Repair
Being a harpist is unusual. People are surprised when I tell them what my profession is and sometimes I even have to say it twice. I've grown accustomed to this, but I can't imagine how much more difficult it must be to explain to people that you're a professional harp technician, or that such a thing even exists. Since the world of harp technicians is proportional to our small world of harpists, it's really tiny. Consequently, many harp technicians travel extensively and set up appointments with harpists in need based on geography. Most of the time, this works out well. A certified technician shows up, and takes care of your harp - maintenance, repair, strange buzz, you name it!
But then there are those other times, when something happens with your harp and there is no technician around and none scheduled to come to your area for months. Shipping a harp to the factory is expensive, and that only works out well if you have a spare harp. Consequently, many harpists learn to do some of their own maintenance and repair, frequently out of necessity.
Below you'll find several videos. The first three videos show preparatory steps, essentially how to take your harp apart. The next videoscover several specific maintenance and repair situations.
Preparatory Repair Steps Videos:
How to Lay a Pedal Harp on its Side
As a preparatory step for some types of harp repair, a pedal harp needs to be laid on its side. Given the size of a pedal harp, there are some aspects to consider. In this video, three different approaches to this are shown.
How to Remove the Base of a Pedal Harp
The base of a pedal harp needs to be removed as a first step for some types of harp repair. In this video, removing the base is shown step by step.
How to Remove the Action Block of a Pedal Harp
As a preparatory step for some types of harp repair, the action block (a small piece of wood behind the strings) of a pedal harp needs to be removed. In this video, the removal of the action block is shown.
Repair Videos:
Changing Pedal Felts on a Pedal Harp
Each of the seven pedals of a harp have a red piece of pedal felt wrapped around them that gradually wears down through moving pedals. A new set of pedal felts are a standard part of a harp regulation, but sometimes they need to be changed between regulations, generally due to wear and tear.
Replacing a Lever on a Lever Harp
Every now and then a lever might break or warp and need to be replaced. This is a fairly straightforward repair that involves removing the old lever and installing and adjusting the new one.
Changing a Disc on a Pedal Harp
Once in a while the discs that create sharps and flats on a pedal harp can break. Similarly to replacing a lever, this is a straightforward repair that involves removing the old disc and installing the new one. The trickiest part is getting the new disc aligned properly.
Replacing a Broken Pedal Rod on a Pedal Harp
This is a complex and lengthy repair, and one that many harpists live in dread of having to do. Pedal rods are difficult to work with because they're so inaccessible on the harp. There are many steps to the process, all shown in great detail here.