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Why do you use the other knot on 0G? An extra half hitch as shown on the diagram you found and it works fine.
Another tip is the use of a non-scratchy clothes peg to stop the end of your string falling through the hole when you have poked the string through from the top and are then tying the knot – useful when the holes aren’t as easy to reach on the inside.
I would want a thick pad not at the very top of the harp, but a few inches down so that the points aren’t taking the harp’s weight, even through padding.
You can, of course, hold the end of the string in a pair of pliers to tighten it which I sometimes find helpful on the lower strings.
Have you considered not looking for a great harp, but rather a second hand one as cheap as you can find? It would be likely to loose less value in a stressful climate than a new one.
It was the first one I was taught – I can see why some people like the other one, especially when stringing a lot of harps, but our knot seems less fuss!
There is another knot which can be a useful trick when you have a length of spare that is right on the borderline for being too short. Tie a knot (just a simple overhand knot) and pull it tight at the very end of the string without a thick bit through it. Then tie another knot with the thick bit through it (B2 on the diagram) and pull tight against your end knot.
I too like the alternative knot. Though I put the 2nd loop round the other way so I am making a clove hitch which doesn’t have the sharp reverse of the string. Why not try the alternative on some of your broken strings to see if you like it.
Are the strings definitely breaking at the knot and not just pulling through – from your question about putting used strings back on I wonder if you are not pulling the knots tight enough, then not leaving enough slack before winding and getting the slack from the knot tightening and pulling through.
How many turns you need depends on how much slack you leave before you start winding on – in the 2nd octave I usually go for 3-5 turns.
If you look at the bottom end exactly where are they breaking? Where the string comes out of the soundboard, or at the knot? How badly are you kinking the string as you tie it?
The way I was taught to check if there is a sharp edge is to take the broken string and pull it back and forth through the hole rubbing on the edge – if it shreds you have a sharp bit, if not sanding it won’t help. Don’t overdo this with plastic grommets as you can wear a groove in them.
Where are the strings breaking? Bottom, nut, peg, well away from everything?
Gut, nylon or something else?
If you are changing strings which seem OK it can be worth while keeping the old ones for emergency spares. I find that putting a string back on the harp it keeps pitch faster than a new one as the knot is already pulled tight, so this can be worthwhile if one goes just before a concert.
I have been told both by a harp teacher and medics that it takes about 6 weeks of care and thought to transfer something into muscle memory. Certainly this has seemed about right to me when trying to change bits of my technique. But it doesn’t help if you haven’t worked out what you want to change it too.
I would refer you to one of my teachers, Alison Nicholls, who was also qualified in pilates, and apt to tell me I was making the right movements but using the wrong muscles – but I think she is based in Paris now which may be rather far for you?
I have a book with a close up of a c.1759 portrait where I can make out darker strings with 3 then 2 white between them http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/greuze/angelaur.html and red and black are perfectly clear c.1790 http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rose_adelaide_ducreux_color.jpg
Looking at the conference programme here: http://www.ahsconference.org/Default.aspx?pageId=1137691
I find:
Albert Zabel (1834-1910)
Marguerite au rouet, Op. 19
Concert transcription by Marcel Grandjany edited by Kathleen Bride
Kathleen Bride, harp
