From Newsgroup: alt.tv.star-trek.tos   
   From Address: ryon@dslnorthwest.net   
   Subject: Re: A Question For Hardcore Trekkies--   
      
      
   r...@aol.com wrote:   
   > > Having done all the work, I might make and sell one or two some time.   
   > > Would a Trekkie interested in music be willing to pay from six to   
   > > eight hundred for a harp that's as close to the Way To Eden version--   
   > > even including the small speaker on the back-- as one can possibly   
   > > be? a:-)   
   >   
   > There are many handmade instrument makers valued for their skill but   
   > usually they start making instruments that get into the hands of   
   > famous players who make them "sing."  This creates demand and if the   
   > instrument takes time to build then there can be a waiting list and   
   > deposits can be collected.  This is true for guitars, violins, cellos,   
   > flutes, oboes, etc.  The problem here is that the Vulcan harp/lyre has   
   > not, to my knowledge, been considered a playable instrument outside of   
   > the Star Trek universe.  And even inside the Star Trek universe I   
   > don't remember the props making their own sounds.  I play several   
   > instruments and would be considered a "hardcore Trekkie" but haven't   
   > ever had any interest in acquiring a Vulcan harp, though if there were   
   > Vulcan harp players around, even as a novelty, I might add it to my   
   > list of instruments to play before I die (behind the Theremin).   
   >   
   > Outside of being a musical instrument for a musician then they're   
   > simply props or decor and the Star Fortress site has affordable   
   > unplayable versions if someone wants one hanging on his or her wall.   
   >   
   > What does it sound like?  Have you recorded yourself playing it for   
   > Youtube or Soundclick/ReverbNation, etc.   
   >   
   > Rik   
   As somebody once said, circular logic will only make you dizzy. There   
   aren't many Vulcan harp (ka'athyra) players only because there are   
   less than three dozen of them in the entire world-- compared to 300   
   Stradivarius violins; so how can an instrument have a big following if   
   there aren't that many to play? How can said instrument become popular   
   when so few are available, and possibly fewer are playable, eh?   
   I'm a musician too; I play guitar, mandolin, and the [silver] flute.   
   When I turned the big 5-0 I wanted something special to mark a special   
   occasion. While it took me a lot longer to get it, having it is worth   
   the effort because it is special. People want to see it, hear it, pick   
   it up and play it.  By itself, it sounds like any harp (in this case,   
   a 19 string harp) but with the electronics on there is also sustain   
   and distortion. There are a few videos and audio clips from the few   
   people who do have Vulcan harps in one form or another, but my ancient   
   computer takes nine hours to load a single web page so it's way too   
   slow to do any recordings of my own.   
   Rock musician Sting loves to play ancient lutes, but those will never   
   be popular because there are so few of them left, and fewer who can   
   play them. But popularity is not a reason for playing *any*   
   instrument, but the satisfaction one gets from having it whether it's   
   an electric guitar or a Japanese koto.  :-)   
   Ron   
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