There are two ways in which HILA can help you sell your harp. Please read carefully the information below. If there are any questions, contact Heidi directly by phone /text at: 818-495-4652 or email infoharpinla@yahoo.com
1. CONSIGNMENT HARPS WITH HARP IN LA
HILA is always happy to take a harp on consignment. The harp is placed on our studio floor in Pasadena, CA. for anyone interested to come see and play. HILA will create a used listing, which includes a short sound-byte of your harp played by Paul, as well as all the benefits mentioned below for a Used Listing (less the price).
Before being placed on our floor, the instrument must be fully strung, in playable condition, include at least one workable tuning key, and if a pedal harp, have received a regulation by a certified technician within a decent amount of time prior to being placed on consignment (contact HILA if there are questions about this). HILA will not accept any instrument showing obvious structural damage, such as cracks, broken soundboards, bases, etc.
The fee for a consignment harp on our floor is 15% of the end sale price. Payments are made payable to you, the owner, by certified check, personal check or ACH, if possible. Once payment has cleared your account, you can then send HILA our payment fee by check made payable to HARP IN LA.
Your harp will be well-cared for in our studio. Temperature and humidity levels are monitored. We will tune it regularly and replace any strings that break during its stay in our studio (billed to you when the instrument has sold or been released). We do not allow visitors to play the instruments unattended. It is advised that any insurance policy connected to your harp continue until the sale of the instrument.
When establishing a re-sale value for your instrument, we can help by evaluating what the current market value is for your model harp, adding a careful inspection of the instrument with regard to it’s wear, repair history (if known), and age.
Evaluation aside, your asking price should always be something you feel comfortable in receiving. See further below for more about evaluating a price for your harp.
2. USED LISTINGS FOR YOUR HARP
By placing your instrument through our Used Harps Listings you will have a written web post with up to fifteen images appearing on our web site. If you wish, you may create a short sound clip of your harp which we will include in the listing, so people can get an idea of its sound.
The Used Harps Listings also appears as a sidebar link in our weekly newsletter THE GIG. As well, your harp will appear in our special Used Harps newsletter that is sent bi-weekly nationwide. Anyone interested in your instrument is to contact you directly.
The cost per listing is a one-time fee of $65.00 and is payable when the created listing has been approved by you, prior to posting live. Your harp can be located anywhere, so be sure to note whether or not you are willing to help arrange shipping elsewhere, or prefer local contacts only.
Please note that each instrument listing and consignment harp must include the following information, when appropriate:
Harp model, manufacturer, serial number.
Year built and/or year purchased.
Condition of the instrument (be honest)
Lever harps; include type of levers (Camac, Bunker, etc) and if full, partial, etc.
Last regulated and by whom.
Last time played, tuned and re-strung.
Environment harp normally kept in (i.e. smoke-free or climate-controlled, etc).
Up to 10 high resolution images sent as a j-peg, This is extremely important.*
Optional sound byte no longer than 60 seconds.
What is exactly included in the asking price.
Asking price.
Contact information and city/state where the harp resides.
If you are willing to ship the instrument or local interest only.
*IMAGES OF YOUR HARP:
Make sure your images are high pixel. Be sure to include at least one image each of the following:
READY TO SELL?
Over the years, HARP IN LA has helped many harpists sell their instruments through private listings and consignment sales. While every harp and every buyer is different, we've found a few things consistently make the process smoother and more successful in finding its new home:
1. ASKING PRICE.
Please give this serious thought. Your asking price should be one that feels fair to you and realistic to today's market. While we can offer guidance based on our experience, we are not certified appraisers and cannot determine a harp's exact value.
A good starting point is to ask yourself: If I were shopping for this harp today, what would I be willing to pay? Consider the harp's age, condition, current market demand. Take into account our commission fee (if doing consignment), and a fair medium amongst all these factors should make everyone happy.
2. BE HONEST.
If you are creating your own listing for HILA to post, rule of thumb; the more clear and honest you are with your information and images, the more certain you will be in selling your harp. Give clear, accurate descriptions and good-quality photographs with close-ups of any scratches, dings, or repairs.
People are not interested in how great the harp looks in your living room or next to your dog. They're looking for an honest representation of the instrument. Being upfront about your harp's condition helps attract serious buyers and avoids surprises later.
3. ALL HARPS DO EVENTUALLY SELL.
One of the most common questions we receive is, "How long will it take to sell my harp?" The honest answer is: there's no way to know. There is no magic formula for how long it takes a used harp to sell. But, all harps do eventually sell.
Over the years we've seen the new and used harp market fluctuate dramatically. Demand varies depending on the type of harp, its age, condition, price, and what buyers happen to be looking for at the time. A small lever harp may sell quickly, while a vintage gold concert grand or specialty model may take longer. Not because anything is wrong with it, but because buyer interest is naturally smaller.
Lever harps; include type of levers (Camac, Bunker, etc) and if full, partial, etc.
Last regulated and by whom.
Last time played, tuned and re-strung.
Environment harp normally kept in (i.e. smoke-free or climate-controlled, etc).
Up to 10 high resolution images sent as a j-peg, This is extremely important.*
Optional sound byte no longer than 60 seconds.
What is exactly included in the asking price.
Asking price.
Contact information and city/state where the harp resides.
If you are willing to ship the instrument or local interest only.
*IMAGES OF YOUR HARP:
Make sure your images are high pixel. Be sure to include at least one image each of the following:
Full view from front
Full view from back
Full 3/4 view
Full view from side (either side view or both)
Close-up side view of the action or levers.
Close-up front view of the base
Close-up side view of the base
Standing behind the harp, a full view from the knee block to
the top of the neck.
Anything else which will help people get an idea of the
condition of the harp, including obvious damage, large dings or other issues.
If your harp is smallish, an image of someone
sitting/standing by the harp helps to understand the size.
Again, make sure these images are at a high enough pixel rate
to be clearly seen.
READY TO SELL?
Over the years, HARP IN LA has helped many harpists sell their instruments through private listings and consignment sales. While every harp and every buyer is different, we've found a few things consistently make the process smoother and more successful in finding its new home:
1. ASKING PRICE.
Please give this serious thought. Your asking price should be one that feels fair to you and realistic to today's market. While we can offer guidance based on our experience, we are not certified appraisers and cannot determine a harp's exact value.
A good starting point is to ask yourself: If I were shopping for this harp today, what would I be willing to pay? Consider the harp's age, condition, current market demand. Take into account our commission fee (if doing consignment), and a fair medium amongst all these factors should make everyone happy.
2. BE HONEST.
If you are creating your own listing for HILA to post, rule of thumb; the more clear and honest you are with your information and images, the more certain you will be in selling your harp. Give clear, accurate descriptions and good-quality photographs with close-ups of any scratches, dings, or repairs.
People are not interested in how great the harp looks in your living room or next to your dog. They're looking for an honest representation of the instrument. Being upfront about your harp's condition helps attract serious buyers and avoids surprises later.
3. ALL HARPS DO EVENTUALLY SELL.
One of the most common questions we receive is, "How long will it take to sell my harp?" The honest answer is: there's no way to know. There is no magic formula for how long it takes a used harp to sell. But, all harps do eventually sell.
Over the years we've seen the new and used harp market fluctuate dramatically. Demand varies depending on the type of harp, its age, condition, price, and what buyers happen to be looking for at the time. A small lever harp may sell quickly, while a vintage gold concert grand or specialty model may take longer. Not because anything is wrong with it, but because buyer interest is naturally smaller.
That buyer may be the 5th person who sees your harp or the 50th. It's hard to predict. There is a harp out there for everyone and some harps take longer to sell than others.
4. ARE YOU REALLY READY TO SELL?
Don't brush this off, it's important. Are you selling because you're truly ready to part with your harp? Or are you hoping a family member may want it someday? Do you simply feel guilty that you don't play it often enough? Maybe you feel more comfortable renting your harp? There's nothing wrong with any of these reasons, but it's worth thinking about before listing your harp.
If you're confident that you're ready to sell, we'll do everything we can to help your harp find a new home.
Simply said: Price your harp fairly. Describe it honestly. Be ready to let it go. And be patient.
