Is this enough to keep on hand?

A skeleton set of harp strings is best described as the bare minimum strings to have on hand in case of an emergency string break. The following applies specifically to the pedal harp. Lever harps are treated in a similar manner, albeit slightly differently.

Complete sets of first-, second-, and third-octave strings should be on hand in nylon. They are lightweight, packaged in small sleeves, come in triple or double lengths, last forever, and are relatively inexpensive. There’s really no reason not to always have these. Fifth and fourth octave gut can be reduced to 4^th F and C, and ^5th C in order to maintain string color coding. Fifth octave D, 4^th octave A and D can be used as fill-in strings within their appropriate ranges. In other words, the 5^th D (or B) can be used as a substitute for the entire 5^th octave in a pinch, excepting the red C, of course. Bass wires rarely break. The 5^th F, G and 6^th E are considerations but not mandatory.  After getting through the emergency string break, you can order a replacement and usually have it the following day, saving you from having to maintain a significant amount of expensive inventory.

—Erich Rase

A skeleton set consists of only the C, F, E, and either B or A strings for each octave. (Usually, that is. Some people prefer the D.) You use the E string when you break either the E or D, and the B or A string to replace B, A, or G. This is one of the many tips and tricks dating from the Great Depression, along with patching strings above the bridge pin and reversing strings, from the days when strings were expensive and hard to get. Sound familiar?

Is this an adequate replacement set to keep on hand? It depends. Obviously, if you’re an orchestral or gigging harpist you want to keep a full set of strings on hand at all times. But if you only play for fun or are a beginner, yes, it’s fine, although you will generally want to replace the “wrong” string as soon as you can. But a skeleton set will keep you going without having to stop until you get the correct string. And you can generally keep the temporary string to use again, if you take it off carefully.

—Barbara Brundage

Harpists performing professionally must have a full set of backup strings. It is good to have a backup set if you can afford it. For many, especially beginning students, it is not necessary to park hundreds of dollars in strings. It is more efficient to order replacement gut and wire when they break. It is useful to have a skeleton set, which to me is a set of nylon strings plus a sixth-octave D and fifth-octave F wire. In the event a gut string breaks, you can temporarily replace it with a nylon string. When cutting the top end of that string, leave it an extra two inches long so it can be reused. You can remove this string and put it back in your skeleton bag when the gut string arrives. Please take off that nylon ASAP. Pitch settings in regulation are gut or nylon specific plus the fact smooth nylon buzzes more often. That nylon string is not as accurate on pitch as the gut will be. The pedal harp is designed for gut. Manufacturers put expensive gut on their harps for good reason. Wires rarely break when installed properly, and those that do are the higher pitched ones. Use a sixth-octave D to replace sixth-octave B, C, and E. Use fifth-octave F for fifth-octave G—I know that will be confusing, but you will be receiving the new G in the post in the next day or two. 

Forget the fear that it is bad for the harp to be missing a string. Not so. It is not good for the remaining strings, which assume the tension of the missing string and should be re-tuned. •

—Peter Wiley