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Okay…I have an 11-year-old Pratt Chamber Harp (concert gauge) which I am currently in for a few repairs, restringing, and regulation. It has Camac levers. Per the builder, he has switched from Bow Brand to Premier for gut strings, and has had virtually no complaints with breakage (except for the unavoidable typical string breakage). So, I am going to switch to Premier from my Savarez KF’s (which I used in place of Bow Brand gut) because of the CRAZY breakage I had with them, both several years ago AND just this past spring. We will see how this goes, and I will post after I see the outcome down the road. My question is this: My L&H Style 100 needs restringing in gut, and I am considering doing it with Premier. They aren’t breaking, but are VERY old, and just don’t sound as good as they should. Can anyone tell me how to maintain back-up strings without HUGE expense?? I am extremely rural, and always have to order. I had a set of Bow Brand backups, but they got very old. And probably would only be good as an emergency. I don’t play professionally, except for a couple gigs a year. But I want my harp(s) to sound wonderful all the time. I could buy a backup set, and would have one set for 3 harps (I just bought the 22-string Pratt “Sprite”, which he has strung the 4th and 3rd octaves in Premier concert gut, too). Thoughts??? Please make your comments about this really “down to earth” for me. String makers want us to buy strings. But harp players don’t want to spend money needlessly for them…Thank you!
One time I, too, needed to elevate my. So my husband built me a very beautiful box (not out of cherry, but we stained it cherry to match my harp). It was solid and a perfect height. But if I had to make a box…forget it! So, a very easy (cheap to free) way is to find something in a “box form” sturdy enough to hold your harp, and if ugly, drape a pretty scarf over it 🙂 I’ve actually done that, before we built that pretty box. Big department stores often have a “storage bin” section where you can buy something just the right height very inexpensively. If it was actually a sturdy (plastic or wood) box, you could actually glue the pretty material over it…something that would also set off your harp, or be very neutral. Depending on the venue, it could have fringe, or beading, or simply be an inexpensive neck scarf or shawl. Make it fun! 🙂
I, too, owned a Prelude, which I purchased in about 2003. I had a Blevins (36-string lever harp) before that. When I took lessons I was able to see and play the Prelude because my teacher knew someone who had one. I also loved that harp. Beautiful sound! As the years went by I decided to buy a pedal harp, and chose the L&H Style 100 in walnut finish, with a beautiful iris soundboard decoration. Gorgeous sound…beautiful harp! At that time, L&H offered trade-in of your L&H harp for full price (if in excellent condition) toward the cost of the new pedal harp (not sure if they still do, but check into it). So, I ordered one, and did the trade-in. Really helped me with the price, though I saved a bunch of money over those 5 years to make the purchase easier. I got it in 2008, and still have it. However, in 2013 I had a surgery, which makes it quite difficult to reach toward the lower octaves with my left hand, and overall makes me sore and tired to play it in general. Though I can’t seem to part with it, I rarely (if at all) play it anymore, and resign to my smaller 36-string lever harp (a Pratt Chamber harp, and a soon to arrive Triplett Eclipse). BTW: I am 66 years old, and had I felt physically like I do right now back in ’08 when I bought it, I probably wouldn’t have. I am not trying to talk you out of the purchase, but maybe you could rent one for awhile and see how you actually felt physically. It may not be that much of a concern for you physically, as it is for me…Wishing you all the best and joy as you pursue your purchase.
First, I have NOT had experience removing all harp strings for long-term storage. I can only say what I have heard from harpists, builders, and those who repair harps, though they never mentioned anything about removing all the strings…and that is, to “back off” the string tension “evenly”. Perhaps it matters what you consider “long term storage”. And where and how will it be stored. I have had a pedal harp since 2008. I rarely play it anymore, and may consider selling it. However, I keep it tuned. I have heard that it is important to keep tension against the soundboard. Which is why you want to put on a new string asap when one breaks, because others will want to break close to the string that did break because they are taking on more tension to make up for the broken string. Also, when re-stringing a harp, you leave all the strings on, as you replace them one-by-one…another thought with regard to leaving all the strings in place so tension doesn’t change against the soundboard…I think I would be concerned with the soundboard if you removed all the strings. I am only guessing here, but it seems that you could run into problems re-stringing the harp after the soundboard was “at rest” from tension that had already been placed on it (how long have you had the harp? So, how long had there been tension against the soundboard…and for that matter, tension on the entire harp — neck, etc?) I think a builder (OR, someone who repairs, regulates, etc., harps who had the experience of re-stringing a harp after strings had been removed for long-term storage) would have the answer to this question…because you are talking about how the wood would react to this, with many factors in play already…I look forward to hearing other folks “take” on this…
I used to also have a Prelude…For the past several years I have been playing a Pratt Chamber Harp (36 strings). I have a couple gigs that I thought I’d need to be amplified for each year. One is for background music during cocktail hour as well as dinner for about 200 guests. The other is an art show reception that has 50-100 people milling about, eating appetizers and sipping drinks, as they view the artwork. As it turns out, I am heard “above the crowd noise” without amplification! Perhaps it’s the acoustics. Or my harp. Or simply the nature of the beast 🙂 In any case, you would be amazed how the harp permeates a crowd (indoors), as the music floats above their heads…However, I did amp this harp when playing outdoors once (and probably would amplify again if playing outdoors). Sound pretty much stops dead in its tracks when outside with a harp. I used a “Big Twin” K&K pickup (2 small disks that are affixed inside and against the soundboard, 1/3rd distance from top, 1/3rd distance from bottom, near the center. I had them connected to a Dusty Strings “Jack Clamp” which sandwiches around the edges of one of the back-holes of the harp, where the 1/4″ plug-in goes. The 1/4″ plug-in goes into this, then gets plugged into the preamp, and then another 1/4″ plug-in goes into the other end of the preamp and out to the sound system (either your amp, or the “house” furnished system). It worked very well, and picked up the strings high to low. I have since ordered a Triplett Eclipse and ordered the built-in pickup which extends the entire length of the 38 strings on that harp, and comes with a preamp, but needs to be installed when ordered…cannot be added later…I have also been mic’d externally to a sound system that had an operator to mix it, and it was very excellent. So, perhaps you might think about how much you need to be heard before you decide to amplify yourself. Because in my experience, it isn’t always necessary, depending on the situation. If you are background music to this art event, place yourself away from the people who are milling about. If you are on the same floor “level”, place a ribbon block-off between you and them, allowing enough room for your sound to resonate. You may not need any amplification. If the room is carpeted, use a board for you and your harp to sit on, and the sound will resonate instead of getting buried in the carpet. Yes, I have done this, and didn’t need any amplification.
Some years back I developed a “trigger thumb”. If you don’t know what that is, it’s when you bend the thumb joint (or any finger joint) and it “takes over to complete the bend” without your control, VERY FAST! It was so frustrating and painful. I went to a massage therapist to try to relax the tendons all the way down the forearm. She showed me some techniques, but none of them worked. I think you can imagine how this trigger thumb would play out. It was impossible to play. And it hurt. I also tried dipping both hands into ice water, holding, then very warm water, holding, and back and forth, for probably a total of 5 minutes daily. Didn’t work. In the end, I had to have surgery to stop it. I don’t know how it developed. The hand doctor said there are various reasons. I started playing later in life, and so my hands already were shaped the way they were going to be at the harp. I was unable to bring my thumb “completely” over finger #2 with “correct” technique. When trying to do this, it is painful at the joints (and this was before I developed the trigger thumb). I told my teacher that the way it fell naturally over finger #2 would have to do. And she understood. It basically comes to rest directly over the joint of finger #2, closest to the hand, or a little closer to the middle of the next joint in finger #2. I mention all this, because I tried for a very long time to get my thumb to rest where it’s supposed to, and it always hurt. I am not sure if this was why the trigger thumb developed or not. But it could be a possibility, trying to move a joint over and over in a way that was not comfortable or natural at the age of 50 when I first started to play. So, not knowing your own situation, perhaps some of this is a factor for you, and you are putting undo strain on a joint in an unnatural way. Sometimes, technique needs to be adjusted to the individual in cases like this…Just a thought 🙂
You were in no way “dissing” in any way, Charles 🙂 I often have trouble getting down in words what it is that I want to say…Never really knowing how my choice of words and description might be interpreted…Anyway, still waiting for my delivery and to finally get started…Thanks for the offer to order the leather washers if the other options don’t pan out. Have a wonderful day!
Thank you, Charles! It was a very complete and succinct explanation! Though it is more than I will be able to take on, and since I desperately need to get my harp restrung, I will have to wait for next time. Also, I live in an INCREDIBLY rural area, MANY miles from real civilization (though it’s a wonderful life!) I would probably do better to buy them already made, after reading your explanation. FYI: I have a Pratt Chamber harp, and John Pratt and I went back and forth some years ago with regard to string breakage with the natural gut (Bow Brand) on my particular harp. It was NOT during the time where seemingly everyone was complaining about BB gut strings, either. (John said he is now putting Premier gut on his harps, and that there is very little breakage). And I had an expert look at the harp and there were no defects that he could find that would resolve the problem. I had another friend who ALSO had the same model harp, and was experiencing breakage issues. I was the “Guinea Pig” for the K&F Alliance on the Chamber, and John and I worked through with Lyra, at the time, now Vanderbilt, about diameters, etc. They work perfectly on this harp. It takes concert tension — and the sound is very excellent. I think the sound of these K&F’s is highly dependent on the build of the harp. I also have a L&H Style 100 Pedal harp, and now am playing the Pratt almost exclusively. So I know the difference in sound, as I hear it first hand with both harps, and have heard it on the Pratt both ways. I know it is personal preference, but the sound is honestly amazing 🙂 Thank you for your input. I enjoy reading about how others approach their issues or problems. This resolve for me was excellent. As for stretchiness, yes I am VERY aware of the “stretching phase” that’s needed to get them to a point where there won’t be too many winds around the tuning pins. I have had this particular set on since April 2015, and only now was able to hear them “wearing down” in sound, so-to-speak…And actually had the first K&F break for the first time in all those 3 years! I have a good ear. And I play every day. These strings respond beautifully once they hold pitch. I haven’t had any issues with them becoming too thin from stretching over time as to not reacting “right on pitch” to the sharping levers. We all continue to learn, every day, if we are open to others ideas and really hear how others approach their craft 🙂 Thank you again!
Hi, Biagio! Can you tell me how you made your DIY leather washers from a 2nd hand belt? (And I’m assuming I can cut “squares” as opposed to the impossible “circle”) And what did you use to make/punch the string hole? I am awaiting my shipment of strings (in a couple hours YIKES…Will you get this???) and was thinking it would be an excellent idea, since I will be restringing 5th octave A B C D E through 3rd octave, using Savarez K&F Alliance strings…Thanks!
Hello everyone! I am the “queen” of using old stored gut (and nylon) harp strings. I actually restrung my harp this past week with an entire set dated 2007 and 2008 — all new in their packages from those 2 years (I date my packages). I don’t seem to have much trouble with breaking gut strings, and typically will re-string the 3rd octave when I have 1 or 2 of them breaking…But I still have some of those ’07 and ’08 ones of those left, too! They are holding pitch after 5 days, dropping only slightly now, daily, and I am sure they will level out soon. I have heard and read so much about using only “fresh” gut strings. But I’m here to tell you that mine have not broken (and I replaced entire set of gut, from 5A through 3E). I have a good ear, so I have to say that they sound lovely! I would know if they were “duds”…And then of course I would put on a newer one(s). So, what does anyone have to say about THIS??? I am very curious! Oh, and of course I bought an entire back-up set of gut, so you are probably wondering why I would have used the old ones. And I say, “why not”? And, they were all Bow Brand…Looking forward to anyone’s comments 🙂
I live in Colorado where the humidity is often in the single digits or teens (inside my home), even when it’s high outside due to rain or snow. I heat with a wood fireplace, and have radiant in-floor heat. Our home has high vaulted ceilings and is of log construction. It is impossible to humidify this open space, and the only closed-off rooms we have are our bathrooms!!! All that said, I place a wet washcloth inside a quart freezer bag, leaving the top open, and place it inside at the bottom of each harp (while playing it or not). That’s it!!! I have a concert grand pedal harp and 2 lever harps, as well as a very small lap harp. Have never had a problem. I re-wet the cloth once a week, as it doesn’t dry out sooner. When I do wet it, I squeeze it so it doesn’t drip, but not completely squeezed out. Freezer zips are more durable than just a sandwich bag. Okay, I’ll bet all you humidity aficionados are just CRINGING at what I do 🙂 But my harps haven’t cracked. Of course it could have a lot to do with how they are built. But honestly, you couldn’t put them through much worse when it comes to lack of humidity. The pedal harp is 10 years old, one lever harp is 11 years old, and the other 2 harps were built in Utah (also an arid state geographically, so already somewhat acclimated when built). Harps are built to “stretch”. They are put into different climates simply by traveling with them. Best of luck to you!
I rented an apartment in one city, and had homeowners insurance in another city where I have a home we own. I know this scenario is different from yours, but I am including what I found out with regard to renters insurance as well, in this post. As it turned out, my homeowners insurance COVERED my apartment elsewhere, and ALL my belongings, including my instruments, so I didn’t have to purchase rental insurance. But let me clarify to you why this worked for me, because the little traveling I did with my instruments was not important enough to me to get additional coverage on them specifically! When I originally checked into renters insurance, it would have only cost me about $130/year, which EASILY covered REPLACEMENT of 3 harps (L&H Style 100 concert grand pedal harp, Pratt Chamber harp, Dusty Strings FH36S, and hammered dulcimer), as well as ALL my personal items which included any electronics such as laptop, phone, etc. All was covered for fire or theft, through my homeowners insurance policy. When you apply for renters insurance you decide how much coverage you need based on your belongings. My renters insurance said it’s always a good idea to furnish them with pictures of all the instruments with serial #’s, etc., and to keep my own separate file of same. Now this covered them IN-HOUSE only…not when traveling and using them in gigs, should something happen outside the apartment. She was the person who recommended that I call my homeowners insurance company to see if they offered other options. That’s when I found out that the homeowners insurance covered the apartment and ALL my belongings, at no extra charge. So, if you don’t travel with your instruments (or even if you do, but aren’t concerned for various reasons) it’s very inexpensive. I have never traveled with my concert grand harp. So for me, obtaining insurance coverage for an instrument OUTSIDE my home or apartment has never concerned me. So, if this is the case with you, it isn’t necessary to get insurance specifically for a given instrument if not used outside the apartment/home, OR, if you feel it’s overkill, depending on how you actually feel about it, or value of instrument(s) you are traveling with (or not)…Hope this helps many of you 🙂
I had a 29 string Blevins Eden which I had a K&K single pickup installed by the builder when it was built. You plug in with a short cord to a small simple pre-amp (which allows the K&K to work at its optimum) K&K sells them, and plug the pre-amp with longer cord into any sound system (or PA system). If your speakers are “IN FRONT” of your harp, you will not get feedback. This little setup works great! And it’s simple…You can put it in yourself using a Dusty Strings Jack Clamp (that clamps in the back of your harp inside and outside of one of the holes that is removable — no holes drilled into your harp), or find someone to do the permanent install who has done this sort of thing before. The sound is just fine with a harp this size. Any bigger, I would recommend the K&K “Big Twin”, 2 pickups placed inside against the soundboard instead of just one, which I used in my 36 string Pratt Chamber Harp, and it worked great. Not too expensive at all 🙂
Do you like your 30 string Triplett? If you do, you might consider the Triplet Signature (36 string) or Triplett Eclipse (38 string). Signature 25-28 lbs, Eclipse 28-32 lbs. And both come with the option to purchase the coolest “slide-into-case” wheel board to pull your harp like a piece of luggage (or just carry without it, if that much weight isn’t a problem).
I recently lived in an upstairs apartment of a house (1 neighbor downstairs). I played a L&H pedal harp, a Pratt Chamber harp (36 strings floor harp with big sound) and a Dusty Strings FH36S (36 strings floor harp with a big but different sound from the other 2 harps). I also periodically practiced with a hammered dulcimer player and sometimes a Chapman Stick player (which needs a small amplifier to produce the sound). My downstairs neighbor, though a bit hard of hearing, NEVER complained. And actually told me that I could play 24/7…because sometimes I enjoyed sitting at my harp to improvise my racing thoughts away that kept me from sleeping, and he said it was like a lullaby for him…That he felt fortunate to have a harpist of any kind living upstairs and playing any time. Also, in the summer when my windows were open, my next-door neighbor said they used to eat their supper while listening to me play in the background. Perhaps I was lucky to have such neighbors…But I think you find this more the case than finding neighbors that were quiet enough for you to enjoy your own practice on ANY size harp 🙂 I asked my neighbor if I ever bothered him, and he told me these things…You could always ask first…
