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Update: Well I just double checked with an expert and learned that I can indeed switch string brands on this harp. I’m going to try Bow Brand, rather than continue to deal with this. I did try moisturizing my hands a bit. But it seems to worsen the squeak. Then I tried cleaning the strings with a damp cloth & a touch of dish soap. And actually, that worked the best. It reduced the squeaking by 50%, which is still too much squeak! I’m going with Bow to see if I like it.
Darth-Mom, when you say the bottom C, do you know which string number that is or which octave? I have a small-model harp, so maybe your bottom C is lower than mine and I wouldn’t run into the same problem with ordering Bow brand wire strings? Thanks!
Thank you. This is good to know that I should be able to switch string brands, if it comes to that. I don’t know why they told me not to!
Hi Tacye. My strings are squeaking right where my fingers touch the strings to play. That is why I figured I may have bad technique. But there is no such problem when I play my Teacher’s Pedal Harps. I have not tried oil on the strings. But if you think it could help, I will try it. How does the oil interact with the varnish on the strings? I do believe these are the varnished type. As for humidity: I live in California in a Mediterranean climate. My house is super-insulated, so the temperature stays very constant inside. I’m near the Coast, so it’s not dry like the desert. But I don’t have a humidifier in my home. Should I get one?
I recently bought one and am enjoying it. I am a student, and will probably never play professionally, so it is fine for me. The woman I bought it from went to the Venus showroom and played many harps there. She chose this over much more expensive models because she was impressed with the sound quality. My only complaint is that the pedals seem stiff and uneven. They “stick” a bit in certain places which makes the pedaling seem clunky. On my teachers harp the pedals move very smoothly and easily. The harp tech guy said he might be able to adjust this some. Also, the Valkyrie strings often squeak like crazy when I play, but thats a string issue. The people at Venus said no one else has ever complained about the strings. So I guess it’s not a problem for others. Im still trying to resolve it. Visually, the harp is stunning. It’s well made and has beautiful protection and clear tone. For the low price I paid, I don’t know if I would have found a better one. I’d recommend it.
