Few instruments in the lever harp world carry the institutional authority of the Lyon & Healy Troubadour. Introduced in the 1960s as Lyon & Healy's very first foray into lever harps — a company that had, until then, built exclusively for the orchestral pedal market — the Troubadour was conceived as the definitive bridge between the Celtic lever tradition and the classical pedal world. More than half a century later, it remains exactly that.

The Instrument That Teachers Recommend by Name

Walk into harp lessons across the United States and ask teachers which lever harp they send students to purchase — you will hear the Troubadour cited with remarkable frequency. This is not accidental. The Troubadour has been in continuous production long enough that generations of harp instructors have learned on it, taught on it, and trusted it. When teachers send students specifically to purchase a Troubadour, it reflects a confidence built over decades of proven reliability, consistent quality, and exceptional residual value. Pre-owned Troubadour III and IV models continue to arrive at our shop in excellent playing condition — a testament to the longevity of Lyon & Healy's craftsmanship.

Pedal-Harp Feel in a Lever Instrument

What sets the Troubadour apart technically is its string tension and spacing. Unlike the lighter, low-tension harps designed primarily for Celtic or folk genres, the Troubadour is strung with high-tension strings calibrated to replicate the feel of a pedal harp. String spacing, key resistance, and overall physical response are all tuned to mirror the experience of playing a full orchestral instrument. For students working toward a pedal harp — or for professional pedal harpists seeking a portable lever instrument — this translates to zero relearning curve. You simply sit down and play.

Sound & Construction

The Troubadour VI is built around a Pacific Northwest Sitka spruce soundboard — one of the most acoustically refined tonewoods in instrument making, prized for its balance of stiffness, lightness, and resonant projection. The 15⅛-inch soundboard drives a rich, full-bodied sound with genuine carrying power, capable of projecting confidently in large rooms and ensemble settings. The sweeping Gothic harmonic arch rises to 65 inches — 5.5 feet of elegant presence that commands a room.

Who Is the Troubadour VI For?

This is a harp for the serious student, the advancing player, and the professional who wants a lever instrument that plays like their pedal harp. It is not primarily a portable instrument — at 38 pounds and 65 inches tall, it is most at home as a studio or living room anchor. However, it weighs less than half of a standard pedal harp, making occasional transport entirely manageable. If you are committed to the harp long-term, the Troubadour VI is, in the words of our specialists, the harp you can play happily for the rest of your life — unless and until you move to pedal.