A little History

So, I learned something really cool this week - a bit of a little known fact about Rees Harps. Some trivia for you.

The label inside one of the original Harpsicle®️Harps.

Did you know, when William and the rest of the team here at Rees Harps began building and selling Harpsicle®️Harps, they sold them under the name “Tasty Harp Co.” When I learned this, I thought I should use my sniffer and begin investigating the history of the Harpsicle®️Harp.

Back when William and Pamela were still living in California and were working out of their garage, they brought their harps to fairs. People would always come up saying “oh the harp! I’ve always wanted to play the harp!” This happened so many times! So Pamela decided to figure out why they never learned harp. You know what they said? Harp is too expensive, too big, too heavy, and too intimidating.

Challenge Accepted.

One of the original Harpsicle®️Harps sold under the name “Tasty Harp Co.”

You see, up until this point, the only small harp out there was a Pakistani... Harp shaped product... and it was not good.

William spent years working on prototypes (all while continuing to build concert harps, and with only the help of an apprentice, not the whole Rees lutherie team he has today!) trying to find the perfect balance of a small, stable, and light harp that was able to be built quickly. In 2003, William figured it out and had made a harp that he was pleased with - Pamela said they needed to be fun colors to help them seem less intimidating (great idea, Pamela!)

One of the original Harpsicle®️Harps, sold under the name “Tasty Harp Co.”

At this point, they had moved to Rising Sun, IN and had a small staff. They needed a name for this new, small harp, so everyone stood in a circle and shouted out any names that came to them. Then, a former employee, Natasha, said “What about Harpsicle®️?” And the room fell silent! (Clearly I wasn’t there... I would not have been silent, but jumping with excitement... then William would tell me to sit.. and I’d try to sit, but then I’d jump again because I would be so excited at the name!!!!)

So away William and Pamela went to the Conference for the International Society of Folk Harpers and Craftsmen (IFSHC) in Bloomington, IN, with 8-10 of their new Harpsicle®️Harps. They expected to sell a few of them while there, but sold EVERY ONE OF THOSE HARPS before the end of the first day!!!! By the end of the conference, they sold more than 60 harps.

Overall, there were probably 100 Harpsicle®️Harps build and sold with a label reading “Tasty Harp Co.” And thanks to Sylvia Woods for suggesting they have levers (thus the birth of the Sharpsicle™️, Flatsicle™️, and Fullsicle™️harps and the whole Harpsicle®️Harps line!)

Anywho... I thought that was a really cool story. Do you have a Tasty Harp Co., Harpsicle®️Harp? I’d love to see a picture!

Oh! When I was at the park with William this week, I found an egg. It was odd though. Not a real egg... but it was plastic. And really brightly colored. And had a clue in it. William made me put it back and never did read the clue to me, but he said some child would probably need to find that egg to get a prize... or something like that. I want a prize...

Oh Oh! Celeste is with us now! She is SUPER fun to watch. Really, she is my new favorite on “Bunny TV”.

Woof.