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I hope a harp builder or rebuilder that is reading this will tell you what sort of screws or nails to use, along with a good wood glue, when you reattach the soundboard to the body of the harp. How many, and how close to each other they should be, would really help. I have never done this before, so I have no clue. I only know that glue alone would seem insufficient, and I personally think that screws would be better than nails, and they would also clamp the soundboard down to the glue. You might also have to use some clamps, or bands around the harp to make sure it is really secure until after the glue has sufficient time to dry.
I wish I could offer more help, John. Musicmakers Harps have harp kits which you can buy and assemble yourself, with very good instructions. I remember something about putting a soundboard on a harp, back when these instructions could be viewed online. They may be able to give you some advice, even if the instructions are no longer online. They are very nice folks, with excellent customer service. They also stock supplies for harps and harp builders.
Good luck!
BalfourHi John,
I just measured the string support strip (inside spline) in my Dusty FH36S lever harp. This harp has a solid soundboard that has to support the pull of 36 strings, not so different from your 40 strings, except that this is lever harp string tension instead of concert harp tension. The strip is about 3″ wide at the bottom and 1/2″ thick, and it tapers to about 1″ wide at the top and 1/4″ thick. My soundboard width at the bottom of the harp is about 13 1/2″. I think you are on the right track!
Best wishes,
BalfourHi Molly,
It might be good for you to let them know that you have just purchased a new harp, and that a harp always needs strings. I assume that you will be playing your new Prelude for this recital. I let it be known that a donation to my harp string fund will be greatly appreciated! A donation jar or container is always set out for this purpose. This is for my no-charge charity events, of course. Like Saul and other professionals here, we generally contract the event for a fee and then the folks in charge of the venue sell the tickets and collect the fees.
Wishing you all the best when you play this recital!
Harp Hugs,
Balfour (and Carol Lynn)John, on my Camac concert grand, this center spline on the underside of the soundboard (string support rail) is about 1″ thick at the bottom, and tapers off to about 1/4″ at the top. Of course, this is a full-size 47-string harp, which has more tension on it than a 40-string one. It also has a 22″ wide (at the bottom) extended soundboard, which has to be thicker to support this great tension! I have no idea what these measurements are on a L&H, but maybe someone on these forums can help.
Best wishes,
BalfourJohn, I love your improvised weights, ha, ha! Years ago, my wife and I built a mountain dulcimer. We only owned 2 clamps, so we had to come up with alternatives, much like you are doing right now. We got the dulcimer all clamped, weighted and banded together, and it has done very well to this day.
Thanks for posting and showing us your progress. You could always try lever-gauge strings on your harp, when you get it all completed. They would probably sound good, and it would place a little less tension on the soundboard than pedal-gauge strings would. The Camac harp company uses little wooden dowels, about 1/4″ by 1″ long, as string anchors underneath the soundboard. You can make your own from a 1/4″ round length of dowel. The other companies use 1″ pieces of thick old gut strings, which I do not think are as good. On Camac’s website, you can find instructions on how to tie the string knot on the little wooden dowel, and it is much easier to do, in my opinion. It is just like tying a simple knot, but you twist the loop first before you insert the end. On the high strings, nylon in the top, you put the string end through this twisted loop twice, to get a good hold. Nylon is more slippery than gut! You can practice this by using your weed-eater (string trimmer) nylon string, like you showed us in your video. You can also learn how to lock the end of the string under the first loop around the tuning pin, at the top of the harp. Dusty Strings shows how to do this on their website. What would we do without the Internet? I used to find all of this in books, ha, ha!
Hope this helps. Good going!
BalfourHi Jerusha and Gregg!
The Salzedo model is called Art Deco, so I don’t think this style description would apply very well to the Style 4. When I just looked it up, the Style 4 is described as “a modern classic.” The Style 11 is called “Art Noveau,” and I don’t think that would apply very well to the Style 4, either. Wonder what style L&H actually considers the Style 4 to be? I think it is very beautiful!
For comparison, Camac has an Art Noveau model, and their new Egerie is supposed to be “Art Deco.”
It is good to see your posts here, my friends.
Harp Hugs,
BalfourHello Molly!
How very beautiful your harp is! Thanks for posting the photo. The gold feet and crown will be the “icing on the cake,” ha, ha!
I, like you, had to get used to the sheer volume, resonance, and long ringing tone of my Camac Atlantide Prestige. I will try to post a photo here–you saw how it took me so many tries to get my Dusty Cherie photo to post, ha, ha! I had owned L&H 85’s before the Camac, and they were wonderful harps, but nothing like this Camac. Her name is “Angelica.”
Let us know what you name this new Prelude!
Best wishes and harp hugs,
Balfour and Carol LynnHi Molly,
How did it all turn out? Can you post a photo? We are so excited for you!
Harp Hugs,
Balfour and Carol LynnI know the feeling, Molly! Each time I have gotten a new harp, I have ended up playing it all the time. My sweet wife has had to “tear me away from the harp” even though she is thoroughly enjoying my playing, ha, ha! I get up during the night to make sure the harp is really there, that I haven’t just dreamed it. I am still in love with my two harps, even more now than the day I got each of them. It has been an enjoyable journey, owning several harps along the way, to finally arrive at this point of wanting to keep these two particular harps the rest of my life. Be sure not to make your fingers too sore, like I did mine when I first got my Cherie (Dusty FH36S). I normally play the harp so much, I rarely make my fingers sore, but it DID happen with Cherie, and I wrote Dusty to let them know, ha, ha!
Thanks for all your posts, Molly, and everyone here. We all are sharing your excitement!
Harp Hugs,
Balfour and Carol LynnI think Saul has the right idea, Talfryn. The string spacing should be comfortable by modern standards rather than follow something from ancient times. How is this project coming?
Best wishes,
BalfourCongratulations, Molly! We are so pleased that you are getting the Prelude. Fourteen years ago, the quality standards at L&H were very high. I owned a beautiful L&H semi-grand pedal harp dating from about that time. This Prelude should serve you well. We wish you many hours of embracing this new addition to your family!
Balfour and Carol Lynn
