How many strings normally break?

[lauren-d]

Do you all find that a string breaking is a fairly normal occurrence? I’ve been renting a troubadour VI that was fresh out of the factory for the past 9 months and in that time it has broken I’m guessing anywhere from 7-10 strings. Sometimes there’s months where one doesn’t break, sometimes a few break in a short time span. Normal?

[deb-l]

how many strings break depend on a number of things. With a new Troub or Prelude it’s a good idea to keep of record of which strings are breaking on what date and whether it’s at the eyelet or the lever. If you see the same strings breaking in the same places the place your renting from can change or regulate the lever or possibly sand an eyelet. It’s not a big deal for them to change a lever, or two, not uncommon, but don’t try it yourself if your renting. Also weather can have an influence such as high humidity or just before a storm.

[susan-ash]

I recently had this problem, after I moved my harp to a different area of the home.

[Rachel Redman]

or possibly sand an eyelet…

How does that work? Would I simply do that with a plain-old piece of sandpaper from the toolbox? I’m assuming that files the “sharp” edges of an eyelet.

I have the same problem with my strings, as I have a Troub VI. Mine always break at the eyelets.

[Tacye]

When a string breaks at the eyelet I take the old string (gut) and pull it back and forth over the top lip of the eyelet to gently smooth the eyelet down.

[lauren-d]

So what you guys are saying is its not normal to have so many strings break?
I’ve never had a string break by the lever, except once it broke slightly above the lever. They all break at the soundboard, and they break in a variety of octaves and notes. A while back L&H send the man I rent from Lou a sort of ‘sand cord’ it’s just sandpaper in the likeness of a string and he has sanded out a few eyelets. I wouldn’t recommend taking a square of sandpaper and trying to get in the tiny hole with it..

I was just wondering if this is normal to have so many break. Do all harpists deal with strings breaking so often? Since I’m renting, the strings are paid for, but when I own a harp I can see how all these breaks would start to get expensive month after month, year after year..

[diana-day]

I had a harp that was breaking strings at the same eyelet and Atlanta Harp Center sent me an abrasive cord that took care of the problem. On the package it says it removes “burrs from eyelets, bridge pins and tuning pin holes”.

[kay-lister]

Lauren,

I only have one or two break on my lever harp (Thormahlen Swan) in a year, and that is usually in the fall with the seasonal change in weather.

[Tacye]

About a string a month wouldn’t distress me much in a new pedal-tension
gut harp; it should settle down next year, if kept in stable temperature
and humidity.

[lauren-d]

Thank you everyone! This harp community is so valuable. I hope to see it calm down soon as it adjusts and settles.

[Rachel Redman]

Sorry for the ignorant question…You mentioned rubbing a gut string back and forth on the eyelet. I have wire and nylon; would that work as well as your gut string method?

[Tacye]

Don’t pull wound strings back and forth – it would be very hard on the eyelets.

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