Gérard David
Harp maker
Sainte-Croix

« A harp is made up of 1600 mechanical parts, all made in-house except for a few screws. »

Originally from the French Jura, Gérard David became an adopted Vaudois by working in a workshop in Sainte-Croix specializing in the mechanics of harps. In 1986, his wife Anne-Marie and he himself decided to found a company mainly dedicated to the repair and maintenance of this instrument.

« It was a bit by chance, and following a customer’s order, that I made my first self-taught instrument. »

The gear takes. In 1987, he moved his workshop to more spacious premises, hired new collaborators and invested in woodworking and creating mechanical parts using modern equipment (CNC in particular). Its clientele is becoming more and more international.
The early 1990s marked a turning point in his career, with his first exports to Europe, the United States and Japan. At the 1998 World Harp Congress in Prague, he presented a soundboard whose sound was unanimously recognized. This event then opened the doors of the greatest orchestras and conservatories to him.
Today his team, made up of six collaborators, creates all the parts necessary for the manufacture of the harp. It constantly carries out sound research, works on the technical quality of the mechanics, uses traditional violin-making methods and, supported by numerous analyzes carried out by EPFZ (measurements of the modulus of elasticity, density, sound propagation speed, resonance coefficient, etc.), produces around thirty custom-made instruments per year.
The factory is also responsible for maintaining and repairing the instruments of renowned orchestras such as those of the Berlin Philharmonic, the Singapore Opera, the Orchester de Paris, etc. … as well as various European conservatories and recognized soloist instruments.
Gérard David’s company is one of six manufacturers of concert harps in the world.