Not that close.
Autoharp string gauges and lengths are selected to produce the notes needed to build complete chords when the individual bars mute the un-needed strings.
The string tension was designed to be purposefully higher than what you would typically find on guitar for a reason; the higher tension contributes to the shimmery top end and doesn't depend on "fresh strings" to maintain that tone.
An autoharp does benefit from fresh strings periodically along its life, but there's not a radical improvement in tone. Many autoharps go their entire life without a string breaking from normal use. Play it and enjoy it.
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