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Biagio,
Resurrecting this old thread because I’m in the same situation (except paying an expert to make the changes, since I have neither time nor tools to do it myself).
Did you end up keeping the blades (it sounds like you may have, if you replicated some of them)? If you did, did you do anything to improve their sound? (You may remember from a different thread that my blades are not working in tune, so they may need to be removed and re-positioned.)
Or did you do levers (I know you recommended this for my no-longer-authentic Clark)? I’m seriously considering this for mine, except that I love how the blades look (and levers are expensive, even just for materials). Leaving the blades on the bottom six strings, though, would save me $100, so thanks for that idea.
Just curious about the end result.
I’m reviving this old thread because I’ve just acquired a Clark harp at an estate sale (Model A, serial number 1450, in case Linda Kaiser is still looking for serial numbers).
The harp is missing its taborette/stand, all the remaining strings need replacing, and someone has painted the whole thing (soundboard included) black. Otherwise, it’s in pretty good shape – all the blades are there, and it seems pretty sound structurally. There are two horizontal cracks on the soundboard, but they’re narrow and seem stable (and I don’t think they go all the way through).
Any tips for restoring it? The priority is to get it in playable condition, which should only require strings. I’ve contacted Markwood Strings about getting a whole new set of strings for it. Is it worth trying to get the black paint off? In places where it’s chipping, it looks like it used to be green, but there’s raw wood showing through too. The blades, tuning pins, and bridge pins are pretty grimy. Are they brass? Should I attempt to polish them?
Thanks, Charles-nix. I’ll probably lower it by a half- or whole-step to ease the tension a little. We do have salty humidity here – I hadn’t thought much of that, but you’re definitely right. I’ll borrow a dehumidifier for now.
Alison, for reference, the sun definitely can damage the varnish on a harp. I think less so on newer harps, because the finish is different? Mine is a Salvi Daphne from the mid-90s, and its previous owner had it in a window. Luckily nothing else was damaged, but the finish now has a very obvious crackled look (and chips off sometimes). Probably a few hours wouldn’t do it, though; I think mine was in the sunlight for years.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions! I may have found a small company to ship it from uship.com.
Dorian, I suspect it is that same harp! I would love to hear more about it.
Thank you, that was very helpful. My teacher is in a different city, so she was only able to give me basic tips. I realize that my repertoire might not be quite ready for restaurants, etc., so I’m thinking about beginning by volunteering in non-commercial places first to get experience.
Okay, so I definitely won’t be asking where there’s already a harpist. I don’t want to step on anyone’s toes. So what’s the best way to find a job as a student (and where should I look and should I mention that I won’t charge much)?
Hmm… I thought I posted this in Professional Harpists. It’s a little out of place here.
Thanks for the prompt reply! The reason I thought asking about subbing during vacations might work is because I’m only here for the summer, so even if I don’t charge much (which I won’t because I don’t have any related experience, just recitals and stuff at school), they can’t hire me as a replacement because I won’t be here. Still, I suppose it would be best to talk to the harpist.
Any other suggestions (or instructions as to how to move this thread to Professional Harpists?)?
At an orchestra competition, my fellow harpist encountered certain amusing remarks:“Dear, why don’t you go help that girl?
