Replacing eyelets

[isaac Brooks]

A few months ago I started noticing that the eyelets/grommets on the soundboard have started getting cracked. Based on seeing my post here, Venus was wonderful and sent me, without charge, a full set of gold-plated eyelets, saying that the climate here (I live in Haifa, on a mountain and next to the sea) was likely eroding the eyelets. I didn’t replace them, because I don’t know how to and I didn’t want to have to remove the strings.

For a while, my harp gave me no problems. Then recently, a string broke, and only a few weeks later, the new string broke again – at the bottom, where it enters the soundboard. I fear the crack in the eyelet is cutting into it.

How do I replace the eyelets? It seems the old one won’t come out. Is there a special tool or way to do it? Does it need to be done by a professional?

[Tacye]

Please contact Venus for the correct instructions for your harp.

[jennifer-byrne]

I have had some of the eyelets (or grommets) in my harp (Triplett Celtic lever) replaced but once they were cracked and then moving into the wood of the harp, it was not something I could do myself.

[harp guy]

If you take your harp to a repair person, make sure that they are qualified and have experience working with harps. At the very least make sure that they are experienced luthiers. I wouldn’t dare take my harp to the local music store (they sell cheap band instruments and rock band gear). Their idea of repair is to bend the parts until they work again (when in fact screws or corks could be adjusted and no harm needed on the instrument itself).

O.O

[HBrock25]

I also just purchased a fine Rydecki (custom) 40-string harp. Cracked and misshapen eyelets. In that it needs new strings, I would like to change these eyelets with the nickel ones (great lead!). But I don’t see anyone who carries them.

Ideas?

Ron

[tamara-murphy]

Hi there!

My William Webster Neo-Irish had all the eyelets completely replaced. Contact Howard Bryan at H. Bryan & Co. Harpmakers In Virginia. If he doesn’t have them, I’ll bet he can help you find them, or advise you on what to use. Good luck.

Tamara

[marianlyric]

I would like to change these eyelets with the nickel ones (great lead!). But I don’t see anyone who carries them.

Nickel-silver-plated soundboard eyelets are sold on the Argent Fox website:
http://www.argentfox.com/index.php/hardware/harp-soundboard-eyelets

[Biagio]

I agree that it would be best to take this to a harp luthier. Ingeneral…eyelets come in several different sizes and compositions, including stainless steel. On folk harps it is common to use brass.

If they are hard to get out it may be that the builder glued them in with Superglue. A drop of acetone will act as a solvent (aka nail polish remover) but be very careful of the finish.

[Author]

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