Vision and Strings

[Kim Vangsgard]

I have macular degeneration that causes the strings to look zigzagged. The upper octaves aren’t as bad but the lower strings more so. In particular I need to find F and G. I have used a bit of white out to highlight the strings, but could use another option (if any). Is there another way to do this? I’d appreciate any help.

Thank you.

[Sid Humphreys]

Savarez Alliance KF (Fluorocarbon) strings are available at Vanderbilt Music Company. The strings are really white and unlike white out, won’t cake off.

[balfour-knight]

Kim, you do not say whether this is for a pedal harp or other. If it is for a pedal harp or pedal tension lever harp, have you thought about Bow Brand Concedo Gut? Go to harp.com and ask for Bow Brand Concedo white coated natural gut harp string with color-coded C’s and F’s. Available for pedal and pedal-tension lever harp in 00G – 5th octave A. I hope this helps!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour

[Kim Vangsgard]

Hi: Thank you. Sorry it is for my lever harp. I sold my pedal harp. It is sad to know my vision is changing. Unlike the piano, it’s hard to grasp strings. Luckily I see enough to do it and read my music. If you have any ideas for lever harp strings let me know!

Kim

[wil-weten]

Hi Kim, does your lever harp have Bow Brand lever gut strings? In that case Bow Brand silkgut strings may be an option. You can switch them without having to adjust the levers.

Silkgut strings are opaque greyish/whitish synthetic strings that are cheaper than gut, but sound warmer and richer than nylon things, though not as warm and rich as natural gut.

If you’ve got other strings than Bow Brand lever gut on your harp, I would contact the builder of your harp or, if not possible, a reputable harpshop that also sells lots of strings. They have lists with comparisons of strings and could advise which strings would suit your harp.

There’s a great Italian company Aquila Corde that in fact makes the Bow Brand silkgut strings (and lots of other strings). You would like to look at the “new nylgut” (which is practically the same as silkgut). You can order it in lots and lots of different diameters. Have a look at: https://aquilacorde.com/en/early-music-strings/synthetic/historical-harp-ngh-new-nylgut-strings/
You may like to contact the owner of Aquila Corde, Mimmo Peruffo, with specific questions. He is a kind and knowledgeable man who’ll probably can and will provide you with the answers you’re looking for.

Beware that putting too heavy strings on your harp may cause it to explode and too light strings won’t pull hard enough to make your soundboard vibrate.

[balfour-knight]

Thanks, Wil, for your recommendation of Aquila Corde and their new nylgut strings. I found their USA distributor at AquilaUSA.com (www.aquilausa.com) and ordered some nylgut strings to replace my pedal gut second-octave strings on my Camac Atlantide Prestige pedal harp. Those particular gut strings just break too often for me, and nylon does not sound as warm as gut in that octave. Maybe nylgut is the perfect solution–we shall hope. I’ll let you know when I get the strings and have time to install them on the harp, after Christmas. I have been busy with concerts and programs, as usual! So good to see your post here. I hope it helps Kim, too.

Happy Holidays,
Balfour

• This reply was modified 1 year, 4 months ago by balfour-knight. Reason: spelling errors!

[wil-weten]

Hi Balfour, actually, these ‘new nylgut’ strings have been on the market already quite long, perhaps for more than 10 years. They sound better than the first generation. In the upper half of the harp strings, they sound a bit brighter and a bit less rich than natural gut, but they seldom or never break. I really like them from the higher strings down to about middle C, below that somehow they don’t sound as rich as natural gut, even a bit dull, but that could have to do with the length of my lower strings be actually too short to sound real well.

[balfour-knight]

Hello Wil–thanks for your post above. I had indeed heard of these nylgut strings back when they first came out, but it seemed that they had to be ordered from Italy. Rather than hassle with that, I just used gut and nylon which are readily available here in the USA. When I checked my stringing chart yesterday for my Camac Atlantide Prestige, nylgut is listed as an option! I am really looking forward to trying them on my harp, and will let you know how I like them. Thanks again!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour

[balfour-knight]

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to post this and let you all know about my new 2nd-octave Nylgut strings from Aquila! I love them! They beautifully bridge the gap between the real gut strings in the 3rd octave and the nylon strings in the 1st and zero octaves. The color of the C and F strings is the same red and black you generally find in Premier gut strings. The “white” or “natural colored” strings are a “heavy whipping cream” color, very visible in poor light, much more visible than gut or nylon. They are easy to install, just like gut, they pull up to pitch very well, and they begin to hold their pitch after a day or two. I can play the harp for about an hour without having to retune now. Their tone is amazingly like Premier gut in the 2nd octave, their cost is far cheaper than gut, and they are supposed to be long-lived. Add to this, Aquila USA provides fast, reliable, customer-friendly service. I could not be more pleased!

Thanks again, Wil!

Harp Hugs,
Balfour

[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

I have successfully colored strings with a Sharpie marker with no effect on the tone quality. Wite-Out could have harmful ingredients.

[balfour-knight]

Update on this thread—my New Nylgut NGH strings have been on my harp all year, and only one (the top one, 0G) broke. Its replacement has been on the harp for months now, and has not broken. I am very pleased with these excellent strings, and they are just like gut in sound and feel, with slightly more sustain, which I love!

Saul, every time I have tried to color a red, black or blue string with a Sharpie or other “permanent” marker, the color has rubbed off on my fingers as I play. But I agree with you–no apparent effect on the tone quality! For the naturals, I maintain that this new nylgut NGH, made by Aquila Cordes in Italy, with its “heavy whipping-cream” color, is THE BEST for visibility, and I miss this on my lever harp which is strung in nylon. If it didn’t sound so good with nylon, I would change over to the nylgut just because of the increased visibility!

Have wonderful, happy holidays, all my harp friends!
Balfour

[balfour-knight]

Hello again, harp friends!

I am posting a photo so you can see how visible the New Nylgut NGH strings by Aquila are on my pedal harp. In the USA you can order them from Curtis at Aquila USA. You need to know the gauges and colors, so please check my other thread here on these forums titled ” Nylgut Strings by Aquila” to find appropriate gauges for both pedal and lever harps. Let me know if you need any help.

Thanks again, Wil, for letting me know about these. They are GREAT!

Happy Holidays,
Balfour

• This reply was modified 4 months ago by balfour-knight.

[balfour-knight]

I’m trying again!

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[Saul Davis Zlatkovski]

I conceived of what later became known as the Concedo brand of strings for two reasons: one was because I noticed that the colored strings were more flexible than the uncolored gut strings, and did not fracture while knotting them. The other reason was for increased visibility in performing in orchestra pits and other darkened lighting situations. Walter Pfeil’s answer was to employ fiber optic lighting on the underside of the neck…

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