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eyelets

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This topic has 8 replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 10 months ago by carl-swanson.

Viewing 9 posts - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)

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October 25, 2011 at 3:21 pm #71016

kay-lister
Member

Has anyone ever had the brass eyelets on a pedal harp replaced with the nylon eyelets?

October 25, 2011 at 7:32 pm #71017

Elizabeth L
Participant

Why would you replace them?

October 25, 2011 at 8:04 pm #71018

kay-lister
Member

Seems like most of the newer pedal harps have the nylon eyelets and figured there must be an advantage in having them.

October 25, 2011 at 8:33 pm #71019

carl-swanson
Participant

Kay- It would require disassembling the instrument. The reason is that the hole for the brass eyelet is very small. A technician would have to remove the brass eyelets, drill out the hole to fit the nylon eyelet, and then install them. To get a drill in place to drill out the hole in the 1st and 2nd octaves, the harp would have to be disassembled because otherwise the neck and action would be in the way. So it could be done, but it’s not a simple job.

October 26, 2011 at 12:22 pm #71020

kay-lister
Member

Carl, thanks.

October 27, 2011 at 2:45 am #71021

kathy-chanik
Participant

Kay, it was always my understanding that the metal eyelets gave a better sound than the nylon ones, which was why L&H used metal eyelets when they came out with their new lower-priced 85 series some years back. When I asked one of the star harp techs about it he said, well of course because it was a “metal bridge”. Maybe Carl has an opinion about this.

October 27, 2011 at 4:00 am #71022

Denver CH
Member

According to HARP IN LA, “In general, the Chicago harps have a warm, even tone, and overall tend to project well. The 85 series harps have a bright tone quality, particularly full and resonant, with a rich, deep bass.” I guess the eyelets may partly contribute to the difference in the tone of Chicago series and Style 85 series, i.e. warm versus bright. According to the photos I saw, the Chicago harps may use nylon (or plastic?) eyelets, while the Style 85 harps may use metal eyelets.

October 28, 2011 at 7:01 pm #71023

Saul Davis Zlatkovski
Participant

The only difference is in some kind of immediacy in the sound, which is not necessarily desirable. However, Lucile Lawrence was quite happy with the 85s. The brass may be adding a bit of metallic brightness, which is not so desirable, maybe. The main contact is with the wood, anyway, and the plastic is more durable.

October 28, 2011 at 9:47 pm #71024

carl-swanson
Participant

Metal eyelets are cheaper and can be bought right off the shelf. That’s why the lower priced instruments have them. I have to agree with Saul on this one. A bright metallic edge to the sound is not my idea of a desirable tone. The metal eyelets have a very thin wall and I have known them to split, leaving sharp edges which can cut the string.
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