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ezFolk Forums > Other Instruments > Other Instruments > autoharp: removing buttons (and is there another board for this?) |
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| autoharp: removing buttons (and is there another board for this?) - Other Instruments - Other Instruments - ezFolk Forums | |||||||||||||||
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mctabby Approved
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1. I need to wrench the buttons off a set of 15-chord style chord bars, so I can re-attach them in a 3-row pattern. While other parts of old autoharps practically fall to pieces if you look at 'em funny, it turns out that the bond between the buttons and the bars is made to last. Thanks a bunch Oscar Schmidt. Any advice for removal without wrecking the bits? 2. There's got to be a more active message board for this stuff. People with obscure interests usually flock to the internet like moths to a lightbulb. Helloooo? I know about the pro luthiers, but where are all the other D.I.Y folk hacks with patched and modified frankenharps taking over their bedrooms?
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Will Approved 
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mctabby wrote: 1. I need to wrench the buttons off a set of 15-chord style chord bars, so I can re-attach them in a 3-row pattern. While other parts of old autoharps practically fall to pieces if you look at 'em funny, it turns out that the bond between the buttons and the bars is made to last. Thanks a bunch Oscar Schmidt. I've played autoharp since 1993, but all of my instruments are new. What vintage is your autoharp? Are the chord bars made out of wood? I don't believe it's possible to remove the buttons from the chord bars of vintage autoharps without damaging the buttons and/or the chord bars. Your only option may be to get custom-made replacement chord bars. http://harpdoctor.com/id32.html However, even the above link for the affordable custom maple chord bards offers only a 2-row design for a 15-chord autoharp, and the button positions are carved in place and are non-moveable. (Their 3-row chord bars cost more than a new Oscar Schmidt OS73C autoharp). I believe the only economical way for you to get a 3-row design is to replace the entire chord bar mechanism; only 21-chord autoharps commonly have the 3-row design. Elderly Instruments sells a 21-bar conversion kit for about $80: http://elderly.com/accessories/items/CONVKIT-21.htm  When Oscar Schmidt autoharps were redesigned in 1967, the chord bars were changed to slotted aluminum, with sliding plastic buttons that can be easily reconfigured. This may be the only way you can get chord bars configured in 3 rows with the button positions customized. Personally speaking, I much prefer the 21 chord-bar, 3 button-row design, and I have never liked the 15 chord bar design because of the shortage of chords and the asymetrical layout of the 2 rows of buttons. Here's a link that I've found for do-it-yourself autoharp set up: http://www.pelicancrossing.net/autoharp.htm Hope this helps. Last edited on Tue May 8th, 2007 06:47 pm by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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mctabby Approved
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I have a new 21-chord OS73-C that I've modified a dozen ways and works real nice, but no, I don't want to convert all my autoharps to be like it. I have a half dozen half broken "project" instruments ranging from a 1882 mini Zimmerman to a ~1975 12 chord Oscar Schmidt. I just got some advice from a fella who sold me some spare bars who says it's possible to separate the buttons from the chord bars using a vice, a hair dryer, and some courage, but that the button usually breaks in the process. That would be fine; spare buttons are cheap enough. I'll let you know how it goes!
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Will Approved
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I own the same model autoharp, the 21-chord Oscar Schmidt OS73C. I installed the Oscar Schmidt bar magnet pickup, and I lowered the action of the chord buttons by installing strips of adhesive Velcro wool underneath the chord bar cover. I also modified the E7 chord bar by adding additonal felt to convert it into an E chord bar (since there is a B7 chord bar). In 2004, I bought a 21-chord McSpadden Evoharp, which has a different range of chords, and plays much better in the keys of D and A than the Oscar Schmidt, because it has the relative minor and 7th chords in that key. I also installed an Oscar Schmidt pickup in the Evoharp.
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Philj200 Approved 
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Will, Please go into a few more details about lowering the action. I have a 15-chord OS which is good enough for me. But now that you mention it, the response time in chord changes is not as crisp as I would like it. Perhaps lowering the action would help. What kind of materials did you use? How much dismantling? I have this image of starting to take the topoff the AH and having an explosion of chord bars, springs, pads erupt in my face. Last edited on Wed May 9th, 2007 03:16 pm by Philj200 ____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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Will Approved
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Philj200 wrote: Will, Hi, Phil: Before you tweak your autoharp, gather up a few items to make the project go smoother: a bowl or some kind of container to hold small parts (a magnet might even be better), a bath towel to lay under the autoharp (and catch parts that spill), a bright work light (moving a floor lamp to your work area may be sufficient), some adhesive Velcro wool strips, a good pair of scissors, small-size Phillips screwdriver, small-size regular screwdriver, and a pair of pliers. The first step is to carefully remove the 2 chord bar anchor strips (see the two black vertical strips in the photo below, held on by 3 wood screws) which hold down the ends of the chord bars. When the anchor strips are removed, you will expose the small coil springs that cause the chord bars to spring back up after releasing the chord bars. Be careful not to jostle the autoharp to prevent the tiny coil springs from flying off of the plastic mounting posts. All you need to do to lower the chord bar action is cut two strips of adhesive Velcro wool to line the underside of the chord bar anchor strips, and then carefully remount the chord bar anchor strips.  Autoharp purists advocate using moleskin foam for lowering the action, but I don't see the need for anything that fancy. The Velcro wool is a soft, cushiony, durable substance that brings the chord bar felts perhaps 1/16" closer to the strings. It works for me. For 21-chord Oscar Schmidt autoharps (the style of autoharp that I play), the Velcro strips need to be mounted on the underside of the plastic chord bar cover, at the extreme left and right ends.  Good luck. Last edited on Wed May 9th, 2007 03:46 pm by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Philj200 Approved
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Will, Thanks. Mole?!? As in rodent? So it seems that an explosion of little parts is a consideration. But a controllable one. The way you describe the process; only two parts need attention (I imagined addressing all 15 chord bars in some way). This not really rocket science (now that you pointed the way). Does this foam also dampen the sound of a released chord bar? That's another pain in the otic region I've lived with. Appreciate your using my autoharp as a graphic. Regards, Phil
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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Will Approved
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Philj200 wrote: Will, Yes, long ago, moleskin was literally made from the subterranean rodent, but nowadays refers to a heavy cotton fabric, commonly used in adhesive pads to cushion bunions and other foot maladies. When used as I described, the Velcro wool/moleskin is simply a "space taker" that lowers the amount of vertical movement of the chord bars and keeps the strings closer to the felt pads, making the autoharp easier to play. Since the Velcro wool is not mounted anywhere near the felt pads that actually dampen the strings, the tone of the autoharp is not affected. I must be psychic  if I happened to guess what your autoharp looked like. No, actually I found that autoharp photo via Google.
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Philj200 Approved
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Will, I think I got it. It's in the project que (bumping back the tenor banjo cookie tin a notch). Let's see if you're really psychic: I'm thinking of an instrument... hint, it has strings. What is it.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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Will Approved
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Philj200 wrote: Will, King David's lyre? No? So much for my psychic abilities.  
____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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mctabby Approved
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Phil, On a 15-chord, the job will take you all of 20 minutes. I'll add that a big strong magnet is helpful for grabbing up all the springs and screws and holding them for you while you work. And YES, this little modification WILL dampen the knocking sound of the chord bars hitting the brackets when you release them, at least somewhat. I've done the same thing described by Will, only using moleskin (which ain't so fancy, really), kids' craft felt and/or craft foam that I bought at a dollar store. The craft foam is great. Comes in sheets, all different thicknesses. I'll explain my method for padding the button-hole part of a 21-chord some other time. It involves pink foam, fire, and bourbon (optional. I guess.). I'm still experienting with ways to dampen chord bar sounds on my 21-chord harp. The noise is worse with the chord bar cover factored in, and through a pickup can be downright obnoxious, even with some padding under the cover. I might give this Velcro idea a try - maybe something a bit "fluffy" rather than just a foam pad would be good for noise. Will? How are the knocking sounds through your OS pickup with the velcro under the cover? Autoharp are two parts instrument and one part craft project.
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Philj200 Approved
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So close! Actually, I was thinking of the Absalom version of the KD Lyre. The one with natural sheep gut strings and ram's horn bridge. But, once again, Will, you amaze me. Thanks for the encouragement McT. The dampering of the chord bars alone will be worth the project. Curiously, in all the decades I've been around autoharps and autoharplayers (I've only had mine a couple of years), I've never heard this discussed. Either I been mingling with complacent autoharpers or I'm deafer than I thought. Riddle me this one: I've seen fine-tuner conversions that cost $200. Not in this lifetime. Some time ago, and I believe it was Will who pointed out a couple of places that do this back when I noticed a guy in my contra-dance orchestra had fine tuners on his autoharp. Any way of doing the job for a small fraction of the cost? By the way, autoharp in a contra-dance orcehstra is not all that good an idea. Not only can no one hear you. You can't hear yourself. Last edited on Wed May 9th, 2007 07:25 pm by Philj200 ____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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Will Approved
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Philj200 wrote: So close! Actually, I was thinking of the Absalom version of the KD Lyre. The one with natural sheep gut strings and ram's horn bridge. But, once again, Will, you amaze me. Phil: I can't believe that I guessed right about the lyre. That idea just popped into my head when I read your message, and I found that King David's lyre at Lark In The Morning's web site, via Google. I agree with you regarding the autoharp's lack of volume relative to other string instruments. I played my autoharp a few times at the local old time fiddle jam, and I had trouble hearing myself; afterwards I switched to guitar. The fiddles are so loud that they drown out most of the guitars and clawhammer banjos. The local jams allowed me to play a 12-string guitar, which I brought on some occasions. Last edited on Wed May 9th, 2007 08:06 pm by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Will Approved
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mctabby wrote: Phil, I haven't recorded with the OS73C autoharp since I bought the Evoharp 3 years ago, so I can't tell if the chord bar cover noise leaked through on past recordings, because they were ensemble recordings with Loose Change & Friends, and the other instruments and vocals probably masked the noise. My 21-chord Evoharp has no chord bar cover, and the wooden chord bars are exposed, held in place with two wooden strips that anchor the ends of the chord bars. I added thin strips of tan-colored Velcro wool to those chord bar anchor strips to lower the action. I think you can hear a little bit of chord bar rattle in my recording of Greensleeves, played on the Evoharp (LOTS of chord button work on that tune): http://ezfolk.com/audio/play.php?band_id=297&song_id=3402&mode=song_hifi Last edited on Wed May 9th, 2007 08:14 pm by Will ____________________ Will http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/297/ Loose Change & Friends http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/245/ http://loosechangeandfriends.com The Earth Tones http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/337/ A Bunch Of Coconuts http://abunchofcoconuts.com |
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Philj200 Approved
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I listened in awe when you first posted this and again just now. This instrument has no problems. Mine sounds like a succession of doors slamming. I can play around it by holding a chord down until I release the next chord. But this takes attention away from the moment. I heard Pete Seeger play Greensleeves at square dance tempo. It works. We do it that way in the orchestra. I play a Travis-style version in G-major on guitar. Lark in Meadow catalogs are the stuff of dreams. Fiddles tend to think of themselves as having the musical right of way. With 14 of them in the orchestra no says anything. They out number us.
____________________ My MP3 Section: http://ezfolk.com/audio/bands/1143/ My Myspace area: http://myspace.com/philj200 |
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