Lyre harps are among the most entertaining and beginner-friendly instruments you can play.
They come in all shapes and sizes, string counts, and so on.
While most of the best lyre harps you’ll find out there will be suitable for most people, it can get quite confusing if you’re not sure what to look for.
So let’s dig a little deeper, check out some lyres, and see which among them make the cut.
Table of Contents
- Best Lyre Harps
- #1 Best Lyre Harp Overall – Donner DLH-003 Lyre Harp
- #2 Best Lyre Harp For Beginners – Donner DLH-001 Lyre Harp
- #3 Best Budget Option Lyre Harp – LOLUNUT Lyre Harp
- #4 Best Lyre Harp Brand – AKLOT Lyre Harp, 16 Strings
- #5 Best Value Lyre Harp – LJMGT Lyre Harp
- #6 Mid-East Mini Kinnor Harp, 10 Strings
- #7 Mid-East Lyre Harp, 8 String
- #8 LADYACCES Lyre Harp, 16 String
- #9 Smequeen Lyre Harp
- #10 AKLOT Lyre Harp, 7 String
- Things To Look For In A Lyre Harp – Buying Guide
- Best Lyre Harp Brands
- How to Play the Lyre Harp
- Conclusion
- FAQs
Best Lyre Harps
Here are the finest lyre harps for beginners and professional musicians alike.
#1 Best Lyre Harp Overall – Donner DLH-003 Lyre Harp
Introducing the Donner DLH-003 Lyre Harp – perfect for musicians of all levels!
This beautiful harp is made from solid mahogany, with carbon steel keys for superior sound quality.
The 16 metal strings are copper-saddled for a mellow, rich tone, and the tuning wrench is included to help keep your harp in perfect tune.
The DLH-003 also comes with a high-density black gig bag, making it easy to bring music with you wherever you go.
Whether you’re a beginner just starting out, or an experienced musician looking for a new addition to your arsenal, the Donner DLH-003 Lyre Harp is sure to impress.
Conclusion: We feel this is the best lyre harp on the market today.
#2 Best Lyre Harp For Beginners – Donner DLH-001 Lyre Harp
The Donner DLH-001 Lyre Harp is perfect for beginner musicians.
The harp has 10 strings and is made with a solid mahogany resonance box and carbon steel keys to create better sound quality.
The black gig bag included makes it easy to take your performance anywhere you go, and the harp also comes with a wrench, set of strings, and instruction book.
#3 Best Budget Option Lyre Harp – LOLUNUT Lyre Harp
Looking to start learning the lyre harp on a budget? Look no further than the LOLUNUT 16 String Lyre Harp!
This affordable model comes with 16 steel strings, so you can get started right away. And since it’s designed with beginners in mind, the LOLUNUT is easy to use and doesn’t require any special tuning tools.
Plus, it comes with an extra set of strings, so you can keep practicing even when one breaks.
Conclusion: If you’re on a tight budget, there’s no better harp for the price than this one.
#4 Best Lyre Harp Brand – AKLOT Lyre Harp, 16 Strings
Introducing the Aklot 16 String Lyre Harp – perfect for anyone looking for a beautiful, quality instrument with great sound.
The harp is carved from mahogany and features 16 metal strings with durable steel construction.
It has a rich, ringing tone that can fill any room. Whether you’re a beginner or experienced musician, the Aklot lyre harp should fit your needs.
Comes with the lyre harp, tuning wrench, and black gig bag.
Conclusion: For those who want a trusted brand.
#5 Best Value Lyre Harp – LJMGT Lyre Harp
This 16 String mahogany lyre harp is the best value for your money! It comes with a tuning wrench, pick, strings, and a black gig bag.
The instruction manual is perfect for beginners who want to learn how to play this beautiful instrument.
Conclusion: If you want the best lyre harp for your money, go for this one.
#6 Mid-East Mini Kinnor Harp, 10 Strings
This one is handcrafted in Pakistan, and also known as King David’s harp. It has a Sheesham frame and it comes with an ash soundboard.
It has 10 DuPont hard nylon strings. A tuning tool and a soft-case gig bag are included with this amazing harp.
It also comes with a 30-day return policy, since they’re confident that you will be satisfied with this product.
If not, you can return it and try other harps on their line (or go for one of the other ones on this list!).
Conclusion: This is a great harp for the price and craftmanship.
#7 Mid-East Lyre Harp, 8 String
This lyre harp is composed of 8 strings, and can make a harmonious sound that can resonate around the room.
The body is made of solid rosewood, helping to make the sound ring clear.
It has an enhanced classical sound because of the shape and the materials (the solid spruce soundboard) that have been used to make this lyre harp. The sound is a real treat for anyone that is musically-inclined.
This lyre harp comes with a tuning wrench and an extra set of strings.
Unlike the old harp that we know, this is a smaller version of a harp. You can hang it on the wall or above your bedside table for decoration after you’re done playing!
Conclusion: Most aesthetically pleasing.
#8 LADYACCES Lyre Harp, 16 String
With its rich mahogany finish and finely crafted strings, the Ladyacces Lyre Harp is a beautiful addition to any musician’s collection.
Even if you’ve never played the harp before, this instrument is easy to pick up and start making beautiful music with.
The Ladyacces Lyre Harp also includes a tuning wrench, string extractor, and picks, so you can get started right away.
Plus, it comes with a padded gig bag for easy transport.
Conclusion: This is a great option if you want a very lightweight and beautiful harp for a cheap price.
#9 Smequeen Lyre Harp
This is a beautifully handcrafted quality harp. The design is very much like the original harps that we see in classic movies.
It has carvings all over the soundhole, and also some beautiful flower designs on its base. You will really feel like an angel when you hold and start playing this harp.
It’s also two-toned, emphasizing the classical feel even in this modern time.
You can make truly melodious sounds with the 16 strings from this lyre harp, and fill the room with a pleasant and relaxing aura.
This one also comes with a satisfaction guarantee and a 30-day return policy.
Conclusion: If you want more strings on your lyre harp, this is the best 16-string you can get.
#10 AKLOT Lyre Harp, 7 String
This lyre harp is carved from mahogany and has 7 strings, with a saddle bone in the end.
Since it is made of hardwood, the tone will not be affected by much of anything. It’s always pleasant to the ears.
This harp has a warm and pleasant tone that classical music lovers will really enjoy playing with.
This harp has an exquisite design, making it easier to handle. The saddle bone also helps the vibrations to be transmitted better.
You will really have a great time playing and listening to this harp. A tuning wrench is also included, as well as a black gig bag to bring the harp anywhere you go.
Conclusion: Not the best LOOKING harp, but one of the best MADE harps that will last for years and years.
Things To Look For In A Lyre Harp – Buying Guide
Sound Production
First off, the sound of the lyre harp is obviously the most important part of choosing your harp. After all, it’s why you want a harp, right? To listen to that sweet, sweet sound.
The last thing you want is for your harp to sound cruddy after your purchase – after all that anticipation, you get it inside and you play it for the first time and…it sounds terrible. Even after tuning. No thank you!
On that note, if you end up going for a lyre harp that doesn’t include tuning pins and a tuning wrench, make sure to scoop those up separately – you don’t want to be without these.
[PRO TIP: Avoid tuning frustration with this tuning wrench and tuning pins combo deal.]
Craftsmanship & Quality
The craftsmanship and quality of the instrument is one of the most important things when buying a lyre – or any instrument, for that matter.
You want the lyre to be structurally sound and sturdy, even if the aesthetics aren’t that pleasing to the eye.
But you’re in luck, since you can have both with a lyre harp – it’s easy to find one that’s pleasing to the eye AND made with high quality.
Levers
The next thing to look for on a lyre harp are the levers. Make sure they are great quality and don’t loosen or get stuck.
Strings
This is fairly easy. Determine how many strings you want on your lyre harp. There are typically between 8 and 16 strings on them.
You also want to make sure you can still play all the music that you want to on the ones with a lower string count.
Don’t forget to load up on some backup strings too. When a string goes out of commission, it’s a pretty frustrating feeling to realize you forgot to purchase those extra sets.
[PRO TIP: Always have a backup set of strings ready to go. This set of lyre harp strings is durable and affordable.]
Price of the Lyre Harp
Usually, the more you pay, the better quality of harp you’re going to get. Not a surprise, we know!
So if you want the best of the best, feel free to go that route. But there are definitely lyre harps that you can get for a great price, while keeping great quality intact too.
Lyre Harp Accessories
When choosing your instrument, preferably look for one that has a lot of accessories, especially if you think you’re going to be traveling with it. Make sure there are cases made for your specific harp.
A case can be an easy thing to forget when you’re making an instrument purchase, but with a harp you really don’t want to be without one.
[PRO TIP: Make your lyre harp waterproof, dustproof, and bumps-and-bruises proof with this lyre harp case.]
Best Lyre Harp Brands
Finding harps that are made with top of the line manufacturing can sometimes be surprisingly hard.
That’s why we came up with this list of the best lyre harp brands:
- Mid-East
- AAR
- Highland Empire
- AKLOT
- Muslady
- Lyon & Healy
- Dusty Strings
- Salvi
How to Play the Lyre Harp
The lyre has always been a relatively easy and simple instrument to play in the beginner-stages. At the same time, it was the instrument of the bards, and in good hands the virtuoso could do supernatural things.
Is Playing the Lyre Harp Hard?
In the range of most stringed instruments, the harp comes in as one of the simplest to play, while the violin and the guitar are the most troublesome.
If you are enthusiastic, dedicated, and have enough energy to save on this new experience, you have everything you need to succeed.
Plus, here’s the fun part: You’ll be able to give off some fantastic sounds from the very first starting point. The simple fact of running over the strings will have a calming effect, and it is very easy to produce sound.
So yes, it’s a pretty difficult instrument to master, but easier than most other stringed instruments to get started with. And since the lyre harp only has about 10 strings instead of a lever or pedal harp with 36 to 47 strings, you can’t go wrong.
How Long will it Take to Learn to Play the Lyre Harp?
All you really need is just 10 minutes per day initially. Start repeating daily practice habits to get the basics down.
You can check out our in-depth article about how long it takes to learn the harp here.
Conclusion
We truly hope you found enough great information in this article to find the perfect lyre harp for you and your future.
Whether it be just for fun and a hobby, or you want to transition into other types of harps like levers and pedal harps, and take it more seriously…we hope you have a great time with your new lyre!
FAQs
What is a lyre harp?
A lyre harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a harp-like shape and is played by plucking the strings with your fingers.
What are the benefits of playing a lyre harp?
Playing a lyre harp can help improve your musical skills, relieve stress and anxiety, and provide a source of relaxation and enjoyment.
What should I consider when buying a lyre harp?
When buying a lyre harp, you should consider factors such as the size, number of strings, material quality, and sound quality.
What are the different types of lyre harps available?
There are different types of lyre harps available, including classical lyre harps, cross-strung harps, and lever harps.
How much does a lyre harp cost?
The cost of a lyre harp can vary depending on the type, size, and quality. Prices can range from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars.
What are the best brands for lyre harps?
Some of the best brands for lyre harps include Lyon & Healy, Dusty Strings, and Salvi.
How do I properly care for my lyre harp?
You should properly store your lyre harp in a cool and dry place, and make sure to keep it clean and free of dust and moisture.
What is the difference between a lyre harp and a regular harp?
The main difference between a lyre harp and a regular harp is their shape. A lyre harp has a more compact, harp-like shape, while a regular harp has a larger, more complex shape.
How many strings does a lyre harp typically have?
A lyre harp typically has anywhere from 6 to 12 strings.
What is the best way to learn to play the lyre harp?
The best way to learn to play the lyre harp is to find a qualified instructor who can provide lessons and guidance. You can also learn by practicing regularly and studying instructional materials such as books and videos.
