Strings for a early 20th century L&H Washburn J

[KelsyAnne Schoenhaar]

Hi –

I was wondering if someone could suggest the best set of strings for an early 20th century L&H Washburn J.

[Sid Humphreys]

Carl Swanson can help you with this. Look up Swanson Harps to get in touch with him. Also H. Bryan & Co. can help!

[KelsyAnne Schoenhaar]

Thanks, Sid. : )

[Sherj DeSantis]

Or maybe try Paul Knoke, current president of the Historical Harp Society, and a poster to this column. Sherj

[KelsyAnne Schoenhaar]

Thanks Sherj.

[sherry-lenox]

You also may see something that would work on Howard Bryan’s website. There is a list of strings there, don’t think the Washburn is mentioned, but you might be able to figure out what you need from the other lists. Hope this helps!

[sherry-lenox]

Also, take a look at my post “just wanted to mention” in the Coffee Break forum, where Howard provides some interesting information about string gauges.

[KelsyAnne Schoenhaar]

Will do, Sherry. Thanks!

[howard-bryan]

The Washburn harp should be strung in accordance with the L&H 1911 string gauge.

[KelsyAnne Schoenhaar]

Thanks for your advice, Howard.

Now… a question to complicate the matter. In the late 1950s, the harp was rebuilt and the soundboard was replaced.

[deasdas asdss]

The Washburn harp should be strung in accordance with the L&H 1911 string gauge.

[carl-swanson]

I generally agree with your statement. I have recently started to use Bow Brand lever gauge gut and wire strings on some older instruments and like the effect very much. The feel is of course slightly more “spongy” and you may have to adjust your pull a bit. But there is no loss of sound, and I find that the somewhat lighter tension creates a fuller more articulate sound on the release of the string than higher tension strings. In the end you just have to experiment and see what feels and sounds best on your particular harp.

I think you can use standard gauge nylon strings, because they are much lighter tension than gut anyway. The 4th and 5th octave area of the soundboard is the weakest part of the soundboard, and so a change from standard gauge gut to lever gauge, which run .002″ to .006″ (two thousands to six thousands of an inch) thinner can make a substantial difference in the total pull on this part of the soundboard. The wires are of course the highest tension strings on the instrument, and a change here from standard gauge to lever gauge, a difference of .008″ to .010″(8 thousands to ten thousands of an inch) very substantially reduces the tension.

Remember also that these early soundboards-before 1910- were made to use gut instead of wire for G5 and F5(the modern day first two wire strings). You can tell this by the type of eyelet that is there. If it is a round donut surrounding the hole, like all the eyelets above it, then it was originally a gut string. If it is an ivory disc above the hole, like all the wire string holes below it, then it was originally wire. This too will have an impact on the tension on the board.

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