I'm new to the harp, and would very much appreciate some advice from you
experienced players.
I don't consider myself an advanced player, but will give you my two cents
on the various harps.
After reading posts on harp-l for some time, the general opinion seems to be
that the harp is far less a factor in obtaining a "good sound" than the
skills of the player. I've worn out (or ruined) several harps over the
years. I've thrown all of those harps in a drawer for later use when I
become a skilled harp technician and have the time to repair them (still
waiting for that to happen). If I look in that drawer today, I find several
Hohner special 20s, several Hohner Golden Melodies, several Hohner Marine
Bands, a few Huangs and a few Suzukis. I've purchased considerably more of
the Hohner harps than Huang and Suzuki, but I have purchased more Lee Oskar
harps than any of the other brands. At this time, I have no Lee Oskar harps
in that drawer.
My humble opinion is that Lee Oskar harps are easier FOR ME to play and they
last a lot longer. The negative side is that they cost more. My style of
playing (or maybe my lack of style) may be more of a factor than the quality
of harps.
My understanding of music theory, sound, equipment, etc. is far below most
of the contributors to harp-l, so I don't claim to be an expert in this
area. Again, just my two cents worth.