stringing unfinished harp 2

STRINGING A BRAND NEW WIRE STRUNG HARP.
I have found it easier to use one peice of wire for every two strings. Done properly the strings will break much less often than indidual strings with one end twisted.

Slide one end of the wire into the harp and out the next hole
Make sure the wire inside the harp is loose and round.

At this point you do NOT want any bends or kinks or corners. Once the wire bends tight to the corners like the lower one above the wire cannot slide from one side to the other. This only works with wire strings. Nylon or gut IS flexible enough to slide around corners, brass wire won't.

Cut the wire about 2 1/2 inches past both zither pins. I use my four fingers to measure the two ends together.

Or you can put one end through a zither pin and then pull the other end tight and then cut.
Put the two ends through the two matching zither pins.
Use needle nose pliers to bend the tip if the wire.
I like to make a tiny loop on the end so there is no sharp point to poke your finger on.

Now wrap the wire COUNTER CLOCKWISE around the pins.
Two wraps inside (between the hole and the wood) and once on the outside.
See the upper pin in the above photo.

Turn the Zither pins CLOCKWISE in TINY increments; first one then the other, until both sides of the wire are just barely tight enought to sing. DO NOT try to bring them up to pitch at this time.

The inside wire will look like this,

Once all the strings are on, make sure they are all in a nice flat line with eachother. Loosen some and bring the final wrap in or out to match the rest.
NOW take the Paint Pens or markers or nail polish and color the C strings Red and the F strings Blue.
Begin bringing the strings up to pitch starting with the longest, thickest string and working up.
Brass Wire strings DON'T STRETCH, so use TINY little tweaks.
Do not tune any of the strings sharp. After the harp has been tuned for a few DAYS you can try tuning to another key. But not now. Start with the key of C. It's very important NOT TO OVER TIGHTEN any strings until they've had a while to "settle" .
You will also notice a slight bowing on the soundboard as the center of the soundboard "bellies out" about a quart of an inch. THIS IS NORMAL.

I could use some feedback as to how easy this is to understand.

Instrument orders, questions, and pleasant thoughts
Email: muis@dreamsingerharps.com