Help!!! How to I thread strings??

[leon-ducommun-dit-verron]

I need your help. I am currently restoring my grecian harp. I have replaced a few of the high strings and now it’s into the bass and lower strings but there is a problem- I don’t see how I can thread the strings through!!
On my morley the back of the soundboard is open- ie there are holes for sound that I can easily get my hand in plus thread a tied string through . But on the grecian the back is totally sealed- ie no holes at all. The high strings allowed enough room with the bridge pins removed to allow a tied string through. But in the lower strings and bass esp this will not be possible!! Can I ask how I can do this??

[Tacye]

I think there should be room for all gut strings with pegs to go in from the top – unless your strings are too thick or your knots too large. Wires I am not sure about – I have seen old wires with knots on the end, rather than premade ends so presumably you put them through from the front, fished the end round the door, threaded whatever washers you wanted, tied the knot and then pulled it back carefully. Which is a convenient way of changing strings even when you can get your hand inside.

However, if you have strings with pre-made ends then maybe you will need to get a narrow silicon tube or something you can thread from the front and then use to pull the string through? Or cut the premade end off if you have enough length? But I am improvising wildly here!

[leon-ducommun-dit-verron]

Yes it’s the wires!! The other strings were hard as the knots were a very tight squeeze!! But I haven’t got a clue how the wire strings are attached! There seems no way of getting into the inside of the soundboard except for the hole which only just takes the string.
Has anyone else got an old harp with a sealed soundboard? It must be possible ????

[Tacye]

The other way in would be to remove the base of the harp and move the pedals asside just enought to slip in.

[paul-knoke]

The bass wires for a Grecian should have only fiber as the core, wound round with fine wire to add mass. This type of bass string will not have a pre-made knot. I either thread the strings through from the front and out the swell door, tie the knot and pull the string back so the knot is against the soundboard, or, with earlier harps with a solid staved back, lay the harp down, take the base off, thread the strings through from the front and fish them out the bottom opening in the body using a hook made from a bent wire coat hanger and continue as above. I’m not describing the procedure particularly well, so let me know if you have any questions!

[leon-ducommun-dit-verron]

Thankyou- yes you seem to have sorted it. – I don’t have swell doors so I think it’s a matter of taking the base off!!!

[Tacye]

I am intrigued – when you have time could you post a picture of the closed back?

[leon-ducommun-dit-verron]

Here you go

[paul-knoke]

OK, the center section of the back has been filled in with a solid piece at some point. BTW, it’s best to leave the pedals in the flat (highest) position when the harp isn’t being played.

[tracey-kjonegaard]

Off topic but Leon, you should just start a thread w/ a masterpost of how your rooms are decorated cause I just LOVE looking at the pictures you post..not only for the harp in them but to see the room itself 😀

[Tacye]

Interesting picture of a new-to-me way to treat a harp, thank you.

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