Anyone built a wire strung harp?

[stuckinthemud]

Evening everyone.
I'm planning on building a low-head wire strung harp as my long term project for next year. Anyone built one?

 

[marcros]

@MusicMan do I recall that you were building a harp?

 

[MusicMan]

Yes I am, Mark, but not much progress this year despite lockdown. But mine is mostly nylon strung folk-type harp. Still, happy to share any knowledge.

 

[profchris]

I've made ukuleles and guitars, but those are very different animals!

However, plans for instruments tend to be somewhat overbuilt, to try to avoid someone's first build ending up with structural failure. I'd guess that harp plans might be the same.

So it would be worth joining a harp building forum, if one exists, and asking for advice. I've just found a few discussion threads on MIMF.com (worth searching) and another thread elsewhere where a builder suggests these links:

http://www.sligoharps.com/
http://www.kortier.com/wire.htm
Apparently a wire strung harp has 750lb of tension on the soundboard, so getting the construction right will be ... challenging!

 

[stuckinthemud]

Thanks guys. MIMF is a new one on me, I'll check it out. Musicman, did you offset the harmonic curve to the centre of the soundboard?

 

[Ttrees]

I've been half wanting to make one for years.
That hands video is fascinating, had it downloaded to the laptop, great to watch again and again, especially the making of the hardware that the kids were assigned to do.
Been holding onto some spruce from skipped piano soundboards for the job..

Haven't come across any builds on the official luthiers forum, but that might be worth a shot to have a search for also.

I seen what I think was the Brian Boru harp in the national history museum in Dublin years ago, tall as myself it was,( if that's what it was,)
it was only there for a short time...
Absolutely baffingly stunning work in that place, how they made some of the stuff must be lost arts, free to visit BTW


I believe the Brian Boru harp is close by, on view in Trinity college, never went there to see if I could get in the door, bit of a posh place for a hairball like myself, but I think it may be free also.

That might just be the penultimate design, not that I have any knowledge on the subject.
Sorry I can't be of any help

Tom

 

[stuckinthemud]

That Hands video seems to be unavailable for free download anymore, if its that good I may ask Santa for a copy

 

[screwpainting]

 

[Ttrees]

I was going to mention Chris Harbor's video also,
I presume you can still freely download real player these days?
My windows hard drive went kaput after placing a camera with magnetic
close on top of the keyboard
Can you folks view this over there?

 

[Sandyn]

Can you folks view this over there?

Fascinating video! thanks

 

[stuckinthemud]

Amazing, thank you!

 

[MusicMan]

Thanks guys. MIMF is a new one on me, I'll check it out. Musicman, did you offset the harmonic curve to the centre of the soundboard?

I haven't strung it yet, but yes, the strings will be along the centre of the soundboard and will be vertical when the harp is standing upright. Therefore the top element of the harp (which carries the tuning pins for the strings) is offset at the top, not central, but central at the bottom. Sounds odd to get your head round but it looks OK. Here are a couple of pics which show the offset from both sides. Unfinished.

And note that the soundboard grain goes across the strings, not along as in a guitar etc. That's because of the huge force from the strings as ProfChris mentions, but a mere 500ish lbs for a nylon-strung harp! You see the strip for the string holes along the centre line, not shown of course is a similar size strip on the back of the soundboard for strength as well; but no other ribs on the soundboard.

 

[stuckinthemud]

Looking good, it will be lovely when its all done

 

[IanA]

Not certain if I could be of any help but I have made a lever harp or clarsach. (couple of pictures attached) I don't think building a wire strung harp would pose difficulties much different to those encountered with the lever harp. To me it was more of a cabinet making exercise requiring some accurate planing and jointing. Rather than using techniques associated with the luthier for making stringed instruments with a neck, e.g. the violin, cello etc. My instrument was based on a plan and made from an old mahogany bed end rescued from a skip. The sound board was a pitch pine floorboard, again rescued from a building being demolished. The yoke and the pillar are from ash. Robinson's harps based in California drew up a string plan for me. They supplied the nylon strings and the various bits of ironmongery. It can attain a very satisfactory volume and until lockdown I played it regularly along with a harp orchestra. I do like the nylon strings, soft on the fingers, less stress on the yoke and not too expensive. Do you already play the wire strung harp or do you have another reason for making one? I'd be interested to hear how you get on with the project - Best of luck. I.A.

 

[stuckinthemud]

That's a really sweet harp, very lovely!
Ummm, no I don't actually play, but then I make longbows and don't shoot much anymore, I just think the early harps look beautiful, and as a carver, they offer a great challenge, so for me its all the technical stuff, building my skill set and enjoying the process. It will probably end up as a present for my daughter