Received my dream instrument - a Rees double harp

Big box that I couldn't get any farther than the garage without help.

Loads and loads of packing peanuts that needed to be compressed into two full trash bags eventually.

The encased harp took some effort to get out of there without spreading packing peanuts all over.

My 6'2" friend taking it upon himself to demonstrate the sheer scale of the box and amount of packing peanuts included.

Cat was unimpressed.

But cat is the first one to actually look at the harp up close when I finally get to open up the case.

And out of the case in its full glory. I ordered some extra ornamentations that I really liked out of Rees Harps' catalogue. I was not disappointed.

The ornamentations are mirrored on the other side, as well.

Took years of planning around this and finally being in a good enough spot to make such an expense, but I don't regret it now that I finally got it. About 7 months' wait and a... significant chunk of change.

Closer looks at the inlay work. The soundboard decoration is my favorite part of this harp.

The vast majority of harps people are familiar with use a single row of strings. With a double strung harp, more possibilities open up including echo effects, much more cleanly repeated notes, different keys on either side, and anything else from having both hands having access to the full range of notes without playing over each other.

Up close with the soundboard decoration.

A pickup was also installed so it can be played amplified or connected to an audio interface for more direct recording.

Time to tune 34*2 strings several times a week until the new strings and fresh soundboard settle in a bit...

Cat tax as she was very interested in the initial tuning process.