Dowels or string ends

[Dominic Marchiano]

I’m starting lessons on my daughter’s Camac concert harp. I thought all strings were secured to dowels, like on my Camac. However, my teacher’s Lyon & Healy has a different type of knot that is secured to a piece of string end. Why is there a difference? Is it a Camac v. Lyon & Healy thing, or just a point of personal preference?

[catherine-rogers]

The dowels are a Camac thing. Other makers use the string end anchor and a different knot. Both are good.

[carl-swanson]

String ends are the standard way of anchoring the string and have been used forever in the knot. I’m not sure why Camac uses dowels, and I don’t know if you can simply use a string end on a Camac if you loose the dowel. I would ask one of the Camac dealers if there is any compelling reason to stay with the dowel or if you can change to a string end. The founder of Camac was Joel Garnier, and I suspect that he was the one who came up with the idea of using the dowel.

[Biagio]

The purpose of dowels, string ends etc. (I’ve also seen beads and even Q-tips) is simply to keep the knot from slipping through the grommet. As in much of life, nothing is perfect: dowels make bend break or rattle if not properly sized or tied, string ends are slippery until the knot is tight.

Just use what works best for you. For what it’s worth, I put a dab of CV on the knot/string end and a leather washer between the anchoring string end and the sound board. Don’t try this without the washer: you can glue the knot right to the SB.

[balfour-knight]

Having owned and played many different brands of harps, I now prefer the wooden dowels that Camac uses. It is easier for me to tie the Camac knot around the little dowel, which is very secure. I have never had one slip, as in other styles of knots/anchors. The dowels do not try to pull up into the string holes like other anchors, either. I even used these dowels when I restrung my Dusty FH36S, and the tone is actually better, especially in the treble notes. The wooden dowel seats firmly against the bottom of the soundboard strip, and does not buzz or cause other problems, if done neatly and correctly. The Camac website has excellent videos about installing strings this way.

Cheers,
Balfour

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