Soundboard decorations

[Sarah Mullen]

Anybody know if it’s possible to decorate the soundboard of a finished harp?

[andy-b]

For awhile, you could find removable static cling soundboard decorations for harps on ebay. I’ve never tried them and don’t know anyone who has, but that might be an option. As I recall, they were available in a variety of designs. Maybe someone has tried them out and will chime in.

Cheers,
Andy

[Sarah Mullen]

I’m really not interested in the static cling decals.

[kathy-chanik]

You can absolutely have decoration added after the harp is finished, I’ve done this 3 or 4 different times, Altho if you ask a builder they prefer soundboard decoration to be done before the final finish is applied. Find an artist whose work you like and have a chat with them. Sometimes they get a little nervous about doing a very fine harp, since it’s unusual for them, but maybe an old beat up one would be less intimidating for them. One artist used acrylics, and another used oils-all came out beautifully. If I was more clever I’d post some pictures. Also, I wouldn’t recommend covering the whole soundboard with paint, might affect the sound.

[unknown-user]

David Williams of Williams Harp Galleries refinished my blue Venus Classic soundboard in blue to match the body and added a gold decal – it is similar to Jack Nebergal’s blue and gold LH3 – as to there being a change in sound, there wasn’t – David says the color layer was so thin it would make no difference in the sound – I too, tried to post some pictures but this time couldn’t make it work – however, if you google “restaurant harp” you’ll see two quick videos from Crumpets restaurant where I play regularly and you can see what a fantastic job David did matching the colors –
Have fun –
John

[kathy-chanik]

The Crumpets in which city , John? Google comes up with several locations. I uses to love that blue and gold Style 3 of Jack Nebergall’s-do you remember that harp, Barbara?

[barbara-brundage]

Yep. Who has that harp now, Kathy. Do you know?

[unknown-user]

Ooops – sorry – google “restaurant harp” in videos – here’s the first little snippet

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNZ-qensVMM

then here’s a second snippet where I let the daughter of one of the business partners try the harp – there are couple nice shots of the base with all the gilding –

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTrvTviD6kE&NR=1

Also notice that as long as David had it apart to do the board, he also did the center strip and the side strips in 23K gold leaf – i absolutely LOVE everything about that harp!
Crumpets in San Antonio TX is where I play Sunday Brunch – been there about 10 years now- this is also the harp that I take to University hospital twice a week – now into my third year doing that –
well, I hope you can pull up those videos – in the meantime, I am going to try again to access my photobucket account where all the pictures are and try again to post

[kreig-kitts]

I was curious when you said it was blue with gold, but it really works. Come to think of it, I might have seen some pictures of older harps that were deep blue or green with gold and they were beautiful.

[kathy-chanik]

You know, Barbara, I’m not sure who has it now, but I’d bet it’s still in the San Francisco Bay area. And do you remember the lavender and gold Style 11 he had? It was originally owned by somebody like Mildred Dilling, I can’t quite remember…

[barbara-kraichy–2]

Hello Kathy and Barbara,

[kathy-chanik]

Miss Barbara Kraichy, you are absolutely right, it WAS Annie Louise David! Thanks so much. I remember Jack’s beautiful place there in San Francisco also-including that amazing collection of crystal he had.

[Evelyn Tournquist]

Didn’t Isabelle Moretti end up with the cobalt 3?

[Harp Museum]

The “Pink 11” currently at the International Harp Museum has amazing soundboard art. The work was done by artist Hugo Matzenauer.

[Harp Museum]

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