String Tying Woes

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This topic has 30 replies, 16 voices, and was last updated 15 years ago by michael-rockowitz.

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April 23, 2010 at 9:19 pm #159181

Kay Meek
Participant

One of the clear strings on the highest octave of my harp broke and so I took out the correct string from the little bags of replacement strings that came with my lever harp. I went to a website where there was a PDF file showing how to tie the string on a toggle and then thread it through the little hole, then onto the peg.
I all looked so simple that a child could do it.
My fingers kept getting in the way of the knot, I kept dropping the little toggle stick and had to hunt for it on the carpet numerous times.
Finally I ended up with a wad of knotted string 1/3 inch thick, but at least the toggle was secure. I cut off what I thought would be enough string to go through the hole and tie onto the peg. It was too short and wouldn’t hold to the peg. I burned the end of the string so that it wouldn’t slip through the hole, but then the string was too short to wind onto the peg.
So, I had to start over. Well to make another disastrous story short, it’s now 3 hours into the project, I’m out of the string, have sore fingers, and totally out of patience.
This little string looks so much like a classical guitar 1st string, which is

April 23, 2010 at 10:18 pm #159182

dawn-penland
Participant

I think you just need more practice.

April 23, 2010 at 10:29 pm #159183

Barbara Henniger
Participant

Take a look on the Sylvia Wood site and they have a great video.

I can relate to what you are saying because it took me a couple of hours to tie a string the one and only time I did it. The video is a lot easier to follow and they show 2 ways to tie the string.

April 23, 2010 at 10:52 pm #159184

Audrey Nickel
Participant

When I had this issue a while back, someone gave me some great advice.

April 23, 2010 at 11:00 pm #159185

Karen Johns
Participant

I tried the little bead method myself, and hated it. One of them actually split in half and fell off when I pulled the string taught. Others caused a buzzing sound. I use leather washers in addition to toggles. You can purchase the leather washers from Vermont Strings or just cut some of your own from a thick piece of leather. They work great for me.

Karen

April 23, 2010 at 11:12 pm #159186

Audrey Nickel
Participant

One other bit of advice:

Make the knot BEFORE you cut your string.

April 23, 2010 at 11:15 pm #159187

Audrey Nickel
Participant

Oh, and no…I wouldn’t use guitar string.

April 24, 2010 at 1:17 am #159188

michael-rockowitz
Participant

As usual, I certainly would defer to those that know better.

April 24, 2010 at 1:34 am #159189

catherine-rogers
Participant

Many years ago, the 3rd octave D on my first (lever) harp kept breaking. I ordered another one but in the meantime took a string that looked nearest the same diameter off the family ukulele (I kid you not!) and used it until the new one came so I could practice. As soon as the new string came, I put the ukulele string back where it belonged and installed the new nylon string. The harp, the ukulele and I all survived without damage.

By the way, as soon as I ordered a complete set of strings, it never broke again. Maybe the harp was trying to tell me something–be prepared?

April 24, 2010 at 2:22 am #159190

jessica-wolff
Participant

You mean I’m not the only one who has trouble tying harp strings? Whoever said it’s just as easy as changing a guitar string is wrong.

April 24, 2010 at 5:37 am #159191

tony-morosco
Participant

Oh, believe me, I have cursed and sworn at more harp strings over the years than I can count.

Like anything else, experience makes it easier. After numerous restringings of multiple harps over the years I can do it in my sleep now. But I still remember the frustration of fighting with the strings and knots.

When I do replace a string I actually don’t cut it until it has actually settled in so that I can make adjustments to the number of windings as it stretches in case I gave too much or too little of an end. You can tell when I just changed a string because you can see the loops of extra string hanging about for a few days.

April 24, 2010 at 1:03 pm #159192

sherry-lenox
Participant

I agree about not cutting the string for a few days and my teacher does the same thing, at least on her Prelude.
They look like a bunch of very musical porcupines at times, but it does ease the pain of getting to the end of the process and finding you have to start again from scratch.

April 24, 2010 at 2:44 pm #159193

Tacye
Participant

I suggest to students that the broken string should be used to practice tying the knot until it is under their fingers before embarking on the real thing with a new string.

April 24, 2010 at 4:44 pm #159194

patricia-jaeger
Member

Once you have pushed a new string in the 3rd through first octaves, out

April 24, 2010 at 4:51 pm #159195

jessica-wolff
Participant

Is gut easier to tie than nylon?
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