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On the contrary, Leon! You sound really thoughtful and eager to learn, and I applaud you for your interest in the history and care of this old Morley. This has been a fascinating thread.
I’ve never heard of the 48th string before. It must be the 00A, I’m guessing? Not sure I’ve ever encountered anything in the harp literature which calls for that note. My preference would always be for an extra string or two at the bottom of the instrument, as those seem to be needed more often. Don’t most of us use our low wires more than the top of our first octave?
Hi Daniele,
If you do a search of past harp column forums you will find this issue has been raised before. I hope that by now your problem is solved, but in case it hasn’t been, there might be some roughness or sharpness inside one of the holes through which the string is threaded. It would be very tiny and probably not immediately obvious. If it is just the one string that’s breaking repeatedly, I would suspect the issue is not with the strings themselves but with the harp. Let us know what happens! Best, Eliza MorrisonI definitely agree that advice from a technician or harp builder is in order. Perhaps Carl Swanson will notice this thread and give his thoughts. I also agree with Gretchen that the instrument might not be able to take modern string tension. Before changing the stringing, get professional guidance.
What a delightful surprise that it has turned out to be playable! I love it when old instruments get another ‘chapter.’It is a gorgeous instrument, owned and loved by a beautiful, soulful musician. I too hope it goes to the right person, the home it deserves!
I think all of the advice given so far is excellent. I would add that playing the harp is subject to the same ebb and flow as the rest of our lives. There will be dry spells. Maybe some other part of your life is absorbing your attention and energies right now. Don’t worry, your interest and excitement will definitely come back! We just can’t be on fire all the time. Don’t feel at all badly!
Aoyama has some unique designs. I especially love the soundboard on the Princess Sakura. I’ve never seen anything like it!
It was difficult, and I have since regretted it. The present owners have offered me rights of first refusal if they ever decide to sell it.
I didn’t mean to post the Thurau twice—sorry! Erin, I don’t think they are played much, if at all, in the States. I can’t get an exact price for this harp, maybe due to fluctuations in the exchange rate, but when I did some calculations a couple of years ago, it came out to be wildly expensive. It is so beautiful. It reminds me of delicious caramel or something.
Kreig and Evelyn, I actually prefer a glossier finish too, but can understand someone wanting a more natural looking wood. I saw on one of the harp manufacturers’ websites recently that they charge an additional $1,000 for “high gloss.”I realized that I should have specified that it was my second harp I scrimped and saved to buy! My first harp, a LH15, was bought for me by my parents when I was 12. I used it extensively throughout college, graduate school and my early career, and it still looked and sounded great when I finally sold it (in my forties).
