Advice please

[balfour-knight]

wil-weten—Thanks so much for enlightening ME. I thought “decime” must mean a 10th, so I appreciate knowing that new word, too!

I prefer pedal gut on my Camac Atlantide, but also definitely prefer nylon on my Dusty FH36S. I love the difference in tone between my two harps.

Have a wonderful day, my harp friends!
Balfour

[chas.thomason]

Well, I have my new harp. A Camac Telenn. I bought it from the Early Music Shop in Bradford U.K. and the folks there were brilliant (even tuning it for me while I went for some lunch!). I tried a number of different Camac harps and this one ‘spoke to me’. So here begins my harp journey…thanks to you all for your kind support…wish me luck!

[balfour-knight]

Good luck, Charles! Congratulations on your purchase of the new Telenn. A new harp is so exciting–I rememer my own experiences fondly every time I sit down to play them. I have said it before “they are like magnets drawing me to them!”

Harp Hugs and blessings,
Balfour and Carol Lynn

[wil-weten]

Congratulations, Charles, with your Camac Telenn. I wish many happy hours of (re)discovering harp playing.

Have you already found a method and/or playing book you like?

[Biagio]

Wonderful to hear that Charles and thank you so much for telling us! The journey begins and I am sure that you will enjoy your Telenn!

Off topic but since the subject came up…I often use fluorocarbon or sometimes gut in the “transition zone” (around G below middle C down to E) where one would otherwise have to use nylon wound over nylon. I just prefer monofilament FC since the density is higher than gut; but on the other hand it takes FOREVER to stretch in:-)

Happy New Year Almost,
Biagio

[emma-graham]

Great news. Congratulations Charles.

[chas.thomason]

Thanks everyone. Can I just ask a little more advice? This is I’m sure a typical beginner’s question, but should my harp (and indeed any/every harp) have a slight upward bow on the soundboard. When viewed from the top the soundboard bows up along the strip where the strings go through, about 5mm, obviously due to the tension from the strings from about middle C to the bottom. Anything to worry about?

[Biagio]

Yep, Charles, and that is something that is not only to be expected but enhances tone over time. A new harp will continue to “belly up” over it’s life which will hopefully be many years. With the Telenn and it’s laminate soundboard it should stabilize fairly soon – a few months.

With a spruce, cedar, etc. board and depending on many other factors that will stabilize somewhat later and achieve it’s best tone after maybe 5 years. With a board such as the Telenn has it will stabilize much sooner. or less. One reason why such a board is a good idea for the first harp!

You can look forward to tuning it often at first; daily for preference. But it should be holding tone pretty soon and with mo noticeable increase in the belly,

I had an 80 year old harp that sounded probably better than many now on the market. No harp will last forever but your Telenn has many years ahead!

Biagio

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Biagio.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Biagio.

[Biagio]

Edit: wood is a living thing but let’s consider: a laminate board such as on the Telenn, Ravenna, etc. consists of perhaps 5 thin cross layered laminations per 3mm. Extremely strong and flexible – they make aircraft wings and racing yacht masts out of the stuff for goodness sakes. It also does not change a heck of a lot over time and stress. Good news.

On the other hand, a spruce, cedar, cypress or other board is also strong and flexible but it WILL change structurally over time – not only due to constant tension but from who plays it and how.

This may sound metaphysical but I bet Balfour, Saul,Paul, Tacye, Wil and others would agree – harps are made and played with respect to science, craftsmanship and – yes, magic.

The Telenn is a great harp and the board will flex. Once it has reached it’s equilibrium it will stay there a long time. So do not worry.

Just had to get that off my chest, sorry guys.

Harp hugs to all,
Biagio

[wil-weten]

Hi Charles, nothing to worry about, this is how soundboards develop and Camac harps are really sturdy harps.

By the way, I think already shared this link somewhere above, but I’ll do it again: This https://blog.camac-harps.com/en/uncategorized/td_d_slug_46/ is how Camac soundboards are being made and I think this explains part of the secret of the great sound of even the entry Camac harp models.

[balfour-knight]

Hi, Biagio! I do agree with what you said about “harps are made and played with respect to science, craftsmanship, and yes, magic.” But I wanted to add one more point–I am not sure that Camac uses any laminated soundboards on any of their harps. I think they are all solid spruce, veneered on their front surface, of course, for appearance and beauty. I had a friend who owned a Hermine lever harp, and it had a solid spruce soundboard, even though it is generally regarded as a “student” model. I could be wrong, but maybe someone else knows whether Camac uses any laminated soundboards?

Best to all of you,
Balfour

[wil-weten]

Hi Balfour, you are right about Camac soundboards, see my post and link above. Even entry level harps like the Hermine and the Telenn do have solid spruce soundboards.

[balfour-knight]

Thanks so much, Wil-Weten! That’s why Camac harps sound so good!

Happy New Year everyone!
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)

[chas.thomason]

There you go…once again my friends come through. No doubt I’ll be asking more elementary questions as we go along, but it’s great to know you’re out there (somewhere). Cheers m’dears.

[Biagio]

My mistake – I got confused thinking about the Ravenna. Sorry folks!

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