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Hi Beate! Congrats on this exciting move! Wishing you a smooth, easy move and transition!
A new harp! How exciting! I highly recommend Michelle at Vanderbilt Harp Company. She is a professional harpist and is exceptional at connecting harpists with the perfect insturment. Whether you’re looking for a new or a pre-owned harp, she can help you find the perfect one. She is wonderful! You can reach her by calling Vanderbilt Harp Company directly or by sending her a Facebook message. Her full name is Michelle Abbott.
Keep us updated on your harp adventures! Hope you find the perfect harp soon!
Thank you, @carl-swanson. I appreciate that. I did as you suggested and it made a huge difference. I carefully covered the soundboard and column of my harp in plastic garbage bags (I cut each bag open so there were longer lengths of plastic to cover and protect the wood.) I carefully used a butter knife and wood skewers with paper towel to remove the old grease. I quickly observed just how delicate and flexible the parts of the mechanism are and was carefully not to “force” anything when I was removing the old grease.”I would move the pedals into different keys to make it easier to get the grease out. The old grease was hard and clumpy and caked on so I’m thinking it has been on the harp for awhile. After removing as much grease as I could, I used a very thin machine oil (a bottle with a long spout) in the places were the grease was, as you suggested. I would apply the oil, let it soak in and then wipe away the oil to make sure it wouldn’t drip into my harp later. I then carefully removed the plastic covering and made some pedal changes and all is well.
Going through this process was very helpful because prior to removing the grease what would happen is small chunks of it would fall onto the soundboard of my harp. So when I would pedal I would be concerned chunks of grease might fall onto the soundboard and stain it. So removing the caked grease and adding thin oil was well worth the process.
And,Carl, you were also very right about the oil working into the areas of the grease and loosening it up. Adding a thin oil worked very well and quickly softened up the caked, crusty grease in areas of the harp. Wow, what a difference! (Best of all, my harp doesn’t smell like grease anymore!) Thank you so much for the recommendation and for your help on this. I really appreciate it.
I’ve included some before and after photos just for fun.
Thank you, Charles and Carl, for taking the time to share your thoughts and insight on this. I greatly appreciate it!
Carl, what you shared makes so much sense. You confirmed my concern. I remember reading your Harp Column article about how techs need a certain kind of oil container with a long spout to get oil to the correct parts of the mechanism. Is there anything I can/should do to remedy the grease on my harp other than an action cleaning?
Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions. I’m so grateful! This has been extremely helpful. I’ll get in touch with a tech the next time one is in my area and have him take a look. Thank you so much!
You have been so helpful and I would hate to ask, but may I have your thoughts on what might need to be done a harp that has been sitting for a long time? I have a 100-year old pedal (no clicks in mechanism) that is in good order (playable, just a twist in the neck) that has spent many years sitting before I purchased it. The pedals move smoothly and I have had no issues with the mechanism, but I have noticed it is very dry inside the mechanism. Is there anything I should do there? I don’t believe the white is mold, but the metal oxidizing (but I could be wrong). Harp is in a humidity controlled space since I got it in Feb.
You rock! Haha, next etude is right! I appreciate you putting my mind at ease. What you shared makes a lot of sense. Thank you so much! 🙂
Thank you so much for your insight on this. I really appreciate it. Yes, I can’t agree more. Why did someone do this? The story from the seller is the harp spent most of its life sitting and was lightly played. So did the tech grease it up because the harp had been sitting for a while? Ugh, really hoping the seller was not dishonest and trying to hide clicks in the mechanism. 🙁 I am happy with the harp and at this time there are no issues with it.
My question is can grease on the rivets/in the mechanism really hide clicks? Would I know do you think even with all the grease? Alas! Thanks so much for sharing your insight.
This is fantastic! I’m only 4 years into my harp journey and haven’t discovered much of Tournier’s with yet. I didn’t know there were so many pieces of his that aren’t often played. I believe there is an old master class of Catherine Michel I watched recently and it was wonderful. I’m really looking forward to watching this. Thank you for sharing this and the excellent explanation of the pieces!
Hi! I’ve been thinking about this too and I I rewatched the video again and I really think the harp is the harpist’s personal Style 23. The harp didn’t have the very distinct Salzado top or sharp, angled soundboard sides, but I could be wrong. I do think the harp in the video is her own. I think the harp was wrapped with a custom, removeable vinyl (similar to what they use for wrapping cars, which is where they add a plastic/vinyl with printed images or solid colored graphics.) That would explain why the center strip of the harp isn’t green too.
Thanks everyone! This is really encouraging. It’s good to hear you’re experiences.
Thanks for asking, Balfour! I still have the old Style 15 and am really enjoying it. It’s been great! I thought it would be all the pedal harp I would ever need… that is until I played a new pedal harp. Wow! The new harps are lovely. I’m thinking of buying a harp with an extended soundboard one day. I have only played the Camac Athena, but will definitely have to visit the Atlanta or Virginia Harp centers and play some of the other Camac harps. Thanks for reccomending them!
Thanks, Balfour! I wanted to give an update. The Style 15 is wonderful! The process of putting on new strings and getting the harp playable again took about 2 months or so (I went slow replacing strings and bringing the harp up to tension because I didn’t want to stress the wood and about 10 strings were not at proper tension.) It’s been so wonderful to have this harp! I’ve been taking pedal harp lessons on it and I’m really enjoying it. I was going to try and regulate it myself by chickened out and had a professional technician regulate it for me instead. What a difference a regulation makes on the sound and playability! Best of all, tech gave the harp a clean bill of health and said it was in great structural condition. Amazing.
I had purchased this harp thinking it would be all the pedal harp I would ever need… until I went and played a brand new pedal harp. The one I played is so much smaller and lighter than some of the older harps I’ve played on. So I’m considering purchasing a harp with an extended soundboard in the future and keeping the Style 15 for playing at events.
But the Style 15 has been the perfect introduction to the pedal harp world for me. I’m glad I didn’t spend more money by buying a newer harp that is comparable to the Style 15. (Such as the Chicago or the Daphne 40.) To anyone considering picking up a Style 15, I highly recommend them! Great small pedal harps! A great option if you want pedals and can find one that is structurally sound for a good price.
Thank you all so much for the excellent advice. I really appreciate you all sharing your insight and experience!
Thanks so much, Balfour! 🙂
The gold gilding takes this harp to the next level. It’s breathtaking! I’m excited for you and your harp adventures with this golden beauty!
Your harp is so beautiful, Sylvia! Thank you for sharing! It shines in the photos. The sound must be fantastic.
Thanks so much for all the encouragement and sound advice. After much thought, pros and cons lists, and a video call with the owner to look at the harp, I drove a 7-hour round trip (with careful social distancing and mask wearing in the few places we went on the way) with my husband to pick it up. It’s so beautiful and is as I hoped it would be but better. For a harp that’s been sitting unplayed for awhile, the strings have good tension and most are in tune. No clicking in the pedal mechanism, very few cosmetic dings and it looks really nice. I’m going to slowly replace the strings (a few at a time over a period of weeks). I’m hoping Carl Swanson’s Harp Care Guide for Harpists might be helpful as I learn some general tips for getting it in somewhat playable condition before a regulation.
Thanks so much everyone! It’s wonderful to share this exciting news about my first pedal with you.
