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Hi Harplynx, I just heard back by mail from HarpColumn that your earlier deleted message has become ‘unspammed’.
I checked it and your original message has appeared again. We can edit our posts, but can’t delete them, so I guess the history of this thread will remain visible for the whole world.
Hi Harplynx, I just adapted the text to your wishes. Unfortunately, I was not able to mail the text to you, so that you could republish it yourself as nowadays we can’t see each other’s email-adresses any more (because of too much spam, I guess). So, the only way was that I uploaded it again.
Hi Harplynx,
Below you find your message that got deleted by the silly spam algorithm:
harplynx wrote:
Hi Biagio,
Thanks for your reply. I have tried only a few different fishing line types, and ended up prefering Soft & Strong by Climax.
It’s color is white/blanc (not green or blue pink), and it is really soft and strong, which I prefer when working with paki-instruments (I fix instruments for others too).
And of course, It’s cheap, meaning I can afford to experiment a lot without having to pay for expensive harp strings, which normally are better (exept for the one’s that come with the pakiharps, they’re really bad; hard plastic, sounding ’empty’ like ‘cardboard’).
With the fishing line in differen mm-sizes I get an even tension that is pretty much alike for all the strings, making them keep the tuning well and sounding harmonious and pure. I have actually been surprised by how well this works concerning it’s a cheap solution, not professionally optimal. But for hobby players it’s good enough concerning the price.
I love to see newbeginners get their harp dream fulfilled when they get a cheap, nice looking and good enought sounding harp in their hands. Their gratitude and the smile on their face is priceless.
Some of the smaller, newer and better pakiharps can actually function ok with fishing line strings well adjusted on them. After having experimented over some time on several types of these harps and lyres, I have learned enough to be able to be a start-up consultant and practical assistant for newbeginners. It brings a lot of joy.
If the line gets too thick, over 1,20 mm, they don’t give very well sound. But from 0,40 mm and up to 1,20 mm (perhaps even 1, 40 mm) they can work.
The thinner strings break easier, of course, that goes without saying, but when I adjust the size to the string distance and tension, and try out different solutions, I always end up with a result I can live with.
It just takes time. I have to let the instrument stand for a while, play on it a lot and see what remains steady and what doesn’t. Then I do changes according to the need. After a while I’m content.
Edit: I just adapted the text to Harplynx’ wishes.
Harplynx, unfortunately, it’s not possible anymore to send personal messages to each other (probably because of the spam problem), so I couldn’t send the original text to you for you to publish it again.Hi Harplynx, did your latest message just got deleted? If so, this happens regularly due to some silly, non-functioning spam algorithm.
I did receive your message from a few minutes ago, though and if you haven’t got a copy, I am willing to upload it again for you (and send another message to the forum manager to do something about the spam algorithm).
Thanks for mentioning the Chladni effect, Biagio.
I just found a great article explaining it:
Controlling the motion of multiple objects on a Chladni plate.https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5023966/
Fortunately, it gives a very easily understandable introduction to it in the abstract, before it becomes too technical for me in the part in which the results are discussed. In the article a great many sources for further reading are mentioned.
Sylvia, it may help to make a print screen by simultaneously pressing the two buttons Fn Prnt Scrn and pasting the image in a mail to the email address you will find bottom left under ‘Contribute’.
I don’t get such a notice, but then my software blocks all kinds of pop-ups.
Great idea to start this thread, Biagio.
In another thread I just read charles-nix message “I wonder if one can “voice” a soundboard after the harp is built to alter its resonance?”I am not a builder, nor do I have solid knowledge of building. The only thing I have heard, is that when playing a certain string generates a wolf tone, builders may add some extra some material in the sound box to mute the unwanted effect. To find out the best place, they may experiment first with some easily removable material. They don’t experiment ‘in the blind’, but I don’t know how they make an educated guess about the probable place to add some extra weight.
As to the actual question, if at all possible, I guess one would have to remove the soundboard first and perhaps one may thin it in some places in order to get more resonance in part of the harp, and put it back on, but this would be rather time consuming and so rather pricey.
@ JS Moir, thanks for correcting my spelling mistake. It’s not meant as an excuse, but perhaps you like to know that English is not my mother tongue.
By the way, there’s quite a lot to say about which physical aspects may play a role in one’s choice for a harp. Not only regarding build, but also about muscles and earlier injuries.
I am sorry that you are dissappointed in the quality of the free help several people wanted to give you.
I agree with Tacye, to be able to give someone valid recommendations regarding certain harps, one needs to know a lot about the wishes and abilities of the person asking for advice. The point is, as others stated before in this thread, is that beginners seldom know what they are looking for and how their fysique could influence their choice.
People that love to play classical pieces would be happiest with a harp that is best suitable for that kind of music, while people dreaming of playing fast Irish music would prefer another kind of harp. And people that want one harp for all kinds of music, tend to make different choices than people that want one harp for each kind of music.
Then the way one is built, plays a role. A very short person may prefer another harp than a very large person.
Also, transportability plays an important role for some people and not for others.
There are many more factors playing a role with the selection of a harp.
One thing, which might deserve more attention: when one is a beginner, a harp with low tension string may feel and sound better than a harp with a rather hard tension. I think beginners really should ask a harp teacher, or a harp friend with a lot of experience on the harp, and/or the shop assistant to play on the harps for them. Every one gets a different sound from the same harp, but still, harps with hard tension sound quite different when played by an experienced harper than by a beginner.
Edit: Biagio, I saw your message immediately after I posted mine and agree with you.
Edit2: When one has Camac-levers or the new Salvi-levers on one’s harp, restringing the harp with a different material, would require a regulation of the levers and probably a replacement of some levers for levers meant for strings with a smaller (or larger) diameter.
If the arpeggio-sign goes without a break through next to the notes of the left and the right hand, the arpeggio should be started at the bottom note of the left hand, working al the way up to the right hand.
If the arpeggio-sign does have a break along the notes of the left hand and the right hand, the left hand and the right hand start at the same time to play the arpeggio.
Hi Stardust, when you are not happy with your harp outside of the period of being able to return it without costs, you may like to try the easy solution which several reputable harp builders offer: you can get your money back with substraction of the money you would have paid if you had rented that harp for this period.
As you live in Europe, you may also be able to invoke the consumer protection the European Union is offering you. This is a little bit harder, but it might work. In your case, I would call a consumer protection agency in your country for help.
Possible arguments to get your money back or to get it repaired properly, would be that the current levers are unsuitable for their goal. As to why the strings break, this may be a matter of bad strings, or of bad calculated strings, or of rough spots getting the strings to wear out much too soon.
Edit: I see that the seller, Muzikkon, is in Ireland, which, fortunately, is part of the EU. This, at least in theory, should make things easier to fix than when you would have to try and correspond with someone in Pakistan.
The plastic levers are rather sturdy, so that’s not the problem. But they can’t be adapted easily when they are a bit out of tune. Fortunately, as the soundboard is rather thick, the soundbox hardly gets a belly, so the need for adaptation is less than with more modern harps.
The levers work rather silently, just like the modern metal Camac levers or the L&H Performance levers, and unlike the Salvi levers, which give a slight click-sound when operated.
If you want to flip levers while playing, you may prefer to find a harp with modern levers. And I would definitely like to have levers that operate silently.Hi Ami, this is a Camac PH38. It has 38 strings, the lowest being an A two and a bit octaves lower than middle C. The highest note is a C.
I owned a Camac PH38 one for many years. Mine was strung with pedal gut. It could also be bought or restrung with nylon. The harp on the picture has white plastic levers. These are rather stiff and not easy to flip while playing. The modern Camac metal levers are much better.
I guess this a harp dating from the nineties, but you could ask for its number (it’s in the inside of the harp) and mail Camac about the year of building.
Frankly, I think the harp is way overprized. I’ve got no idea prices in the US, but in Europe, depending on how well it has aged, this harp would sell from somewhere between 1000 to 1500 euro’s. Yes, also when converted to American dollars that’s less than half the current seller wants for it.
