Wire String Buzzing

[Carlin]

The 6th Octave C wire string on my harp started buzzing when played last week. Only in the flat position though, it is fine when I play it in natural or sharp positions. My harp is fairly new, not even 1 year old yet…so this puzzles me. What could be the cause and is there a quick remedy to it? Thanks in advance everyone.

[catherine-rogers]

Try the harp in aother room to be sure it’s the harp and not some other object that’s buzzing. Check all the screws to see if any are loose (don’t overtighten, just check for obvious looseness). Could it be the stationary nut? Could even try changing the wire. Buzzes can be real mysteries. Sometimes it’s a change in the weather. Harps do adjust some in their first year. That’s why many companies offer a free first regulation.

[carl-swanson]

I agree with Catherine. I would add that any technician trying to find and fix this is going to go through his shopping list of possible sources until, hopefully, he finds it. There are two things you should consider. One, the source of the buzz may be right where you hear it. In other words, It could be the string or the stationary nut it is leaning on. Two, the source of the buzz could be someplace else on the harp, anyplace, but sound like it’s coming from the string. In that case, it could be a pedal cap screw, a string knot on the underside of the soundboard, etc. I would suggest you start closest to where the buzz sounds like it is coming from and work outward from there. It might be where the string leans against the stationary nut. So try loosening the string enough to put a layer or two of paper towel(very very small) between the string and the nut and then tune up the string again. Did that get rid of it, or at least change it? If not, start looking elsewhere. It would help to have a helper, with one of you sitting at the harp playing the string and the other going around touching and/or pressing on one thing or another. If touching something changes the buzz, then you are probably getting closer to the source. 99%
of the job of fixing buzzes is finding what is causing them. Once you’ve done that, the fix is easy.

[Carlin]

Thanks so much for your suggestions, Catherine and Carl. I’ve tried to locate the source of the buzz as you suggested, and it seems that it’s coming from the stationary nut. Pressing on it seems to get rid of the buzz..

[Alison]

gosh, I just had a similar buzz develop today- first ever which started without warning and then established itself in the upper octaves, Reluctant to ditch the string I had to think logically….. string, metalwork, something else at that frequency obviously)so I slackenedthe affected strings one by one, same prob then I so then I tuned 3 adjacent stings to the same freq & tested each whilst stopping others in the vicinity (No clue, flummoxed + worried it’s metalwork) but it kept buzzing from all 3 strings & my ears couldn’t place it so finally I checked the knots and hey presto it was a totally unrelated knot filler higher up. Phew I was beginning to get desperate and it was frying my brain somewhat……

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