changing pedal felts

[Sylvia]

Anyone know how to change felts without taking off the base?

[Tacye]

I don’t find taking the base off that much of a chore, given it doesn’t need doing very often.

[Sylvia]

I’ve never heard of leather.

[Tacye]

L&H used to sell useful looking wooden blocks and clamps for changing felts (not that I ever bought any- maybe no-one did which is why I can’t see them in the catalogue now).

[tony-morosco]

Pedal felt clamps / blocks are still available from harp.com.

http://us.harp.com/info/products/pact_show/id_19396323/

In case anyone is interested.

When I had my harp regulated last year my harp tech let me watch, and she used them. That part actually didn’t look too hard, but that could just be because she made it look easier then it is. But I can’t see trying to change he felts with out the blocks.

[rosalind-beck]

Sylvia,

[Sylvia]

My question is one I keep after LH about…a way to change felts WITHOUT taking the cussed base off.

[Sylvia]

I guess I mentioned this on the other topic “pedal felts”….I’ve changed felts for 40 years, and I dread it every time.

[Tacye]

The Camac method ought to work on a L&H.

[Sylvia]

This info is on the other post “pedal felt” …sorry I keep repeating myself…I checked about the Camac, and they won’t fit.

[barbara-low]

My husband was doing a harp seminar, showing how to change pedal felts, and took the base off. There was a gasp in the audience. A husband and wife exclaimed, “we didn’t know the base came off! We changed the felts using forceps!” My husband, with great surprise and admiration said, “Wow, next time you do that, video tape it!” They decided in the end to have a professional do the pedal felt changing.

There really is no way to change felts without taking the base off. Camac I’m not sure of, but the material is a shrink wrap of some kind.

Sylvia, what exactly makes changing the felts so dreaded? I, myself, don’t do them, so I understand, but I know other harpists who do. One puts her harp into the car, hanging the end off the tailgate. She can sit at the harp, and even though the harp is lying on its side, she’s able to get the job done in a more comfortable position (plus get her knees under the tailgate).

Why are your pedals flying around? Are you removing the pedal springs? You can keep those attached to the pedal bar while changing the felts.

I know you don’t use hot glue, but you can cut your time in half by using this product. You would need to use those U shaped blocks to hold the felts closed. And it does take muscle to push the felted bar into the block.

And there is leather, which I have on one of my harps. It has lasted for years, and through some heavy professional playing. These must be sewn on. Just be sure the diameter of the leather is close enough to the felt so that it fits in the slots and your harp can still be regulated.

Hope this helps.

Barbara in CA

[Sylvia]

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