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Sounds like you bought the correct string. It is the name and octave of the string that is important, not the number. 4th octave A is the same string position on all harps. What may vary is the type of string depending on the type of harp (pedal harp or lever harp, antique or modern, etc.). Troubadour harps take the same kind of string as pedal harps so you are okay there.
See this chart from Lyon & Healy:
Please note that nylon strings can take a long time to stretch out and hold pitch so keep tuning often. If there are enough coils on the tuning pin to reach the neck, you may need to unwind the string and pull it through the pin again to take up the slack, then rewind. Good luck and enjoy your harp!
If this is a nylon string, it will continue to stretch out for some time. The more you tune it, the sooner it will finish stretching and hold pitch. You can unwind it, pull it taut through the hole, and wind it up again. You may need to do it more than once over several days.
Then cut off the excess. There is no rule on how many turns can be on the tuning pin as long as you don’t let them push up against the neck. Always avoid having the string wound up against the neck because it will act as a force pulling the tuning pin tighter into the neck, which can cause trouble in the future.
I answered this earlier but can’t see it. Thanks, Balfour-Knight, I was able to do it, albeit a bit accidentally. Somehow I moved the archive from forScore to a file on the iPad and from there to the Dropbox app on the iPad. It appears on Dropbox on my desktop so I know it’s there if needed. I had never used “files” on the iPad before because I use the tablet as a music reader only: no games or mail or photos, etc. It’s capable of much more than I’ll ever require of it, and I’m not a very tech-savvy person. I’m much better with screwdrivers and pliers, the tools we use for harps!
By the way, I always enjoy your posts. They’re helpful and kind and very informative!Yes, thank you, Balfour-Knight. Rather accidentally, as I am overly cautious to click on anything I’m not sure I can undo. I was able to move the archive to Dropbox and hope I can remember next time how I did it!
Sounds like you have some good pieces already. Check with the activity director to be sure religious selections are okay depending on the demographics in that facility. Also remember many residents will be younger than your mom (mine would have been 92 this year also) and they were young adults in the 50s and 60s, maybe even the 70s, so check out Sylvia Woods’ collection of songs from those eras, especially the Beatles tunes and other Broadway and movie music. Easy piano versions can be useful for quick adaptation. Nice of you to do this; it will be greatly appreciated! Have fun!
I use a two-wheeled cart with large, pneumatic wheels. It works on all kinds of stairs; I use it for lever harp and for 44-string Camac harps and used it for a 47-string concert grand for many years until I sold that harp. It is also best for all surfaces including gravel and unpaved roads, carpet, tile, just about any surface you can encounter. Strong straps are a must, as harps will bounce a little on any cart when going up or down stairs. Go slowly and take your time. Your harp and your back will thank you!
So sorry you’re having this problem. Everyone’s experience is different, but here is mine in case it’s helpful. I had De Quervains about 20 years ago in one wrist. (I think I strained it loading the harp.) I could play but doing other things was difficult, and it did not get better with time. Finally went to a hand specialist who gave cortisone in the wrist and it helped within a couple days. My doctor said get a spica wrist splint. It immobilizes the thumb and wrist. I keep one for each hand and wear it whenever I feel some pain beginning. You can’t play while wearing it, but you can do other things. Don’t be afraid to get a second opinion in case there is some other issue, and get as much help as you can with daily activities to rest your wrists. Wishing you all the best!
How about Sidewalk Cafe by Gillock? Also some of the pieces in Salzedo’s Suite of Eight Dances have second harp parts.
Contact Lyon & Healy in Chicago. Be sure to include all information about your harp (serial #, etc.) and it may be helpful to say which string and disc the missing screw is for. They may all be the same but better safe than sorry. Probably be a good idea to have it regulated next time a harp tech is in your area to be sure the adjustment is completely accurate. Good luck!
Transport top cover for a Lyon & Healy Prelude will fit a Troubadour. It’s a little large but it fits.
Just wanted to say that the Lyon & Healy Transport Cover for their Prelude will fit a Troubadour, but it seems they no longer sell those parts separately, only as a 3-piece set, so I don’t think the column and base covers would necessarily work on a Troubadour.
It’s possible that the copyright holder will no longer give permission for more/new paper copies to be printed, for which royalties must be paid. Permission for electronic PDFs is also required and is usually more expensive than for paper copies.
I would definitely have your teacher take a look at this. Perhaps the wrong wire was put in that package; compare its diameter to the adjacent E. They should be very close in width/gauge. If the wire really is too short to use (which your photo indicates), you should return it to the vendor (I would call them first; you may not be the only customer with this problem). There should be 4 to 6 inches of wire past the tuning pin when it passes through the hole (before winding it on).
Hi, Alison, for the pedal that flops down, try attaching it to an adjacent pedal with a heavy rubber band. That will keep it from falling when you’re moving the harp, probably the only time you really need the pedal to stay up so it doesn’t catch on something and get broken.
According to the facsimile of the Lyon & Healy 1899 Harp book (catalog), the style 21 is 69 inches tall, 34 inches wide, has 45 strings, and weighs 65 lbs. In 1899 it cost $875 brand new! Described as “Designed especially for solo playing for home or stage purposes.”
Do you know if it needs restoration? If so, I would recommend H.Bryan & Co. at oldharpsmadeyoung.com. My reason is they try to preserve as much of the original as possible, replicating parts when necessary. You can check with both companies and see what you’re comfortable with. By the way, harps of that age generally use lighter gauge strings than modern harps, so you can ask H.Bryan about that, too. You don’t want to put too much tension on an old harp’s soundboard and neck. Congratulations and have fun!
