins in place where the strings are attached. The Autoharp is one of the few musical instruments that can claim to be truly American in origin. So, you can find the Oscar Schmidt instruments to have 'by Washburn' byline in the logo.

If a "buy it now" item sold quickly, they may have either asked too little or found the one buyer interested in such a thing. With Mavin you get... Autoharp by oscar schmidt value index. Everything Organized. Save items and track their value. But this is a reminder that these instrument were all "donated, " which is to say that many, if not most of their owners saw no value in them to speak of. For the final pick on the list, the Oscar Schmidt Americana – (Amazon) is an autoharp designed specifically for bluegrass, folk, country, and similar styles of American music. Others - Accessories.

Autoharp By Oscar Schmidt Value Of Your Home

The Oscar Schmidt Guitaro is probably the most desirable, but few of them are more than a novelty even to serious autoharp players. I've been playing my OS since I started in 1998, and I love it. Turning off personalized advertising opts you out of these "sales. " From there it came out into our schools to become a classroom feature, and finally has emerged as a. popular instrument for the serious musician. Autoharp by oscar schmidt value of your home. Button, Button, Who's Got the Button? If you are a complete beginner and have no experience playing any other stringed instrument, then I'd suggest the Oscar Schmidt Berkshire. The OS73 line of autoharps also features a satin finish. Most of the earliest Autoharps had 12 buttons, like the early black Type A shown a few photos up. With this proven system, serious musicsians can spend more time playing and less time tuning. Etsy uses cookies and similar technologies to give you a better experience, enabling things like: Detailed information can be found in Etsy's Cookies & Similar Technologies Policy and our Privacy Policy.

Customer Testimonials. As a bonus, the pegs in this autoharp will be preserved more from excessive wear due to less use compared to a regular autoharp. However, most of their guitars have 30 as first numerals. Laminated rock maple pin block. You can often find lower prices from dealers or online. Loosen the pegs with the tuning wrench with three and a half counterclockwise turns. You will be charged at the end of your trial period, and every month thereafter, until you cancel. Accessories | Best Sellers. No tuning wrench or case. Buy Autoharp by Oscar Schmidt 21 Chord Maple Body Autoharp Online at Lowest Price in . B0002KMTLG. Cracks in the soundboard, or the face or back pulling away from the blocks, might get so bad that the instrument is essentially irreparable. The company made different musical instruments including guitars, banjos, mandolins, zithers, ukuleles, and the most famous Autoharps.

Autoharp By Oscar Schmidt Identification

The 15-chord autoharp I mentioned above is not the best made instrument. This item is sold As-Described and cannot be returned unless it arrives in a condition different from how it was described or photographed. Books and Periodicals. Autoharp tuning is quite straightforward, and only requires two things, a particular autoharp wrench, and a standard clip-on tuner. If you tracked down this article down, it's likely that an autoharp has come into your possession, and you're wondering about its value. Coaster of ups and downs. With one of these two- or three-key harps (called a "diatonic"), you can no longer play in 7 keys (like a 21-button autoharp allows) or even 5 keys (like a 15-button autoharp allows). An autoharp, however, needs re-tuning quite often, similar to a guitar or another hand-held string instrument, but thankfully, it doesn't require a technician's skills and is fairly simple to do! In addition, they made other changes, such as getting rid of the long wire bridge and changing the way the strings fastened on. The main difference between the two types is that Type A strings have a loop end while Type B strings have a ball end. Autoharp A-Model String Set, for OS73 Models.

They went to the trouble and expense of developing a set of 15 bar end holders but didn't really address chord layout. Then the autoharp made a comeback - through the radio of all things. This model is a 15-chord autoharp and is considerably easier because it has fewer chords to play and also it features bigger buttons that are more convenient to reach and press. The autoharp is a musical instrument invented in Germany. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. If you want a quality instrument that will last you for many years to come, consider having a custom-designed autoharp.

Oscar Schmidt Autoharps For Sale

I search far and wide to find autoharps that meet those specs. Buyer's Guide for Autoharps - From Riverboat Music(tm), Autoharps were one of many attempts to bring music into essentially non-musical households that started in mid-to-late 1800s. Flame maple top wood. Don't get carried away and start buying stuff.

Subscribe to Our Mailing List. This beautiful 1930's reissue is truly a unique instrument. I discuss most of those in my article Autoharps for People with Short Arms. Pay attention to details to see which autoharps are closest to yours in age, condition, and features. This item is sold As-Described. Realgoodvintagestuff. Carefully remove the old strings using the needle-nose pliers to unwind the strings from the pegs.

How do I change the strings on my autoharp? Playable, good-condition 15-chord autoharps can still bring in some revenue - I have seen some change hands locally in the $125 range, although $75 is closer to the average. While they are not my first preference, buying a chromaharp will save a good $50, so if you're just starting out, give it a shot. But also, a fine-tuning system that provides an alternative method of tuning that adjusts your autoharp in a more precise manner, very similar to a cello or violin. I only show 21-chorders on this page because the $50 or so you save by buying the 15-chord versions is more than made up for in long-term inconvenience, not being able to play in keys other people use all the time.