Home › Forums › Harps and Accessories › Problems in changing strings
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emma-graham.
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June 15, 2013 at 8:22 am #76873
Carlin
ParticipantHi everyone, I need some advice as I am having problems with changing my strings lately. On my 2nd octave A and B, the string seems really “loose”… even after 4 turns, it’s still about a 4th or a 3rd lower than what it’s supposed to be. I have ended up breaking the string twice tuning it..and it’s not even in tune yet.and even if I successfully get it to tune, it will break moments later. I have cut my fingers twice as the string snapped while tuning and I’m kind of traumatized right now.
Is there something wrong with the string? or my harp? or am I doing something wrong in changing it? I have tried 2 different strings (on each the A and B)…I’m running out of spare strings and the results are always the same.
Thanks a lot everyone.
June 15, 2013 at 11:00 am #76874Tacye
ParticipantWhere are the strings breaking? Bottom, nut, peg, well away from everything?
Gut, nylon or something else?
June 15, 2013 at 12:31 pm #76875ParticipantThey are breaking at the soundboard…and i’m using bow brand gut.
June 15, 2013 at 12:35 pm #76876katie-buckley
ParticipantBreaking at the bottom can sometime mean there is something sharp in the string hole. I have a chord of sand paper (looks like a sand paper string) that I run through the string hole if the string breaks at the bottom. As for it being too loose, I usually find its a problem with the knot itself. If I had trouble, as I did often many years ago, I used to use two string ends instead of one. However, sometimes the best thing to do is to walk away for a bit and try again later.
June 15, 2013 at 1:28 pm #76877ParticipantThanks Katie. I don’t have a sand paper string though….can you tell me where i can get one?
This is probably a silly question..but how many “turns” are considered normal when we put a new string? I noticed that the adjacent strings only have like 3 turns…and these 2 aren’t in tune even after 4..just wondering if i may have a dodgy string
June 15, 2013 at 3:32 pm #76878ParticipantHow many turns you need depends on how much slack you leave before you start winding on – in the 2nd octave I usually go for 3-5 turns.
If you look at the bottom end exactly where are they breaking? Where the string comes out of the soundboard, or at the knot? How badly are you kinking the string as you tie it?
The way I was taught to check if there is a sharp edge is to take the broken string and pull it back and forth through the hole rubbing on the edge – if it shreds you have a sharp bit, if not sanding it won’t help. Don’t overdo this with plastic grommets as you can wear a groove in them.
June 15, 2013 at 7:44 pm #76879Donna O
ParticipantCarlin,
The sanding cord is called Mitchell’s abrasive cord and it comes in different sizes(I use No. 52) I ordered it online but I think you can find it in most hardware stores. As Tayce said, be very gentle and cautious when using the abrasive cord. Again this will only work if you have something sharp around or in the eyelet hole. Good Luck.June 15, 2013 at 8:02 pm #76880ParticipantGood advice Tacye and Donna! Be gentle. I had a lot of trouble before I changed the way I tied my knots. For some reason, the double loop method never really works for me (which is why I curse every time I have to change 0 octave G). When I was using the double loop version, my knots would slip and the string would behave a bit like you describe. Which way do you tie your strings?
June 15, 2013 at 8:05 pm #76881ParticipantNot sure if this link will work, but I use the alternative harp knot described here. http://cdn.harpcenter.com/downloads/78Knot.pdf
June 16, 2013 at 1:02 am #76882ParticipantThanks everyone…I tried running a broken string through the hole but i can’t see any shreds…so i guess this may not be the problem.
The link works, Katie…and I tie my strings using the traditional method described there. The strings seem to break right at the knot…so maybe it’s a problem with the way I’m tying the knot?
June 16, 2013 at 9:30 am #76883ParticipantI too like the alternative knot. Though I put the 2nd loop round the other way so I am making a clove hitch which doesn’t have the sharp reverse of the string. Why not try the alternative on some of your broken strings to see if you like it.
Are the strings definitely breaking at the knot and not just pulling through – from your question about putting used strings back on I wonder if you are not pulling the knots tight enough, then not leaving enough slack before winding and getting the slack from the knot tightening and pulling through.
June 16, 2013 at 11:23 am #76884ParticipantThe alternative knot was life changing for me. 🙂
June 16, 2013 at 12:22 pm #76885ParticipantIt was the first one I was taught – I can see why some people like the other one, especially when stringing a lot of harps, but our knot seems less fuss!
There is another knot which can be a useful trick when you have a length of spare that is right on the borderline for being too short. Tie a knot (just a simple overhand knot) and pull it tight at the very end of the string without a thick bit through it. Then tie another knot with the thick bit through it (B2 on the diagram) and pull tight against your end knot.
June 18, 2013 at 5:56 am #76886ParticipantI am absolutely useless at tying knots..my hands are too slippery to properly tighten them, so I’m always struggling. So after 4 very sore fingers, a bruised hand (knocked my hand repeatedly trying to get the string through the soundboard) and 5 broken strings, I’m now trying the alternative knot. Crossing my fingers that this one will hold. Thanks for sharing the diagram, Katie…
June 18, 2013 at 3:08 pm #76887Alison
Participantyou can clout me metaphorically if you want to but are you sure you haven’t selected a string for an octave below, it’s just the way you say it’s still so loose ? If it’s second B or A you’ll need string no 11 or 12 on a concert harp, so not 18/19 ;-)) Just trying to help as we can’t see what you are doing.
AND are you using a piece of 5th octave to tie your knot around ?
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