Chiff and Fipple Forums

Nanohedron wrote:

Peter Duggan wrote:I'massumingBob'sassumingyou'reassumingI'massuming...

Och, never mind (maybe we're all blockheads)!

"Separated by a common language", I think is how the saying goes.

Well, if it's any consolation ... I've no idea what either of you are on about.

Yep...I'll admit the whole thing flew right past me.

Lest anyone worry about my sore fingers, Nano's right...I play with nails (on the wire harp, at least...the nylon harp is an entirely different animal).

My teacher and I (as the only two wire harpers in our immediate vicinity) often get a chuckle out of the fact that, while other instrumentalists are always running to local music stores for supplies, we're most likely to be found at Ace Hardware...when we're not on the phone or the 'net searching for suppliers of specialty wires.

In the meantime, today begins my experiment in switching this beastie from companion-stringing to toggles. Pray for me.

If you wonder why all the hardware, check out this video on tying a wire harp string:

http://www.monkeysee.com/play/653-the-h ... ing-part-1

benhall.1 wrote:

Nanohedron wrote:

Peter Duggan wrote:I'massumingBob'sassumingyou'reassumingI'massuming...

Och, never mind (maybe we're all blockheads)!

"Separated by a common language", I think is how the saying goes.

Well, if it's any consolation ... I've no idea what either of you are on about.

Turns out neither did we.

Redwolf wrote:In the meantime, today begins my experiment in switching this beastie from companion-stringing to toggles. Pray for me.

Speaking as someone who knows zilch about it, it would seem to me that toggling would give better tuning control than companion stringing. Would that be the advantage for the trouble?

Nanohedron wrote:

Redwolf wrote:In the meantime, today begins my experiment in switching this beastie from companion-stringing to toggles. Pray for me.

Speaking as someone who knows zilch about it, it would seem to me that toggling would give better tuning control than companion stringing. Would that be the advantage for the trouble?

Surprisingly, companion stringing gives pretty good tuning control (You wouldn't think so, but it works surprisingly well. Once the string is on, it doesn't slide.). The biggest advantages to toggles are 1) When you break a string, you only have one to get replaced and settled in rather than two and 2) It's easier and quicker to get the string on and properly aligned with the others, once you have the knack of tying the toggle.

The downside to toggles is, if the tie isn't done just right, it can unravel.

I used 1" lengths of 1/4" diameter wooden dowel for these, as my harp's bass strings really aren't thick enough to supply wire for toggles.

My teacher actually uses little copper washers for toggles, but my fingers are clumsy when it comes to handing such tiny things, so I figured I was better off with the dowel.

I've been nervous about switching, and I wasn't quite sure how my harp would react to the change, since it was originally set up with the companion stringing, but the two strings I replaced today went on pretty easily, and seem to be settling well. I'm not going to go crazy and restring the whole thing, but I think I will continue to replace companion pairs with toggles as they break.

On the other hand, wire harps don't break strings all that often, so these may be the only two that ever get replaced. They broke because of a moment's inattention on my part (forgot which harp I was tuning!)

I'm contemplating yet another trip to the hardware store for some calipers, as I noticed there's some wire in my kit that's lost its label....

Redwolf

Hey Audrey (et al)...I'm still casting about looking for a place to talk wire harp

I've only had my harp four days...and I've been to the hardware store twice obtaining parts (though, no fishing line ) -- anchoring pins for use as string stops as I cobble together replacement strings from other instruments until my new string set arrives

PS- I play with nails, but I'm a flamenco/classical guitarist for decades--so wire and nails is completely natural for me

PSS- fishing line/monofilament is (was) traditional for charango

Randal wrote:Hey Audrey (et al)...I'm still casting about looking for a place to talk wire harp

I've only had my harp four days...and I've been to the hardware store twice obtaining parts (though, no fishing line ) -- anchoring pins for use as string stops as I cobble together replacement strings from other instruments until my new string set arrives

PS- I play with nails, but I'm a flamenco/classical guitarist for decades--so wire and nails is completely natural for me

PSS- fishing line/monofilament is (was) traditional for charango

Randal...have you found the Wireharp list on Yahoo yet? That's where all we wireharpers tend to hang out. WireHarp@yahoogroups.com

Redwolf