AHJ, Vol. 7 No. 4, Winter 1980

Harp Strings:
Selection and Care
by John Escosa
John Escosa began his harp training at the Wainwright
Band Camp in Northern Indiana at the age of 10 with
Lynne Wainwright (Palmer) and in later years went on to
Arthur Jordan Conservatory in Indianapolis. He continued
in harp under the guidance of Carlos Salzedo in New York
City while attending the Juilliard School in composition
and choral conducting. His musical experience includes
having been principal harpist with the Fort Wayne Philharmonic
Orchestra, Musical Director for the Fort Wayne Ballet,
and Minister of Music for the United Church of Christ.
In recent years Mr. Escosa has been touring with Joseph
Longstreth under Columbia Artists Management, having
performed over one thousand concerts since· 1968.
The rising cost of just about everything connected
with a harp has suggested to me that I share with you
some of the economy measures concerning strings,
their care, and a few tuning helps which I have found
to be effective. Most of what is proposed is simply a
matter of adding a few extra motions to operations we
perform rather frequently. I hope that the information
will be of some use to you: I will make every effort to
be as clear and concise as possible.
Revitalizing Dead-Sounding Bass Wires
Some years ago I assisted a piano technician as he
replaced the pin block and restrung my old grand
piano. As we were in the process of installing the
wound wires, he told me of a way to restore a good
sound to these strings which he had devised during
World War II when such strings were almost impossible
to obtain.
The accumulation of dust in the windings causes
the deadness of tone. Since we are constantly touching
our strings, perspiration and body oils are added
to the dust which serves to compound the problem.
By adapting his procedure to bass wire harp strings,
we can almost double their longevity. A Coca-Cola
bottle (the small kind with a "waist") was his tool!
(Any similarly shaped object will do.) Be sure that
you have a spare set of strings on hand against the
unlikely possibility that one should break as you
perform the operations given below.
1. With the harp in C-flat, untune the string slowly,
being certain it continues to pass over the stationary
nut as you pull downward on the string with
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John Escosa
your left hand. (This action serves to help
straighten that portion of the string which was
wrapped around the tuning pin.) Carefully remove
the string from the pin. Do not pull it out from the
soundboard. Check the stationary nut to be sure it
is tight.
2. With pliers, straighten the end of the string and
cut off only that portion which went through the
tuning pin hole.
3. Wrap the string once around the "waist" of the
Coca-Cola bottle.
4. Keep a firm grasp on the free end of the string and
vigorously move the bottle up and down three or
four times. (This action opens the tiny interstices
between the coiling of the outer wrap of the string,
causing dirt to come loose.) CAUTION: too vigorously
and too long at this operation can make
the string hot and cause metal fatigue.
5. Return the string to the tuning pin and slowly
bring it to pitch.
If the string should "sizzle", you may be able to
correct it thusly: (Did you check the stationary nut?)
1. Untune the string no more than three-quarters of a
turn with the tuning key.
2. Insert a 2-inch nail or similar object which will go
through the grommet or loop at the low end of the
string at the underside of the soundboard. Using
the nail as a handle, slowly turn it no more than
one and one-half full turns in a clockwise direction.
(This action serves to re-establish tightness
to the outer wire wrap.) Bring the string back to
pitch slowly.
AMERICAN HARP JOURNAL