Camac Harps
Camac Harps are the sole French manufacturers of concert harps. They also make lever harps, South American harps, and electric and electroacoustic harps. The company was named an "Entreprise du patrimoine vivant" (Company of Living Heritage) by the French Government in 2007. This State award is reserved for companies who have achieved excellence in the fields of craftsmanship and manufacture. All Camac harps are made in the ateliers they always have been, in Mouzeil, Brittany. The company has paid tribute to their heritage through with their Elysée and Vendôme models, dedicated to Sébastien Erard.
Founded by Joël Garnier in 1972, Camac Harps are known for their innovations in harp manufacture. Some of these overcome problematic elements of a harp's traditional build. For example, they have replaced pedal rods (which can snap and render a harp temporarily unplayable) with practically unbreakable cables, based on those in the aviation industry. The Camac double pedal action has a different disc rotation for more precise intonation; intonation is also kept more accurate through the company's invention of a "rod tuner", that the harpist may use themselves to tighten the pedal cables in between professional regulations. The company also frequently uses carbon fibre in the structural parts of their harps for a lighter weight (8–10 kg less than a traditionally-build concert harp), and greater strength and stability. Other innovations, such as in soundbox design, have been made in order that the harps' sound be even in all registers, and simultaneously round and clear. This is what company president Jakez François has described as "the French sound".
Camac Harps are also well known for their electric and electroacoustic "Blue Harps". Their ultralight electric lever harp, the DHC Blue Light, was developed in collaboration with Deborah Henson-Conant. The company frequently work with artists to create their instruments. Every Camac concert lever harp model is made this way: the Stivell, with Alan Stivell; the Ulysse, with Elisa Vellia; the Excalibur, with François Pernel; the Janet, with Janet Harbison; the Telenn Kadiou, with fr:Dominig Bouchaud. Camac also developed a llanera harp for Edmar Castaneda, and an electric version of this instrument with Leonard Jacome.