Primitive Archer

Main Discussion Area => Around the Campfire => Topic started by: Marc St Louis on July 12, 2016, 08:54:45 pm

Title: Stick and Strings
Post by: Marc St Louis on July 12, 2016, 08:54:45 pm

I was asked by a woman that works at the March of Dimes to build her a Harp.  She wanted 26 strings and Black Cherry, except for the sound board of course.  Here are a few pictures of the build

This first picture is the sound box ready for gluing

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/Sound%20Box%20Pieces.jpg)

This second pic is the sound box glued up with the neck and pillar placed in for alignment

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/Sound%20Box%20%20Neck%20and%20Pillar.jpg)

Next is the Neck and Pillar ready for glued up

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/Neck%20and%20Pillar%20ready%20for%20gluing.jpg)

Next the soundboard is ready to be glued onto the sound-box

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/Sound%20Board%20Ready%20for%20Gluing.jpg)

Here are the sound holes in the sound-box

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/Sound%20Holes.jpg)

Assembly of the Harp

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/Assembled%20Harp.jpg)

And the first coat of Tung Oil

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/First%20Coat%20Finish.jpg)

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Pat B on July 12, 2016, 11:03:15 pm

Cook Marc.   8)

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: bubby on July 12, 2016, 11:09:16 pm

Very cool

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Lehtis on July 13, 2016, 12:53:53 am

That´s something!

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: chamookman on July 13, 2016, 04:00:48 am

Nice ! Bob

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: PNewton on July 13, 2016, 05:06:12 am

Nice job.

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: YosemiteBen on July 13, 2016, 11:17:41 am

Beautiful! Very Nice. I was never any good at those kind of strings.

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: wizardgoat on July 13, 2016, 11:21:29 am

Very cool Marc!

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Ruddy Darter on July 13, 2016, 12:11:59 pm

That is awesome Marc, great work  8), such a magical instrument, Celtic folk with harp and flute has got to be my favourite.

  Ruddy.

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: JW_Halverson on July 13, 2016, 01:38:41 pm

How long did she have to harp on you to get you to do the project?   :laugh:

Nice choice for woods, simple grain, but beautiful in that simplicity!

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Marc St Louis on July 14, 2016, 11:48:11 am

It took about a week of harping  :)

This is the finished Harp

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/26%20String%20Side%20View.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/26%20String%20Front%20View.jpg)

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/Marc-St-Louis/Harps/26%20String%20Harp/26%20String%20Back%20and%20Side.jpg)

I have 2 more to make now, a 24 string and a 22 string

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Lumberman on July 14, 2016, 04:32:06 pm

Nice! Another pic or two along the way and you could throw this in the build alongs! How did you get introduced to harp building?

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: ---GUTSHOT---> on July 14, 2016, 04:52:30 pm

That's neat. How does it sound?

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: bjrogg on July 14, 2016, 05:46:16 pm

Very nice Marc I bet it sounds good too. How many have you built now? I know you built one for your wife. You might have to put a trademark on them.

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Marc St Louis on July 14, 2016, 06:10:13 pm

My introduction into Harp building was a bit roundabout.  My wife has a University degree in ancient music and while she was studying at University a couple from the US came up to teach a workshop and the workshop was on building a Harp.  The Harp she built was a small 19 string lap-harp which she never learned to play, until about 10 years ago.  She was playing a concert 10 years ago and after a woman from the audience came up to her and wanted one of the scores, she was a Harpist.  Of course my wife asked her to teach her how to play, which she did, but her little Harp had no range and the sound was a bit tinny.  I offered to make her a bigger one, at which she scoffed unbelievably, but in about a month I had built her this 31 string Harp

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Marc St Louis on July 14, 2016, 06:14:02 pm

My wife says it sounds a bit punky.  She wants to record a short sound clip.

This is #7

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Del the cat on July 15, 2016, 03:06:21 am

Nice work, it's fun making other stuff, not that I've ever tried a musical instrument!
Mrs Cat's side of the family has some professional musicians... when he heard I bade bows one of 'em thought it was violin bows :laugh:
Del

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Will B on July 15, 2016, 08:04:40 am

That is really beautiful.  I bet it sounds great when tuned up.  Great work!

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Marc St Louis on July 15, 2016, 12:58:07 pm

These Harps use nylon strings and between the strings stretching and the soundboard bowing out under tension makes tuning them up a lengthy process.  It takes about a month of touching up the tuning before it settles in and the Harp stabilizes.

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: JW_Halverson on July 15, 2016, 07:41:24 pm

A harper told me the minute they are strung, they begin to die.

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: bjrogg on July 16, 2016, 06:31:38 am

Sounds a lot like a bow JW even the stringing are tuning Marc like chasing that brace height till the string is done stretching

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Marc St Louis on July 16, 2016, 07:50:53 am

It actually takes them awhile to come into their full voice.  They have their best sound once the soundboard develops a belly.  Modern commercial Harps, and Harp kits, use Birch plywood for the soundboard and although that is strong it also deadens the sound

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: Pappy on July 21, 2016, 07:15:21 am

Very nice Marc, you are a man of many talents.  :)
 Pappy

Title: Re: Stick and Strings
Post by: BowEd on July 21, 2016, 08:18:44 am

Quite a lengthy process.Wonderful job.