Customer Reviews

What Our Customers Are Saying

(All reviews are published with permission leaving out identifying information unless desired left in.)

 

Gennaro "Gerry" Porcaro at Harps, Etc, California, USA, March 2023:

"That client from this previous emailed chain loves her newly strung harp. Thank you so much for your help with that!"

[Thanks, Gerry! It's been grand working with you. - Davy]

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Front Royal, Virginia, USA, April 2022:

A very special endorsement (YouTube comment) from our late Founder, Maestro John Kovac after playing our new folk harp in March 2022, the ParaHarp:

"Great harp & easy to play."

[Thanks, John! This means a whole lot, especially so, coming from yourself! - Davy]

Below: John Kovac & Friends playing dinner music at Thunwa Thai. (John is playing on the ParaHarp.)

 

By the way, we want to give a BIG shoutout to the owner of Thunwa Thai. Next time you are in Front Royal, VA, we highly recommend you give Thunwa a try! Excellent food, service & environment.

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J.U., Kansas, USA, February 2022:

Davy built a new Neck/H.C. as a replacement for an older Kovac model 36 String Paraguayan harp which Neck had broken apart. It was necessary to receive, reassemble the pieces and exactly copy the old Neck's dimensions, etc., in order to create & use the new Neck on the existing harp.

And, it had to be easy for the client to install the Neck themselves. The existing tuner hardware was reused. Davy also supplied a new string set for the old harp via the client's on-site measurements of the old string set per Davy's parameters.

"The harp works amazingly well... Thank you so much for all your work that made it possible!"

[You are very welcome! We are pleased the harp project was a success. - Davy]

Below: Picture of the rebuilt harp with the new Neck & String set installed by the owner.

Below: The harp's original Neck broken apart. John Kovac originally built the harp in 1993, using special flooring wood from an original home built in Virginia in the mid to late 1800s, as provided to John by his harp-buying client.

Below: The old Neck (reassembled) in front of the new Neck being built. The new Neck needed to precisely copy the old Neck in every detail in order for it to be guaranteed to function on the old harp as John Kovac originally engineered it.

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J. F., South Carolina, USA, October 2021:

J.F. just finished a Harpune Kit for his Daughter. 

"My new harp sounds real good. [Will be purchasing accessories] to make my granddaughter's a harp."

[Well done! - Davy]

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July 4th, USA, 2021:

Got this short email note from a future harp builder looking for one of our kits:

"Someone said u had the best kits..." 

"I so want to play one of your (John Kovac) instruments its all I think about now for a month watching your [John's] videos [on YouTube]." 

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P.P. from Texas, USA, June 2021:

Our customer, a first-time harp builder, built this beautiful model Kovac Harpune harp from our Plans. The woods chosen were Poplar for the harp, and Luan for the Soundboard, and fabricated their own Back Panel & Bottom Plate sound port for their own version of John Kovac's Harpune harp. 

[Well done! - Davy]

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H.B., New Hampshire, USA, Emails, May 2021:

#1: "Thank you so much. I love this CD [Isle Harp]. I use it in the morning in my preschool classes to welcome my students. I have art projects and activities set out for them and they really love it."

"The copy you are sending me is going to be a gift for an art student I have in the afternoons that loves the CD, too."

"Now that I have your site I will put it in my newsletter for my classes."

#2: "This music has been such a joy for my students for a few years now. I found my original copy in a thrift shop and I went online searching for more copies. I have used this in my classrooms for over 400 students over the years and I can honestly say it sets the tone for serenity, peace and so much joy." 

"The parents always comment on how much they love the music, scent of fresh lavender and the plants in the room."

"I am incredibly grateful for this music and I am so glad I found your site. This [virus] year has been challenging."

"Your music has made an impact on me and my students."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!"

[On behalf of Mr. Kovac, you are so very welcome. You've made our day! - Davy]

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G.D., Illinois, USA, Email, March 2021:

From a DIY Maker of a Kovac Paraguayan model 36 String Harp Kit done in 2010:

[Luan multiply Soundboard; Western Red Cedar Box; Walnut Pillar]

"My daughter M____... wanted a harp. After I saw the cost of harps, I knew I needed another solution. Your book [Harpmaking Made Simple], which I still have, was the perfect solution. Being handy and with your book in hand, I built the harp."

"I attached a picture of the harp so you can see how I did. As you can see in the photograph, the harp was stunning." 

"My sincere thanks for everything"

[On behalf of Mr. Kovac & myself, you are very welcome, and well done on the harp! - Davy]

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From A.S., USA, Email, March 2021

"Hello Mr. Kovac, I have for some time now wanted to have a way to tell you how much your CD "A Few of My Favorite Strings" has been enjoyed and also believe it or not how very amazingly therapeutically soothing to the 10 baby feral rescue kittens that my husband and I cared for until they were old enough to go to Foster care..."

"I found that when the kitties were getting unruly and I was exhausted that if I put the CD on they very quickly settled down and were lulled to sleep by the beautiful music. What a lifesaver it was, Thank You so much, I am still enjoying the CD and hope to find some more to add to my collection..."

"… I was just so amazed at the response I got from the kittens whenever I played the CD of John's, I thought at first it was a one-off but low and behold it worked every time, it was amazing..."

"Sincerely,"

A.S.

[Thanks A.S. for your encouraging email! - Davy]

 

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P. from the USA, uploaded February 2021

36 String Paraguayan harp inspired by John Kovac's Harpmaking Made Simple Book. Notice all the carving on the Body & shaping of the Pillar! Plus, the room was saved on the Neck/Harmonic Curve for adding sharping levers. 

Another harp well done!

 

Image below showing the harp's DIY build in process.

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D.G.- Michigan, October 2020

"Thanks! I just received my 26-string harp last weekend. I am waiting for the harp to settle in tune. But, the sound is pretty. It is all I had hoped for but at a price that I could afford. I like that it is, as you say on your website, pretty lightweight so that my pre-teen daughter can easily carry it around and play it, which she hasn't stopped since we gave it to her (even though it needs tuning a lot at this time.)"

"Even the low notes are strong sounding and not weak compared to that one brand with the tiny, little harps. (I've previously owned one & we've tried a friend's.) Plus, the ringing is very pleasing for such a "smaller" harp!"

"Thanks for making these kits available. I recommend this harp and tell your customers they won't go wrong getting their starter instrument from you." 

[Thanks, D.G! - Davy]

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 J.S.- Ohio, September 2020

Harp Kits Finished, 36 string & 22 string Kovac models, complete with our Kovac harp kits.

"Thanks for your help, and for keeping John Kovac's designs available."

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M.W.- Arkansas, August 2020:

"The new website is great. The extra details, fuller product descriptions, and easy ordering are all appreciated improvements. I think the extra steps you have taken to make the harp building process look doable for beginners should be a real encouragement to many to give it a try. Especially welcome is your offer to provide guidance through the building process if there are unexpected issues that come up during the build."

"I started stringing my completed harp about 6 days ago. Still working on tuning but it is getting better each time. I have no prior woodworking experience. I had to buy several tools and a jigsaw. Still, I found the project doable and fun. I hope many others will be encouraged to try their hand at it."

"Enclosed is a picture. Thanks for the kit that made completion possible."

"You are providing a valuable service to us nervous do it your-selfers."

[Thanks much! - Davy]

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M.W.- Arkansas, July 2020:

"Harp kit arrived today. Very fast. Thank you for your speedy service and attention to detail. I will send pictures of the harp when complete... "

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D.L.- Kentucky, 2019:

"I bought the Harpmaking Made Simply book. It even comes with the cutout templates for 3 different harps. I found the book very comprehensive. It includes many pictures of others who have used John Kovac's plans to make their own harps. I found this inspiring that I could make my own for less than I could [buy] a pre-made harp. John was quick to respond and threw in a free CD & one of his other books as a bonus. I am quite pleased with the purchase. Picture of my finished harp using Mr. Kovac's book is enclosed."