Where to buy cheap harp strings?

[PassionateCross]

I have an old 30 stringed lever harp. I keep buying strings for it around each month because they break easily, specifically for the lower ones which cost $10.00 each on the Sylvia Woods site. Anyone know where I can find strings for a cheaper price?

[barbara-brundage]

Better to figure why you’re breaking so many strings and fix the root cause. Are they breaking at the base of the string? at the tuning pin?

[barbara-brundage]

Also, what make and model of harp and what kind of stringing?

[PassionateCross]

Hi Barbara,

They’re mostly breaking at the near top. My model is a Triplett 30 Liberty harp. It’s a used one.

Here’s where I buy strings: http://www.harpcenter.com/product/triplett-r-30-n-30-strings/

The upper ones barely ever break off. But the lower ones($10.00) seem to break off more

[barbara-brundage]

When you say near the top, do you mean right at the tuning pin or bridge pin? Is is usually the same strings that break repeatedly? It’s possible there is a burr that you could smooth out with dental floss or abrasive cord, if so.

Are the ones that break strings with a wire core?

[PassionateCross]

Oh they’re breaking right at the tuning pin. It’s the same ones. Plus the lower strings do have a wire core. Should I floss the tuning pins or something?

[Tacye]

Sometimes strings break at the pin if there are not enough wraps round the pin. Do you have three full turns there?

[carl-swanson]

Are you sure you’re putting the correct strings on? I once got a call from a woman who said she had replace the wire F string 3 times and it kept breaking. I asked her to be more specific. Which F string, starting from the first wire string(G5). She said it was the second string and she was putting a 6th octave F string on there. “That’s 5th octave F, not 6th octave” I said. If you’re putting the wrong octave string on there, particularly a lower tension string, it might last for a while but then break.

[barbara-brundage]

Yes, I was wondering about that, too. You’ll note that on the Sylvia Woods site they mention that the string chart is different for harps of those models made after 2005. I would check with triplett to be sure you’re using the right strings.

[PassionateCross]

Thanks everyone! Sharp edges and not enough wraps around the pin may have been the problem.

[PassionateCross]

Also, I might have not been ordering the strings.Yeah that ticked when you said that, Thanks so much for your help Barbara and Cark!

[PassionateCross]

I mean “alerted” me not “ticked” me haha!

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